TwoDipsfromAmsterdam
Anything About?
We recently spent about 10 days in southern USA. It was primarily a visit to family and friends plus a post-Katrina look at New Orleans. So hardly in the class of MKinHK's much more interesting account of a US visit at http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=196350.
We left Amsterdam on Friday 6 May arriving in New Orleans (via Memphis) late in the evening. A few small "black" birds were hopping around in the longish grass at Memphis Airport but they went unidentified - but probably Starlings. A wander around the French quarter the following morning produced Chimney Swifts and a rather tatty Blue Jay. In the afternoon we decided to do the touristy thing and take a river cruise on the steamboat "Natchez". Plenty of Laughing Gulls on the quayside and we noticed how high the Mississippi river was. This, of course, was a major news story in the US with, a few days later, a number of spillways being opened upriver from New Orleans, flooding farmland in an attempt to avoid flooding the city itself.
The cruise was interesting in that we learnt quite a bit about the history of NO but also because a few birds were seen. First up was a Common Grackle flying across the river followed by an even more interesting flyer - a Stealth Fighter! A couple of White Ibis also flew accross the river as we went downstream with a Black-crowned Night Heron passing close to the boat. Red-winged Blackbirds could be seen on the shore and a couple of Least Terns were feeding on the river. We were soon turning and heading back upstream when a couple of Mississippi Kites were seen over a wooded area on the west bank. Barn Swallows were also seen, all flying north.
On Sunday 8th I had a quick look at the river front and came across an American Kestrel high over the river (but well seen), Northern Mockingbird and Mourning Doves. A trip to Audubon Park in the afternoon sounded like a good idea - even though we were pushed for time. That added American Crow and Green Heron only - plus a few unidentified birds!
On Monday 9th we picked up our hire car and headed to Gulfport to see a friend. En route a beautiful Swallow-tailed Kite obliged by flying across the road in front of us! Our friend's house had been completely destroyed in Katrina and she now lives in her artist's studio superbly adapted to add living space! Her garden held Northern Cardinal and Carolina Wren. After lunch we set off for Biloxi where we were to spend the night. Driving along the coast road we saw what appeared to be a snowfall ahead (odd, the temperature was well in the 80s!). This turned out to be a colony of Least Terns and a part of the beach has been cordoned off to provide relief from disturbance. Also amongst the Terns were many Black Skimmers. We arrived late afternoon at the Beau Rivage Hotel in Biloxi - a somewhat bizarre experience. The hotel is also a casino - hence, I assume, the low room rate! The most kitsch hotel in the US (apart perhaps from Las Vegas)?! Anyway, our room on the 23rd floor had spectacular views across the Gulf of Mexico so I sat in the armchair, put feet on the window sill and watched. A couple of Great Blue Herons wandered about followed by an Osprey (complete with fish) and a Snowy Egret. Quite bizarre - watching an Osprey from above and in air conditioned comfort!
The following morning saw us departing for SE Arkansas where we were to stay for several days - (it was my wife's father's 80th birthday - the main reason for the trip). We stopped to have another look at the Least Tern colony and also came across Sanderling and Ruddy Turnstone - and another Osprey which was fishing just offshore. The drive up through Mississippi and Louisiana and into Arkansas added Black Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk and Northern Bobwhite to the list.
Having arrived at my wife's parent's house we sat in the garden (or, I should say, yard) where a pair of House Sparrows were feeding young. Also present were Eastern Bluebird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird and Red-bellied Woodpecker.
The following morning a wander around the locality produced Downy Woodpecker, Cooper's Hawk and Brown Thrasher. Family duties ensured that birding was minimal but on the 12th a House Finch was in the garden with Turkey Vultures and a magnificent adult Bald Eagle flying over. Also in the garden a party of Carolina Chickadees chattered around. A trip to see other relatives in the area allowed us to add White-eyed Vireo and Eastern Wood-Pewee. On the 13th we had to visit Little Rock (more friends) and were rewarded with a superb Scissor-tailed Flycatcher on a fence about 20 miles south of Pine Bluff. Collared Doves flew over us as we lunched on a restaurant balcony in downtown Little Rock.
Our final day in Arkansas (15th) provided a Red-shouldered Hawk over the house, a couple of Great Egrets near Pine Bluff and some Tree Swallows at Lake Providence. Our last night was spent in Brookhaven (Ms) and I had to go to the car to get something just as night was falling - just in time to witness a Common Nighthawk flying around the wooded area by the hotel's car park!
We returned the car at New Orleans Airport from where we departed, arriving in Amsterdam just before 11:00 the following day (17th). Obviously many species were missed - e.g. not a single warbler (which probably reflects my shortcomings on identifying American songbirds!) - as this was not a "real" birding trip. But, as ever, the US remains a great place for birding.
David
We left Amsterdam on Friday 6 May arriving in New Orleans (via Memphis) late in the evening. A few small "black" birds were hopping around in the longish grass at Memphis Airport but they went unidentified - but probably Starlings. A wander around the French quarter the following morning produced Chimney Swifts and a rather tatty Blue Jay. In the afternoon we decided to do the touristy thing and take a river cruise on the steamboat "Natchez". Plenty of Laughing Gulls on the quayside and we noticed how high the Mississippi river was. This, of course, was a major news story in the US with, a few days later, a number of spillways being opened upriver from New Orleans, flooding farmland in an attempt to avoid flooding the city itself.
The cruise was interesting in that we learnt quite a bit about the history of NO but also because a few birds were seen. First up was a Common Grackle flying across the river followed by an even more interesting flyer - a Stealth Fighter! A couple of White Ibis also flew accross the river as we went downstream with a Black-crowned Night Heron passing close to the boat. Red-winged Blackbirds could be seen on the shore and a couple of Least Terns were feeding on the river. We were soon turning and heading back upstream when a couple of Mississippi Kites were seen over a wooded area on the west bank. Barn Swallows were also seen, all flying north.
On Sunday 8th I had a quick look at the river front and came across an American Kestrel high over the river (but well seen), Northern Mockingbird and Mourning Doves. A trip to Audubon Park in the afternoon sounded like a good idea - even though we were pushed for time. That added American Crow and Green Heron only - plus a few unidentified birds!
On Monday 9th we picked up our hire car and headed to Gulfport to see a friend. En route a beautiful Swallow-tailed Kite obliged by flying across the road in front of us! Our friend's house had been completely destroyed in Katrina and she now lives in her artist's studio superbly adapted to add living space! Her garden held Northern Cardinal and Carolina Wren. After lunch we set off for Biloxi where we were to spend the night. Driving along the coast road we saw what appeared to be a snowfall ahead (odd, the temperature was well in the 80s!). This turned out to be a colony of Least Terns and a part of the beach has been cordoned off to provide relief from disturbance. Also amongst the Terns were many Black Skimmers. We arrived late afternoon at the Beau Rivage Hotel in Biloxi - a somewhat bizarre experience. The hotel is also a casino - hence, I assume, the low room rate! The most kitsch hotel in the US (apart perhaps from Las Vegas)?! Anyway, our room on the 23rd floor had spectacular views across the Gulf of Mexico so I sat in the armchair, put feet on the window sill and watched. A couple of Great Blue Herons wandered about followed by an Osprey (complete with fish) and a Snowy Egret. Quite bizarre - watching an Osprey from above and in air conditioned comfort!
The following morning saw us departing for SE Arkansas where we were to stay for several days - (it was my wife's father's 80th birthday - the main reason for the trip). We stopped to have another look at the Least Tern colony and also came across Sanderling and Ruddy Turnstone - and another Osprey which was fishing just offshore. The drive up through Mississippi and Louisiana and into Arkansas added Black Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk and Northern Bobwhite to the list.
Having arrived at my wife's parent's house we sat in the garden (or, I should say, yard) where a pair of House Sparrows were feeding young. Also present were Eastern Bluebird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird and Red-bellied Woodpecker.
The following morning a wander around the locality produced Downy Woodpecker, Cooper's Hawk and Brown Thrasher. Family duties ensured that birding was minimal but on the 12th a House Finch was in the garden with Turkey Vultures and a magnificent adult Bald Eagle flying over. Also in the garden a party of Carolina Chickadees chattered around. A trip to see other relatives in the area allowed us to add White-eyed Vireo and Eastern Wood-Pewee. On the 13th we had to visit Little Rock (more friends) and were rewarded with a superb Scissor-tailed Flycatcher on a fence about 20 miles south of Pine Bluff. Collared Doves flew over us as we lunched on a restaurant balcony in downtown Little Rock.
Our final day in Arkansas (15th) provided a Red-shouldered Hawk over the house, a couple of Great Egrets near Pine Bluff and some Tree Swallows at Lake Providence. Our last night was spent in Brookhaven (Ms) and I had to go to the car to get something just as night was falling - just in time to witness a Common Nighthawk flying around the wooded area by the hotel's car park!
We returned the car at New Orleans Airport from where we departed, arriving in Amsterdam just before 11:00 the following day (17th). Obviously many species were missed - e.g. not a single warbler (which probably reflects my shortcomings on identifying American songbirds!) - as this was not a "real" birding trip. But, as ever, the US remains a great place for birding.
David
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