Louisiana Trip, V

 Day 5-6: Joyce Wildlife Management Area, Wickliffe Park, Horseshoe Lake

• Began birding on the drive back.
• Considered birding Grand Isle on the way out (sort of wish I had).
• Joyce WMA Highlights: The swamp walk was shorter than I thought it would be. Saw no new birds but heard another barred owl.

• Cut across tips of Kentucky and Illinois. Was hoping to make a decent stop in each state but some storms kept me moving.
• Originally planned to camp at Horseshoe Lake in Illinois but ended up going to Missouri and nabbing a few hours of sleep.

This phoebe in Illinois found a handy little perch to flycatch from.

Louisiana Trip, IV

 Day 4: Grand Isle

• Woke up for gate opening at Grand Isle SP. Waited outside taking photos of birds wandering, perching and flying. Gate never opened but managed two lifers: clapper rails (only ones spotted on the trip) and black skimmers. Can't complain?

• Drove to Ninety West Park. Wandered through the park and nearby roads.
• Highlight of the day was watching a least bittern (lifer) cling to the reeds for a few minutes before flying off.

• Day heating up. Returned to the marina to watch terns and saw my first (do not know my oceanic wildlife) dolphin? Turns out dolphins aren't as easy to photograph with a zoom lens from a dock as I would have figured.

• Made another stop at the Ninety West Park and the beach.
• Loads of terns and gulls on the beach. No lifers but had fun taking pictures and walking barefoot on the sand while almost everyone else . . . drove the beach? Hm.

Louisiana Trip, III

 Day 3: Lefleurs Bluff State Park, Grand Isle

• Woke up at Lefleurs Bluff SP campground and walked several trails.
• Lefleurs Bluff SP Highlights: No lifer birds but got the trip's best look of Carolina Wrens, saw a huge Golden Silk Orbweaver plus another sort of lifer.

Decided to leave the boat landing area as my first wild gator turned and started to slowly drift across the river in my direction. :)

• Drive to Grand Isle was pretty smooth and quite interesting visually. Saw a million places along the freeway I wish I could have stopped to scope for birds.
• Got to my inn and decided to check the marina out back. Lifers aplenty!
• Grand Isle Mariana Highlights: Up close looks at Laughing Gulls, a Ruddy Turnstone, Brown Pelicans and also saw Least Terns and Royal Terns (all lifers).

• Also went over to the east portion of Grand Isle Beach.
• Grand Isle Beach Highlights: Magnificent Frigatebirds (lifer), first Loggerhead Shrikes of the year.

• Quick stop at the supermarket before hanging out at the hotel.
• Improvised a spoon.
• Watched sunset and last birds about the marina.