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| a pair of Eastern Bluebirds near the Catahoula Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden, Kisatchie NF, Grant Parish |
An afternoon visit on March 30 to the area around Work Center Road, including the Catahoula Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden, in the Catahoula Ranger District of Kisatchie National Forest yielded some nice spring observations. I visited the garden first, then spent much of the time walking the dirt path that separates the weedy meadow-type area from the block of open, mature pine woods that lie south/southwest of the garden, west of WC Road. I was present from 3:55 to 6:28 pm; it was warm, and at times windy. So, not the most ideal birding scenario, but still good to be out in the woods for a while. Habitat shots:
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| Catahoula Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden |
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| Catahoula Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden |
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| the "weedy meadow" |
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| the open pine woods |
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| the open pine woods |
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (my FOS) were present at the garden. Sedge Wrens were singing in the long weedy meadow west of the road. Also singing at this location was an Eastern Meadowlark. A pair of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers from the colony by the garden were busy climbing all over the pines in the the block of open woods west of the meadow, their distinctive calls grabbing my attention. At one point I witnessed the woodpeckers apparently copulating, hopefully making the next generation of these Near Threatened birds. (video below)
Two Field Sparrows were a nice addition to the list. Missing, unfortunately, were the Bachman's Sparrows that can often be heard (and on a lucky day, seen) in that block of woods.
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| female Eastern Bluebird at nest box |
The Eastern Bluebirds were present around some of the nest boxes that line the path. I recorded at least five individuals -- seeing two pairs together. Purple Martins have returned to nest at the artificial "gourds" by the garden.
Butterflies were numerous, though species diversity was very modest. Swallowtails, specifically Spicebush and Pinevine Swallowtails, were an almost constant presence, it seemed, both at the garden and in the woods.
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| Spicebush Swallowtail nectaring on Salvia |
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| Pipevine Swallowtail nectaring on Salvia |
I did see one Eastern Tiger Swallowtail before leaving. I counted at least four Northern Cloudywing (assuming that all of my i.d. were correct and none were the similar Confused Cloudywing) -- one at the garden, three in woods and meadow.
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| Northern Cloudywing... w/ sunshine coming through the "cloudy wings" |
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| Northern Cloudywing |
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| Northern Cloudywing nectaring on Phlox |
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| Northern Cloudywing nectaring on Salvia |
I added a new butterfly species to my life list: Hoary Edge.
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| Hoary Edge nectaring on Rubus blossoms |
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| Hoary Edge nectaring on Rubus blossoms |
The Hoary Edge was nectaring on blackberry (Rubus) blossoms at the edge of the thicket adjacent to the garden. Common Buckeye were out and about, both at the garden and along the trail, as were a few Pearl Crescent and Carolina Satyr.
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| Common Buckeye |
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| Pearl Crescent ...Damage may be from storm that occurred that week? |
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| Carolina Satyr |
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| Carolina Satyr |
I was able to i.d. a few moths. As I started down the path between the parking area and the trail by the woods, I flushed a Confused Eusarca (Eusarca confusaria).
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| Confused Eusarca moth |
While stepping out into the woods west of the trail to better photo some flowers, I noticed a Desmia type moth fluttering about the short vegetation on the forest floor. The Grape Leaffolder Moth Desmia funeralis and Desmia maculalis are extremely similar, so I list this moth as Desmia funeralis/maculalis.
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| Desmia funeralis/maculalis |
I believe this next one is an Eastern Grass-veneer Moth (Crambus laqueatellus).
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| tentative i.d.: Eastern Grass-veneer Moth |
I flushed a Vetch Looper (Caenurgia chloropha) while in the dense weeds east of the trail, which I had waded into to better photograph one of the No. Cloudywings.
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| Vetch Looper Moth |
Some of the wildflowers in bloom were Phlox species...
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| Phlox |
Coreopsis sp. ...
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| Coreopsis |
Salvia sp., Erigeron sp., Sisyrinchium sp. ...
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| Blue-eyed Grass sp. (Sisyrinchium sp.) |
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| Sisyrinchium sp. |
Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum)...
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| Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum) blossoms |
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| Deerberry blossoms |
blackberry and/or dewberry sp. (Rubus), Common Vetch (Vicia sativa), Packera sp. ...
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| tentative i.d.: Groundsel sp. (Packera) |
Nuttallanthus sp. ...
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| Toadflax sp. (Nutallanthus) |
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| Toadflax sp. |
Oxalis sp., and Polygala sp.
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| tentative i.d.: Milkwort sp. (Polygala) |
I didn't see or hear any herp species on this visit, and had only one mammal...
Before leaving I stepped into the garden again. The tame White-tailed Deer that hangs around the garden was present this time. He's something of an attraction: folks gather to watch and snap photos while he calmly strolls around and stops to browse.
My mother and sister, who were my ride, arrived before I got back to the garden, and they had a chance to see the deer. Also, they were the ones to point me to the hummingbirds, which I hadn't seen on the first pass through the garden. I'll make birders of them yet. ; )
Complete bird list is below.
3/30/2017
3:55 pm - 6:28 pm
Conditions: sunny, warm, breezy.
Birding on foot approx. 0.75 mile
Mourning Dove - 2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 2 (one male, one unknown sex)
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| Red-cockaded Woodpecker |
Red-cockaded Woodpecker - 2 (mating pair)
Northern Flicker - 2
American Crow - 1
Purple Martin - 2
Carolina Chickadee - 1
Brown-headed Nuthatch - 5
Sedge Wren - 4 (singing)
Carolina Wren - 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Eastern Bluebird - 5
Brown Thrasher - 2
Northern Mockingbird - 2
Cedar Waxwing - 13
Common Yellowthroat - 1
Pine Warbler - 3 (singing)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) - 3
Chipping Sparrow - 3 (some singing, some seen)
Field Sparrow - 2
White-throated Sparrow - 6
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| Field Sparrow |
Northern Cardinal - 1
Eastern Meadowlark - 1 (singing)
Brown-headed Cowbird - 1
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| Eastern Bluebird atop nest box |
During the severe storms that passed through Louisiana on 4/2 - 4/3, there appeared to be radar-indicated rotation passing very near the location covered in this blog entry. There were certainly very strong winds and heavy rainfall. I haven't heard what damage may have occurred at this exact location and I haven't gotten to return yet to see for myself, but it was pretty bad elsewhere in the area.
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