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| Bay-breasted Warbler - Catahoula NWR HQ Unit, 5/2/22 |
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Related posts:
- March, 2022 observations, including CNWR:
- CNWR 2021:
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This spring I visited the Headquarters Unit of Catahoula NWR a few times, though I didn't get to this location nearly as much as I'd have liked to. The low numbers of transient migrant species, and individuals of those species, on the lists point to this relative dearth of time spent on the refuge during peak migration (late April and early May) compared to previous years, as well as the fact that there just didn't seem to be as many migrants as usual stopping over in this region of the state as there would usually be (personal observations from various locations in northern Cenla). In addition to the HQ Unit, I also made three visits to the Willow Lake Unit and one visit to the Bushley Bayou Unit (I didn't go to the French Fork Unit during this time). I include in this post a couple of visits to Fannin Road, a rural route (not on the NWR) through mostly swamp and bottomland hardwoods across US-84 from Willow Lake Unit.
It's worth noting that there wasn't significant flooding in the area of Catahoula Lake, including the NWR, this spring. In the past few years, it was typical for backwater from the Little River-Ouachita/Black River System to flood this low-lying region and often for the high water to linger for a good part of the season. Not so this year.
The bird lists for each location (Fannin Road; CNWR HQ Unit, Willow Lake Unit, and Bushley Bayou Unit) are below. Following that are lists for other wildlife (Mammals, Herps, Butterflies).
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Fannin Road
On both occasions I drove the part of Fannin Road that bisects Old River Loop, plus short part of Old River Loop connection back to US-84. This location is in La Salle Parish.
April 1, 2022
8:22am; 24mins; 1.4 miles
cool; clear; light breeze
May 2, 2022
8:07am; 50mins; 1.5 miles
70F.; mixed/variable sky; S wind 5-10mph
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| habitat along Fannin Rd. - 5/2/22 |
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| east end of Willow Lake viewed from Fannin Road |
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| Fannin Rd. - 5/2/22 |
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Wood Duck - 5, 0
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 0, 1
Great Blue Heron - 1, 2
Little Blue Heron - 2, 1
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| adult Little Blue Heron - 4/1/22 |
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Green Heron - 0, 1
Black Vulture - 4, 0
Turkey Vulture - 1, 0
Red-shouldered Hawk - 0, 1
Belted Kingfisher - 0, 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2, 1
Downy Woodpecker - 2, 1
Pileated Woodpecker - 0, 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 0, 1
Acadian Flycatcher - 0, 1
Great Crested Flycatcher - 0, 2
Eastern Kingbird - 1 (FOS), 0
White-eyed Vireo - 1, 1
Yellow-throated Vireo - 2, 0
Red-eyed Vireo - 0, 4
Blue Jay - 1, 0
American Crow - 0, 4
Carolina Chickadee - 4, 6
Tufted Titmouse - 4, 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1, 0
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 0, 2
Carolina Wren - 2, 5
Gray Catbird - 0, 1
American Goldfinch - 5, 0
Chipping Sparrow - 1, 0
White-throated Sparrow - 1, 0
Yellow-breasted Chat - 0, 1
Orchard Oriole - 0, 3
Red-winged Blackbird - 2, 1
Brown-headed Cowbird - 3, 2
Common Grackle - 1, 0
Black-and-white Warbler - 0, 1
Prothonotary Warbler - 1 (FOS), 5
Tennessee Warbler - 0, 3
Northern Parula - 3, 0
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) - 1, 0
Black-throated Green Warbler - 0, 1
warbler sp. - 0, 2
Summer Tanager - 0, 4
Northern Cardinal - 7, 4
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 0, 1 (female)
Indigo Bunting - 0, 3
Painted Bunting - 0, 3
passerine sp. - 0, 2
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Catahoula NWR Headquarters Unit
On each visit to the HQ Unit I drove some of the refuge loop, making numerous stops and taking some short walks on the road. The Headquarters Unit is primarily in La Salle Parish, but with a small sliver around the entrance and along the refuge boundary in Catahoula Parish.
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| HQ Unit, area just inside entrance gate/near HQ buildings - 5/2/22 |
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| refuge loop - 5/2/22 |
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| ... 4/1/22 |
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| ... 5/2/22 |
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| ... 5/2/22 |
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| ... 5/2/22 |
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| ... 5/5/22 |
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| ... 4/15/22 |
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| ... 4/1/22 |
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| south leg of refuge loop with glimpse of Duck Lake (aka: Little Lake on some maps) - 5/5/22 |
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| north leg of loop, headed toward Duck Lake - 4/15/22 |
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| ... 4/15/22 |
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| north end of Duck Lake - 5/2/22 |
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April 1, 2022
8:49 am; 2hr, 5min; 2.8 miles
50-56F.; clear; NE wind 5-10mph; water level marker at N end of Duck Lake: 38.5'
April 15, 2022
9:44 am; 2hr, 58min; 2.8 miles
67-76F.; cloudy/overcast w/ short periods of sunny; wind S and SE ~5-15mph
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May 2, 2022
8:59 am ; 2 hrs, 33 min; 2.8 miles
~70-80F.; sky mixed/variable; S wind 5-12mph; WL 36.6'
May 5, 2022
9:46 am; 4 hr, 36 min; 3.9 miles
78-83F.; sky variable variable between overcast and mixed; S wind 5-15mph + gusts
May 11, 2022
9:27 am; 1 hr, 35 min; 2.8 miles
81-83F.; sunny/mixed sky; very light breeze about 1-4mph
months separated by '/'
'x' = species detected, but number of individuals not determined
"(FOS)" = personal first-of-season observation of a migratory species
Wood Duck - 2, 0 / 1, 0, 0
Mourning Dove - 2, 0 / 2, 4, 5
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 0, 0 / 5 (FOS), 7, 6
Chimney Swift - 0, 0 / 0, 2, 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 0, 0 / 4, 6, 4
Spotted Sandpiper - 0, 0 / 0, 0, 1 (FOS)
Anhinga - 1, 0 / 0, 1, 1
Great Blue Heron - 2, 2 / 3, 2, 3
Great Egret - 1, 2 / 2, 4, 2
Snowy Egret - 0, 0 / 1, 9, 3
Little Blue Heron - 0, 0 / 1, 1, 1
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| adult Little Blue Heron - 5/2/22 |
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White Ibis - 0, 0 / 0, 14, 0
Black Vulture - 2, 2 / 0, 2, 6
Turkey Vulture - 3, 4 / 8, 4, 1
Mississippi Kite - 0, 0 / 1, 1, 1
Bald Eagle - 0 ,0 / 0, 1, 0
Broad-winged Hawk - 0, 7 / 0, 0, 0
Red-shouldered Hawk - 0, 0, / 0, 1, 2
Red-tailed Hawk - 0, 1 / 0, 0, 0
Barred Owl - 0, 0 / 0, 0, 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 8, 3 / 5, 10, 6
Downy Woodpecker - 2, 4 / 4, 5, 4
Pileated Woodpecker - 4, 3 / 3, 3, 4
Northern Flicker - 1, 0 / 0, 0, 0
Acadian Flycatcher - 0, 1 (FOS) / 6, 9, 12
Great Crested Flycatcher - 0, 3 / 4, 4, 1
Eastern Kingbird - 0, 0 / 0, 0, 2
White-eyed Vireo - 5, 7 / 11, 9, 6
Yellow-throated Vireo - 3, 2 / 1, 1, 0
Red-eyed Vireo - 1, 6 / 7, 10, 9
Blue Jay - 3, 2 / 2, 3, 1
American Crow - 5, 4 / 5, 2, 2
Carolina Chickadee - 10, 6 / 7, 6, 8
Tufted Titmouse - 13, 4 / 7, 21, 13
Purple Martin - 0, 0 / 0, 0, 1
Tree Swallow - 0, 0 / 0, 1, 0
Barn Swallow - 0, 1 / 0, 1, 0
Cliff Swallow - 0, 0 / 0, 1, 0
swallow sp. - 0, 3 / 0, 0, 0
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 5, 0 / 0, 0, 0
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 4, 5 / 4, 5, 1
Carolina Wren - 7, 8 / 10, 17, 12
Gray Catbird - 0, 0 / 2, 1, 0
Eastern Bluebird - 2, 0 / 0, 1, 0
Cedar Waxwing - 0, x / 0, 0, 0
American Goldfinch - 1, 1 / 0, 0, 0
White-throated Sparrow - 1, 5 / 0, 0, 0
Savannah Sparrow - 0, 4 / 1, 0, 0
Swamp Sparrow - 1, 1 / 0, 0, 0
(video: singing Swamp Sparrow - 4/15/22)
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Eastern Towhee - 0, 0 / 1, 0, 0
Yellow-breasted Chat - 0, 0 / 2, 1, 1
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| Yellow-breasted Chat - 5/5/22 |
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Orchard Oriole - 0, 4 / 2, 5, 3
Red-winged Blackbird - 4, 5 / 4, 4, 3
Brown-headed Cowbird - 1, 5 / 16, 16, 20
Common Grackle - 8, 15 / 1, 3, 2
blackbird sp. - 1, 0 / 0, 0, 3
Worm-eating Warbler - 0, 1 / 0, 0, 0
Black-and-white Warbler - 0, 0 / 1, 0, 0
Blue-winged Warbler - 0, 1 (FOS) / 0, 0, 0
Prothonotary Warbler - 4, 10 / 12, 17, 10
Tennessee Warbler - 0, 3 (FOS) / 16, 6, 0
Kentucky Warbler - 0, 1 (FOS) / 3, 2, 1
Common Yellowthroat - 0, 1 / 0, 0, 0
Hooded Warbler - 1, 3 / 0, 2, 2
Cerulean Warbler - 0, 1 (FOS) / 0, 0, 0
Northern Parula - 8, 5 / 3, 1, 3
Bay-breasted Warbler - 0, 0 / 1 (FOS), 0, 0
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| male Bay-breasted Warbler |
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| ditto |
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(video: male Bay-breasted Warbler foraging - 5/2/22)
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Yellow Warbler - 0, 0 / 1 (FOS), 0, 0
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) - 4, 0 / 0, 0, 0
Yellow-throated Warbler - 1, 0 / 0, 0, 0
Black-throated Green Warbler - 0, 2 / 0, 0, 0
warbler sp. - 0, 0 / 4, 2, 0
Summer Tanager - 0, 7 / 7, 13, 5
Northern Cardinal - 18, 8 / 14, 17, 13
Blue Grosbeak - 0, 0 / 1, 1, 0
Indigo Bunting - 0, 1 / 15, 16, 12
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| male Indigo Bunting - 5/5/22 |
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Painted Bunting - 0, 8 (FOS date) / 14, 20, 12
passerine sp. - 0, 0 / 0, 1, 0
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Catahoula NWR Willow Lake Unit
On the first two visits I drove the first mile of the main road (Willow Lake Rd.), on the third visit I drove the length of the main road, plus the half-mile side-road that turns to the south. Willow Lake Unit is located in La Salle Parish.
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| Willow Lake Unit - 4/1/22 |
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| ditto |
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| ditto |
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| ditto |
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| ditto |
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| ditto |
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April 1, 2022
10:58am; 36min; 1 mile
upper 50s F.; clear; wind NE 5mph
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May 2, 2022
11:35 am; 35 mins; 0.9 miles
81F.; sky mixed/variable; S wind 5-12 mph
May 5, 2022
2:28 pm; 1 hr, 14 min; 1.7 miles
83 F.; mixed, cloudy/variable sky; wind ~5-15 + gusts
Wood Duck - 0 / 0, 2
Mourning Dove - 1 / 1, 2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 0 / 0, 4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 0 / 0, 1
Anhinga - 0 / 1, 0
Great Blue Heron - 1 / 0, 1
Great Egret - 0 / 1, 0
Snowy Egret - 0 / 0, 1
Cattle Egret - 30 / 0, 0
Black Vulture - 16 / 0, 0
Turkey Vulture - 2 / 4, 2
Bald Eagle - 0 / 1, 0
Red-shouldered Hawk - 1 / 1, 0
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 0 / 1, 0
Acadian Flycatcher - 0 / 0, 3
White-eyed Vireo - 2 / 0, 4
Yellow-throated Vireo - 1 / 0, 0
Red-eyed Vireo - 0 / 0, 3
Blue Jay - 0 / 2, 3
American crow - 0 / 0, 4
Carolina Chickadee - 4 / 0, 2
Tufted Titmouse - 5 / 2, 5
Barn Swallow - 0 / 0, 1
swallow sp. (probably Cliff Swallow) - 0 / 0, 12
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 4 / 0, 0
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 2 / 0, 3
Carolina Wren - 1 / 1, 4
Gray Catbird - 0 / 1, 2
Swamp Sparrow - 1 / 0, 0
Eastern Towhee - 2 / 2, 6
Yellow-breasted Chat - 0 / 6, 7
Orchard Oriole - 0 / 1, 4
Red-winged Blackbird - 0 / 1, 2
Brown-headed Cowbird - 0 / 2, 2
Prothonotary Warbler - 1 / 2, 2
Tennessee Warbler - 0 / 1, 0
Kentucky Warbler - 0 / 1, 0
Common Yellowthroat - 0 / 3, 2
Hooded Warbler - 1 / 3, 1
Northern Parula - 5 / 3, 4
Prairie Warbler - 0 / 0, 1
Summer Tanager - 0 / 2, 2
Northern Cardinal - 6 / 6, 10
Blue Grosbeak - 0 / 1, 2
Indigo Bunting - 0 / 9, 13
Painted Bunting - 0 / 7, 9
passerine sp. - 3 / 0, 1
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Bushley Bayou Unit
5/29/22
Stopped by the NWR road that turns west off of LA-126 immediately south/east of the Bushley Bayou bridge. This is in Catahoula Parish.
10:32am; 38mins; 2 miles
80sF.; clear; light south breeze
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| Bushley Bayou Unit |
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| ditto |
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| Bushley Bayou |
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Mourning Dove - 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 2
Snowy Egret - 1
Turkey Vulture - 2
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Acadian Flycatcher - 3
White-eyed Vireo - 3
Red-eyed Vireo - 2
Blue Jay - 1
Carolina Chickadee - 3
Tufted Titmouse - 10
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 2
Carolina Wren - 4
Wood Thrush - 1
Eastern Towhee - 3
Yellow-breasted Chat - 2
Brown-headed Cowbird - 1
Prothonotary Warbler - 5
Kentucky Warbler - 4
Hooded Warbler - 4
Northern Parula - 1
Summer Tanager - 1
Northern Cardinal - 12
Indigo Bunting - 3
passerine sp. - 4
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Other Wildlife (all units, all dates)
Mammals:
Fox Squirrel, Northern Raccoon, feral hogs...
Refuge staff report seeing a Black Bear in May.
Herps (Amphibians & Reptiles):
Spring Peeper -
Cajun Chorus Frog -
Green Treefrog -
Squirrel Treefrog -
Cope's Gray Treefrog -
Blanchard Cricketfrog -
American Bullfrog -
Green (Bronze) Frog -
Southern Leopard Frog -
American Alligator -
Rough Greensnake -
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| Rough Greensnake - HQ Unit, 5/5/22 |
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| Rough Greensnake - HQ Unit - 5/5/22 |
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| Rough Greensnake - Willow Lake Unit - 5/5/22 |
Western Ratsnake (Pantherophis obsoletus) -
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| Western Ratsnake - HQ Unit, 5/11/22 |
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Southern or Banded or Broad-banded Watersnake (Nerodia fasciata) -
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| Banded Watersnake - HQ Unit - 5/5/22 |
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| Banded Watersnake - HQ Unit - 5/5/22 |
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Pond Slider -
(Spiny or Smooth?) Softshell -
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| softshell turtle - CNWR HQ Unit - 5/5/22 |
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Butterflies:
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Silver-spotted Skipper-
Horace's Duskywing-
duskywing sp. -
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| Horace's Duskywing - HQ Unit - 5/5/22 |
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail -
Pipevine Swallowtail -
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| Pipevine Swallowtail - HQ Unit, 4/1/22 |
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Cloudless Sulphur -
Little Yellow -
Sleepy Orange -
Red-banded Hairstreak -
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| Red-banded Hairstreak - HQ Unit - 4/1/22 |
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American Snout -
Gulf Fritillary -
Viceroy -
'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple -
Pearl Crescent -
Phaon Crescent -
Hackberry Emperor -
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| Hackberry Emperor - HQ unit - 5/5/22 |
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Tawny Emperor -
Question Mark -
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| Question Mark - 5/2/22 - HQ Unit |
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Red Admiral -
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| Red Admiral - HQ Unit, 5/5/22 |
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Common Buckeye -
Goatweed Leafwing -
Carolina Satyr -
Monarch -
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| Monarch nectaring on Crimson Clover - 4/15/22 |
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As always, if you spot an incorrect ID or have suggestions for those that I'm unsure about, feel free to comment and let me know.
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