Friday, September 28, 2018

Catahoula NWR (La Salle & Catahoula Parishes) -- June - mid-September, 2018

Great Blue Heron -- Headquarters Unit, July 6
Related Posts:
 Catahoula NWR Butterfly Count June, 2018: http://falloutbird2014.blogspot.com/2018/06/catahoula-nwr-naba-butterfly-count-2018.html

 Catahoula NWR ~Summer, 2017: http://falloutbird2014.blogspot.com/2017/09/catahoula-nwr-spring-summer-2017.html

 Catahoula NWR Spring, 2018 (w/ links to the preceding winter and fall posts): http://falloutbird2014.blogspot.com/2018/06/catahoula-nwr-la-salle-catahoula.html

*****************************************************
   These posts cover numerous visits to Catahoula NWR in La Salle and Catahoula Parishes, with a date range of June 11 to September 21. Let's call it circa Summer. The bulk of them are for the Headquarters Unit, but there are also lists for Willow Lake, French Fork, and Bushley Bayou Units. In addition to the lists of birds, which are presented by unit below, there are refuge-wide lists for mammals, Herps, fishes, Lepidoptera, Odonata, as well as some of the wildflowers seen during this period. Lot's of photos and a few videos are included. None are of great quality, but they show many of the species listed.
   If you spot any incorrect i.d. or have a suggestion for one I'm unsure of, feel free to let me know.
   Please note that these are the observations of an amateur - a birder and general nature enthusiast without formal training and limited experience with some of the groups of organisms covered here, so there could be mistakes. I try to do my research before posting, but sometimes I rush to publish a post before too much time has passed since the events that post covers.

Without further adieu, and with no more gilding the lily...

Birds - Headquarters Unit:
Habitat Shots:
view from northeast corner of Duck Lake -- 7/26
water across the road from north end of Duck Lake (often a few shorebirds around at appropriate season) -- 9/2
Rainbow! -- refuge loop at north end of Duck Lake -- 9/2
refuge loop where it runs along La Salle - Catahoula Parish line -- 8/23
refuge loop at "gated side road" -- 8/23
nature trail -- 7/21
one of the "big culverts" along south part of refuge loop -- 7/21
woods along west side of refuge loop - 7/26
Cowpen Bayou -- 7/26
June 11
   6:23 a.m.; 3 hrs 57 min
   5.5 miles; primarily La Salle Parish
   77 - 84 degrees F.; cloudy at first becoming mixed cloud and sun; light breeze
   Water level marker at north end of Duck Lake showed approx. _.
   Birded driving north, east, and south parts of loop, with numerous stops.

June 16 (NABA Catahoula NWR Butterfly Count)
   9:30 a.m.; 1 hr 40 min
   ~6 miles; primarily La Salle Parish
   warm, sunny, not much wind
   Birds that my party (Craig Marks and Jonathan Clark) detected during the HQ Unit portion of the butterfly count. Driving (w/ numerous stops and some short walks) from kiosk near entrance, south along east leg of refuge loop, around south end, and down Mosquito Bend Road to end.


July 6
   9:21 a.m.; 1 hr 14 min
   2.8 miles; primarily La Salle Parish
   82 - 86 degrees F.; sunny/partly cloudy; some light breeze
   Water level marker at north end of Duck Lake showed approx. 34.5 feet.
   Birded driving, with numerous stops, parts of the north and east legs of the refuge loop

July 21
   6:35 a.m.; 3 hrs 53 min
   6 miles; primarily La Salle Parish
   79 - 86 degrees F.; mostly cloudy, mixed cloud and sun; wind calm at start, some light breeze beginning about half way through
   Water level marker at north end of Duck Lake showed approx. 34.5 feet.
   Birded driving, with numerous stops, parts of the north, east, and south legs of the refuge loop (5.6 miles), plus on foot down nature trail to beginning of boardwalk, which was closed for repairs.

July 26
   8:34 a.m.; 3 hrs 44 min
   9.6 miles; primarily La Salle Parish
   77 - 92 degrees; clear; some light breeze
   Water level marker at north end of Duck Lake showed approx. 34 to 34.5 feet (rotted, hard to read).
   Birded driving, with numerous stops, the entire refuge loop, plus walking the gated side road that goes down to the east side of Duck Lake (walk = estimated 0.4 miles one way)

August 11
   8:54 a.m.; 1 hr 55 min
   2.5 miles; primarily La Salle Parish
   76 degrees F. at start; sunny / partly cloudy; calm at first, some light breeze developing
   Birded driving, with numerous stops, parts of the north and east legs of the refuge loop

August 23
   6:50 a.m.; 2 hrs 17 min
   2.3 miles; primarily La Salle Parish
   69 - 78 degrees F.; sunny; calm, then some light breeze
   Water level marker at north end of Duck Lake showed approx. 34' or slightly more (rotted, hard to read)
   Birded driving, with numerous stops, parts of the north and east legs of the refuge loop, with some time on foot walking on the road

September 2
   7:05 a.m.; 3 hrs 7 min
   2.3 miles; primarily La Salle Parish
   74 - 81 degrees F.; cloudy a first, then variable mix of cloud and sun; some light breeze at first, became light to moderate wind (east / southeast?)
   Water level marker at north end of Duck Lake showed approx. 34' or slightly less (rotted, hard to read)
   Birded driving, with numerous stops, parts of the north and east legs of the refuge loop, with circa 2hrs on foot at north end of Duck Lake

September 13
   6:45 a.m.; 2 hrs 53 min
   2.5 miles; primarily La Salle Parish
   74 - 81 degrees F.; light breeze; varying mix cloud and sun, favoring sunny
   Water level marker at north end of Duck Lake showed approx. 34' - 34.5' (rotted, hard to read)
   Birded driving, with numerous stops, parts of the north and east legs of the refuge loop, with significant time on foot at north end of Duck Lake and down to corner by Cowpen Bayou

September 21
   9:36 a.m.; 3 hrs 20 min
   2.2 miles; primarily La Salle Parish
   84 - 94 degrees F.; sunny to partly cloudy; light breeze
   Water level marker at north end of Duck Lake showed approx. 34' (rotted, hard to read)
   Birded driving, with numerous stops, parts of the north and east legs of the refuge loop, with about 2 hrs and 0.3 miles on foot on road where it runs north-south along the parish line south of the fork by the sign-in board and port-o-potty.


A reminder what the dates are: June 11 and 16. July 6, 21, and 26. August 11 and 23. September 2, 13, 21. Each month's set of numbers is separated by " / ".

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck - 1, 0, /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 7,  /  0, 0, 0

(video: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck -- 6/11)




Black-bellied Whistling-Duck -- HQ Unit, 6/11
Wood Duck -  1, 0,  /  0, 2, 0,  /  0, 2,  /  1, 2, 0
Blue-winged Teal - 0, 0,  /   0, 0, 0,  .  0, 0,  /  1, 0, 0
duck sp. - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 0,  /   0, 5, 0
Mourning Dove - 4, 0,  /  3, 1, 3,  /   1, 0,  /  1, 0, 2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 9, 2,  /  4, 7, 13,  /  5, 6,  /  2, 2, 0
Yellow-billed Cuckoo with caterpillar -- 8/11
Chimney Swift - 1, 0,  /  0, 2, 1,  /  2, 1,  /  0, 0, 0
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 1, 2,  /  0, 2, 3,  /  0, 0,  /  3, 2, 1
Black-necked Stilt - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  6, 8,  /  5, 4, 4
Black-necked Stilt -- 9/2
Killdeer - 0, ,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 1, 0
Least Sandpiper - 0, ,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  4, 0,  /  9, 0, 0

(video: Least Sandpiper, 8/11)




Least Sandpipers and a Solitary Sandpiper (right end) -- 9/2

dowitcher sp. - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  5, 0,  /  0, 0, 1

(video: dowitchers, 8/11)



dowitchers -- 8/11
dowitchers -- 8/11
dowitchers -- 8/11
(Long-billed?) dowitcher -- 9/21
(Long-billed?) Dowitcher -- 9/21
Spotted Sandpiper - 0, 0,  /  0, 1, 7,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0
Solitary Sandpiper - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 1,  /  4, 0, 0
Greater Yellowlegs - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 0,  /  2, 0, 3





Greater Yellowlegs -- 9/21
Lesser Yellowlegs - 0, 0,   /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 0, 1
Lesser Yellowlegs -- 9/21

Lesser Yellowlegs (foreground) and Greater Yellowlegs -- 9/21
shorebird sp. - 0, 0,  /  0, 50, 2,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0
Wood Stork - 0, 0,  /  0, 22, 23,  /  0, 19,  /  0, 29, 0
Wood Storks and a couple of Roseate Spoonbills -- 7/21
Anhinga - 14, 3,  /  4, 1, 8,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 2, 0
American White Pelican - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  1, 6,  /  0, 0, 0
American White Pelican -- 8/11
Great Blue Heron - 5, 2,  /  4, 4, 7,  /  5, 5,  /  3, 3, 3
Great Blue Heron -- 9/13
Great Egret - 8, 1,  /  5, 2, 18,  /  18, 4,  /  0, 2, 1
Snowy Egret - 3, 1,  /  9, 7, 9,  /  0, 6,  /  7, 8, 4
Snowy Egret -- 9/2
Little Blue Heron - 10, 0,  /  4, 3, 9,  /  7, 3,  /  0, 2, 2
Tricolored Heron - 0, 0,  /  1, 0, 1,  /  8, 1,  /  3, 4, 3
Tricolored Heron -- 9/2
Tricolored Heron -- 9/2
Cattle Egret - 1, 0,  /  6, 3, 12,  /  0, 15,  /  9, 95, 0
Cattle Egret -- 7/21
white egret/heron sp. - 0, 0,  /  2, 0, 25,  /  25, 15,  /  10, 10, 0
Green Heron - 1, 0,  /  1, 6, 1,  /  2, 0,  /  1, 0, 0
Green Heron -- 9/2
Black-crowned Night-Heron - 0, 0,  /  0, 1, 0,  /  0, 2,  /  0, 0, 0
juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron -- 8/23
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron - 3, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0
White Ibis - 11, 0,  /  3, 3, 14,  /  4, 9,  /  12, 25, 9
White Ibises and a Greater Yellowlegs -- 9/2
Glossy/White-faced Ibis - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 6,  /  4, 25, 3
flock of Plegadis sp. ibises (Glossy/White-faced Ibis) -- 9/13
Plegadis sp. ibis -- 9/21
Roseate Spoonbill - 1, 0,  /  0, 2, 15,  /  41, 19,  /  1, 34, 0
young Roseate Spoonbill -- 7/21
adult Roseate Spoonbill -- 9/13
Black Vulture - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 4,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 0, 3
Black Vulture -- 7/26
Turkey Vulture - 1, 0,  /  1, 0, 1,  /  6, 0,  /  2, 2, 3
Osprey - 1, 0,  /  0, 1, 1,  /  0, 0,  /  1, 0, 0




Mississippi Kite - 1, 1,  /  0, 1, 0,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0
Mississippi Kite -- 7/21
Bald Eagle - 0, 0,  /  0, 1, 1,  /  0, 1,  /  0, 0, 0

(video: adult Bald Eagle, Wood Storks -- 7/21)



adult Bald Eagle -- 7/21
Red-shouldered Hawk - 3, 0,  /  0, 0, 3,  /  1, 3,  /  1, 0, 1
juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk -- 8/23
Broad-winged Hawk - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 1,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0
Broad-winged Hawk -- 7/26
Belted Kingfisher - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  1, 0,  /  0, 0, 0
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 4, 2,  /  6, 3, 7,  /  2, 2,  /  1, 6, 7
Downy Woodpecker - 3, 1,  /  0, 3, 6,  /  4, 3,  /  1, 7, 2
Hairy Woodpecker - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 1,  /  0, 1, 0
Hairy Woodpecker -- 8/23
Pileated Woodpecker - 2, 1,  /  1, 4, 3,  /  2, 4,  /  1, 3, 0
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 0, 0,  /  1, 0, 0,  /  0, 0,  /  1, 3, 2

(video: two Eastern Wood-Pewees, one of them calling -- 9/13)



Acadian Flycatcher - 12, 1,  /  4, 7, 6,  /  3, 3,  /  2, 3, 2
Great Crested Flycatcher - 2, 0,  /  0, 2, 0,  /  0, 2,  /  2, 1, 0
Eastern Kingbird - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 0,  /  1, 0, 0
White-eyed Vireo - 9, 4,  /  3, 13, 16,  /  8, 10,  /  6, 14, 7
young White-eyed Vireo -- 9/2
young White-eyed Vireo -- 9/2
Yellow-throated Vireo - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 1,  /  0, 1,  /  0, 3, 0
Red-eyed Vireo - 8, 7,  /  0, 6, 7,  /  0, 3,  /  2, 2, 1
Blue Jay - 1, 0,  /  2, 5, 6,  /  2, 3,  /  4, 6, 7
American Crow - 7, 2,  /  4, 5, 0,  /  5, 2,  /  4, 9, 2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 10,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0
Tree Swallow - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 1,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0
Purple Martin - 1, 0,  /  1, 24, 0,  /  0, 0,  /  1, 0, 0
Barn Swallow - 10, 0,  /  0, 2, 2,  /  3, 0,  /  1, 0, 0
Cliff Swallow - 2, 0,  /  0, 1, 6,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0
swallow sp. - 0, 0,  /  0, 10, 0,  /  2, 0,  /  11, 0, 0
Carolina Chickadee - 15, 2,  /  6, 9, 15,  /  3, 0,  /  2, 11, 5
Tufted Titmouse - 8, 2,  /  6, 10, 13,  /  4, 2,  /  3, 7, 2
Carolina Wren - 15, 2,  /  2, 16, 19,  /  5, 10,  /  9, 8, 8
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 10, 3,  /  2, 3, 7,  /  1, 1,  /  2, 4, 3
Eastern Bluebird - 0, 0,  /  3, 0, 5,  /  0, 0,  /  1, 0, 0
European Starling - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 0,  /  3, 0, 0
European Starlings -- 9/2
Yellow-breasted Chat - 2, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0
Lark Sparrow - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 0, 1
Eastern Towhee - 0, 0,  /  0, 1, 0,  /  0, 1,  /  0, 0, 0
Orchard Oriole - 4, 0,  /  1, 3, 2,  /  2, 0,  /  0, 0, 0
Red-winged Blackbird - 10, 1,  /  3, 3, 1,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 0, 5
Brown-headed Cowbird - 8, 4,  /  2, 5, 2,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 2, 0
Common Grackle - 20, 0,  /  3, 7, 3,  /  0, 33,  /  43, 0, 0
blackbird sp. - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 20, 0
Prothonotary Warbler - 13, 5,  /  2, 0, 0,  /  2, 0,  /  0, 0, 0
Common Yellowthroat - 0, 0,  /  0, 1, 2,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0
Hooded Warbler - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 1,  /  0, 0, 0
Northern Parula - 3, 4,  /  1, 4, 0,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 1, 0
Northern Parula -- 9/13
American Redstart - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 0, 3
Yellow Warbler - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 0,  /  1, 0, 0
Summer Tanager - 4, 2,  /  2, 3, 3,  /  1, 3,  /  1, 3, 1
Northern Cardinal - 28, 7,  /  8, 17, 29,  /  13, 14,  /  12, 14, 11
Blue Grosbeak - 1, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 1,  /  1, 2, 0
Indigo Bunting - 13, 7,  /  6, 13, 13,  /  6, 4,  /  1, 11, 1
Painted Bunting - 16, 8,  /  6, 20, 16,  /  3, 4,  /  2, 7, 2
male Painted Bunting -- 7/21
female Painted Bunting -- 7/21
Painted Buntings -- 9/2
passarina (bunting) sp. - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 4,  /  2, 6, 4
passerine sp. - 0, 0,  /  0, 0, 0,  /  0, 0,  /  0, 4, 0


Birds - Willow Lake Unit:

Habitat Shots:
Willow Lake Road -- 6/11
ponds on Willow Lake Unit -- 6/16
June 11
   11:12 a.m.; 56 min
   1.4 miles; La Salle Parish
   85 - 90 degrees F.; sunny/partly cloudy; light breeze

June 16 (birds detected during NABA Catahoula NWR Butterfly Count)
   11:17 a.m.; 1 hr 10 minutes
   La Salle Parish
   birds detected by my party (Phillip Wallace, Brad Moon, Jonathan Clark). We traveled ~0.5 miles on foot along right-of-way that leads west from sign-in board, plus some along road south of board
   hot, sunny

July 6
   10:38 a.m.; 51 min
   1.4 miles; La Salle Parish
   87 - 89 degrees F.; sunny or partly cloudy; light breeze

July 26
   12:21 p.m. - 18 min, incidental -- hot, bird activity low; part of weedy field recently mowed
   0. 9 miles; La Salle Parish
   91 - 93 F.; sunny; some light breeze

Mourning Dove - 0, 0, 1, 2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 3, 0, 3, 0
Chimney Swift - 0, 0, 1, 0
Anhinga - 4, 0, 0, 1
Great Blue Heron - 1, 0, 0, 0
Great Egret - 0, 0, 1, 1
Little Blue Heron - 2, 1, 1, 0
white egret sp. - 0, 0, 1, 0
Black Vulture - 2, 1, 0, 0
Turkey Vulture - 0, 1, 2, 1
Red-tailed Hawk - 0, 1, 0, 0
Downy Woodpecker - 0, 1, 0, 0
Acadian Flycatcher - 3, 0, 0, 0
Eastern Kingbird - 1, 0, 1, 1
White-eyed Vireo - 8, 0, 6, 1
Red-eyed Vireo - 2, 0, 0, 0
Blue Jay - 0, 0, 0, 2
Cliff Swallow - 2, 0, 6, 4
Carolina Chickadee - 0, 1, 0, 1
Tufted Titmouse - 0, 1, 0, 0
Carolina Wren - 2, 1, 3, 0
Eastern Towhee - 1, 1, 3, 2
Yellow-breasted Chat - 8, 3, 4, 0
Red-winged Blackbird - 2, 0, 2, 0
Brown-headed Cowbird - 2, 0, 1, 0
Prothonotary Warbler - 2, 1, 0, 0
Swainson's Warbler - 1, 0, 1, 0
Kentucky Warbler - 1, 0, 0, 0
Common Yellowthroat - 7, 0, 5, 0
Hooded Warbler - 2, 0, 2, 0
Northern Parula - 1, 2, 0, 0
Prairie Warbler - 1, 0, 0, 0
Summer Tanager - 1, 1, 0, 0
Northern Cardinal - 6, 2, 10, 5
Blue Grosbeak - 2, 0, 1, 0
Indigo Bunting - 8, 1, 9, 4
Painted Bunting - 1, 1, 5, 1
Dickcissel - 0, 0, 1, 0


Birds - French Fork Unit:

Habitat Shots:
Muddy Bayou Road, 6/11
June 11
   10:32 a.m.; 28 min
   La Salle Parish
   0.2 miles -- Muddy Bayou Road off LA-28
   85 degrees F.; light breeze; mixed cloud and sun

June 16 (birds detected during NABA Catahoula NWR Butterfly Count)
   2:27 p.m.; 57 minutes
   La Salle Parish
   0.2 miles on foot on Muddy Bayou Road
   hot, sunny, not very good conditions for birding
   The whole butterfly count group came here before parting for the day.

Wood Duck - 0, 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 2, 1,
Common Gallinule - 7 (family - 2 adult, 5 juv.), 1,
family of Common Gallinules -- 6/11
Anhinga - 4, 0
Great Egret - 1, 0
Little Blue Heron - 1, 0
Turkey Vulture - 0, 2
Mississippi Kite - 0, 1
Red-shouldered Hawk - 0, 1
Eastern Kingbird - 1, 1
White-eyed Vireo - 2, 1
Red-eyed Vireo - 1, 0
Blue Jay - 0, 1
Cliff Swallow - 2, 0
Carolina Chickadee - 1, 0
Carolina Wren - 1, 2
Orchard Oriole - 1, 0
Brown-headed Cowbird - 1, 0
Prothonotary Warbler - 1, 0
Northern Parula - 1, 1
Summer Tanager - 1, 0
Northern Cardinal - 3, 1
Indigo Bunting - 2, 1
Painted Bunting - 1, 0



Birds - Bushley Bayou Unit:

Habitat Shots:
levee at impoundments by Minnow Ponds Rd -- 6/13
part of Flat Creek at Minnow Ponds Trail -- 8/13
Minnow Ponds Trail -- 8/13
Green's Creek -- 6/11
Dry Bayou Road -- 6/13
Bushley Bayou at end of road -- 6/13
June 13
   6:38 a.m.; 3 hrs 12 min
   Catahoula Parish
   3.5 miles -- by vehicle, w/ numerous stops - the length of Minnow Ponds Road and Dry Bayou Road, from LA-8 to Bushley Bayou - plus 0.2 miles on foot at impoundment levees by MP Road and 1.5 miles on foot by Green's Creek on DB Road
   73 - 84 degrees F.; partly cloudy; light breeze

June 16 (NABA Catahoula NWR butterfly count)
   3:33 p.m.; 32 minutes
   Catahoula Parish
   1.8 miles -- driving Minnow Pond Rd and Dry Bayou Rd (with some stops) as far as Green's Creek bridge, plus time on foot at bridge.
   92 degrees F., sunny; not the best time of day for birds, but still decent amount of bird activity.

August 13
   10:08 a.m.; 2 hrs 52 min
   Catahoula Parish
   2.3 miles -- Birded driving, w/ numerous stops, Minnow Ponds Road and Dry Bayou Road, from LA-8 entrance to Green's Creek bridge (1.8 miles); plus walking parts of: levees at impoundments by MP RD, Minnow Ponds Trail to last fork of Flat Creek, and on road by Green's Creek.
   82 - 90 degrees F.; sunny/partly cloudy; light breeze


duck sp. - 1, 0, 0
Pied-billed Grebe - 1, 0, 0
Mourning Dove - 1, 1, 2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 4, 2, 6
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 2, 1, 0
Chimney Swift - 0, 0, 7
Wood Stork - 0, 0, 32
Anhinga - 0, 0, 5
Great Blue Heron - 1, 0, 4
Great Egret - 4, 1, 21
Snowy Egret - 1, 0, 29
Little Blue Heron - 1, 0, 1
Cattle Egret - 1, 0, 0
Green Heron - 0, 1, 1
Black Vulture - 1, 0, 4
Turkey Vulture - 0, 1, 10
Mississippi Kite - 0, 0, 2
Red-shouldered Hawk - 1, 0, 1
Buteo sp. - 0, 0, 1
Downy Woodpecker - 3, 1, 0
Pileated Woodpecker - 0, 0, 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 0, 0, 1
Acadian Flycatcher - 3, 2, 0
Great Crested Flycatcher - 1, 1, 0
Eastern Kingbird - 0, 0, 1
White-eyed Vireo - 12, 7, 11
Yellow-throated Vireo - 1, 0, 0
Red-eyed Vireo - 6, 3, 1
Blue Jay - 3, 0, 1
American Crow - 3, 6, 1
Barn Swallow - 2, 0, 1
Cliff Swallow - 1, 0, 0
swallow sp. - 0, 0, 14
Carolina Chickadee - 5, 3, 4
Tufted Titmouse - 4, 1, 2
Carolina Wren - 5, 3, 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 2, 1, 1
Wood Thrush - 2, 0, 0
Eastern Towhee - 6, 1, 2
Yellow-breasted Chat - 13, 3, 0
Orchard Oriole - 2, 2, 0
Red-winged Blackbird - 7, 2, 3
Brown-headed Cowbird - 9, 0, 0
Common Grackle - 3, 0, 0
Prothonotary Warbler - 4, 2, 0
Swainson's Warbler - 1, 0, 0
Kentucky Warbler - 2, 0, 0
Common Yellowthroat - 7, 1, 3
Hooded Warbler - 3, 2, 1
Northern Parula - 1, 0, 0
Pine Warbler - 1, 0, 0
Prairie Warbler - 1, 0, 0
Summer Tanager - 3, 0, 0
Northern Cardinal - 10, 4, 11
Blue Grosbeak - 4, 2, 3
Indigo Bunting - 11, 5, 4
Painted Bunting - 5, 3, 0


   (o,o)
  [ / )] 
~~,,~,,~          (o,o)
    uuu           {(  /  )}
                  ~~-uuu-~~

         (o,o)
   __{(,, /,,)}__
          uuu

-- Where were the Barred Owls on all these visits to the refuge?
-- Swainson's Warbler numbers on the NWR seemed way down compared to last year. Maybe the flooding going on around the time that species would have arrived in the spring discouraged many from breeding here this year?

The following lists combine sightings from across all four units during the date range of June 11 - September 21, 2018

Mammals:
rabbits (Eastern Cottontail and/or Swamp Rabbit), Virginia Opossum, Eastern Fox Squirrel, Northern Raccoon, White-tailed Deer
White-tailed Deer fawns

-- There seemed to be very few squirrels compared to the last couple of years.

Herps:

Amphibians --
Fowler's Toad, Blanchard's Cricket Frog, Cope's Gray Treefrog, Green Treefrog, Squirrel Treefrog, Green (Bronze) Frog, American Bullfrog, Southern Leopard Frog
Southern Leopard Frog -- 7/21
Reptiles -- 
American Alligator, Little Brown Skink, Plain-bellied Watersnake, Southern or Banded Watersnake... 
Nerodia fasciata (Banded Watersnake or Southern Watersnake) -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 8/13
Western Milksnake...
Western Milksnake -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 6/13
Western Milksnake -- B.B. Unit, 6/13
North American (Buttermilk) Racer, snake sp., Pond Slider


Fish:
gar sp., shad sp., *Freshwater Drum, Blacktail Shiner, Cyprinid (shiner/minnow) spp., Blackspotted/Blackstripe Topminnow, Western Mosquitofish, Orangespotted Sunfish, Longear Sunfish, Bluegill, Spotted Bass, *Largemouth Bass
*indicates fish that my brother reported catching in Bushley Bayou in late July that weren't already on my list


Butterflies:

Pipevine Swallowtail -
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail -
Zebra Swallowtail -
Zebra Swallowtail -- 7/26 -- I spotted this one on the HQ Unit as it was still quite high up (I was scanning sky for raptors). It came angling down, passing close by me, and I lost it in the bushes. Apparently it had been on the move, but stopped to take a break. This was the first time I'd seen this species on the NWR. I find them pretty regularly in certain upland locations in La Salle Parish, though.
Black Swallowtail -
Spicebush Swallowtail -

Orange Sulphur -
Orange Sulphur -- HQ Unit, 6/16
Cloudless Sulphur -
Southern Dogface -
Little Yellow -
Little Yellows -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 8/13
Sleepy Orange -
Sleepy Orange nectaring on Hydrolea sp. ("waterpod") -- HQ Unit, 7/26

Red-banded Hairstreak -
Gray Hairstreak -
Gray Hairstreak nectaring on milkweed -- Willow Lake Unit, 6/16

American Snout -
American Snout -- HQ Unit, 6/16
Monarch -
Monarch -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 6/13
Variegated Fritillary -
Gulf Fritillary -
Gulf Fritillary -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 8/13
Phaon Crescent -
Pearl Crescent -
Pearl Crescent -- HQ Unit, 7/21
Common Buckeye -
Red Admiral -
Red Admiral -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 6/13

Red Admiral -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 8/13
Question Mark -
Question Mark, showing the namesake white '?' -- HQ Unit, 6/16
Question Mark -- HQ Unit, 6/16
Viceroy -
'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple -
'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 8/13
Hackberry Emperor -
Hackberry Emperor -- HQ Unit, 9/21

Hackberry Emperor -- HQ Unit, 9/21
Tawny Emperor -
Tawny Emperor -- 7/26
Tawny Emperor -- 7/26
Little Wood-Satyr -
Carolina Satyr -
Carolina Satyr -- HQ Unit, 7/21

Silver-spotted Skipper -
Long-tailed Skipper -
Long-tailed Skipper -- 8/11
Horace's Duskywing -
Funereal Duskywing -
Common/White Checkered-Skipper -
Common/White Checkered-Skipper -- HQ Unit, 7/26

Common/White Checkered-Skipper -- HQ Unit, 9/21
Tropical Checkered-Skipper -
Least Skipper -
Fiery Skipper -
Fiery Skipper -- HQ Unit, 9/2
Clouded Skipper -
Southern Broken-Dash -
Ocola Skipper -

Moths:
Milky Urola...
Milky Urola -- HQ Unit, 6/11
 either Vetch Looper or similar species; a possible Virginian Tiger Moth...
possibly Virginian Tiger Moth -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 6/13
 Lychnosea intermicata...
Lychnosea intermicata -- HQ Unit, 7/21 -- These are quite common, especially on the Headquarters Unit.
 Cross-lined Waved...
Cross-lined Waved (Timandra amaturaria) -- HQ Unit, 6/11 -- These may be the most frequently encountered moths on this NWR. 
...and many other moths...

moth (TBD) -- HQ Unit, 7/21

moth (TBD) -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 8/13

caterpillar (TBD) -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 8/13

caterpillar (TBD) -- HQ Unit, 7/21


Damselflies:
Ebony Jewelwing -
Blue-fronted Dancer -
female Blue-fronted Dancer -- Willow Lake Unit, 6/16
male Blue-fronted Dancer -- Willow Lake Unit, 6/16
possible Familiar Bluet -
possibly Familiar Bluet (?) -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 6/13
Fragile Forktail -
tentative i.d.: female Fragile Forktail -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 8/13
tentative i.d.: female Fragile Forktail -- B.B. Unit, 8/13
tentative i.d.: male Fragile Forktail -- B.B. Unit, 8/13
Citrine Forktail -

Dragonflies:

Swamp Darner -
Swamp Darner -- Willow Lake Unit, 6/16
Common Green Darner -
Common Green Darner -- HQ Unit, 7/21
Jade Clubtail -
Prince Baskettail -
Halloween Pennant -

Halloween Pennant -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 8/13
Halloween Pennant -- B.B. Unit, 8/13
Four-spotted Pennant -
Four-spotted Pennant -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 8/13
Eastern Pondhawk -
male Eastern Pondhawk -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 8/13
Eastern Pond Hawk - male transitioning from green youngster to blue older adult -- Willow Lake Unit, 6/16
Little Blue Dragonlet -
Little Blue Dragonlet female or young male -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 6/13
Golden-winged Skimmer -
Golden-winged Skimmer (I'm pretty sure, but I'm not 100%) -- French Fork Unit, 6/13
possibly Yellow-sided Skimmer -
Slaty Skimmer -
Great Blue Skimmer -
additional "skimmer" spp. -
tentative i.d.: Great Blue Skimmer -- Willow Lake Unit, 6/11
skimmer sp. -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 6/13 -- my guess is it's a young Slaty Skimmer
tentative i.d.: Slaty Skimmer -- BB Unit, 6/13
tentative i.d.: skimmer sp. -- HQ Unit, 7/21
tentative i.d.: young Great Blue Skimmer -- HQ Unit, 7/26
tentative i.d.: Slaty Skimmer -- BB Unit, 8/13
tentative i.d.: skimmer sp. -- BB Unit, 8/13
Wandering Glider -
Blue Dasher -
female Blue Dasher -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 8/13
Eastern Amberwing -
female Eastern Amberwing -- HQ Unit, 7/26
male Eastern Amberwing -- HQ Unit, 7/26
Common Whitetail -
Black Saddlebags -
Black Saddlebags -- HQ Unit, 9/21
Carolina Saddlebags -
Carolina Saddlebags -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 6/13

Wildflowers:

Brazilian Verbena, milkweed spp. (Asclepias)...
milkweed sp. -- Bushley Bayou Unit, 6/13
 waterpod sp. (Hydrolea), dayflower (Commelina) sp. ...
dayflower sp. (Commelina) -- HQ Unit, 9/21
Lizard's Tail (Saururus cernuus), Alligator Weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides), Justicia...
waterwillow sp. (Justicia) -- HQ Unit, 7/21
sensitive-brier (Mimosa sp./spp.), frogfruit (Phyla sp.), White Morning-Glory (Ipomoea lacunosa),
Cotton Morning-Glory (Ipomoea cordatotriloba), Bigroot Morning-Glory (Ipomoea pandurata), Hairy Clustervine (Jacquemontia tamnifolia), Acmella, Diodia spp., Persicaria spp. ...
Persicaria sp. -- HQ Unti, 9/21
Sida sp. ...
Sida -- HQ Unit, 9/21
 palmetto sp. ...
palmetto in bloom -- French Fork Unit, 6/16
Sagittaria, partridge pea sp. (Chamaecrista), Halbeardleaf Rosemallow...
Halbeardleaf Rosemallow (Hibiscus laevis) -- 9/21
other "rosemallow" or "marshmallow" sp./spp. (Hibiscus), Blue Mistflower, Balloonvine, Baptisia sp., Elderberry (Sambucus), Maypop or Purple Passionflower (passiflora incarnata) -- I noticed very few Maypops blooming here this year, though they are a common sight most years; Swamp Leather Flower (Clematis crispa)...
Swamp Leatherflower -- HQ Unit, 9/21
St. Andrew's Cross -type Hypericum sp. ...
Hypericum sp. -- HQ Unit, 7/21
 Ludwigia sp.; assorted Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, and Asteraceae
some kind of Fabaceae -- HQ Unit, 9/21
Lamiaceae sp. -- HQ Unit, 9/21
Lamiaceae sp. -- HQ Unit, 7/21
...and doubtless many others.

And, as always, there are many that I don't have a good idea of what they are. Below are a couple of examples.
HQ Unit, 6/11 -- Not sure what to call these.
HQ Unit, 7/21 -- Take a wild guess? Spermacoce glabra?
   Also, there were a number of flowers that I didn't see on Catahoula NWR this June-September, that I had seen here at this season during the past couple of years. Some of my favorites from those missing/overlooked species include Blue Waterleaf (Hydrolea ovata), Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), and Bluestar sp. (Amsonia). I didn't look in all the places that I've seen them before at the right time this year, so I might have just missed them.

   Here's to a productive Autumn on Catahoula NWR!
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