Central Louisiana Birding & Wildlife: Kisatchie National Forest (including National Catahoula Wildlife Management Preserve) in Grant & Winn Parishes--2020 summary

FS Rd 131, Kisatchie National Forest Catahoula Ranger District - 5/30/2020

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Getting caught up...

During the spring, summer, and fall of 2020 I made many trips to National Catahoula Wildlife Management Preserve and other parts of the Kisatchie National Forest Catahoula Ranger District and Winn Ranger District in northern Grant and southern Winn Parishes. I failed to post to the blog accounts of individual trips or seasonal summaries, so here's a big review of all of my 2020 observations from that area. (I'll post separately about a couple of trips to parts of Catahoula RD in southern Grant Parish.) I hope I got all of the species, though doubtless I missed some things and will come back and edit the post if needed after further reviewing my notes from the field.

Lists for birds, butterflies, mammals, herps, fishes, dragonflies, and some wildflower pics are below as well as commentary about the locations, habitat, and other observations concerning this area. But first, some habitat shots:

FS Rd 556 between LA-472 and US-167 -- 5/19/2020

ditto

two ponds along FS 556 east of US-167

...

FS Rd 558 at one of the several creeks (tributaries of Saddle Bayou) that it crosses west of US-167 - 5/19/20

another stream along FS Rd 558 - 5/19/20

the largest creek along this stretch of FS Rd 558, just east of FS 155 - 5/19/20 -- I'm unsure of the names of these creeks, but remembering an old map I haven't seen in years, there's a Friday Creek, Schoolhouse Creek, and Prairie creek, and this is one of them.

FS Rd 530 west of Iatt Creek- 5/19/20

'no vehicles' section of FS Rd 530 at east edge of Iatt Creek bottoms - 3/25/20

FS Rd 556 west of US-167 - 3/25/20

woods near Bear Creek - BH Corley Rd - 5/30/20

FS Rd 178 - 5/30

Lincecum Village Rd - 5/30/20

Indian Creek - 6/20/20

FS Rd 102 near Indian Creek - 6/20/20

swampy area along FS 102 - 5/20/20

Hurricane Laura did a lot of damage to the forests in the areas covered in this post. Here are some pics from after the hurricane. -- FS Rd 556, 11/23/2020

hurricane damage -- Hardwoods tended to fare worse than pines, and the western portions of the forest tended to look worse off than comparable woods in the east end of the area covered, which makes sense with the path the storm took.

hurricane damage -- FS Rd 530, 11/23/20

Roads in the NCWMP that I birded along include: Bear Creek Rd, DH Corley Rd, Lincecum Village Rd; Forest Service Roads: 178, 131, 102, 145, 556, 558, 155, 530, 152, 613; and Louisiana Highway 472.

Roads in the Winn RD (outside of the WMP) in Grant and Winn Parishes that I birded along include FS Rds 568 & 567.

FS Rd 568 -- Winn Ranger District, 11/1/20

Roads in the Catahoula RD (outside of the WMP) that I birded along include Rds 128, 102, 131, 169, 172, 120, 103, 145, 176

FS Rd 131 - 7/10/20

FS Rd 128 at 131 -- 5/30/20

FS Rd 128 in the John's Hills - 7/10/20

one of the little seeps/spring-water gullies along FS Rd 128 - 5/30/20

one of the little spring-water gullies along FS Rd 128

small creek bottom woods on south side of FS Rd 120 across from south end of 169 - a particularly productive location -- 7/20/20

"Sandy Branch" (I think that's what it's called; it's a tributary of Fish Creek) in creek bottoms south of FS Rd 120 ~across from end of FS 169 -- The spring gullies along FS 128 are its headwaters

Fish Creek bottoms along FS Rd 120 - 7/20/20

Fish Creek at FS Rd 120 - 7/20/20

Panther Bayou at FS Rd 120 in the Fish Creek Bottoms - 7/20/20

large beaver pond at corner of FS Rds 120 and 103 at edge of Fish Creek bottoms

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Birds (National Catahoula WMP)

March 25, April 1, May 2, May 19, May 30, June 20, July 10, July 20, August 2, August 11

Wood Duck

Wild Turkey

Mourning Dove

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Chimney Swift

Chuck-will's-widow

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Great Blue Heron

Black Vulture

Turkey Vulture

Swallow-tailed Kite (low flyover, July 10th at south end of FS Rd 178)

Mississippi Kite

Red-shouldered Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk - FS Rd 556, 8/2/20

Barred Owl

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Red-headed Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

male Northern Flicker - FS Rd 131 on NCWMP, May 2

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Acadian Flycatcher

Great Crested Flycatcher

White-eyed Vireo

Yellow-throated Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Blue Jay

American Crow

Carolina Chickadee

Tufted Titmouse

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Golden-crowned Kinglet (April 1)

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

White-breasted Nuthatch

Brown-headed Nuthatch

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Carolina Wren

Wood Thrush

Hermit Thrush (March 25)

Pine Siskin (March 25)

American Goldfinch (March 25)

Brown-headed Cowbird

Cedar Waxwing

Bachman's Sparrow

(video: song of Bachman's Sparrow - 8/11, LA-472 at west end of Lincecum Village Rd)

Chipping Sparrow

Eastern Towhee

Yellow-breasted Chat

Worm-eating Warbler

Louisiana Waterthrush

Black-and-white Warbler

Kentucky Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Hooded Warbler

Northern Parula

Pine Warbler

Prairie Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)

Black-throated Green Warbler

Summer Tanager

Northern Cardinal

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (May 2nd)

Blue Grosbeak

(video: Blue Grosbeak eating dragonfly - Lincecum Village Rd on NCWMP, 5/2)

Indigo Bunting

Birds (KNF Catahoula and Winn RDs, off-NCWMP)

March 25, April 1, May 19, May 30, June 20, July 10, July 20, August 2, August 11, August 17

Wild Turkey

Mourning Dove

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Chimney Swift

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Turkey Vulture

Mississippi Kite

Red-shouldered Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk

Eastern Screech-Owl

Red-headed Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Acadian Flycatcher

Great Crested Flycatcher

Eastern Kingbird

White-eyed Vireo

Yellow-throated Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Blue Jay

American Crow

Carolina Chickadee

Tufted Titmouse

Barn Swallow

White-breasted Nuthatch

Brown-headed Nuthatch

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Carolina Wren

Wood Thrush

Brown Thrasher

Bachman's Sparrow

(video: song of Bachman's Sparrow- FS Rd 131, June 20)

Eastern Towhee

Yellow-breasted Chat

Louisiana Waterthrush

Kentucky Warbler

Hooded Warbler

Northern Parula

Pine Warbler

Prairie Warbler

Summer Tanager

Northern Cardinal

Blue Grosbeak

Indigo Bunting

NCWMP Birds, Fall-Winter

Oct. 8, Nov. 1, Nov. 23

Snow Goose (flyovers)

Wood Duck

Turkey Vulture

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Red-shouldered Hawk

Eastern Screech-Owl

Belted Kingfisher

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

American Kestrel

Eastern Phoebe

White-eyed Vireo

Blue-headed Vireo

Blue Jay

American Crow

Carolina Chickadee

Tufted Titmouse

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

White-breasted Nuthatch

White-breasted Nuthatch - FS Rd 558, 11/23/20

Brown-headed Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Winter Wren

Winter Wren - FS Rd 558, Nov. 23

Carolina Wren

Gray Catbird

Brown Thrasher

Eastern Bluebird

Hermit Thrush

Hermit Thrush - FS Rd 558, 11/23/20

American Robin

male American Robin - FS Rd 558, 11/23/20

Purple Finch

Pine Siskin

American Goldfinch

Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)

female-type Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) - FS Rd 558, 11/23/20

(video: male Dark-eyed Junco - FS Rd 558, 11/23/20)

White-throated Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow - FS Rd 556, 11/23/20

Eastern Towhee

Red-winged Blackbird

Common Grackle

Common Grackle - FS Rd 558, 11/23/20

Orange-crowned Warbler

Pine Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)

Northern Cardinal

Indigo Bunting

passerine sp.

Kisatchie NF Catahoula Ranger District (off-WMP) Birds

Oct. 8, 2020 -- FS Rds 131, 128, 172, and 120

Red-shouldered Hawk

Eastern Screech-Owl

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Eastern Phoebe

Blue Jay

American Crow

Carolina Chickadee

Tufted Titmouse

White-breasted Nuthatch

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Carolina Wren

Gray Catbird

Brown Thrasher

Eastern Bluebird

Common Yellowthroat

Hooded Warbler

Pine Warbler

Summer Tanager

Northern Cardinal

Kisatchie NF Winn Ranger District (off-WMP) - FS Rd 568

Nov. 1, 2020; 8:37 am; 41 mins; 0.3 miles

50s F.; sunny; light breeze

Greater White-fronted Goose (flyover) - 2

Red-tailed Hawk - 1

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 1

Red-bellied Woodpecker - 3

Downy Woodpecker - 1

Red-cockaded Woodpecker - 2

Red-cockaded Woodpecker - 11/1/20

Pileated Woodpecker - 2

Northern Flicker - 3

Eastern Phoebe - 1

Blue Jay - 2

American Crow - 4

Carolina Chickadee - 1

Tufted Titmouse - 1

Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 2

White-breasted Nuthatch - 1

Carolina Wren - 4

Hermit Thrush - 1

American Robin - 2

American Pipit (flyover) - 1

Pine Siskin - x (flyover calls heard-only)

American Goldfinch - x (flyover calls heard-only)

White-throated Sparrow - 3

Eastern Towhee - 1

Pine Warbler - 2

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) - 3

Butterflies (both on and off NCWMP; both parishes, both RDs; all of 2020)

In addition to the species I observed (listed below), a group of butterfly enthusiasts that I know also found Northern Pearly-eyes and Georgia Satyrs in some of the same areas that I visited. I was unable to relocate these species when I got around to checking these spots on later dates (the observed flights may have already ended).

Silver-spotted Skipper

Hoary Edge

Hoary Edge - FS Rd 128, 6/20/20

Northern Cloudywing

Confused Cloudywing

Horace's Duskywing

Horace's Duskywing - FS Rd 558, 5/19/20

Wild Indigo Duskywing

Wild Indigo Duskywing - FS Rd 556, 5/19/20

*Zarruco Duskywing (questionable ID; may be Horace's DW)

Common Checkered-Skipper

Tropical Checkered-Skipper

Tropical Checkered-Skipper nectaring on mountainmint - FS Rd 120, 8/2

Swarthy Skipper

Swarthy Skipper (top) and Clouded Skipper (bottom) nectaring on Ironweed - FS Rd 178, 7/10/20

Swarthy Skipper - same as above

Clouded Skipper

Clouded Skipper - same as above

Least Skipper

Least Skipper nectaring on Diodia - FS Rd 556, 8/2

Fiery Skipper

Fiery Skipper - FS Rd 556 on NCWMP, 8/2

Whirlabout

Whirlabout - FS Rd 556 on NCWMP, May 2

...

Southern Broken-Dash

Southern Broken-Dashes mating - FS Rd 131, 5/30/20 -- This species was abundant this day.

Southern Broken-Dash - FS Rd 556 x 145, 5/30/20

Northern Broken-Dash (left) and Southern Broken-Dash (right) nectaring on Buttonbush at one of the little spring-fed gullies along FS Rd 128 -- 5/30/20

Northern Broken-Dash

Northern Broken-Dash - FS Rd 128, 5/30/20 (same as above photo)

Little Glassywing

Little Glassywing - FS Rd 556 on NCWMP, May 2

Little Glassywings nectaring on Joe Pye Weed - FS Rd 120 at "Sandy Branch", 7/20/20

Dun Skipper

Dun Skipper - FS Rd 128, May 30

Ocola Skipper

Pipevine Swallowtail

Pipevine Swallowtail - FS Rd 558 just west of Iatt Creek, May 19

Zebra Swallowtail

Zebra Swallowtail nectaring on Orange Milkweed - FS Rd 530, May 19

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail - 5/19

Spicebush Swallowtail

Spicebush Swallowtail (hit by truck) - FS Rd 530 on NCWMP, Winn Par., 3/25

Palamedes Swallowtail

Palamedes Swallowtail - FS Rd 145 south of Fish Creek, 8/11 -- This species is common in KNF in central/southern Grant Parish, but I've yet to encounter them in NCWMP in the far northern part of Grant or adjacent part of Winn Parish.

ditto

Giant Swallowtail

Giant Swallowtail - Bankston Camp on FS Rd 145, May 30

(video: Giant Swallowtail nectaring on Joe Pye Weed - FS Rd 120, 8/2)

Orange Sulphur

Cloudless Sulphur

Barred Yellow

Barred Yellow - FS Rd 556, May 19, 2020

Barred Yellows - FS Rds 131 x 128, July 10

Barred Yellows puddling - FS Rds 131 x 128, July 10

(video: puddling male Barred Yellows and Little Yellow - FS Rd 120 at 131, July 10)

Little Yellow

male Little Yellows puddling - FS Rd 145 on NCWMP, 8/2

(video: puddling male Little Yellows and Barred Yellows - FS Rds 120 x 131 - June 20)

Sleepy Orange

Sleepy Orange - FS Rd 131 on NCWMP, 6/20

Sleepy Orange - FS Rd 120 at FS 145, _

Banded Hairstreak

mating pair of Banded Hairstreaks - FS Rd 131 on NCWMP, May 2

King's Hairstreak

King's Hairstreak - NCWMP, 5/19/20

King's Hairstreak - 5/30/20 -- Same location, different date, as the one in the previous picture.

. (video: King's Hairstreak - 5/30/20)

Red-banded Hairstreak

Red-banded Hairstreak - May 30

Gray Hairstreak

Gray Hairstreak - FS Rd 131, July 10

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Eastern Tailed-Blue - Bankston Camp on FS Rd 145, May 30

possible Spring Azure

Azure sp. ("Spring" or Summer Azure?) -- May 19, 2020 -- FS Rd 558, Grant Parish within sight of Winn Parish

Summer Azure

Summer Azure - FS Rd 145 on NCWMP, 8/2/20

American Snout

American Snout - FS Rd 530, 5/19/20

Monarch

Gulf Fritillary

Pearl Crescent

Pearl Crescent, FS Rd 128 - 5/30

Common Buckeye

Common Buckeye - 5/30

Common Buckeye - 8/2/20

Red Admiral

American Lady

American Lady - May 2

American Lady, 5/30 - FS Rd 131 at 128

American Lady, 5/30

'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple

'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purples - FS Rd 658, 7/20/20

Goatweed Leafwing

Southern Pearly-eye

Southern Pearly-eye - near FS Rd 530 and east side of Iatt Creek on NCWMP, 3/25

Gemmed Satyr

Gemmed Satyr - FS Rd 145 on NCWMP, 8/2

Carolina Satyr

Little Wood-Satyr

Little Wood-Satyrs - FS Rd 556 on NCWMP, 5/19

Little Wood-Satyr - Bankston Camp, 5/30

Common Wood-Nymph

Common Wood-Nymph - FS Rd 145 on NCWMP, May 30

Common Wood-Nymph - woods near FS Rd 145 on NCWMP, 8/2

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Mammals:

White-tailed Deer....

White-tailed Deer doe and fawns - FS Rd 172 (video below)

Coyote - FS Rd 530, 3/25/20

Other mammals: Fox Squirrel, Gray Squirrel, American Beaver; tracks of Northern Raccoon, Nine-banded Armadillo

Amphibians & Reptiles

Fowler's Toad, Spring Peeper, Cajun Chorus Frog, Blanchard's Cricket Frog, Cope's Gray Treefrog, Green Treefrog, Southern Leopard Frog, Green (Bronze) Frog;