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See this triplist in printable PDF format with media only on page 1.
Hot on the trail of Yellow Rails in the rice fields. (Photo by guide Dan Lane)
Another Yellow Rail tour has finished, and it was a good one! Seeing everyone with smiles after seeing multiple Yellow Rails well always makes me happy, and this year produced just such a result. In addition, we also enjoyed the birdlife of southwestern Louisiana from the Cajun rice country to the Cameron coast and marshes and the Longleaf Pine savanna forest farther to the north. We managed over 150 species, which is no mean feat in the US in November!
There were many memorable moments; topping the list, of course, was our Yellow Rail experience! Hot on its heels were the excellent views of Bachman’s Sparrow that we enjoyed, as well as the colorful LeConte’s Sparrows our last evening, followed by an amazing Chestnut-collared Longspur as the last bird of the day and the tour! A snip (?) of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers beside I-10 was quite a sight, especially since a Western Kingbird tried to hide among them. Then there was the Nelson’s Sparrow in that little marsh patch at East Jetty, the views of Swamp Sparrow that were firsts for some among us, the graceful Sandhill Cranes, the boldly-patterned Red-headed Woodpecker, the squeaky-toy Brown-headed Nuthatches, the incredible blackbird flocks that rolled over the rice fields and enfolded that power station, and the opportunity to converse with our rice combine operator. These and much more made our tour fun. Eric and I will add one more thing that made the tour fun: the participants! Hope we get to see you again sometime in the near future! Meanwhile, y’all be good, sha! Aahhiiiieeeee!
--Dan
KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant
Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl)
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna autumnalis) [N]
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (Anser albifrons)
SNOW GOOSE (Chen caerulescens)
ROSS'S GOOSE (Chen rossii)
GADWALL (Anas strepera)
AMERICAN WIGEON (Anas americana)
MALLARD (Anas platyrhynchos)
MOTTLED DUCK (GULF COAST) (Anas fulvigula maculosa)
BLUE-WINGED TEAL (Anas discors)
NORTHERN SHOVELER (Anas clypeata)
NORTHERN PINTAIL (Anas acuta)
GREEN-WINGED TEAL (AMERICAN) (Anas crecca carolinensis)
RING-NECKED DUCK (Aythya collaris)
LESSER SCAUP (Aythya affinis)
RUDDY DUCK (Oxyura jamaicensis)
Phasianidae (Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies)
WILD TURKEY (Meleagris gallopavo)
Gaviidae (Loons)
COMMON LOON (Gavia immer)
Podicipedidae (Grebes)
PIED-BILLED GREBE (Podilymbus podiceps)
EARED GREBE (Podiceps nigricollis)
Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags)
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax auritus)
Anhingidae (Anhingas)
ANHINGA (Anhinga anhinga)
Pelecanidae (Pelicans)
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus occidentalis)
Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)
GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias)
GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)
SNOWY EGRET (Egretta thula)
LITTLE BLUE HERON (Egretta caerulea)
Say, who *does* cook for you all? Barred Owl in the pine woods bottomland. (Photo by guide Dan Lane)
TRICOLORED HERON (Egretta tricolor) REDDISH EGRET (Egretta rufescens)
CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis)
GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens)
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)
WHITE IBIS (Eudocimus albus)
WHITE-FACED IBIS (Plegadis chihi)
ROSEATE SPOONBILL (Platalea ajaja)
Cathartidae (New World Vultures)
BLACK VULTURE (Coragyps atratus)
TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura)
Pandionidae (Osprey)
OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus)
Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
WHITE-TAILED KITE (Elanus leucurus)
BALD EAGLE (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
NORTHERN HARRIER (Circus cyaneus)
COOPER'S HAWK (Accipiter cooperii)
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK (Buteo lineatus)
RED-TAILED HAWK (Buteo jamaicensis)
Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)
CRESTED CARACARA (Caracara cheriway)
AMERICAN KESTREL (Falco sparverius)
MERLIN (Falco columbarius)
Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots)
YELLOW RAIL (Coturnicops noveboracensis)
CLAPPER RAIL (Rallus longirostris)
VIRGINIA RAIL (Rallus limicola)
SORA (Porzana carolina)
COMMON GALLINULE (Gallinula galeata)
AMERICAN COOT (Fulica americana)
Gruidae (Cranes)
SANDHILL CRANE (Grus canadensis)
Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (Pluvialis squatarola)
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER (Pluvialis dominica)
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (Charadrius semipalmatus)
KILLDEER (Charadrius vociferus)
Recurvirostridae (Stilts and Avocets)
BLACK-NECKED STILT (Himantopus mexicanus)
AMERICAN AVOCET (Recurvirostra americana)
Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
GREATER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa melanoleuca)
WILLET (WESTERN) (Tringa semipalmata inornata)
LESSER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa flavipes)
RUDDY TURNSTONE (Arenaria interpres)
SANDERLING (Calidris alba)
WESTERN SANDPIPER (Calidris mauri)
LEAST SANDPIPER (Calidris minutilla)
DUNLIN (Calidris alpina)
No mistaking it: this is Cajun Country! (Photo by guide Dan Lane)
STILT SANDPIPER (Calidris himantopus) LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER (Limnodromus scolopaceus)
WILSON'S SNIPE (Gallinago delicata)
WILSON'S PHALAROPE (Phalaropus tricolor)
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
LAUGHING GULL (Leucophaeus atricilla)
FRANKLIN'S GULL (Leucophaeus pipixcan)
RING-BILLED GULL (Larus delawarensis)
HERRING GULL (AMERICAN) (Larus argentatus smithsonianus)
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (Larus fuscus)
GULL-BILLED TERN (Gelochelidon nilotica)
CASPIAN TERN (Hydroprogne caspia)
FORSTER'S TERN (Sterna forsteri)
ROYAL TERN (Thalasseus maximus)
BLACK SKIMMER (Rynchops niger)
Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
ROCK PIGEON (Columba livia) [I]
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE (Streptopelia decaocto) [I]
WHITE-WINGED DOVE (Zenaida asiatica)
MOURNING DOVE (Zenaida macroura)
INCA DOVE (Columbina inca)
Strigidae (Owls)
GREAT HORNED OWL (Bubo virginianus)
BARRED OWL (Strix varia)
Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)
BELTED KINGFISHER (Megaceryle alcyon)
Picidae (Woodpeckers)
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER (Melanerpes carolinus)
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER (Sphyrapicus varius)
RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER (Picoides borealis)
PILEATED WOODPECKER (Dryocopus pileatus)
Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
EASTERN PHOEBE (Sayornis phoebe)
SAY'S PHOEBE (Sayornis saya)
VERMILION FLYCATCHER (Pyrocephalus rubinus)
WESTERN KINGBIRD (Tyrannus verticalis)
Perhaps a surprise to some, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers are regular migrants in Louisiana in late October and early November. (Photo by guide Dan Lane)
SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER (Tyrannus forficatus) Laniidae (Shrikes)
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE (Lanius ludovicianus)
Vireonidae (Vireos)
WHITE-EYED VIREO (Vireo griseus)
BLUE-HEADED VIREO (Vireo solitarius)
Corvidae (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)
BLUE JAY (Cyanocitta cristata)
AMERICAN CROW (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
FISH CROW (Corvus ossifragus)
Hirundinidae (Swallows)
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
TREE SWALLOW (Tachycineta bicolor)
BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica)
Paridae (Chickadees and Tits)
CAROLINA CHICKADEE (Poecile carolinensis)
TUFTED TITMOUSE (Baeolophus bicolor)
Sittidae (Nuthatches)
BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH (Sitta pusilla)
Troglodytidae (Wrens)
CAROLINA WREN (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
HOUSE WREN (Troglodytes aedon)
SEDGE WREN (Cistothorus platensis)
MARSH WREN (Cistothorus palustris)
Polioptilidae (Gnatcatchers)
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER (Polioptila caerulea)
Regulidae (Kinglets)
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET (Regulus satrapa)
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET (Regulus calendula)
Turdidae (Thrushes and Allies)
EASTERN BLUEBIRD (Sialia sialis)
HERMIT THRUSH (Catharus guttatus)
AMERICAN ROBIN (Turdus migratorius)
Mimidae (Mockingbirds and Thrashers)
GRAY CATBIRD (Dumetella carolinensis)
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus polyglottos)
Sturnidae (Starlings)
EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris)
Motacillidae (Wagtails and Pipits)
AMERICAN PIPIT (Anthus rubescens)
Calcariidae (Longspurs and Snow Buntings)
A fantastic final bird for the first tour: a Chestnut-collared Longspur! (Photo by guide Dan Lane)
CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR (Calcarius ornatus) Parulidae (New World Warblers)
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (Parkesia noveboracensis)
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER (Oreothlypis celata)
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (Geothlypis trichas)
PALM WARBLER (Setophaga palmarum)
PINE WARBLER (Setophaga pinus)
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (MYRTLE) (Setophaga coronata coronata)
WILSON'S WARBLER (Cardellina pusilla)
Emberizidae (Buntings, Sparrows and Allies)
BACHMAN'S SPARROW (Peucaea aestivalis)
CHIPPING SPARROW (Spizella passerina)
VESPER SPARROW (Pooecetes gramineus)
SAVANNAH SPARROW (Passerculus sandwichensis)
LE CONTE'S SPARROW (Ammodramus leconteii)
NELSON'S SPARROW (Ammodramus nelsoni)
SEASIDE SPARROW (Ammodramus maritimus)
SONG SPARROW (Melospiza melodia)
Not quite as easy to locate in fall as in spring, the attractive Bachman's Sparrow is still a regularly seen bird on our tour. (Photo by guide Dan Lane)
SWAMP SPARROW (Melospiza georgiana) WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (Zonotrichia albicollis)
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
NORTHERN CARDINAL (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Icteridae (Troupials and Allies)
BOBOLINK (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (Agelaius phoeniceus)
EASTERN MEADOWLARK (Sturnella magna)
COMMON GRACKLE (Quiscalus quiscula)
BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE (Quiscalus major)
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE (Quiscalus mexicanus)
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD (Molothrus ater)
Fringillidae (Siskins, Crossbills, and Allies)
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH (Spinus tristis) [*]
Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)
HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus)
SWAMP RABBIT (Sylvilagus aquaticus)
FOX SQUIRREL (Sciurus niger)
BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN (Tursiops truncatus)
Totals for the tour: 156 bird taxa and 3 mammal taxa