Lake Martin-St. Martin Parish

Lake Martin-St. Martin Parish 

One of a few Yellow-crowned Night-Herons present at the rookery.

Lake Martin provides a fantastic birding location close to the city of Lafayette, Louisiana.  This approximately 800 acre impoundment provides a great nesting location for many herons and egrets in addition to many species of woodland and waterbirds.  The rookery, on the south side of the lake, along Rookery Road, had greatly increased in activity since my last visit in early March.  Hundreds of GREAT EGRETS along with lesser numbers of SNOWY EGRETS, LITTLE BLUE HERON, YELLOW-CROWNED and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS, and ROSEATE SPOONBILLS were present.   

One of the over 20 Northern Parulas present on this mid-March day.

Lake Martin also has some great habitat for a variety of breeding songbirds.  The first PROTHONOTARY and YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS, and many NORTHERN PARULAS, are back on territories.  Some wintering species were also still present, such as RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS and WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS.  An early arrival BLUE GROSBEAK (the typical arrival date is early April) was the highlight. 

Lake Martin is a great place to see Barred Owls during the day.