As usual, the batture in Old Jefferson has been providing some daily pleasures.
This morning, in a twenty minute levee stroll, I was treated to 22 swimming Wood Ducks and a couple more flybys- not an uncommon species here, but usually detected in single digits. Probably made more visible by the unusually high river, which is lapping the base of the levee.
A Common Gallinule was also present today- I only see a couple each year in this stretch.
A flock of White Ibis and Cattle Egrets has been working the water's edge every morning, although today they were on a rain-soaked lawn barely outside the levee- 200 strong, mostly ibis.
A flock of 120 Robins a few days ago flew out from the batture forest in the morning, headed into the residential areas nearby. The species is a winter resident here, not the harbinger of spring as it is farther north.
This morning two Eastern Bluebirds fled a wire just long enough to dodge a meddling Kestrel. A few days ago, a group of 45 American Pipits skittered from place to place on the grassy levee face as bicyclists and dog-walkers repeatedly (unwittingly) put them to flight.
Perhaps the most unexpected bird was a Pied-billed Grebe- seen today and a few mornings ago. This species does not winter in this section of batture in normal conditions- not enough open water. It appears the flooding has made the habitat more appealing.
Peter
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