A Great Week of Birding on Grand Isle

As soon as we arrived on Grand isle, we spotted a hooded warbler. It was right behind out fifth wheel, in the state park campground.

The blackberries were in full bloom and it wasn't too long before a female ruby throated hummingbird made an appearance and next a small yellow warbler landed on the ground, and hopped around catching insects!

It was a great welcome to Grand Isle and when we told my sister Connie she reported that others on the island had been seeing other brightly colored birds in the woods that contained the Bird Sanctuary.

We were camping in the state park and the next morning we decided to spend time there as the day before had held such promise. We were quickly rewarded with sightings of  male Summer Tanagers, one fully mature and one with a beautiful coat of reds and yellows, (a first spring immature male).

The morning wasn't over yet as we continued to spot more ruby hummers as well as several rose breasted grosbeak.

Our pleasure continued when a brightly colored scarlet tanager showed itself for a moment before quickly flying into the thick brush.

We also spotted several Baltimore orioles, and this was just the first day. The rest of the week wasn't any different as the birds seemed to stay put. Perhaps they were simply rebuilding their strength before continuing their migration or did they sense the brutal snow storms up  north?

On Thursday, our discoveries didn't stop, when we shot a great image of an Amercian redstart! It flitted in the thick brush, teasing us with the orange patches on its wings, and after several so so images it landed in the street looking for rocks for its crop.

More birds followed, another oriole, an orchard oriole this time(?), with both females and males making an appearance. As the week progressed we took some time off for a little fishing and on Friday a new cold front threatened when the temperatures dropped and storm clouds threatened.

The Blessing of the Fleet was being celebrated and the heavy rains delayed the boat parade but it didn't stop the event as carnival rides and music continued in and around a tented pavilion. The actual blessings were delayed from Saturday till Sunday as the front roared in with heavy rains followed by cold temperatures and a strong north wind.

Taking a break from the festivities we went back to our camper and grabbed the binoculars and cameras for a short bird walk.. The sun had come out and with it the birds seemed to have lost most of their caution.

None of the birds had left and as we walked we pointed out tanagers and indigos, they were everywhere.Suddenly a small bird landed near me and I instantly recognized it. It had a bright red breast, a blue head and neck and a green back. It was the unmistakable color of a painted bunting!

It was the second we have seen this year, the other was at High island Bird Sanctuary, but this one was so close and it paused for just long enough that I was able to get a good image.
It flew to another bush where it teased us before making a show in some thick brush before Connie and Renita were able to confirm my sighting.Its only the fourth painted bunting we have seen, and one of the other sightings had been two years ago in almost the same spot.

This week, Grand Isle is hosting its annual Spring Bird festival. We plan on attending some of the events and perhaps we will see another painted bunting. Maybe we can also get some help on identifying some of the small warblers we have spotted and imaged. There are so many and several have crossed making the id's even harder! Clear skies