Views from a kayak

Black Lake, Natchitoches, Louisiana

November 27, 2009

Photos from Capitol Lake, Baton Rouge, LA

Last flowers of fall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A must see event!

Tree Swallow Roost - Vacherie, LA from Jane Patterson on Vimeo.

The Tree Swallow roost at Vacherie is the subject of much discussion for birders in Louisiana lately. A naturally occuring phenomenon -- thousands and thousands...and thousands... of swallows descend upon a certain sugar cane field near Vacherie, LA just over the Miss River levee for the night. At first, there are a few. And then, about 30 minutes before dark, there are an astounding number. The light goes quickly, but as you look out over the fields they appear to be literally rain down into the cane. Great flocks undulate over the cane and then suddenly disappear. It's quite a sight. Even the sound is something -- twitter and chatter of thousands of birds, but somehow still delicate and fragile.



The sight is most difficult to capture as it literally occurs after sunset. This was my first attempt -- I do want to try again. The camera work leaves something to be desired as I was fooling with 2 video cams and a still cam all at the same time. The video is long, but do watch at least until the 7th minute...impressive numbers of birds!



For more information about the tree swallow roost phenomenon, read the article written by Michael Seymour (biologist, LA Wildlife and Fisheries).

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/onlinestore/laconservationist/peekinside/

See a larger version of this video by clicking on the link to go to Vimeo website.

Rail Road Crossing!

Caution - Rail Road Crossing! from Jane Patterson on Vimeo.

Clapper Rails are notoriously easy to hear and hard to see. In the spring, however, it seems to be a different story. This adult rail repeatedly crossed the road right in front of us to go collect food...probably feeding hungry chicks hidden in the marsh grass.



Video was taken in April 2008 near Rutherford Beach, Cameron, LA.

Finding the elusive Yellow Rail

Yellow Rails and Rice Festival 2009 from Jane Patterson on Vimeo.

How do you find a Yellow Rail? One way would be to slog through a muddy field and hope one shows up. A better way is to sit up on a big, honking machine that's harvesting rice and watch for the rails as they are flushed by the combine. We got to do the latter last weekend at the first Yellow Rails & Rice Festival in Jeff Davis parish in southwest Louisiana. And the best part was...we actually got to see a Yellow Rail! An elusive bird at best -- this is one of the best ways to actually get to see one

Red-tailed Hawk eating lunch

Several family members recently congregated in California in the SF Bay area, and some of us spent the better part of one day out on the San Mateo coast. At Pigeon Point, as the fog was rolling in, I noticed a Red-Tailed Hawk swoop down off a telephone pole and land just out of sight, but fairly near. I hustled over to the area, turned the corner, and there it was -- just a few feet away. It seemed more concerned with its lunch than with me, so I got some great video of it as it ate. (Note the salt spray stain on the lens -- didn't see that until I was processing the video!)

Red-tailed Hawk eating lunch from Jane Patterson on Vimeo.

California Birds -- Black Turnstone

This was a new bird for me in January '09, but I got this great video in October when I visited again. The Black Turnstone is, of course, closely related to the Ruddy Turnstone that we'll see in Louisiana on the coast. The Turnstones are named for their peculiar habit of flipping stones and other objects with their bill to catch the critters hiding underneath. I have a video of that somewhere...will have to find it!

Black Turnstone - Pillar Point, Half Moon Bay, CA from Jane Patterson on Vimeo.