Bois d’Arc WMA 6/6/2009

Kenny Nichols suggested this place for this time of year. It was a little further afield than I wanted to go but when I woke up an hour early I decided to go for it. I got on the road by 5:45 and arrived there at 7:38. Upon my first good glimpse of the lake, I saw 5 species of heron/egret so I suspected I was in for a good morning and I was. I started at a little side road on the east side of the lake. This spot has no boat launch and I was the only one there though I could see other cars where there was a launch and several boats on the lake. I was almost immediately greeted by Common Moorhen and many Purple Gallinules. I thought I heard a Sora and later heard him again for sure. There were many Great Egrets and Little Blue Herons with lesser numbers of Great Blue and Green Herons and Snowy Egrets. After a bit I looked at approaching egrets and realized they were a group of White Ibises, luckily I looked when I did as I never saw them again. I also heard a Least Bittern there and at another place. I checked out other approaches and saw more of the same but this one first spot gave me all the coolest birds of the day. In all, I picked up 5 first of year birds here plus another (Cattle Egret) as I passed through Evening Shade. I also saw two Nutria and a Coyote as I left.

My best images of the day can be found here.

19241918191219001957195418941888

* = First of Year

Species seen or heard:

  • Purple Gallinule *
  • Common Moorhen *
  • White Ibis *
  • Least Bittern *
  • Sora *
  • American Crow
  • Blue Jay
  • Great Egret
  • Snowy Egret
  • Green Heron
  • Little Blue Heron
  • Great Blue Heron
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • White-eyed Vireo
  • Red-eyed Vireo
  • Eastern Wood-Pewee
  • Orchard Oriole
  • Common Yellowthroat
  • Prothonotary Warbler
  • Swainson’s Warbler
  • Fish Crow
  • Barn Swallow
  • Common Grackle
  • Anhinga
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • Northern Mockingbird
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Mourning Dove
  • Turkey Vulture
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker
  • Pileated Woodpecker
  • Eastern Kingbird
  • Killdeer
  • Northern Cardinal

Leave a Reply

LinkedIn
LinkedIn
Share