New Orleans. The Big Easy. NOLA. There’s no doubt that it is one of the most famous cities in the south, and I spent 24 hours there over the weekend!
While I did not go NOLA to bird specifically, I always keep my eyes out.
The Garden District
I arrived with my cousin and husband Saturday evening, checking into our room at the Crescent Palms and taking an Uber into the city. We ate dinner and did the whole Bourbon Street thing, and I have to admit I saw little other than House Sparrows and Rock Pigeons. However, I did love the Chimney Swifts that dotted the dimming sky; or, as my cousin called them, “those bat-looking things.” Their chirping filtered down to us from the air above, mixing with the singing, music, and laughing from the streets below.
The next morning we had brunch in the Garden District, touring a few of the streets lined with impressive, historic homes. In the hush of a Sunday morning, even “common” birds seemed special. Northern Mockingbirds watched us from the limbs of giant Live Oaks, and Downy Woodpeckers looked for insects along the rough trunks. Clearly House Sparrows are common here too, as a graffiti outline was painted near the famous Magazine Street!
Bird graffiti near Magazine St.
The Mississippi River also boasted great birding opportunities. Laughing Gulls clustered together on docks, and Double-crested Cormorants dove beneath the surface in search of their next meal. The highlight of the day was both unexpected and very green.
Along the river near the French quarter, power lines border the road and the trolley tracks. As we walked along the shore, I heard the familiar, but surprising, sound of parrots! Parrots, in New Orleans?
Northern Mockingbird
Whirling around, I caught sight of their bright emerald silhouettes sitting on the lines for just a few moments before they were off again: Monk Parakeets.
Back in November, I saw my first Monk Parakeets on the streets of Austin, and now here they were again! Though they are not native to the United States, I love seeing the goof balls.
A historic city? Check. Great food? Check. Birds? Check!
Thank you for such a well-written post. Some of the most unusual birds live in New Orleans. Our warm habitat creates a pristine environment for may species of birds,