We passed a good time in the heart of Cajun country!
Monday:
We pulled into Frog City RV Resort (they all have resort after their name these days). Frog City RV is located off I10 in Duson, LA between Lafayette and Rayne. This is the second time since leaving home, in late October, that we have spent time in a private RV park. We enjoy the natural setting of state parks and stay in them when we can. Over the years, traveling along I10, we have stayed at this RV park to enjoy the Cajun food in the area. This time we decided to stay three nights to explore the area more.
After setting up camp it was time for lunch, so we drove a few miles to Fezzo’s. If you are ever in this area stop in Fezzo’s for a wonderful Cajun meal. We had a salad, a seafood pasta dish with shrimp and crawfish, and the best bread pudding anywhere all for $9.99! Here is their website: http://www.fezzos.com
Tuesday, morning:
Tuesday morning we headed to Palmetto Island State Park in Abbeville to look around. We wanted to see if this was a place we would like to camp. We toured around the 96 site campground and stopped at a few places to take some photos.
Palmetto Island State Park
We were not disappointed and we will add this beautiful park to our list of Louisiana State Parks to visit. It is a little off the beaten path, so I’am thinking, drive there and stay for at least a week or more.
The sites are big and level.
A typical siteA view of part of the campground
While driving around we passed a trail and decided we needed a walk. The path lead us to Evangeline Pond. As we walked along the trail we heard a big splash! The little guy below must have been sunning on the bank and entered the water when he heard us coming.
Hiking TrailsEvangeline PondSpring along the pondAn Evalgeline Pond resident
Next, we stopped at the Nature Center and walked along a path above the bog.
Abbeville Red Iris, not in bloom yet
Cypress Trees
Carpenter Bee, this bee seemed fascinated with my camera
A Blooming Iris
After leaving the Nature Center we drove over to where they rent Canoes.
Canoe RentalsA Park PavilionA hiker!Another hiker? Can’t be she is not wearing hiking boots!
Leading to the Vermillion River, which leads to the Gulf of Mexico
Across from the Canoes we spotted these two lying on the shoreline. Thank goodness, we were on the opposite side of the bank.
Biggggg Gator
A smaller one
Another view of the Big One
Tuesday, evening:
We wanted to eat some crawfish and hear some Cajun music so we headed over to La Cuisine et la Musique Cajun, a restaurant and cajun dancehall called Randol’s. We enjoyed their early bird special – three pounds of boiled crawfish for $12.00!
Along with our spicy, delicious crawfish we had boiled corn and potatoes, and a dark local Abita Brewery beer. Every night a Cajun band plays beginning at 6:30. They have a nice stage and a huge dance floor. The band is called the Bayou Boys and they were great.
spicy, delicious crawfishThe Bayou Boys
I tried to include a video I took of the band and some couples dancing, but I couldn’t get it to upload. Seems WP won’t take Mov files.
When I first spotted this beautiful little warbler, I though it was a new sighting; however, after checking my records I had seen it previously. It was truly a joy to get to watch this little bird for a few seconds.
Finally, a new bird – Yellow-throated Warbler. Number 359!
Yellow-throated Warbler (backside)Yellow-throated Warbler (not good photos, but proof of sighting)
Very hard to photograph this little guy, because it was flitting around in the heavy foliage and zipping in and out of the moss.
I enhanced the last two photos of the Yellow-throated; I tried to improve the photos highlighting the bird better. Of course the best shot is of its back-side!
Great Egret on the hunt
Getting close
Closer
Snowy EgretYellow FeetTexas Two-Step
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pileated Woodpecker
High up in a tall Long Leaf Pine
Mourning Doves
It is always fun to take a walk, because you never know what you might see!
We sadly leave family and friends in Mississippi and Louisiana….until next time our hearts remain with each of you.
Two weeks ago we visited our family in Purvis, Mississippi. We had a wonderful time and it was truly sad leaving them. They spoil us rotten while we are there.
We stay at my brother and sister-in-law’s farm. While there we also get to see my younger sister and many nieces, nephews, greats and great-greats! Love you guys and thanks for making us feel loved and welcome!
A few Mississippi photos:
Annie She loves to chase cows and run off critters at nightJapanese Magnolia (my brother loves to plant trees and blooming scrubs)Another variety of Japanese MagnoliaSing Baby Sing I saw twenty-three species, of bird this visit
Big Red, Hot Rod, Lace and Fat Mama/Lena before she foaled. All across the Front PondFront Pond, Howard and Leland going to see if the Wood Ducks were in the bog. We saw 14!
A pair of Blue-winged Teals visiting the Back PondRed Missippippi Mud -back pondTracks, probably TurkeyAnother view of the back pond
Goodbye Mississippi, we’ll be back!
After our visit in Mississippi we drove to Madisonville, Louisiana and again stayed at Fairview Riverside State Park. We stay there, because it is close to friends, who also spoil us rotten! We had a great time and hope to see yawl soon. Love you guys!
I have been posting a few photos from Fairview Riverside State Park and I have a few more to share, including my new bird sightings!
A beautiful Cypress Tree
One evening we had dinner with Howard’s brother and our sister-in-law, who drove from Hobe Sound, Florida to visit with SIL’s family in Metairie. Remember we spent time visiting with them and family in Hobe Sound. We will see all of you very soon, with all our love!
We all met at a restaurant in Covington, Louisiana. Howard and Bob’s childhood friend and his family jointed us for dinner and we had a very enjoyable time visiting.
One morning we drove the 22 mile causeway over Lake Pontchartrain traveling, as they say, from the north shore to the south shore to the city of Metairie, which is near New Orleans. We went to visit with our 82 year old cousin. Joy is her name and she is a joy to be around.
As you can see we had a busy time and again our visit has come to an end. This morning we pulled out of Fairview Riverside State Park and pointed our nose west!!!
Goodbye Madisonville, Louisiana, we’ll be back!
We are slowly making our way home to Colorado, stopping along the way where ever we want, to enjoy birding, hiking, sightseeing and some more good eats!
We are staying a few days in Duson, Louisiana (can you say the cajun pronunciation of Duson). While here we will visit a state park in Abbeville, Louisiana to see if we would like to stop there on future trips through this area. We really love the State Parks!
Tomorrow night we plan to eat dinner at a restaurant near Lafayette, while a cajun band plays their unique style of music!
We have not decided on a specific route home.
We don’t have any firm plans beyond this point, except to visit some of the national wildlife areas near Beaumont, Texas, hoping to see some migrating birds.
A small flock of Blue-headed vireos landed in Fairview Riveside State Park one day this past week. If I remember correctly, it was after heavy thunderstorms. Another birder, here in the park, was telling me about them.
This morning, while on a walk, we first heard and then saw a tiny bird flitting about. I was hoping it might be a Blue-headed Vireo, it wasn’t. The bird we saw and the one in the photo below is a White-eyed Vireo.
This is the only photo of the White-eyed, from this morning, that is worth showing and it isn’t good. If only it wasn’t such a small bird and only if it didn’t zip here and there so darn fast. [grins]
White-eyed Vireo
I have seen the Solitary and the White-eyed previously and it would have been nice to record, as a new bird, the Blue-headed. Maybe another time.
This info taken from wikipedia: The Blue-headed Vireo is a common and vocal bird of northeastern forests. Formerly lumped as a “Solitary Vireo” with the more western Plumbeous and Cassin’s vireos, it is now considered a separate species.
Fast forward several hours…..
We went for another walk this evening and we saw the White-eyed Vireo again! This time I managed to capture a few nice photos, which was fun and a challenge.
White-eyed Vireo (Setting sun hitting the little guy just right)White-eyed Vireo Beautiful little bird
Notice the white eye!
I believe, because the setting sun was highlighting this Vireo just right, the photo looks like it has been color enhanced, but it has not!
This info taken from All About Birds: The White-eyed Vireo is a small and secretive bird of shrubby areas of the eastern and southern United States, the White-eyed Vireo is more noticeable for its explosive song than its looks.
It was a fun walk for sure, not only because I managed to photograph the White-eyed again, but also because I added two, yes two, new birds to my Birding Life List.
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