Iris at the edge of NOLA City Park lake

Spiderwort with bee

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron,
one of several we saw around the little lake

Iris

Iris

Iris

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Snake at the edge of the lake
covered in duckweed

Mystery bird--a warbler?

Spanish moss on trees
at NOLA City Park lake

A tiny red-eared slider
on a palm frond in the lake.

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Flowering bush
NOLA City Park

Spanish Moss

Fir Tussock Moth catepillar
crawling around the edge of a metal plaque

Fir Tussock Moth

Adult and juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Herons

Irises

Irises

Fir Tussock Moth

Fir Tussock Moth

Great Crested Flycatcher

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
peeking over the bank of the lake

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Purple Iris

Iris

White Iris

Female Mallard with chicks on the lake

Female Mallard and chicks

Mallard and chicks

Pale Blue Iris

Light Magenta Iris

Pink Iris

Iris

Blue Iris

Common Grackle

Common Grackle
edited by GLD

Common Grackle

Red-eared Slider

Turtles with their feet in the air

Pale pink Iris

Thistle

White Iris

White-flowered reed-like plant

Yellow Iris

Mute Swans
nesting on an island in the lake

Holly with white flowers and red berries

Eastern Kingbird

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Anhinga
with something on its bill

Miniature train
around the lake at NOLA City Park

After the city park, we tried to find our way to Bayou Sauvage NWR. We made a wrong turn after getting off the interstate and never got to the refuge, but we did find some birds along the road, including this Tri-colored Heron perching on a pier.

Tri-colored Heron speaking its mind

Tri-colored Heron
on the road to Sauvage NWR

Purple Martin

Small frog
not well-camouflaged on a dead reed

We did find our way to Big Branch NWR, visited the headquarters, then walked the Boy Scout Road boardwalk where we found these water lilies.

Water lilies at Big Branch NWR on the north side of Lake Pontchartrain.

Mother Mallard and ducklings
Big Branch NWR

Just before we saw the Mallards, two rails flew up and back into the reeds. We heard them calling, then one of them, this King Rail, walked out into the open.

King Rail
Boy Scout Road boardwalk, Big Branch NWR, LA

King Rail

The King Rail flew across the marsh in front of us, then started walking into the reeds.

King Rail
Big Branch NWR, LA

King Rail
Big Branch NWR, LA

King Rail

King Rail

King Rail

King Rail

King Rail

King Rail

Momma Mallard and chicks

Paper Wasp

Paper wasp

White flower with yellow center
and beetle

Thistle with bumblebee

Thistle with bumblebee and swallowtail butterfly

Swallowtail butterfly and bumblebee on thistle

Butterfly and bumblebee

Swallowtail butterfly

Two bees on a thistle flower

Bees, including one incoming

Swallowtail butterfly

Blue Irises

Blue Irises

Swallowtail butterfly

Interesting wing positions

Swallowtail butterfly

Thistle

Blue Iris

Bumblebee on Iris

American Goldfinch

Skipper on Iris

Dragonfly nymph casing

Empty dragonfly nymph casing

Looks something like Dryobius sexnotatus (Six-banded Longhorn Beetle), but the antennae don't look long enough

Beetle on Iris

Skipper on Iris

Artificial nest cavity for Red-cockaded Woodpecker
at Big Branch NWR, LA; we did not see the woodpecker

Swallowtail on thistle

Tattered Swallowtail butterfly

Yellow and pale blue flowers

Yellow and pale blue flowers

Silver-spotted Skipper on Blue Iris

Swallowtail butterfly on thistle

Swallowtail

Swallowtail

Small bee and swallowtail butterfly

Billowy thistle

Thistle

Swallowtail

Swallowtail

Tattered Swallowtail

Small robberfly

Black swallowtail

Black swallowtail

Beetle, small bee and Potter Wasp (Euodynerus schwarzi)?

Insects on white flower with yellow center