The Grand Isle Migratory Bird Celebration

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First, bird watching novices should know that a cheniere, a type of habitat not found in many other places outside of Louisiana, is a sandy or shelly beach ridge, often wooded with live oak groves and separated from other chenieres by marsh and swamp vegetation. Second thing to know is that these coastal chenieres are some of the most important habitat for many neotropical migratory birds. Millions of birds use these forests to rest and forage during their migrations. There are only a few undeveloped chenieres left; only ten percent of Grand Isle's original cheniere forests still exist today. 

Every April since 1998, during the height of spring migration, the Grand Isle Sanctuary Group has hosted The Grand Isle Migratory Bird Celebration, when the protected pockets around Grand Isle will be the educational playground of bird lovers who will flock to the area, binoculars in hand, to explore the chenieres via kayak and boat tours, attend educational workshops on bird banding and native plant identification, take in local history on an Old Homes Tour, tour the Cox Oil maritime forest restoration project, attend talks by avian experts, peruse local artwork along Crafters' Row, and otherwise enjoy all nature has to offer. The day will conclude with the bird count, refreshments, and door prizes at the Celebration’s headquarters at Jo-Bob’s Conoco Station. 

Agendas, vicinity maps, birding trail maps, accommodations, and directions are available at townofgrandisle.com/grand-isle-migratory-bird-festival/. 

We also wrote a weekend getaway on the barrier island, available here if you want to plan additional excursions.