The 27th Annual Grand Isle Migratory Bird Celebration takes place this Friday and Saturday, April 19-20, throughout the town of Grand Isle.
“The Spring Migration of NeoTropical Songbirds has begun, and Grand Isle is the place to be,” said Jean Landry, Grand Isle Nature Conservancy, Program Manager. “Thousands of beautiful migratory birds are making this phenomenal spring flight across the Gulf of Mexico, many stopping in Grand Isle’s live oak/hackberry forest and grass fields.”
Highlights of this year’s festival include boat tours of pelican-rookery Queen Bess Island, expert-led daily tours of Grand Isle birding trails, Louisiana National Audubon Society catching of migrating songbirds for weighing and measuring before release in Lafitte Woods Preserve on Friday, State Park tour, Elmer’s Island tour, Cox Fields tour and much more. Join us for our social hour on the Grilletta, LOSCO, Wellman Baus Tract for “Evening Call” with food and drinks on Friday evening 6 PM to 7:30 PM.
“After a long flight across the Gulf of Mexico, migrating birds flock to Grand Isle to rest after their difficult journey. The island has become one of the best places in the world to see the variety of species flying north,” said Grand Isle Mayor David Camardelle. “We are proud to welcome the migratory birds and visitors to our island.”
This year’s event is headquartered at the Grand Isle School at 149 Ludwig Lane, Grand Isle. The festival includes informational booths and vendors. For event information and a schedule of tours, visit: https://grandisleevents.org
This Annual Celebration Event, initiated in 1998, was created in part to support the purchase and management of the Grand Isle Sanctuary to protect some of the last remaining undeveloped chenier habitats (live oak ridges). The event is hosted by the Grand Isle Sanctuary Group which includes: Grand Isle Community Development Team, Town of Grand Isle, The Louisiana Nature Conservancy and Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, Terrebonne Bird Club, Orleans Audubon and Bird Club, LA Wildlife and Fisheries, and the Louisiana National Audubon Society.