May 2026 Louisiana Bird Photography Tour Report
Great Egret Feeding Frenzy–Cazan Lake
Tour Report — May 2026 Louisiana Bird Photography Tour
This past week’s Louisiana bird photography tour provided excellent opportunities to photograph nesting wading birds at several of my favorite spring locations including Cazan Lake, Miller’s Lake, and Rip’s Rookery.
Great Egret Portrait
Participants photographed a wide variety of species and behaviors throughout the trip including:
Roseate Spoonbills
Great Egrets
Snowy Egrets
White Ibises
White-faced Ibises
Little Blue Herons
nesting behavior
flight photography
territorial interactions
and a wide variety of spring wetland scenes
Roseate Spoonbill in Flight
White Faced Ibis–Miller’s Lake
Miller’s Lake continued to provide excellent late afternoon opportunities, while Cazan Lake offered productive morning sessions with active nesting birds throughout the rookery. Rip’s Rookery also provided close photographic opportunities with nesting wading birds in beautiful soft light.
One of the primary goals of this particular trip was to evaluate the progression of the Roseate Spoonbill nesting season in preparation for my upcoming May 31st Louisiana Bird Photography Tour.
The results were very encouraging.
During this tour we located several active Spoonbill nests, including multiple nests containing extremely small chicks still low in the nest. Based upon what we observed during this trip, I believe the upcoming May 31st tour has excellent potential for photographing larger and more visible Roseate Spoonbill chicks as the nesting season continues to progress.
Louisiana’s rookery activity changes quickly during the spring season, and timing is everything. The upcoming May 31st tour was specifically scheduled to increase the opportunity to photograph Roseate Spoonbill chicks on the nest during this stage of development.
If you have been considering joining one of these spring Louisiana bird photography tours, space is still available for the upcoming May 31st departure.
Little Blue Heron Leaping from Branch to Branch–Rip’s Rookery
Upcoming Tour
Spring Louisiana Bird Photography Tour — May 31, 2026
Small group instruction
Boat-based and shoreline photography
Roseate Spoonbill chicks and nesting wading birds
Louisiana swamp and wetland environments
Personalized instruction and field guidance
More information:
Charles Bush Photography – May 2026 Newsletter
Spring Bird Photography in Louisiana
Roseate Spoonbill Family
Spring bird activity continues to increase here in Louisiana, and the swamps and rookeries are becoming more active every week.
The birds are now active at both Cazan Lake and Miller’s Lake, and we’re beginning to see more nesting, courtship behavior, and feeding activity throughout the area.
May 17 Spring Tour Begins This Weekend
My May 17, 2026 Spring Bird Photography Tour begins this weekend, and conditions are looking very promising for the group.
I still have space available for my May 31, 2026 Spring Bird Photography Tour if you would like to join me later this month.
You can find full details here: Spring 2026 Tour Details
Fall Tour Availability
Looking ahead to fall, my November 30, 2026 Cypress Swamp Tour is nearly full. At this point, only 2 spaces remain for that trip, and the November 15th Tour is Full. I am considering adding another tour. Contact me if you’re interested.
More information on the fall tours is available here: Fall Cypress Swamp Tours
Cazan Lake Access Change
If you’re planning to visit Cazan Lake on your own, there has been a change to the entrance process:
Annual passes are no longer available
Entry is now handled at the gate
A $25 per person fee is paid in the box at the entrance
The phone number listed on their website is currently not being answered
Despite these changes, access to the rookery is still available, and it remains an excellent location for photography.
Consulting Availability
I’m also available for one-on-one consulting sessions. If you need help with:
Photo processing workflows
Lightroom or Photoshop
Macintosh backup strategies and system setup
You can learn more or book a session here: Book Consulting Services
If you have any questions about the tours or would like to reserve a spot, feel free to reach out.
Charles Bush Photography February 2026 Newsletter
Spring Bird Photography Tours
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been monitoring activity at the rookeries, and the first clear signs of the nesting season are already underway.
Great Egrets have begun courtship displays, stick passing, and early nest building. This is always the first wave of activity and signals that the rest of the nesting season is right behind them. As we move into April and May, additional species will arrive, nests will fill in, and activity will build quickly.
If you’ve been considering joining one of the Spring bird photography tours, this is shaping up to be an excellent season.
Current Spring Tour Status
Each tour is limited to a small group to ensure plenty of working room and individual attention in the field. With nesting already beginning, these dates should align beautifully with peak behavior and photographic opportunities.
If you’ve been thinking about joining us this spring, now is a very good time to secure a place.
A New Boat Partner for 2026
For the 2026 season, I’ll be working with a new boat operator, Corey Borel of Borel Swamp Tours.
Corey is local, knows these waters extremely well, and operates a stable, comfortable boat that works beautifully for small-group photography. Our goal has always been to provide a calm, focused photographic environment, and this partnership allows us to continue doing exactly that.
I’m looking forward to working with Corey throughout the spring and fall seasons ahead.
You can learn more about Corey and his operation here
Fall Cypress Swamp Tours — Nearly Full
Fall tours are also filling quickly.
November 15–17 Fall Cypress Swamp Photo Tour — Only 1 space remaining
November 30–December 2 Fall Cypress Swamp Photo Tour — 3 spaces remaining
Fall in the cypress swamps offers a completely different photographic experience from spring — glowing foliage, low-angle light, misty mornings, and quiet reflective water. These small-group boat sessions are designed specifically for photographers and typically fill well in advance.
If you have questions about conditions, mobility, equipment, or what to expect, feel free to reply anytime. I’m always happy to help you decide if a trip is the right fit.
Hope to see you in the swamp this season.