Trip Report for My April 13–16, 2025 Photo Tour
Every photo shoot on this trip delivered a wealth of strong images. We were fortunate to have ideal weather and plenty of cooperative birds. I've created a gallery of highlights from the tour, which you can view here.
Note, there is still time to join the May 18th Tour. Click here to read more and to reserve your spot.
April 13: Rip's Rookery Warm-Up
Roseate Spoonbill in Flight at Rips Rookery
As is my custom, I began the tour by scouting Rip's Rookery in New Iberia on my way to meet the group. I left at 9:30 AM and arrived at the rookery by 11:00 AM, walking the path around the ponds to check activity. Birds were nesting on both the large and small islands.
That afternoon, after gathering the group at the Holiday Inn Express, we returned to Rip's Rookery together. Most of our time was spent at the small island where we photographed:
Little Blue Herons
Cattle Egrets
An Anhinga perched above the water (the pond itself wasn’t visible)
Roseate Spoonbills in flight over the area
April 14: Cazan Lake and Lake Martin
Great Egret in Flight at Cazan Lake
We began the day early with a drive to PJF Farms near Ville Platte to photograph at the Cazan Lake Rookery. Nesting activity was high, with many Great Egrets and some Roseate Spoonbills.
The egrets were in various nesting stages:
Courtship and display
Sitting on eggs
Feeding tiny chicks
Tending to nearly fledged young
My best images here were of Great Egrets in flight, coming and going from the rookery.
The birds nest in Cypress Trees, giving us beautiful natural settings to work with.
After a midday break to download photos and recharge, we headed out to Lake Martin for a boat shoot. Highlights from that trip included:
Prothonotary Warbler Taking Flight at Lake Martin
A close encounter with a Prothonotary Warbler
A Green Heron front-lit in the brush
An Anhinga drying its wings
A Black-bellied Whistling Duck
An Alligator with hyacinth foliage draped across its back
April 15: Overcast Magic at Cazan and Golden Light at Miller's Lake
A Green Heron in Flight at Miller’s Lake
With soft, overcast skies in the morning, we adjusted our schedule and arrived at Cazan Lake around 9:30 AM. The diffused light allowed us to work within the rookery, photographing:
Great Egrets nesting deep in the trees
Birds interacting among the Cypress branches
The light was perfect for preserving detail without harsh shadows or blown highlights.
That afternoon, we traveled to Miller's Lake for a 3:30 PM boat departure. The bird activity and light were both exceptional. We photographed:
Roseate Spoonbills in flight
A Least Bittern tucked into the reeds
A White-faced Ibis with iridescent feathers
A Green Heron captured in flight
Glowing evening light on the Tupelo Forest by the lake
April 16: Ospreys at Henderson Swamp
Osprey with Fight at Henderson Swamp
For our final morning, we headed to Henderson Swamp to focus on Osprey in flight. Using the Windy iPhone app, I had selected the day and time for optimal wind direction—ensuring head-on, front-lit flight shots.
And it worked!
We had:
An Osprey delivering a fish to its nest
Another bringing nesting material
Perfectly front-lit shots with great wing position, captured at 20 FPS
Final Thoughts and May Tour Preview
This tour had it all—great weather, fantastic birds, and a truly enjoyable group of photographers. I’m expecting more excellent opportunities on my May 11 and May 18 tours. By then, more Roseate Spoonbills should have established nests, and we’ll likely see Egret and Heron chicks being fed by their parents.
The May 11 tour is full, but spots are still available for the May 18 tour. Click here to read more and to reserve your space while there's still time.