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Cypress trees draped with Spanish moss at Lakes End Park

Lakes End Park

Morgan City, Louisiana · August 30, 2026

We spent a couple of hours at Lakes End Park in Morgan City this morning. Bird activity seemed fairly quiet, especially among the passerines, but the park itself made the trip worthwhile.

Morning total: 24 bird species. The only obvious fall migrants were Yellow Warblers in fall plumage.

Spanish Moss and Cypress

The cypress and oaks were draped in curtains of Spanish moss, giving much of the park the classic look of a south Louisiana wetland. Despite the name, Spanish moss is neither Spanish nor a moss. It is a bromeliad, which makes it a rather unlikely cousin of the pineapple.

Spanish moss hanging from trees
Long curtains of Spanish moss hang from the trees at Lakes End Park.
Cypress canopy and Spanish moss
Cypress, blue sky and Spanish moss made the scenery as memorable as the birds.

A Quiet Migration Morning

For late August, we saw surprisingly few passerines. We finished with 24 species, but the only birds that clearly suggested fall migration were Yellow Warblers moving through in fall plumage. The remainder of the morning was mostly the familiar residents and wetland birds of coastal south Louisiana.

Northern Mockingbird
Northern Mockingbird.
Boat-tailed Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle.

Around the Water

The water and shoreline provided most of the photographic opportunities. An Anhinga spread its wings in the morning sun, Snowy Egrets worked the edges, and an American alligator cruised quietly through the water.

Anhinga with wings spread
Anhinga drying its wings.
American alligator swimming
An American alligator moving through the water.
Snowy Egret
Snowy Egret, complete with its bright yellow feet.
Snowy Egret perched on shallow water warning sign
A Snowy Egret found an appropriate perch above the shallow-water warning.

The Other Residents

The other striking thing about Lakes End Park was the number of squirrels. They are clearly accustomed to people, nearly tame, and—judging from their appearance—very well fed.

Well-fed squirrel clinging to a tree trunk
One of the park's numerous, remarkably well-fed squirrels.

It wasn't a big migration morning, but between 24 bird species, the moss-draped trees, wetland wildlife and the park's fearless squirrels, Lakes End Park still made for an enjoyable couple of hours.