The species is number 403 on my state list, which may sound like a lot, but I think I'm the lowest ranking member of the 400 Club, well behind most of the others who have crossed the 400 milestone. And I must be one of the last birdwatchers in Louisiana to add Brown Booby to the life experiences list...
The presence of these birds in Ponchartrain may make sense to the boobies, but it baffles most of us. This species had generally been found only offshore--or at least on the beach--until a few years ago. The 20 individuals we saw outnumbered the total number of Brown Boobies ever recorded in Louisiana prior to the event.
The boobies at the lake were first found a couple of winters back, and even though many of the birds there now are adults, whether some of these birds are the same individuals from before is a matter of speculation. Keep in mind that 3 Brown Boobies were also found in a lake south of Lake Charles a few years back, and in one of the oddest bird records I can remember, Steve Cardiff saw a Brown Booby flying over the SWLA ricefields last winter in close proximity to geese. Records are piling up. Something's going on, and as is probably often true, people may be the last to find out what it is.
The boat trip was a good end to a summer that saw me doing far more yard work and spending more time at home than in a long time. It was a great summer, and here's to a good fall and a great school year!
