Audubon Coastal Bird Survey Sites - Louisiana
Grand Isle – King Tarpon Park
Parking: park at the King Tarpon Park beach access, on the south side of LA-1, across from Humble Rd.
Transect start: right over the dune from the parking area (29.244847o N, -89.971283o W). Then head east.
Transect end:1 mi from the start, about 100 m (300 ft) before you reach the first state park boardwalk (29.251886o N, -89.957169o W)
¼ mile reference: from the top of the dune to the rock breakwaters is just under ¼ mi. From the tide line, you could count birds a few hundred feet past the breakwaters. Note that as you approach the end of the transect, the breakwaters are much closer to shore, so you will want to include birds well past those.
Audubon Coastal Bird Survey Sites - Louisiana
Grand Isle State Park
Parking: park at the Grand Isle State Park parking lot ($1 per person entrance fee to state park). Or if conducting the Grand Isle King Tarpon Park, one could continue walking 0.5 mi to reach the start of this survey (note this makes it a 2.5 mi walk in each direction to your car).
Transect start: At the north beach access boardwalk, west of the pier (29.258111o N, -89.952279o W). Then head east, past the pier, and around the end of the island.
Transect end:the end of land around the eastern point of Grand Isle (29.269787o N, -89.954249o W)
¼ mile reference:500 feet past the rock jetty if standing at the end of the beach access boardwalk. Also 500 feet past the fishing pier if standing at the end of the beach access boardwalk.
Note: The Grand Isle State Park office requests that we notify them in advance of conducting a survey as this site is typically off-limits to the public. Contact Dustin Renaud () or Erik Johnson () for access permission.
Audubon Coastal Bird Survey Sites - Louisiana
Grand Isle West
Parking: Bridgeside Marina
Transect start: At the west end of the marina parking area, on the bay-side of the island, looking across Caminada Pass (29.203094° N, -90.041907° W). Head west and around the point, back south to the front side of the beach, where you then head east.
Transect end:1 mi walking from the start (not a linear measure) across from the access ramp over the dune, across from where LA-1 curves to the east (29.202805° N, -90.037403° W)
¼ mi reference: at the start, the bridge is about 0.2 mi away. Caminada Pass is about 0.4 mi wide.
Audubon Coastal Bird Survey Sites - Louisiana
Elmer’s Island
Parking: At the end of the Elmer’s Island gravel access road. If you have sufficient confidence that your vehicle can drive on the beach, you can continue to drive east on the beach for 0.9 mi to reach the start point, otherwise this distance should be walked.
Transect start: Where the gravel island access road meets the beach (29.176978° N, -90.073148° W). Then continue heading east to Caminada Pass.
Transect end:1.8 mi from the start, essentially where the beachfront curves back to the north. (29.190825° N, -90.047439° W).
¼ mi reference: At the starting point, the island is just under ¼ mi wide.
Note: Be sure to count birds along the back bay (about ¼ mi east of the start point) as well as along the Caminda Pass point and back bay flats. If the conditions permit, this route can be driven. During spring surveys, be aware that Wilson’s Plovers and Least Terns nest here and that driving could kill flightless chicks.
Audubon Coastal Bird Survey Sites - Louisiana
Trinity Island East
Parking: Boat access only, typically from Cocodrie, LA.
Transect start: Due S of large rusty oil tank in dunes (29.05496° N, -90.70164° W). Then walk east.
Transect end:Beach begins to narrow towards east end where new line of dune fencing begins (29.05829° N, -90.68546° W).
¼ mi reference: ?
Audubon Coastal Bird Survey Sites - Louisiana
Rutherford Beach
Parking: you can park on the beach ¼ mi east of the access point from Rutherford Beach Rd.
Transect start: ¼ mi east of the access point from Rutherford Beach Rd (29.758184°, -93.120010°). Then continue to head east for the transect.
Transect end:1 mi from the start at the wooden fencing that crosses the beachfront (29.754377°, -93.104243°).
¼ mi reference: You can use the distance you traveled from the access road to estimate ¼ mi; be sure to not count birds until you start the actual transect.
Audubon Coastal Bird Survey Sites - Louisiana
Broussard Beach
Parking: Finding the narrow path to the beach can be tricky – it is near the end of Broussard Beach Rd., which is not well marked either (see the map below). Although the road looks treacherous, I drive a small sedan and have had no problems accessing the beach. You can park along Broussard Beach Rd. and walk to the beach.
Transect start: starts where the access path meets the beach (29.776415°, -93.278862°). Then head west.
Transect end:1 mile from the start with no good landmarks (29.772780°, -93.294956°). Having a GPS is critical.
¼ mi reference: You can use the distance you traveled from the access road to estimate ¼ mi; be sure to not count birds until you start the actual transect.
Audubon Coastal Bird Survey Sites - Louisiana
East Jetty Pier
Parking: At the East Jetty Pier parking lot.
Transect start: At the bird observation tower (29.763539°, -93.342313°). Then head east. There should be openings in the fence to allow beach access.
Transect end: 1 mi east of the start (29.766243°, -93.326064°). NO LANDMARK HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED YET. Perhaps there is a beach pool several hundred feet long – the east end of this appears to be 1 mi using Google Earth.
¼ mi reference: The Calcasieu Pass is ¼ mi wide (so the other side is slightly >1/4 mi from the bird observation tower).
Audubon Coastal Bird Survey Sites - Louisiana
Holly Beach
*This is a two mile driving survey
Parking: No need to park, since this is a driving survey.
Transect start: Where Rivera Ln. accesses the beach, on the west side of the town of Holly Beach (29.769776°, -93.463645°). Then head west.
Transect end:2 mi west of the start, at the “mi 24” green sign on LA-82 (29.768257°, -93.497314°).
¼ mi reference: Porpoise Ave, which is the next beach access road to the east, is ¼ mi away. Otherwise, there are few useful landmarks. The watertower is about 0.5 mi from Rivera Ln. x LA-82.
Audubon Coastal Bird Survey Sites - Louisiana
Peveto Woods Beachfront
Parking: park at the end of the paved road off LA-82 that also accesses Peveto Woods Sanctuary. One could also park at the sanctuary parking lot and then walk 0.2 mi back to the starting point.
Transect start: where the paved road meets the front beach (29.755854°, -93.604878°). Then head east.
Transect end: about 100 m past the last of the row of houses – this last house is green and white with a green roof (29.757674°, -93.588285°).
¼ mile reference:at the access/start point, the rock pilings are about 1/8 of a mile offshore, so about twice as far or a little more is ¼ mi. Note in the middle of the transect, the rock pilings are a little closer to shore.
Audubon Coastal Bird Survey Sites - Louisiana
Smith Bayou
Parking: park at the end of the paved road that heads south from LA-82 (about 2 ¼ mi east of Johnson’s Bayou) that shows up as Par Rd. 532 on Google Earth.
Transect start: where the paved road meets the front beach (29.74898°, -93.664906°). Then head west.
Transect end: Where a small bayou comes in from the north an meets the beach here (29.746706°, -93.679459°).
¼ mile reference: at the access/start point, the beach is about ¼ mi from where you just drove over a small bayou.