Grand Isle, French for Big Island. This big island at the end of LA 1 is about 8 miles long and up to 1 ½ miles wide with a resident population of about 1500. This big island may be small but it is rich and big in history. The first documented settlements began in the 1780s. Jean Lafitte and his privateers were based on neighboring Grand Terre from 1805 to 1814. There are still stories of “pirate’s treasure” on Grand Isle. In the late 1800s Grand Isle became a summer resort and it continues to be so today. Although the island has been repeatedly damaged by hurricanes including land lost, the resilience of the island and its people should be apparent to any visitor. On our third annual Mardi Gras on Grand Isle we saw new construction, familiar faces, beaches and open waters calling our fishing poles.
The weather was not our friend this trip. The days were cold and windy which made fishing more work than play. On one of those cold, windy and dreary days we asked ourselves – what could we do? Not wanting to sit around in the RV we took off for the tourist info center and asked – what can we do on the island today? One of the suggestions was hike the birding trail. We set out in search of the trail and it turned out to be perfect for such a day.
The trail was a great hike with wild flowers and old trees but not one bird. They had more sense than us staying out of the cold and wind. The trail began as an asphalt lane then a boardwalk over swampy area then dirt which was mud and water in places. This was definitely a day for boots and we were glad to have worn ours. The trail ended at a residential street and the entrance to a gated community. We hiked back on the same trail and enjoyed the return hike as much as the first walk.
The trail area is a temporary home to approximately 100 species of songbirds that make a 500 mile trek across the Gulf of Mexico. Scarlet tanagers, gray catbirds, blue grosbeaks, thrushes, and prothonotary, yellow, and hooded warblers among others count Grand Island as one of their homes. The birds enjoy singing in red mulberry, black willow, red bay, and live oak trees. Some of these trees in the 13 acres are older than 125 years.
Each Spring the island is host to the Grand Isle Migratory Bird Celebration occurring at the peak of bird migration. The event began in 1998 and supports the Grand Isle Sanctuary which protects some of the last remaining undeveloped chenier habitats, the live oak ridges. Grand Isle was once home to a large forest habitat now with only about 10% remaining.
As we hiked the short trail we could envision what the original chenier habitats were like and how the early settlers could so easily call Grand Isle home.
Boardwalk with wild flowers
Trees along the path
Palm
Wildness
Boardwalk
Overhanging branches
Bushes in the path
Water and Flowers
Dirt and Mud
