Lake Martin Rookery
Article and Images by Joe Todd

© Joe Todd, Field Contributor
With the first blooms of spring, thousands of pairs of wading birds appear at the lake which is also known and the Cypress Island Nature Preserve.
The lake was formed in the early 1950’s by a levee that was built around 765 acres of swamp land. It took nearly forty years before the birds arrived in large numbers and in 1989 over 12,000 pair of White Ibises built their nests there.

© Joe Todd, Field Contributor
Over the last sixteen years the rookery drew large numbers of great egrets, cattle egrets, snowy egrets, roseate spoonbills, and little blue herons which can be seen building their nests in the cypress trees and button bush and can be easily viewed along the dirt road that skirts Lake Martin.
Many other species can be seen flying overhead and a few american bald eagles have been cited from fishing boats out on the lake.

© Joe Todd, Field Contributor
But all is not lost thanks to the Nature Conservancy, the conservation group that owns the rookery. Working along with local residents, the Conservancy has installed a water control system that allows the lake to be drawn down for a few months in the fall.

© Joe Todd, Field Contributor
The birds could disappear as quickly as they arrived. So be sure to visit this Southwest Louisiana bird paradise before they are gone forever.
When to go:
The birds start nesting in early to mid-February and the eggs are hatching in large numbers by early April.
How to get there:
Lake Martin is located roughly halfway between Breaux Bridge and Lafayette, Louisiana. To get there from Lafayette, take the Breaux Bridge Highway to La. 353 and turn right. Go about three miles and turn left at the sign for Lake Martin. Just follow the dirt road until it ends at the levee. You have arrived in bird heaven!