Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge
Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge is at the edge of Grand Lake in eastern Cameron parish, only a short distance north of the Gulf shore. The refuge is strategically located on the boundary of coastal marsh to the south and aquatic agricultural habitats (rice and crawfish) to the north, making it critically important to local and migratory waterbirds.
Most of the refuge consists of freshwater marsh with a few forested natural ridges and levees. The dominant feature of the refuge is the Lacassine Pool Unit, created by enclosing a huge marsh with a low levee.
Inhabited by all manner of waterbirds, 215 bird species have been recorded from this mostly undeveloped complex. Wading birds, waterfowl, shorebirds, rails, gallinules, coots, and water-loving songbirds are frequently seen. Among them are Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, White-faced Ibis, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Purple Gallinule, Greater Yellowlegs, and Ring-billed Gull. For the best observation of these birds, the refuge's Wildlife Drive around its Lacassine Pool Unit on the western end of the refuge is highly recommended.
Eleven species of raptors, including Bald Eagle and Peregrine Falcon, patrol the forested and marsh areas year-round. The forested and/or scrubby ridges of the refuge concentrated on its eastern end are worth checking for uncommon to rare songbirds including Vermilion and Ash-throated Flycatchers, Grasshopper and LeConte’s Sparrows, and Yellow-headed Blackbird, especially during migration periods and in winter.
One of the big draws to this refuge is what local birders call the "biomass effect." This is when groups of up to tens of thousands of individuals from various waterbird groups may be observed. Such observations involve geese and ducks as well as wading birds during the late fall, winter, and early spring months. The best viewing times for such spectacles are at dawn and dusk.
The refuge's headquarters site is on a forested ridge at the terminus of an extended, little-traveled access road. Amenities at the Lacassine Pool Unit include parking, interpretive signage, and a drivable wildlife-watching roadway. The unit is partially handicapped-accessible. Besides birding, additional outdoor recreational activities include boating/canoeing/kayaking, fishing, hiking, and nature photography.
