NoLa Diary #6 – Audobon Park

Today was one of those magical weather days you dream of:  mid-70’s, sunny and warm, blue sky with wisps of white clouds streaked here and there. Great weather for December, if you can get it! (In New York we call it June, by the way…)

My way of enjoying the weather was treating myself to an excursion on the St. Charles Avenue streetcar heading away from the French Quarter, towards the “other end of the line” near Loyola and Toulane Universities.  (Along the way you’ll pass all the grand mansions of the Garden District, and when I saw them today many were decked out nicely for Christmas. I didn’t take pics from the moving streetcar though.)

Across the street from the university buildings near the end of the St. Charles line is Audobon Park, a beautiful idyllic spot made for meandering.

Streetcar passing by entrance to Audobon Park

Although I didn’t spend much time there, I did get some decent shots of the park, including the lovely fountain as you enter…

Fountain in Audobon Park

And the lovely sculpture sentinals standing beside a stream that runs through the park…

Sculpture sentinals in Audobon Park

But what park would be named “Audobon” if it didn’t have incredible examples of birds? I came across this white heron and I was captivated.

White heron in Audobon Park

This bird may look small and slender, but when it flew down to another part of the stream I was amazed to see a large pair of beautiful white wings unfold. I swear this bird must have a 3-4 foot wingspan, it was pretty incredible.

So I followed this guy downstream and stalked him from the banks of the stream until I could get a closer shot…

White heron

On the other side of the park, I was told perhaps a half mile or so from the St. Charles Ave. entrance is the Audobon Zoo, fyi. I didn’t visit it.

After 7 glorious days in New Orleans I still feel like I’m just getting started. I’m meeting more locals and talking to people everywhere I go – in the galleries, in the streetcars, in the parks and historic places, in restaurants and everywhere in between.  I can’t wait to see more.