$40 (New Trip)

In 1936 by a prominent New Orleanian, Mayer Israel, Jr. and his wife, Martha, purchased 93 acres on the Bogue Falaya about five miles north of Covington. Their vision and hard work transformed a patch of woods by the river into a floral oasis. A few years later, Mr. Israel began to develop Beechwood Gardens with extensive plantings of camellias and azaleas and water wells and extensive irrigation system that works perfectly well today.

After 20 years of hard work, the gardens contained, according to Mr. Israel, “about 4,000 camellia and sasanquas, consisting of 600 or more named varieties, each bush having identification tags showing the name of the variety.” Thousands of azaleas lined the entry road and the highway frontage.

The current owners, Harold and Sandi Forman, have sold some of the property but retain 40 acres, the core of the Israel’s garden plantings, as common area for all the residents of Beechwood to enjoy. These include camellia species that many experts say are seldom seen anywhere but in books.

While Katrina changed the property to a more open area, it is remains beautiful. Original stone bridges, ponds, rock gardens and stone-lined waterways enhance the grounds. Shaded paths lead to two different beaches on the Bogue Falaya. In fact, as a bird watching site, the changes have provided more variation in habitat that will improve the variety of species you are likely to see.

After birding and viewing the grounds of Beechwood Gardens enjoy socializing and comparing notes with your fellow birders over refreshments and hors d’oeuvres. Tantalize your taste buds with a sampling of Louisiana’s very own spicy delicacies. As you stroll through the gardens you may work up an appetite to sample our special Creole prepared oysters, shrimp, muffaletta and jambalaya. You might even want to taste some of Louisiana’s own wines from several local vineyards or beer from a local brew house. A truly special treat for all to enjoy!

• Easy walk.
• A sampling of Louisiana cuisine will add a special flavor to this outing
• Birds most likely to be seen:
  • Wintering Birds: Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler, White-throated Sparrow.
  • Resident and Breeding Birds: Great Blue and Green Herons; Great and Cattle Egrets; Wood Duck, Red-shouldered Hawk, Northern Bobwhite, Killdeer, Barred Owl, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied, Downy and Pileated Woodpeckers; Northern (Yellow-shafted) Flicker, Acadian and Great-crested Flycatcher; White-eyed Vireo, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Wood Thrush, Northern Parula, Pine-, Prothonotary- and Hooded Warblers; Summer Tanager, Eastern Towhee, Orchard Oriole, and more.
  • Possible Migrants: Mississippi Kite, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Eastern Wood Pewee, Yellow-throated and Red-eyed Vireos; Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting, and more.