• Credit: New-York Historical Society - "Great Egret," painted in Louisiana 1821

A Summer of Birds is a new LPB documentary that details a relatively unknown chapter in the life of the renowned naturalist painter John James Audubon. It premiered in December of 2009.

• Funding
• Article Links
• Resource Links
• List of Paintings: PDF

Based on the acclaimed book A Summer of Birds: John James Audubon at Oakley House by The Baton Rouge Advocate columnist Danny Heitman, the documentary chronicles the summer of 1821 which he spent in Louisiana at the Oakley Plantation in West Feliciana Parish.

Emmy Award-winning actress Sela Ward narrates the program, which features an original musical score by Suncoast Emmy winner Mike Esneault. Christina Melton (Atchafalaya Houseboat, Louisiana: A History) was Senior Producer, Director and Writer for the documentary. Liz Barnes (Return to the Forest Where We Live) served as producer for the project which was filmed and edited by LPB videographer Rex. Q. Fortenberry.

A number of people have contributed their time to the project including John House, Park Manager at Audubon State Historic Site and Michael Seymour from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Reenactors for the program were Daniel Novak, an LSU English professor who portrayed Audubon in the documentary, James Smith, Stephen Jones, Alexandra Kennon, Kathryn Ward, Cedric Williams, Desmond Hopkins and Danny Heitman.

Funding for this documentary is being provided by a grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities.

This program has been made possible through a grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily represent the views of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Audubon, Haiti and Cruel Fate
Even the bird paintings were Inspired by his birthplace and reflect the fleeting nature of existence.
Read full Wall Street Journal commentary from Danny Heitman

Baton Rouge Audubon Society

Louisiana Audubon Society

The Nature Conservancy of Louisiana

Oakley

Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge

Sherbourne National Wildlife Management Area

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

LSU Bird Resource Center

Audubon Pilgrimage

Feliciana Nature Society

America’s Wetland Birding Trail

LSU Special Collections

New York Historical Society Audubon Watercolors

Audubon, Haiti and Cruel Fate
Even the bird paintings were Inspired by his birthplace and reflect the fleeting nature of existence.

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