BATON ROUGE - It's never really the start of Carnival season in the capital city until you see flamingoes in the University Lakes. 

Bystanders could see the Lakes filled with dozens of the wooden pink birds elegantly perched, and some brave souls even took to the waters to nab one for themselves. 

The flocking of the lakes marks the preview of one of Baton Rouge's largest Mardi Gras parades: Spanish Town. 

Last year, the flamingoes had to find a new place to land due to the ongoing construction and dredging of the University Lakes. It looks like they've returned to their normal spot for 2025.