|
| |

Dress appropriately for the trips. Bring your own binoculars and
scopes. You may need to bring a sack lunch unless a specific announcement indicates
otherwise. In the summer bring plenty of water, sunscreen and bug repellant.
ASCA sponsors numerous field trips throughout the year. The trips are
open to all and carpooling is available for trips outside of Little Rock. This
is a great opportunity for novice birders to meet and learn more about
birds
from experienced birders, or perhaps a chance to see a lifebird for those more
dedicated. For more information contact Karen Holliday, ASCA Field Trip
Coordinator at
karenh@arkleg.state.ar.us or (501) 920-3246. If you join a trip late, call
Karen to learn the current location of the group.

Kestrel by Sharen Carter

Fall 2010 Field Trips
|
For more information contact Karen Holliday, ASCA Field Trip Coordinator at
karenh@arkleg.state.ar.us
or (501) 920-3246. If you join a trip late, call Karen to learn the current
location of the group.

|
SEPTEMBER 18, 2010
BELL SLOUGH WMA—MAYFLOWER, AR
We will meet at 7:30 a.m.
at the main entrance to Bell
Slough WMA, south of Mayflower.
We’ll slowly walk the trail
looking for migrating fall
warblers. This is a good
opportunity to learn to identify
warblers in their non-breeding
(basic) plumage. The trail is
gravel and fairly level for easy
walking. This will be a morning
trip.
Directions: From Little
Rock-Take I-40 West to Exit 135
at Mayflower. Cross over the
interstate, then turn left
(south) onto Hwy. 365. Go
approximately 2.5 miles, look
for the brown sign. Turn left
off Hwy. 365 onto Grassy Lake
Road. Follow Grassy Lake Rd.
under I-40 then turn left into
the parking lot just after
crossing Palarm Creek.
OCTOBER 23, 2010
MOUNT NEBO STATE
PARK—DARDANELLE, AR
We will meet at 7:00 a.m.
at the Mayflower commuter lot
off I-40 West at Exit 135. We’ll
arrive around 9:00 a.m. at the
Visitor Center on top of the
mountain for those who want to
meet us there. The trails offer
sweeping views of the Arkansas
River Valley, are gravel and
fairly level for easy walking.
With a bit of luck, the mountain
will still be in fall color. Our
target birds will be winter
residents. Bring scope, water,
snacks, and a lunch. If time
permits, we may make a quick
stop at Holla Bend NWR. This
will be an all-day trip.
The address for the park
is: 16728 W State Highway 155,
Dardanelle, AR 72834. Go to
www.arkansasstateparks.com/mountnebo
for more information about the
park.
NOVEMBER 12-14, 2010
ARKANSAS AUDUBON SOCIETY (AAS)
FALL CONFERENCE
All birders are encouraged
to participate in the AAS
Conference being held at the
Lake Point Conference Center,
Russellville, Arkansas. Go
to www.arbirds.org for more
information.
NOVEMBER
20, 2009
DEGRAY LAKE RESORT STATE
PARK—ARKADELPHIA, AR
We will meet at 8:00 a.m.
at the commuter lot at I-630 and
Shackleford Road (I-430) in
Little Rock. We’ll arrive around
9:30 a.m. at the park’s Lodge
for anyone in the area who would
like to join us. Our target
birds will be eagles, ducks,
mergansers, gulls, and other
water birds. Bring scope, water,
snacks, and lunch.
Dress warm, the lake can be
windy. We will return to Little
Rock after lunch.
Address for the park is:
2027 State Park Entrance Road -
Bismarck, Arkansas 71929. Go to
www.degray.com for more
information about the park.

FIELD TRIP
REPORTS
Bald Knob National Wildlife
Refuge
August 21, 2010
Thirty-five birders converged
at the Bald Knob National
Wildlife Refuge Saturday, August
21 for ASCA’s August field trip.
Our group included birders from
as far away as Camden,
Jonesboro, Heber Springs,
Harrison, Conway, and even
Missouri! The day was hot and
sunny, and the birds were
abundant. We did not see our
target birds-Wood Storks or
Roseate Spoonbills. Great
Egrets, Cattle Egrets, Little
Blue Herons, and Snowy Egrets
were present in large numbers,
along with one lone American
White Pelican. Also spotted was
a group of five immature WHITE
IBIS. An UPLAND SANDPIPER close
to the road was early find. Two
more were spotted later in the
day. Adult and immature
Black-necked Stilts were
scattered among the herons and
egrets. Shorebirds included lots
of Semipalmated Plovers, Greater
and Lesser Yellowlegs,
Long-billed and Short-billed
Dowitchers, some still in
breeding plumage, Stilt
Sandpipers, and many peeps.
Three BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS were
spotted.
A small group of birders were
fortunate to see a YELLOW-HEADED
BLACKBIRD. Four BLACK TERNS
skimmed and dove over one of the
ponds. Ducks included
Blue-winged Teal, Northern
Pintail, Northern Shoveler, and
Mallards. Some of our group
checked the swampy area and
found six Black-crowned
Night-Herons. Another group
spotted Yellow-crowned
Night-Herons on one of the levee
roads. Many in the group were
able to see the two WILSON’S
SNIPE that flushed periodically.
We made a quick side trip to see
the Bald Eagle nest on the back
side of the refuge. It’s an
interesting looking nest.
Unfortunately, the eagles
weren’t present. Sixteen
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS were a
nice end to a fun day. Our final
tally was 53 species for the
trip.
Karen Holliday
ASCA Field Trip Coordinator

Arkansas Post National Memorial
July 17, 2010
The Audubon
Society of Central Arkansas (ASCA)
headed south to Arkansas Post
National Memorial on Saturday,
July 17. Fourteen plucky
birders got up at the crack of
dawn, braving the heat, to drive
two hours to reach the national
park. At the park, we were
rewarded with a cooling breeze,
lots of fun birds, and three
alligators! Our first stop was
a bonanza of Purple Gallinules,
Anhingas, and Common Moorhens
with their chicks, little black
balls of fluff with bright
orange bills. Two Least
Bitterns flushed and flew across
the slough. Ten American White
Pelicans circled and flashed
overhead. Two alligators were
spotted; one leisurely swimming
among the blooming lotus plants,
and one sunning on top of a
small grassy knoll.
At the
Visitor Center, Sarah Allely,
the Park’s biologist, joined us
for our trail walk. She
provided informative pointers
about the park’s varied habitat
and vegetation and interesting
tidbits of the history of the
area. Orchard Orioles,
Great-crested Flycatchers,
Summer Tanagers, Carolina Wrens,
and Eastern Wood-Pewees
abounded. We were treated to a
Yellow-throated Warbler foraging
at eye-level in a tree next to
the trail. We also watched a 14
foot alligator swim across the
small lake located behind the
Visitor Center.
We stopped
for lunch at the picnic area
overlooking the back waters of
the Arkansas River where we
observed the Bald Eagle nest.
It’s been an active nest for the
past eleven years. The two
juvenile Eagles spotted near the
nest two weeks ago were not
present. Three Mississippi
Kites soared on the updrafts
along with a Broad-winged Hawk,
while numerous Great Egrets and
Anhingas flew overhead. We
headed back to Little Rock with
a total of 46 species for our
trip list.
Submitted by
Karen Holliday
Cook’s Lake
June 12, 2010
The Audubon Society of
Central Arkansas’ June field
trip was to Cook’s Lake on
Saturday, June 12. Cook’s Lake
is located approximately 15
miles east of Stuttgart. Fifteen
birders made the trip, braving
temperatures in the mid 90’s. At
Cooks’ Lake, we were met by
Don McSwain,
facility manager, and Tana
Beasley, education
specialist, at the Potlatch
Conservation Education Center.
Our group first walked the trail
that runs along the top of the
bluff of the oxbow lake.
Great-crested Flycatchers were
numerous, as were Prothonitary
Warblers, Yellow-billed Cuckoos,
Summer Tanagers, Indigo
Buntings, and Eastern
Wood-Pewees. At various
intervals, we came across
Red-eared Sliders, semi-aquatic
turtles, who had made the long
climb up the bluff and were
laying eggs in mud holes they
had shaped on the forest floor.
We spotted a total of 30 bird
species along the trail.
We then gathered in the
air-conditioned (much
appreciated!) Education Center
to hear Don and Tana’s
hummingbird program. They
covered the life cycle of the
tiny birds, including their
arduous migration flight,
nesting sequence, and tips on
attracting hummingbirds to your
backyard with various plants and
feeders. Tana then captured
several Ruby-throated
Hummingbirds from among the
30-40 that were visiting the
feeders and Don demonstrated his
banding techniques and
documentation system. The entire
presentation was fascinating and
informative.
On the way back to Little
Rock, a small group made a quick
side trip to the Stuttgart
airport in hopes of finding a
Painted Bunting. Unfortunately,
we couldn’t call one up. We did
hear and see a lot of
Dickcissels, Red-winged
Blackbirds, Mourning Doves, and
Killdeers. Even though it was
mid-afternoon, a Common
Nighthawk made several swoops
over the group. We saw a total
of 16 species.
Submitted by Karen Holliday
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | |
|