Hummingbird feeders are great for Hummingbirds. But our Hummingbird feeder also attracts Baltimore Orioles and House Finches and have for several years without having to put out fruit for them. We leave our two seed feeders and our peanut feeder out year-round in case there are late migrants, plus we get lots of winter birds visiting. We have our two seed feeders full of bird seed from Wild Birds in Little Rock, and also a peanut feeder from Wild Birds. Needless to say we have a very birdy backyard thanks to Wild Birds great bird food! Karen Holliday Maumelle
Hummingbird feeders are great for Hummingbirds. But our Hummingbird feeder also attracts Baltimore Orioles and House Finches and have for several years without having to put out fruit for them. We leave our two seed feeders and our peanut feeder out year-round in case there are late migrants, plus we get lots of winter birds visiting. We have our two seed feeders full of bird seed from Wild Birds in Little Rock, and also a peanut feeder from Wild Birds. Needless to say we have a very birdy backyard thanks to Wild Birds great bird food! Karen Holliday Maumelle
Date: 5/31/26 10:34 am From: Patricia McLean <000008e6fff5e5c8-dmarc-request...> Subject: Glossy Ibis at Bald Knob NWR (White County)
There's an adult GLOSSY IBIS at the refuge, continuing in Cell 2 across from the silos. Best seen from the north end of the cell. It was initially spotted by Daniel Denman on Friday, May 29.
Also we saw an adult male ANHINGA at Birch Pond (along Overflow Creek).
Date: 5/30/26 7:37 am From: Joseph Neal <0000078cbd583d7c-dmarc-request...> Subject: SURPRISING BOBWHITE DAY ON FORMER BEATIE PRAIRIE
Two days ago I was telling my friend dragonfly expert David Oakley about wanting to make a trip up to Prairie State Park (near Joplin, Missouri). One reason for such a trip now is to see the rare butterfly, Regal Fritillary, attracted to flowering milkweeds.
But, I added, I also hoped to hear lots of bob bob white!(s) from NORTHERN BOBWHITES that remain common there whereas they have so widely declined in Northwest Arkansas City.
Within my lifetime, bobwhites have gone from common to scarce to zero, in the main. Until yesterday ...
Yesterday I made a trip into the Maysville area of northwestern Benton County. Specifically, I was planning a slow drive through the former, once extensive, Tallgrass Beatie Prairie. None of the old Beatie is in public ownership, so there isnt any specific target for such a trip.
I used to be able to slow-drive Beatie Prairie main street, aka state highway 72, Gravette to Maysville. Not anymore. The wild, crazy over-the-top frenzy of human population growth in places like Fayetteville is making its way there.
A slow car making odds-and-ends of stops for a soaring Sawtooth Sunflower or a Loggerhead Shrike on a barbed wire fence is a target for getting run over by a chicken feed truck, a contractor building tract homes, plus someone running late for their job at Walmart world HQ in Bentonville.
So I stick to the unpaved, but graded county roads, like Leonard Ranch, Schoolhouse, Ballman, Romaine Ranch, Graham, etc. They also describe the former Beatie Prairie. The country right of way preserves some of the old Beaties Tallgrass prairie flora. Yesterday it was prairie-blazin with Yellow Ironweed, Obedient Plant, Beardtongue, Pale Purple Coneflower.
Blazing Stars werent blazin yet in these rights-of-ways. They are up. It wont be long.
The specific purpose for yesterdays trip was to find GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS that nest in the extensive pastures and hayfields. I cant hear their songs anymore, but Merlin can. So with my trusty Merlin turned on, I visited several spots on the former Beatie where I have found them in the past. No luck on that, for no reason in particular.
Lack of luck for these sparrows was way more than compensated for by more singing by NOTHERN BOBWHITES than I have heard in years. Here are a couple of eBird lists I submitted: https://ebird.org/checklist/S349331206 for a productive area along Leonard Ranch Road. And https://ebird.org/checklist/S349337905 for the former Allen Ranch, especially area north of Graham Road.
Merlin could hear them. So could I!
Date: 5/29/26 8:00 pm From: JANINE PERLMAN <00001cca3220c1fa-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: Birds, Teaching and "Old Scientific Art Inspires Generations"
This is fabulous! What skill, beauty and wisdom, and what a treasure that is to share with, and enrich, generations of students.
Dr. Kannan's mother lives on. And what mother wouldn't be immeasurably proud of a scientist, scholar, and teacher like him?
On Friday, May 29, 2026 at 09:18:25 PM CDT, <jwdavis...> <jwdavis...> wrote:
Our world renown ornithology professor Dr. Ragupathy Kannanis known for his teaching andeducational trips to Belize, Costa Rica and other countries. The article in today's issue of Science spells out this effort and what he tries to instill in his students.
Jerry Wayne DavisHot Springs, AR
Date: 5/26/26 7:48 pm From: <arbour...> <arbour...> Subject: Red Slough Bird Survey - May 26
It was partly cloudy, warm, and mostly calm on the bird survey today. 68 species were found. Only one migrant found today; an Olive-sided Flycatcher. Some Anhinga's have started a new rookery in Pintail Lake after the one in Otter Lake was abandoned. Here is my list for today:
Date: 5/20/26 3:05 pm From: Ian MacGregor <00000489141846bd-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: Hummingbird Decline - A USFWS Summary
I would love to see the data on Allen’s Hummingbirds. The sendentarius subspecies was once restricted to the Channel Islands off southern California, but gained a foot hold on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Things remained that way for I’m guessing close to 50;years, then the bird spread into the interior valleys of Los Angeles County and now often outnumbers Anna’s there. Before the expansion nearly all Selasaphorous migrants through these valleys were Rufous. Allen’s required careful documentation. IIRC Calliope , though not often seen, was more expected.
When I see checklists including hundred’s of Allen’s Hummingbirds this year where none would haveexisted in 1968, I find the claim of a population collapse highly questionable.
“Bird’s of the World” notes that declines based on Breeding Bird Surveys are dubious, because of the polygamous nature of the males, that the males do not sing, and have often departed before the. surveys are taken. Since sedentarius is non-migratory the BBS detected decline involves the nominate , sasini
While I find the suggestion of a collapse in the total population questionable, I’m not sure if the BBS sasini data can be so readily dismissed. Unless there was some change in dates or methodology, and assuming the behavior of the birds has not changed, the problems of locating the birds on the survey were the same when more were being seen.
Allen’s is still listed as a Least Concern species.
-------- Original Message --------
On Wednesday, 05/20/26 at 15:06 <jwdavis...> <jwdavis...> wrote:
> We have mixed observations and opinions based on our own experiences and perspectives. The information below is what the USFWS reported in 2025 from data on various species and regions.
> U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Hummingbird Trends
> Hummingbirds are ecologically important pollinators and indicators of ecosystem health, but recent data show mixed and concerning population trends across North America.
> Overall declines in some species
> The 2025 U.S. State of the Birds report found that Allen's hummingbird populations have declined by 80% between 1968 and 2019, placing it on the "Red-Alert" list for urgent conservation action [Birds and Blooms](https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/birding-basics/state-of-birds-report/). The rufous hummingbird is also at risk, listed as "Orange-Alert" [Birds and Blooms](https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/birding-basics/state-of-birds-report/). These declines are linked to threats such as collisions with buildings, predation by outdoor cats, and habitat loss [Birds and Blooms](https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/birding-basics/state-of-birds-report/).
> Contrasting trends among species
> Long-term Breeding Bird Survey data (1970–2019) show that Allen's, rufous, and broad-tailed hummingbirds have all declined since 1970, with faster declines after 2009 [pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8443710/). In contrast, ruby-throated hummingbirds in eastern North America have declined since about 2004 across most of their breeding range [pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8443710/). On the other hand, Anna's hummingbird populations have increased dramatically in western North America since 1970 [pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8443710/).
> Why trends differ
> These contrasting patterns suggest that while some species are thriving in certain regions (e.g., Anna's in California and the Pacific Northwest), others are facing steep declines due to habitat loss, climate change, and human disturbance [pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8443710/)[+1](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8443710/). The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service notes that hummingbirds are vital for pollination and ecosystem balance, but their small size and high energy needs make them vulnerable to environmental changes [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service](https://www.fws.gov/story/hummingbirds-north-america).
>
> Jerry Wayne Davis
> Hot Springs, AR
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> To unsubscribe from the ARBIRD-L list, click the following link:
> http://listserv.uark.edu/scripts/wa-UARKEDU.exe?SUBED1=ARBIRD-L&A=1
We have mixed observations and opinions based on our own experiences and perspectives. The information below is what the USFWS reported in 2025 from data on various species and regions.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Hummingbird Trends
Hummingbirds are ecologically important pollinators and indicators of ecosystem health, but recent data show mixed and concerning population trends across North America.
Overall declines in some species
The 2025 U.S. State of the Birds report found that Allen's hummingbird populations have declined by 80% between 1968 and 2019, placing it on the "Red-Alert" list for urgent conservation action Birds and Blooms<https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/birding-basics/state-of-birds-report/>. The rufous hummingbird is also at risk, listed as "Orange-Alert" Birds and Blooms<https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/birding-basics/state-of-birds-report/>. These declines are linked to threats such as collisions with buildings, predation by outdoor cats, and habitat loss Birds and Blooms<https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/birding-basics/state-of-birds-report/>.
Contrasting trends among species
Long-term Breeding Bird Survey data (19702019) show that Allen's, rufous, and broad-tailed hummingbirds have all declined since 1970, with faster declines after 2009 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov<https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8443710/>. In contrast, ruby-throated hummingbirds in eastern North America have declined since about 2004 across most of their breeding range pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov<https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8443710/>. On the other hand, Anna's hummingbird populations have increased dramatically in western North America since 1970 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov<https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8443710/>.
Why trends differ
These contrasting patterns suggest that while some species are thriving in certain regions (e.g., Anna's in California and the Pacific Northwest), others are facing steep declines due to habitat loss, climate change, and human disturbance pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov<https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8443710/>+1<https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8443710/>. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service notes that hummingbirds are vital for pollination and ecosystem balance, but their small size and high energy needs make them vulnerable to environmental changes U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service<https://www.fws.gov/story/hummingbirds-north-america>.
Date: 5/20/26 4:01 am From: DUNN, JANE <DUNNJ...> Subject: Re: They’re baaaack!
And for the first time our neighborhood pair here off Green Mountain in west LR is nesting in my oak. Usually, they nest about a block from me, but I am accepting the gift of being able to watch as work progresses on a new group of kites.
Jane Dunn
Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef> ________________________________
From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List <ARBIRD-L...> on behalf of Karen Konarski-Hart <karen...>
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2026 10:20:43 PM
To: <ARBIRD-L...> <ARBIRD-L...>
Subject: Theyre baaaack!
Mississippi kite carrying nest material to the tree in the alley between my house & Montessori school. 4000 block of Lee. Love hearing them call all summer.
Karen Hart. Hillcrest LR.
Mississippi kite carrying nest material to the tree in the alley between my house & Montessori school. 4000 block of Lee. Love hearing them call all summer.
Karen Hart. Hillcrest LR.
It's got to be genuinely sad for people who aren't seeing many hummingbirds this year.
I think our numbers are about typical...and two more were added today when the chicks fledged. :-) They were too big to fit comfortably in the nest, and Mom was having to feed them while perched on the branch-let just above.
They were in excellent condition, and had a long session of wing flapping this morning, feet clamped firmly in the nest. One left the nest proper and sat for awhile right adjacent to it. S/he departed; the other one remained alone for a little while, and then also took off.
Once they fledge they stay in the immediate vicinity for ~4 days while Mom continues to feed them, but then they're on their own. We'll be looking for her second nest, which is likely not far from the one we've been watching.
Well done, Mama bird!!
Janine PerlmanAlexander Mt., Saline Co.
I spent a good chunk of the last two and a half weeks in the woods, and saw
exactly one hummingbird during that entire time. Also, during my time at
Devil's Den, and at Hobbs, I saw very few wildflowers. Downy Phlox was
about it. At Pea Ridge NMP, I saw more wildflowers, and my one
hummingbird. Gas prices have stopped me from visiting too many different
habitats, but I thought it odd that I hadn't seen any before that Pea Ridge
trip. Obviously I can't draw any conclusions about my own experiences, but
it's been unusual this year, for me. It does seem that a lot of
"flowering" happened earlier this year.
On Tue, May 19, 2026 at 6:51 PM zoe caywood <zcaywood...> wrote:
> I live in a wooded unpopulated area with no spraying & native plants
> re-establishing after the tornado.
>
> But the little birds are exposed to so many areas other than here. The
> decline at my place is severe.
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On May 19, 2026, at 12:42 PM, Robert Day <rhday52...> wrote:
>
>
> We seem to have the same number of hummers (2 pairs) as past years here in
> SW Bentonville, but, like last year, Barn Swallow numbers seem to be
> down--just a couple of pairs in the entire neighborhood.
>
> Bob Day
>
> Robert H. Day, Ph.D.
> 6303 SW Shady Side Avenue
> Bentonville, AR 72713
> cell: 907-460-7061; <rhday52...>
>
>
> On Tue, May 19, 2026 at 11:35 AM zoe caywood <zcaywood...> wrote:
>
>> Quite disturbing and perplexing to me is lack of hummingbirds at my
>> place. I normally have 8 - 4 cup feeders out & are refilling nearly
>> everyday. I have 1 feeder out with only 2 cups of nectar that is never
>> empty before I need to refresh it.
>>
>> I lost a giant Trumpet vine during the tornado & lots & lots of trees and
>> plants which must be the cause of the diminished hummer population. Does
>> anyone have any thoughts??
>>
>> Zoe Caywood
>> War Eagle
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> ############################
>>
>> To unsubscribe from the ARBIRD-L list:
>> write to: mailto:<ARBIRD-L-SIGNOFF-REQUEST...> >> or click the following link:
>> http://listserv.uark.edu/scripts/wa-UARKEDU.exe?SUBED1=ARBIRD-L&A=1 >>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> To unsubscribe from the ARBIRD-L list, click the following link:
> http://listserv.uark.edu/scripts/wa-UARKEDU.exe?SUBED1=ARBIRD-L&A=1 >
Date: 5/19/26 7:39 pm From: Carol Joan Patterson <0000003a0ccbe138-dmarc-request...> Subject: Pyrethrin Thanks!
Less than 2 hours ago I put out a request for information about pyrethrin. I get back here, check my email and there are half a dozen very helpful emails. Thank all of you so much. It's good to know exactly what folks are using and how well it works. I may not be able to find exactly what I was looking for, but now I know about some other good products that fellow birders are using.
Date: 5/19/26 6:42 pm From: Jerry Davis <jwdavis...> Subject: Re: pyrethrin search
Walmart and Tractor Supply has this under the Repel label. Amazon has a couple more brands
jerry
On 2026-05-19 7:11 pm, Carol Joan Patterson wrote: > Recently while birding I was bitten by a tick - something I really > want to avoid. I am looking for a 10% Pyrethrin concentrate to use on > clothing for protection against ticks. We used this at ONSC. Does > anybody know the brand and where this product is obtained? > > ------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the ARBIRD-L list, click the following link: > http://listserv.uark.edu/scripts/wa-UARKEDU.exe?SUBED1=ARBIRD-L&A=1
Date: 5/19/26 5:11 pm From: Carol Joan Patterson <0000003a0ccbe138-dmarc-request...> Subject: pyrethrin search
Recently while birding I was bitten by a tick - something I really want to avoid. I am looking for a 10% Pyrethrin concentrate to use on clothing for protection against ticks. We used this at ONSC. Does anybody know the brand and where this product is obtained?
Date: 5/19/26 4:55 pm From: <jwdavis...> <jwdavis...> Subject: Re: Worms in the Willows
Joan thanks for your note. Also remember that the development of the tent caterpillars in the Spring is in synchrony with the arrival and nesting of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo which has the bill development to get into the tents. I have both birds and worms here annually in my yard. People need to remember not to treat the tents and caterpillars because that is bird food and the converted leaf to droppings fertilize the tree.
Jerry Wayne Davis
Hot Springs
________________________________
From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List <ARBIRD-L...> on behalf of Carol Joan Patterson <0000003a0ccbe138-dmarc-request...>
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2026 3:57 PM
To: <ARBIRD-L...> <ARBIRD-L...>
Subject: Re: Worms in the Willows
At Charlie Craig, several birders have seen some interesting birds at a spot with various trees including several willows. Among these were Blackpoll and Yellow Warblers, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, House and Carolina Wrens. We don't typically see this many birds at this spot. Perhaps worms are hatching here too.
On Friday, May 15, 2026 at 11:29:01 AM CDT, betty_evans <betty_evans...> wrote:
All hotspots now have an about section thay contains crowd sourced information previously maintained in the Birding Hotspots website. You can provide information by clicking on the suggest content button.
eBird Hotspots just got even better. New wiki-style About pages and Hotspot Groups offer a richer, more collaborative way to discover birding locations around the world and make the most of every visit.
eBird Hotspots just got even better. New wiki-style About pages and Hotspot Groups offer a richer, more collaborative way to discover birding locations around the world and make the most of every visit.
On Thu, May 14, 2026 at 12:47 PM, Patty McLean
<000008e6fff5e5c8-dmarc-request...> wrote:
If you find yourself wondering what to do over the next few days, consider going to a spot with lots of Willow Trees. The worms are apparently hatching and the birds are catching.
We spent the morning along Mingo Creek Rd (White Cnty). It has been a hopping place for warblers, vireos and flycatchers over the last 2 weeks with BLACKPOLLs being the attention getter for many birders...at least until today when numerous Wilson's Warblers were in the Willows.
This past weekend, several folks got their BLACKPOLL life/state or county bird. An awesome experience.
The Willows are along both sides of the road, which is somewhat untravelled (but dusty). The warblers, vireos and flycatchers have been dripping off the tree limbs...and many at eye level. Flycatchers, including both Willow and Alder, were vocalizing, which made ID a snap.
While nothing super unusual, several folks were seeing Blackburnians too. What a wonderful treat!!
Date: 5/19/26 3:57 pm From: Carol Joan Patterson <0000003a0ccbe138-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: Worms in the Willows
At Charlie Craig, several birders have seen some interesting birds at a spot with various trees including several willows. Among these were Blackpoll and Yellow Warblers, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, House and Carolina Wrens. We don't typically see this many birds at this spot. Perhaps worms are hatching here too.
On Friday, May 15, 2026 at 11:29:01 AM CDT, betty_evans <betty_evans...> wrote:
Hotspot info Patty linked below is also now available on eBird. https://ebird.org/hotspot/L30709342/about All hotspots now have an about section thay contains crowd sourced information previously maintained in the Birding Hotspots website. You can provide information by clicking on the suggest content button.
Learn more here: Community-sourced Hotspot Descriptions and Hotspot Groups are Here - eBird
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Community-sourced Hotspot Descriptions and Hotspot Groups are Here - eBird
eBird Hotspots just got even better. New wiki-style About pages and Hotspot Groups offer a richer, more collaborative way to discover birding locations around the world and make the most of every visit.
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Community-sourced Hotspot Descriptions and Hotspot Groups are Here - eBird
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Community-sourced Hotspot Descriptions and Hotspot Groups are Here - eBird
eBird Hotspots just got even better. New wiki-style About pages and Hotspot Groups offer a richer, more collaborative way to discover birding locations around the world and make the most of every visit.
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Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer
On Thu, May 14, 2026 at 12:47 PM, Patty McLean<000008e6fff5e5c8-dmarc-request...> wrote: If you find yourself wondering what to do over the next few days, consider going to a spot with lots of Willow Trees. The worms are apparently hatching and the birds are catching.
We spent the morning along Mingo Creek Rd (White Cnty). It has been a hopping place for warblers, vireos and flycatchers over the last 2 weeks with BLACKPOLLs being the attention getter for many birders...at least until today when numerous Wilson's Warblers were in the Willows.
This past weekend, several folks got their BLACKPOLL life/state or county bird. An awesome experience.
The Willows are along both sides of the road, which is somewhat untravelled (but dusty). The warblers, vireos and flycatchers have been dripping off the tree limbs...and many at eye level. Flycatchers, including both Willow and Alder, were vocalizing, which made ID a snap.
While nothing super unusual, several folks were seeing Blackburnians too. What a wonderful treat!!
Here's info on this hotspot with directions. https://birdinghotspots.org/hotspot/L30709342 Patty McLean and Michael Linz The Roadrunners
John, thank you for your note and insight. The decline of birds is even to the point that most are recognizing there is a problem. We are starving our birds out of existence with habitat destruction and spreading 1.1 BILLION pounds of pesticides in the US each year. The lawn applications are also causing sterility in birds with more eggs not hatching and fewer young surviving.
We are still in the dark ages of human awareness of the damage being done and very few connect the dots to remember that everything is tied to everything else and ever action is causing impacts somewhere else. The problem is caused by one person at a time and will have to be solved the same way.
Jerry Wayne Davis
Hot Springs, AR
________________________________
From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List <ARBIRD-L...> on behalf of Wild Birds Unlimited <wbulittlerock...>
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2026 2:27 PM
To: <ARBIRD-L...> <ARBIRD-L...>
Subject: Re: Lack of hummers
Zoe -
Having worked at Wild Birds Unlimited - Little Rock for the past 20 years, about ten years ago I began noticing people coming in saying they didn't have the hummers they used to have. For the next five years, I kept telling people that the anecdotal evidence was that there were fewer and fewer hummers. It hasn't been until the past couple years that people are taking notice of what I have been preaching for ten years or so.
Again, my evidence is anecdotal, but I am finding that people in urban areas are seeing fewer and fewer hummingbirds, but folks who live in rural areas are not seeing the same trend. This makes sense to me as, according to Tallamy, 50-80% of a hummingbird's diet is small, flying insects and municipalities regularly fog for "mosquitoes" at night and yard spraying has become a regular things as well. The challenge is, again according to Tallamy, spraying for mosquitoes is not particularly effective on mosquitoes but it is very effective at killing just about all other insects. Without sufficient protein and fat to consume, the hummers either need to move or they die. My fear (nothing to back this up) is that, since their urge to return to the same sots each year is so strong, moving away from those spots might be counter intuitive and therefore they may die for lack of nutrition. The other issue is people not changing nectar often enough...but I am preaching to the choir here...I hope. That being said, those are the things that WE have control over. We have no control over what may be happening in their overwintering sites, and that may be even more devastating to the population.
Yes, the struggle is real!
John
[cid:a8058cee-f12b-4c2f-89e9-146a04b97960]
________________________________
From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List <ARBIRD-L...> on behalf of zoe caywood <zcaywood...>
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2026 11:35 AM
To: <ARBIRD-L...> <ARBIRD-L...>
Subject: Lack of hummers
Quite disturbing and perplexing to me is lack of hummingbirds at my place. I normally have 8 - 4 cup feeders out & are refilling nearly everyday. I have 1 feeder out with only 2 cups of nectar that is never empty before I need to refresh it.
I lost a giant Trumpet vine during the tornado & lots & lots of trees and plants which must be the cause of the diminished hummer population. Does anyone have any thoughts??
Having worked at Wild Birds Unlimited - Little Rock for the past 20 years, about ten years ago I began noticing people coming in saying they didn't have the hummers they used to have. For the next five years, I kept telling people that the anecdotal evidence was that there were fewer and fewer hummers. It hasn't been until the past couple years that people are taking notice of what I have been preaching for ten years or so.
Again, my evidence is anecdotal, but I am finding that people in urban areas are seeing fewer and fewer hummingbirds, but folks who live in rural areas are not seeing the same trend. This makes sense to me as, according to Tallamy, 50-80% of a hummingbird's diet is small, flying insects and municipalities regularly fog for "mosquitoes" at night and yard spraying has become a regular things as well. The challenge is, again according to Tallamy, spraying for mosquitoes is not particularly effective on mosquitoes but it is very effective at killing just about all other insects. Without sufficient protein and fat to consume, the hummers either need to move or they die. My fear (nothing to back this up) is that, since their urge to return to the same sots each year is so strong, moving away from those spots might be counter intuitive and therefore they may die for lack of nutrition. The other issue is people not changing nectar often enough...but I am preaching to the choir here...I hope. That being said, those are the things that WE have control over. We have no control over what may be happening in their overwintering sites, and that may be even more devastating to the population.
Yes, the struggle is real!
John
[cid:a8058cee-f12b-4c2f-89e9-146a04b97960]
________________________________
From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List <ARBIRD-L...> on behalf of zoe caywood <zcaywood...>
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2026 11:35 AM
To: <ARBIRD-L...> <ARBIRD-L...>
Subject: Lack of hummers
Quite disturbing and perplexing to me is lack of hummingbirds at my place. I normally have 8 - 4 cup feeders out & are refilling nearly everyday. I have 1 feeder out with only 2 cups of nectar that is never empty before I need to refresh it.
I lost a giant Trumpet vine during the tornado & lots & lots of trees and plants which must be the cause of the diminished hummer population. Does anyone have any thoughts??
Date: 5/19/26 11:45 am From: Neil Nodelman Nodelman <nnodelman...> Subject: Re: ID help
Baybreasted warbler
On Tue, May 19, 2026, 1:34 PM Jerry Butler <jerrysharon.butler...>
wrote:
> I photographed this bird in Ohio last week. I'm unsure what it is. Any
> one tell me?
>
> Peace and Birds j butler
>
> ------------------------------
>
> To unsubscribe from the ARBIRD-L list, click the following link:
> http://listserv.uark.edu/scripts/wa-UARKEDU.exe?SUBED1=ARBIRD-L&A=1 >
Date: 5/19/26 11:35 am From: Tom Marsan-Ryan <tpmarsan...> Subject: Re: ID help
I was there too! Special place. This is a nice Bay-breasted Warbler!
- Tom Marsan-Ryan
Pronouns: he/him/his
860-869-2096
___________________
*Please be advised that I keep a Sunday-Monday Sabbath, and often don't
reply to emails those days. If you'd like a quicker response, feel free to
call/text.
On Tue, May 19, 2026 at 2:34 PM Jerry Butler <jerrysharon.butler...>
wrote:
> I photographed this bird in Ohio last week. I'm unsure what it is. Any
> one tell me?
>
> Peace and Birds j butler
>
> ------------------------------
>
> To unsubscribe from the ARBIRD-L list, click the following link:
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Date: 5/19/26 10:42 am From: Robert Day <rhday52...> Subject: Re: Lack of hummers
We seem to have the same number of hummers (2 pairs) as past years here in
SW Bentonville, but, like last year, Barn Swallow numbers seem to be
down--just a couple of pairs in the entire neighborhood.
Bob Day
Robert H. Day, Ph.D.
6303 SW Shady Side Avenue
Bentonville, AR 72713
cell: 907-460-7061; <rhday52...>
On Tue, May 19, 2026 at 11:35 AM zoe caywood <zcaywood...> wrote:
> Quite disturbing and perplexing to me is lack of hummingbirds at my
> place. I normally have 8 - 4 cup feeders out & are refilling nearly
> everyday. I have 1 feeder out with only 2 cups of nectar that is never
> empty before I need to refresh it.
>
> I lost a giant Trumpet vine during the tornado & lots & lots of trees and
> plants which must be the cause of the diminished hummer population. Does
> anyone have any thoughts??
>
> Zoe Caywood
> War Eagle
>
> Sent from my iPhone
> ############################
>
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Date: 5/19/26 9:46 am From: N Rock <4rockbird...> Subject: Re: Lack of hummers
Zoe, I live just north of you over the MO border, and I was just this
morning mentioning to my husband that we don't seem to have many
hummingbirds this year. We didn't get those storms, so all our vegetation
is intact. We had one appear very early this year, just before that late
hard freeze. Maybe some of the birds didn't survive that? Who knows? Maybe
the the winds were favorable and they headed further north this year. Let's
hope that.
Nancy Rock
Shell Knob, MO
On Tue, May 19, 2026, 11:36 AM zoe caywood <zcaywood...> wrote:
> Quite disturbing and perplexing to me is lack of hummingbirds at my
> place. I normally have 8 - 4 cup feeders out & are refilling nearly
> everyday. I have 1 feeder out with only 2 cups of nectar that is never
> empty before I need to refresh it.
>
> I lost a giant Trumpet vine during the tornado & lots & lots of trees and
> plants which must be the cause of the diminished hummer population. Does
> anyone have any thoughts??
>
> Zoe Caywood
> War Eagle
>
> Sent from my iPhone
> ############################
>
> To unsubscribe from the ARBIRD-L list:
> write to: mailto:<ARBIRD-L-SIGNOFF-REQUEST...> > or click the following link:
> http://listserv.uark.edu/scripts/wa-UARKEDU.exe?SUBED1=ARBIRD-L&A=1 >
Date: 5/19/26 9:36 am From: zoe caywood <zcaywood...> Subject: Lack of hummers
Quite disturbing and perplexing to me is lack of hummingbirds at my place. I normally have 8 - 4 cup feeders out & are refilling nearly everyday. I have 1 feeder out with only 2 cups of nectar that is never empty before I need to refresh it.
I lost a giant Trumpet vine during the tornado & lots & lots of trees and plants which must be the cause of the diminished hummer population. Does anyone have any thoughts??
Date: 5/18/26 4:11 pm From: Sarah Morris <saraha.morris1...> Subject: ASCA Field Trips for June, July and August 2026
Everyone is invited to join the upcoming field trips for the Audubon
Society of Central Arkansas (ASCA). There will be two trips offered each
month. All trips are open to the public. Birders of all experience levels
are welcome. You do not have to be an ASCA member to attend. People may
leave a trip at any time.
For more information, contact ASCA Field Trip Coordinator Sarah Morris at
<saraha.morris1...> or (870) 926-7127.
2026 ASCA FIELD TRIPS
*June 6: Beginner Bird Walk *
*Meet: 9 a.m. at Two Rivers Park Bridge in Little Rock*
Are you curious about birds or looking for opportunities to practice your
bird watching skills? Join us for an outing designed for beginner birders
and folks who want to learn the basics. The group will walk a ~1.5-mile
loop through Two Rivers Park. A paved trail will take us over the Little
Maumelle River, through vibrant pine-dominated woods, and alongside lush
wetland habitat. As we go, two group leaders will cover skills such as
using binoculars, using field marks to identify birds, and using habitat
clues to find birds. This is one of the best birding spots in central
Arkansas, which is known for swallows, herons, orioles, woodpeckers, and
forest songbirds. Birders and nature enthusiasts of all experience levels
are encouraged to participate!
*What to bring:*
Comfortable walking shoes
Water
Binoculars (we will have a few pairs available to borrow)
*Meeting location:*
We’ll gather at the base of the bridge near the roundabout. Look for the
group by the interpretive sign about the Arkansas River Trail.
4468 River Mountain Rd, Little Rock, AR 72212
GPS: 34.797585, -92.382828
Note: If using a maps app to navigate (which is encouraged), be sure to set
the address as *Two Rivers Park Bridge*, NOT Two Rivers Park (which will
take you to a different entrance).
The bridge entrance to the park is accessible from the interchange between
I-430 and Cantrell Road (Hwy 10) in Little Rock. If arriving via I-430
(from either direction), take Exit 9 to Cantrell Rd and follow signs to
River Mountain Road. If traveling west on Cantrell, take the I-430 S ramp
to River Mountain Road. If traveling east on Cantrell, exit right before
you go over the bridge (in front of the Tide Cleaner building) and take a
left under the bridge toward River Mountain Road. After making the hairpin
turn onto River Mountain Road, follow the road past the houses and all the
way down the hill till you see the river. You can park at the boat launch
or in the lot at the base of the bridge.
*Access notes:*
The parking lot has a few ADA-compliant parking spaces.
There are restrooms and a water fountain in the parking lot.
The paved trail over the bridge and through the park is wheelchair
accessible.
The trail does not have evenly spaced benches, but picnic tables and
seating will be available at our halfway point.
*June 20: Bell Slough Wildlife Management (WMA)*
*Meet: 7 a.m. at Bell South (Boardwalk) entrance*
The group will walk the Kenny Vernon Nature Trail, a 2.25-mile loop that is
mostly level walking on dirt/gravel. The trail has interpretive signs, a
photo blind, and an observation area overlooking marshy, moist soil units
that can host herons, night-herons, egrets, bitterns, and shorebirds in
season. Breeding birds include numerous warbler species, vireos, tanagers,
orioles, chats, cuckoos, and eagles. Blooming wildflowers can be seen along
the trail, attracting butterflies.
*What to bring:*
Comfortable walking shoes
Water
Binocular or scope (if available)
*Meeting location:*
Bell South Parking Lot of Bell Slough WMA
Take Exit 135 off 1-40 at Mayflower. At the commuter lot, turn onto
Interstate Drive, which parallels I-40, down to Grassy Lake Road. Cross
Palarm Creek bridge and turn left into the WMA parking lot.
GPS: 34.938599, -92.418301
*July 11: Dr. Lester Sitzes III, Bois D’Arc WMA*
*Meet: 7 a.m. at the I-630/I-430 commuter parking lot on Shackleford Road
in Little Rock.*
Our target birds will be Purple and Common Gallinules and their chicks,
Least Bitterns, Anhingas, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, herons, egrets,
and possibly alligators.
Very little walking is involved.
*What to bring:*
Comfortable walking shoes
Water
Lunch (there are restaurants in Hope if you prefer)
Binocular or scope (if available)
*Meeting location:*
South end of the I-630/I-430 Commuter Lot on Shackleford Road
For people who want to meet in Hope:
Around 8:45 a.m., we’ll stop at the McDonald’s in Hope, where we’ll look
for Great-tailed Grackles
Exit 30 off I-30
We should arrive at the Bois D’Arc WMA at 9:15 a.m. Bois D’Arc WMA is
located 10 miles south of Hope. Take Exit 30 off I-30 and go east past
McDonald’s, then under the railroad overpass. At the light at the big
intersection, turn right onto Hwy. 67 and go one-third of a mile. At the
brown sign, turn left onto Hwy. 174. Take Hwy. 174 south 6 miles to the
3-way stop sign at Spring Hill. Turn right onto Hwy. 355. Go west for 4
miles. Turn right at the white wooden WMA sign just before the highway
ends at the lake. Follow the paved road, then turn left onto the first
gravel road and go down to the lake.
GPS: 33.558062, -93.694239
*July 25: Beginner Bird Walk *
*Meet: 9 a.m. at Two Rivers Park Bridge in Little Rock*
Are you curious about birds or looking for opportunities to practice your
bird watching skills? Join us for an outing designed for beginner birders
and folks who want to learn the basics. The group will walk a ~1.5-mile
loop through Two Rivers Park. A paved trail will take us over the Little
Maumelle River, through vibrant pine-dominated woods, and alongside lush
wetland habitat. As we go, two group leaders will cover skills such as
using binoculars, using field marks to identify birds, and using habitat
clues to find birds. This is one of the best birding spots in central
Arkansas, which is known for swallows, herons, orioles, woodpeckers, and
forest songbirds. Birders and nature enthusiasts of all experience levels
are encouraged to participate!
*What to bring:*
Comfortable walking shoes
Water
Binoculars (we will have a few pairs available to borrow)
*Meeting location:*
We’ll gather at the base of the bridge near the roundabout. Look for the
group by the interpretive sign about the Arkansas River Trail.
4468 River Mountain Rd, Little Rock, AR 72212
GPS: 34.797585, -92.382828
Note: If using a maps app to navigate (which is encouraged), be sure to set
the address as *Two Rivers Park Bridge*, NOT Two Rivers Park (which will
take you to a different entrance).
The bridge entrance to the park is accessible from the interchange between
I-430 and Cantrell Road (Hwy 10) in Little Rock. If arriving via I-430
(from either direction), take Exit 9 to Cantrell Rd and follow signs to
River Mountain Road. If traveling west on Cantrell, take the I-430 S ramp
to River Mountain Road. If traveling east on Cantrell, exit right before
you go over the bridge (in front of the Tide Cleaner building) and take a
left under the bridge toward River Mountain Road. After making the hairpin
turn onto River Mountain Road, follow the road past the houses and all the
way down the hill till you see the river. You can park at the boat launch
or in the lot at the base of the bridge.
*Access notes:*
The parking lot has a few ADA-compliant parking spaces.
There are restrooms and a water fountain in the parking lot.
The paved trail over the bridge and through the park is wheelchair
accessible.
The trail does not have evenly spaced benches, but picnic tables and
seating will be available at our halfway point.
*August 8: Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge*
*Meet: 7 a.m. at the Other Center parking lot between McDonald’s and Target
on McCain Blvd. across from McMain Mall.*
This federal refuge is also a National Audubon Important Bird Area. Expect
to see shorebirds, herons, night-herons, egrets, and possibly Wood Storks
and Roseate Spoonbills.
*What to bring:*
Sunscreen and Hat
Water
Binocular or scope (if available)
*Meeting location:*
The Other Center parking lot is between McDonald’s and Target on McCain
Blvd., across from McCain Mall. Take Exit 1 West of US 67/167.
For people who want to meet in Bald Knob:
We should arrive at Bald Knob NWR around 8:30 a.m. and will stop at
McDonald’s. We will then meet in the refuge’s visitor center parking lot.
The visitor center will not be open, so there will not be a bathroom
on-site.
GPS: 35.260233, -91.571903
*August 22: Beginner Bird Walk *
*Meet: 9 a.m. at Two Rivers Park Bridge in Little Rock*
Are you curious about birds or looking for opportunities to practice your
bird watching skills? Join us for an outing designed for beginner birders
and folks who want to learn the basics. The group will walk a ~1.5-mile
loop through Two Rivers Park. A paved trail will take us over the Little
Maumelle River, through vibrant pine-dominated woods, and alongside lush
wetland habitat. As we go, two group leaders will cover skills such as
using binoculars, using field marks to identify birds, and using habitat
clues to find birds. This is one of the best birding spots in central
Arkansas, which is known for swallows, herons, orioles, woodpeckers, and
forest songbirds. Birders and nature enthusiasts of all experience levels
are encouraged to participate!
*What to bring:*
Comfortable walking shoes
Water
Binoculars (we will have a few pairs available to borrow)
*Meeting location:*
We’ll gather at the base of the bridge near the roundabout. Look for the
group by the interpretive sign about the Arkansas River Trail.
4468 River Mountain Rd, Little Rock, AR 72212
GPS: 34.797585, -92.382828
Note: If using a maps app to navigate (which is encouraged), be sure to set
the address as *Two Rivers Park Bridge*, NOT Two Rivers Park (which will
take you to a different entrance).
The bridge entrance to the park is accessible from the interchange between
I-430 and Cantrell Road (Hwy 10) in Little Rock. If arriving via I-430
(from either direction), take Exit 9 to Cantrell Rd and follow signs to
River Mountain Road. If traveling west on Cantrell, take the I-430 S ramp
to River Mountain Road. If traveling east on Cantrell, exit right before
you go over the bridge (in front of the Tide Cleaner building) and take a
left under the bridge toward River Mountain Road. After making the hairpin
turn onto River Mountain Road, follow the road past the houses and all the
way down the hill till you see the river. You can park at the boat launch
or in the lot at the base of the bridge.
*Access notes:*
The parking lot has a few ADA-compliant parking spaces.
There are restrooms and a water fountain in the parking lot.
The paved trail over the bridge and through the park is wheelchair
accessible.
The trail does not have evenly spaced benches, but picnic tables and
seating will be available at our halfway point.
Date: 5/18/26 1:04 pm From: Robert Day <rhday52...> Subject: Re: Magoo-ish behavior re snake
I had a Prairie Corn Snake on my patio in SW Bentonville last fall. I
assume that this is the same species as yours, Anita. Lovely little snake
that was maybe 2 ft long.
See attached.
RHD
Robert H. Day, Ph.D.
6303 SW Shady Side Avenue
Bentonville, AR 72713
cell: 907-460-7061; <rhday52...>
On Sun, May 17, 2026 at 3:50 PM Anita Schnee <
<000003224553d416-dmarc-request...> wrote:
> Friends, I neglected to include a picture of the wonderful snake. Neglect
> rectified by the attached (if I can keep my head long enough to get from
> this message to the picture). Thanks so much for the level of interest!
> It's so exciting. Seems it really is a wonderful rarity -- quoting an
> expert, especially unusual for Washington County.
>
> We feel so special over here. --Anita
>
> ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`
>
> Anita Schnee
>
> http://catself.wordpress.com > http://afriqueaya.org >
> <http://afriqueaya.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/afriqueaya_eplogo.jpg> >
> ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`
>
> ------------------------------
>
> To unsubscribe from the ARBIRD-L list, click the following link:
> http://listserv.uark.edu/scripts/wa-UARKEDU.exe?SUBED1=ARBIRD-L&A=1 >
Date: 5/18/26 9:12 am From: <jwdavis...> <jwdavis...> Subject: Re: Pea Ridge then and now
Park roads and US Forest Service roads do not have enough pull-offs for people that want to stop and enjoy activities other than just getting from one point to another. Engineers are not in touch with the public's need for dispersed recreation. It would not take much in road construction to provide this opportunity.
The Baltimore Orioles and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks that arrived at my yard on April 14 finally departed on May 15. At the high point I had 16 Baltimore Orioles (10 males and four females) Two Orchard Orioles, and 8 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. What many may not realize is that the Orioles came to the Peanut Delight No Melt Suet as often as they did the oranges and jelly and hummingbird feeders.
On a side note, my gg grandfather William Billington and one of his son Francis Marion Billington were in the Ford Battalion out of North Arkansas. On June 5, 1865, they and Confederate General Jeff Thompson formally surrendered the army of Northern Arkansas to Union military authorities at Jacksonport. More than five thousand officers and enlisted men who served under Thompson were paroled there, as were several hundred more Confederate soldiers from other commands. On the way back to Sage, Arkansas, William and Francis were attacked by Jayhawkers that rushed in to rob them. Since Fransis Marion had lost an arm in the war he had difficulty controlling his horse and they killed him. William walked the 12 miles to his land in Sage to get to the wagon to pick up the body. They are all buried on the family farm in Sage, Arkansas.
Jerry Wayne Davis
Hot Springs, AR
________________________________
From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List <ARBIRD-L...> on behalf of Joseph Neal <0000078cbd583d7c-dmarc-request...>
Sent: Monday, May 18, 2026 8:14 AM
To: <ARBIRD-L...> <ARBIRD-L...>
Subject: Pea Ridge then and now
When I visit Pea Ridge National Military Park, I always wonder about Francis Marion Neal, my grandpa several greats back who was a Confederate soldier from Van Buren. Hed gotten involved at start of the Civil War in a volunteer militia group called Frontier Guards. In March 1862, his unit was part of the 17th Arkansas infantry (later termed 22nd) at Pea Ridge.
His unit was said by some to have not acquitted itself well during the battle. (I never heard anyone in my Neal relatives talk about this, however).
My visits to Pea Ridge now involve taking my time to slowly and introspectively drive the tour loop road (about 7 miles) where I imagine how my relative, then 21-years old, must have experienced a deadly contest with hundreds killed, many more wounded. The Park Service has provided places to stop at various points of the old battlefield. In addition, I make a lot of stops inbetween, pulling partially off the road so others in more of a hurry (most visitors) can pass. This also provides safety for the many walkers, runners, and cyclists on the same road.
During the past years I have done numerous bird surveys in park, all submitted to either Arkansas Audubon Society database, to ARBIRD list, and Cornells eBird, in case anyone in the Park is interested in bird communities that now occupy the former battlefield of my g g grandfather. Its a great place to see native birds and plants.
During my latest visit, May 16, 2026, I had wonderful views of Acadian Flycatchers near the Leetown battlefield stop and then numerous Summer Tanagers all along the tour road over Pea Ridge itself.
We had just seen Great Spangled Fritillary butterflies on Indian Hemp when we started seeing Sundrops (AKA, Narrow-leaf Evening Primrose, Oenothera fruticosa). Of course we had to stop, and briefly park partially off the road for all that. The Park police politely claimed I was blocking traffic and wasnt allowed to pull off on the side.
I dont argue with law enforcement, but I do wonder how the public is supposed to appreciate the historical importance of the entire 4,000 acres and the subtle natural beauty of this Ozark landscape if partially pulling off on the roadside to allow others to safely pass while others stop is somehow interfering with park management.
Anyhow I will always try to get along with law enforcement while wondering if what I am seeing is anything like what my Neal relative saw and experienced in March 1862. Of course these are not the same birds and plants, but still a functioning park is a place that stimulates wonder and Pea Ridge NMP is a great place to see birds typical of this part of the country.
Date: 5/18/26 8:14 am From: Joseph Neal <0000078cbd583d7c-dmarc-request...> Subject: Pea Ridge then and now
When I visit Pea Ridge National Military Park, I always wonder about Francis Marion Neal, my grandpa several greats back who was a Confederate soldier from Van Buren. Hed gotten involved at start of the Civil War in a volunteer militia group called Frontier Guards. In March 1862, his unit was part of the 17th Arkansas infantry (later termed 22nd) at Pea Ridge.
His unit was said by some to have not acquitted itself well during the battle. (I never heard anyone in my Neal relatives talk about this, however).
My visits to Pea Ridge now involve taking my time to slowly and introspectively drive the tour loop road (about 7 miles) where I imagine how my relative, then 21-years old, must have experienced a deadly contest with hundreds killed, many more wounded. The Park Service has provided places to stop at various points of the old battlefield. In addition, I make a lot of stops inbetween, pulling partially off the road so others in more of a hurry (most visitors) can pass. This also provides safety for the many walkers, runners, and cyclists on the same road.
During the past years I have done numerous bird surveys in park, all submitted to either Arkansas Audubon Society database, to ARBIRD list, and Cornells eBird, in case anyone in the Park is interested in bird communities that now occupy the former battlefield of my g g grandfather. Its a great place to see native birds and plants.
During my latest visit, May 16, 2026, I had wonderful views of Acadian Flycatchers near the Leetown battlefield stop and then numerous Summer Tanagers all along the tour road over Pea Ridge itself.
We had just seen Great Spangled Fritillary butterflies on Indian Hemp when we started seeing Sundrops (AKA, Narrow-leaf Evening Primrose, Oenothera fruticosa). Of course we had to stop, and briefly park partially off the road for all that. The Park police politely claimed I was blocking traffic and wasnt allowed to pull off on the side.
I dont argue with law enforcement, but I do wonder how the public is supposed to appreciate the historical importance of the entire 4,000 acres and the subtle natural beauty of this Ozark landscape if partially pulling off on the roadside to allow others to safely pass while others stop is somehow interfering with park management.
Anyhow I will always try to get along with law enforcement while wondering if what I am seeing is anything like what my Neal relative saw and experienced in March 1862. Of course these are not the same birds and plants, but still a functioning park is a place that stimulates wonder and Pea Ridge NMP is a great place to see birds typical of this part of the country.
Friends, I neglected to include a picture of the wonderful snake. Neglect rectified by the attached (if I can keep my head long enough to get from this message to the picture). Thanks so much for the level of interest! It's so exciting. Seems it really is a wonderful rarity -- quoting an expert, especially unusual for Washington County.
We feel so special over here. --Anita
~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`
Date: 5/17/26 11:13 am From: Anita Schnee <000003224553d416-dmarc-request...> Subject: A lovely herp
Joe Neal kindly helped us, over here at the Brown Farm in east Fayetteville, to ID a snake that had invited itself into Josh's house through an open window and coiled around Josh's son's lamp. Pantherophis emoryi, a subspecies of corn snake. On the Herps of AR page, iNaturalist says it's "uncommon" in our area. It reports only snakes examined as roadkill [sob]. So it makes me happier than I can say that "our" little guy appeared to be in perfect health. Waited patiently until we were done oohing and ahhing over it. Josh then released it into the high grass in the front meadow and it slithered off.
Notice the bandit stripe across "his" eyes. Unbelievably cool.
Giving great thanks to all humans and herps involved --Anita Schnee
Date: 5/15/26 9:29 am From: betty_evans <betty_evans...> Subject: Re: Worms in the Willows
Hotspot info Patty linked below is also now available on eBird. https://ebird.org/hotspot/L30709342/about All hotspots now have an about section thay contains crowd sourced information previously maintained in the Birding Hotspots website. You can provide information by clicking on the suggest content button.
Learn more here: Community-sourced Hotspot Descriptions and Hotspot Groups are Here - eBird
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Community-sourced Hotspot Descriptions and Hotspot Groups are Here - eBird
eBird Hotspots just got even better. New wiki-style About pages and Hotspot Groups offer a richer, more collaborative way to discover birding locations around the world and make the most of every visit.
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Community-sourced Hotspot Descriptions and Hotspot Groups are Here - eBird
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Community-sourced Hotspot Descriptions and Hotspot Groups are Here - eBird
eBird Hotspots just got even better. New wiki-style About pages and Hotspot Groups offer a richer, more collaborative way to discover birding locations around the world and make the most of every visit.
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Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer
On Thu, May 14, 2026 at 12:47 PM, Patty McLean<000008e6fff5e5c8-dmarc-request...> wrote: If you find yourself wondering what to do over the next few days, consider going to a spot with lots of Willow Trees. The worms are apparently hatching and the birds are catching.
We spent the morning along Mingo Creek Rd (White Cnty). It has been a hopping place for warblers, vireos and flycatchers over the last 2 weeks with BLACKPOLLs being the attention getter for many birders...at least until today when numerous Wilson's Warblers were in the Willows.
This past weekend, several folks got their BLACKPOLL life/state or county bird. An awesome experience.
The Willows are along both sides of the road, which is somewhat untravelled (but dusty). The warblers, vireos and flycatchers have been dripping off the tree limbs...and many at eye level. Flycatchers, including both Willow and Alder, were vocalizing, which made ID a snap.
While nothing super unusual, several folks were seeing Blackburnians too. What a wonderful treat!!
Here's info on this hotspot with directions. https://birdinghotspots.org/hotspot/L30709342 Patty McLean and Michael Linz The Roadrunners
Date: 5/14/26 11:08 am From: Adam Schaffer <000000135bd342dd-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: Worms in the Willows
Willows were especially hopping at the fish hatchery in Centerton this weekend. Mostly Yellow and Yellow-rumors Warblers for us, but I was happy to find a Blackpoll and a few others. There may have been more. I briefly met up with some novice birders sharing a pair of bins They never made it past the willows. An hour later, they were still picking through the warblers in the willows. For myself I still barely was able to make it to the shorebirds before I ran out of time. I nearly missed out on a White-faced Ibis and Wilson’s Phalaropes. Some from the pile of shorebirds in the final pond had to be merely guessed at before I had to bail. Thankfully my son’s soccer game started late or I would’ve been. Whatever was hatching in the willows went up my nose once or twice! Happy day for a warbler to be sure!
Oh Western Kingbirds were back at the electrical station along the main highway in Centerton. Easy viewing from the adjacent apartment complex.
Adam Schaffer
Bentonville
> On May 14, 2026, at 12:47 PM, Patty McLean <000008e6fff5e5c8-dmarc-request...> wrote:
>
>
> If you find yourself wondering what to do over the next few days, consider going to a spot with lots of Willow Trees. The worms are apparently hatching and the birds are catching.
>
> We spent the morning along Mingo Creek Rd (White Cnty). It has been a hopping place for warblers, vireos and flycatchers over the last 2 weeks with BLACKPOLLs being the attention getter for many birders...at least until today when numerous Wilson's Warblers were in the Willows.
>
> This past weekend, several folks got their BLACKPOLL life/state or county bird. An awesome experience.
>
> The Willows are along both sides of the road, which is somewhat untravelled (but dusty). The warblers, vireos and flycatchers have been dripping off the tree limbs...and many at eye level. Flycatchers, including both Willow and Alder, were vocalizing, which made ID a snap.
>
> While nothing super unusual, several folks were seeing Blackburnians too. What a wonderful treat!!
>
> Here's info on this hotspot with directions. https://birdinghotspots.org/hotspot/L30709342 >
> Patty McLean and Michael Linz
> The Roadrunners
>
>
> To unsubscribe from the ARBIRD-L list, click the following link:
> http://listserv.uark.edu/scripts/wa-UARKEDU.exe?SUBED1=ARBIRD-L&A=1
Date: 5/14/26 10:47 am From: Patty McLean <000008e6fff5e5c8-dmarc-request...> Subject: Worms in the Willows
If you find yourself wondering what to do over the next few days, consider going to a spot with lots of Willow Trees. The worms are apparently hatching and the birds are catching.We spent the morning along Mingo Creek Rd (White Cnty). It has been a hopping place for warblers, vireos and flycatchers over the last 2 weeks with BLACKPOLLs being the attention getter for many birders...at least until today when numerous Wilson's Warblers were in the Willows. This past weekend, several folks got their BLACKPOLL life/state or county bird. An awesome experience.The Willows are along both sides of the road, which is somewhat untravelled (but dusty). The warblers, vireos and flycatchers have been dripping off the tree limbs...and many at eye level. Flycatchers, including both Willow and Alder, were vocalizing, which made ID a snap. While nothing super unusual, several folks were seeing Blackburnians too. What a wonderful treat!! Here's info on this hotspot with directions. https://birdinghotspots.org/hotspot/L30709342Patty McLean and Michael Linz The Roadrunners
Date: 5/14/26 9:40 am From: Joseph Neal <0000078cbd583d7c-dmarc-request...> Subject: Lesser Goldfinches with green backs
A few thoughts to share with Arkansas birders about LESSER GOLDFINCH. We have roughly a dozen or so records for the species. There is a subspecies with green backs (S. p. hesperophilus) and the black subspecies (S. p. psaltria). Looking through eBird records with photographs, there seems a slight edge for green backs.
According to Cornells Birds of the World, distribution for hesperophilus is Western United States (south from Washington, east to northern Utah and central Arizona) south to northwestern Mexico (Baja California and south to southern Sonora). For psaltria, West-central United States (Colorado and western Oklahoma) south to southern Mexico (central Veracruz and Oaxaca). Populations in the northern part of this breeding range are partially migratory.
The bird currently visiting a feeder in south Fayetteville has a green back like the only Lesser Goldfinch known for Arkansas at the time of publication of Arkansas Birds (1986). If my impression is correct, growth of the Arkansas birding community has resulted in annual or nearly annual records for Lessers in the state.
Overall, the very few examples of migratory movement support the concept of the Lesser Goldfinch as non-migratory over most of its range (Cornell). Based upon this, it appears Lessers we see in Arkansas involve birds maybe get mixed in with northbound flocks of migrating American Goldfinches.
Date: 5/12/26 6:00 pm From: Carol Joan Patterson <0000003a0ccbe138-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: Ecuador - Biodiversity Rebounds over 90% in 30 Years
I completely agree!
On Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at 10:47:14 AM CDT, <jwdavis...> <jwdavis...> wrote:
This is encouraging to know that it can improve but is not a justification to continue to destroy the rainforest.
Jerry
Ecuador study finds tropical rainforest biodiversity rebounds over 90% in 30 years
Date: 5/12/26 5:41 pm From: Carol Joan Patterson <0000003a0ccbe138-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: Dicamba and Birding
It is horrific the damage one person can do, but it is wonderful how resilient nature is.
On Thursday, May 7, 2026 at 05:57:35 PM CDT, Jerry Butler <jerrysharon.butler...> wrote:
Ten or more years ago I discovered an excellent small birding patch on the grounds of Mt Moriah Baptist Church and cemetery, on Toltec Road in southern Lonoke County. Two or three years later, a farmer from nearby sprayed dicambia on his crops and the vegetation at that site shrivelled up and died and for the next couple of years the birding at Mt Moriah took a nose dive. So I quit going by there to look Today I decided to give it another go, and my, am I glad I did. The birds are back.!The vegetation looks great, though a few of the big trees are gone. I saw three painted buntings, more than I have ever seen at one time, a prothonotary warbler and 24 other species of song birds.
I find it encouraging that stiffer regulations on diacambia use reversed its ill effects so remarkably, but the Trump administration lacks the courage it takes to do what science has shown is best for our environment and the long term health of agriculture. Thank goodness for the wise farmers who care for their soil and practce good agricultural methods.
Peace and Birds Jerry Butler
Date: 5/11/26 6:35 pm From: <arbour...> <arbour...> Subject: Red Slough Bird Survey - May 11
The bird survey started off overcast, mild, and a little windy, turning partly cloudy and warm and more windy by mid morning. 79 species were found. Best highlight was another Glossy Ibis in with a flock of 24 White-faced Ibis. The Anhinga/Neotropic Cormorant rookery on Otter Lake was abandoned for some unknown reason. There are still a few Anhingas nesting on Pintail Lake though. Most of the effort today was spent working Passerines looking for migrant warblers of which there were few. Looks like we mostly got passed over this year. Here is my list for today:
Date: 5/11/26 9:11 am From: Melissa Versiga <Melissa...> Subject: Re: NINESTONE ON WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY May 9 2026
I'm kicking myself for not joining you all yesterday. It sounds like it was a great World Migratory Bird Day!
I would have added 6 species to my life list and 13 species to my 2026 list. Maybe I can make it for the next field trip in NW Arkansas.
Thank you,
Melissa Versiga
Eureka Yurts and Cabins
________________________________
From: Joseph Neal <joeneal...>
Sent: Sunday, May 10, 2026 8:16:30 AM
Subject: NINESTONE ON WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY May 9 2026
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS are having a big spring in Northwest Arkansas City. I get up in the morning and look out into the yard at my feeder two Rose-breasted Grosbeaks beat me to first sunlight. I can see another in the redbud.
So it wasnt such a big surprise to arrive at Ninestone Land Trust in Carroll County yesterday (Saturday, May 9) for an official World Migratory Bird Day event where 8? 10? or more? grosbeaks were crowded around generously, well-stocked feeders. And 15? 18? or so birders enjoying them, with binoculars and cameras. And this was just the start.
An extraordinary day. Heres the official eBird submission: https://ebird.org/checklist/S336209907. Many, many thanks to Judith Griffith and Don Matt for hosting this event.
We were so bedazzled by the flock of grosbeaks -- probably equal number of Baltimore Orioles plus immaculate Indigo Buntings and down toward Piney Creek singing Kentucky Warblers and then the cascade of waterfalls it was tough to turn away from feeders and get on with official business -- finding and counting birds
I call this The Ninestone Effect. Constant background noise of College Avenue in Fayetteville replaced by the cascade chorus of Ozark waters down a series of sandstone pools. Singing of Louisiana Waterthrushes in place of roaring motors. Elevation of spirit. Invitation to explore. No native fauna and flora bulldozed in favor of parking lots.
I was glad, accidental co-leader of this walk. Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society VP Taylor Long was off on another big bird day pursuit. Glad too, when we got up the sandstone glade, with its ripple-marked slabs of 300 million years old sandstone colonized by Fame Flowers and the singing of Blue-winged Warblers.
As the day heated, and as my old man energy waned, I was glad to finish off in broad shade of Ninestones front porch. I found a rocking chair. Nearby, Ninestones senior dog Barli found a similarly comfortable spot to stretch out on a rug with floral pattern.
In distance, singing of a Pine Warbler. A comfortable place in the valley of Piney Creek.
Date: 5/10/26 6:52 am From: Brian Carlson <brianrcarlson...> Subject: Re: Caterpillar invasion
Thanks all, leaning toward the White-lined Sphinx.
________________________________
From: Tom Marsan-Ryan <tpmarsan...>
Sent: Saturday, May 9, 2026 7:23 PM
To: Brian Carlson <brianrcarlson...>
Cc: <ARBIRD-L...> <ARBIRD-L...>
Subject: Re: Caterpillar invasion
I’m going to be honest, I have no experience in this sort of ID but with the help of a bit of research and running my thoughts by AI, I came up with this hypothesis:
Yellow-striped Armyworm (Spodoptera ornithogalli).
Once you know it, all the features line up:
• Black body with bold yellow lateral stripes
• Golden/amber head
• Caudal protrusion (not a true horn, but a raised bump near the rear)
• Ground-level wandering — armyworms do exactly this when they’re mature and looking to pupate
• Very common in Arkansas
It’s a moth in family Noctuidae, and a well-known agricultural pest — feeds on a huge range of plants including grasses, corn, soybeans, and many garden crops.
Bird value is still high — Noctuid caterpillars are eaten readily by most of the same birds, and because they can appear in large numbers (“armies”), they’re a reliable food pulse for ground-foraging birds like:
• Meadowlarks
• Thrushes
• Brown Thrashers
Happy to be proven wrong by someone who knows better, but I enjoyed the mystery!
- Tom
- Tom Marsan-Ryan
Pronouns: he/him/his
860-869-2096
___________________
*Please be advised that I keep a Sunday-Monday Sabbath, and often don't reply to emails those days. If you'd like a quicker response, feel free to call/text.
On Sat, May 9, 2026 at 7:34 PM Brian Carlson <brianrcarlson...><mailto:<brianrcarlson...>> wrote:
Do any of you know what kind of caterpillar this is (what kind of moth or butterfly will it become)?
Are they good food for birds (not toxic)? Thanks, Brian
Date: 5/10/26 6:16 am From: Joseph Neal <0000078cbd583d7c-dmarc-request...> Subject: NINESTONE ON WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY May 9 2026
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS are having a big spring in Northwest Arkansas City. I get up in the morning and look out into the yard at my feeder two Rose-breasted Grosbeaks beat me to first sunlight. I can see another in the redbud.
So it wasnt such a big surprise to arrive at Ninestone Land Trust in Carroll County yesterday (Saturday, May 9) for an official World Migratory Bird Day event where 8? 10? or more? grosbeaks were crowded around generously, well-stocked feeders. And 15? 18? or so birders enjoying them, with binoculars and cameras. And this was just the start.
An extraordinary day. Heres the official eBird submission: https://ebird.org/checklist/S336209907. Many, many thanks to Judith Griffith and Don Matt for hosting this event.
We were so bedazzled by the flock of grosbeaks -- probably equal number of Baltimore Orioles plus immaculate Indigo Buntings and down toward Piney Creek singing Kentucky Warblers and then the cascade of waterfalls it was tough to turn away from feeders and get on with official business -- finding and counting birds
I call this The Ninestone Effect. Constant background noise of College Avenue in Fayetteville replaced by the cascade chorus of Ozark waters down a series of sandstone pools. Singing of Louisiana Waterthrushes in place of roaring motors. Elevation of spirit. Invitation to explore. No native fauna and flora bulldozed in favor of parking lots.
I was glad, accidental co-leader of this walk. Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society VP Taylor Long was off on another big bird day pursuit. Glad too, when we got up the sandstone glade, with its ripple-marked slabs of 300 million years old sandstone colonized by Fame Flowers and the singing of Blue-winged Warblers.
As the day heated, and as my old man energy waned, I was glad to finish off in broad shade of Ninestones front porch. I found a rocking chair. Nearby, Ninestones senior dog Barli found a similarly comfortable spot to stretch out on a rug with floral pattern.
In distance, singing of a Pine Warbler. A comfortable place in the valley of Piney Creek.
Helpful suggestions on how I find out what things are:
The photo app on iphones can sometimes ID plants and animals.
The Google app also can attempt to ID things, including that weird black plastic part one finds in the junk drawer.
There’s an app called Seek that attempts to ID plants and animals.
I always try to verify what any of them say. Sometimes one will give different IDs of the same thing.
If you send me a screenshot of what’s on your video, I’ll see what I come up with.
I also have field guides for North American caterpillars that I’ll consult unless someone has already given you an answer.
Alyson Hoge
> On May 9, 2026, at 6:34 PM, Brian Carlson <brianrcarlson...> wrote:
>
>
> Do any of you know what kind of caterpillar this is (what kind of moth or butterfly will it become)?
>
> Are they good food for birds (not toxic)? Thanks, Brian
>
> https://youtu.be/xZrvfnxUbIA >
> To unsubscribe from the ARBIRD-L list, click the following link:
> http://listserv.uark.edu/scripts/wa-UARKEDU.exe?SUBED1=ARBIRD-L&A=1
Actually I’m not sure now. Armyworms don’t usually have the spine on the tail end. Jury is still out. Took entomology classes in 1981 and I’ve slept since then!
Sent from my iPhone
> On May 9, 2026, at 7:25 PM, Boyce Wofford <bfwoff...> wrote:
>
> Looks like yellow-striped Armyworm. They vary in color. Fall armyworms have an inverted “Y” on their heads. These lack that.
> .
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>>> On May 9, 2026, at 6:34 PM, Brian Carlson <brianrcarlson...> wrote:
>>>
>>
>> Do any of you know what kind of caterpillar this is (what kind of moth or butterfly will it become)?
>>
>> Are they good food for birds (not toxic)? Thanks, Brian
>>
>> https://youtu.be/xZrvfnxUbIA >>
>> To unsubscribe from the ARBIRD-L list, click the following link:
>> http://listserv.uark.edu/scripts/wa-UARKEDU.exe?SUBED1=ARBIRD-L&A=1
Looks like yellow-striped Armyworm. They vary in color. Fall armyworms have an inverted “Y” on their heads. These lack that.
.
Sent from my iPhone
> On May 9, 2026, at 6:34 PM, Brian Carlson <brianrcarlson...> wrote:
>
>
> Do any of you know what kind of caterpillar this is (what kind of moth or butterfly will it become)?
>
> Are they good food for birds (not toxic)? Thanks, Brian
>
> https://youtu.be/xZrvfnxUbIA >
> To unsubscribe from the ARBIRD-L list, click the following link:
> http://listserv.uark.edu/scripts/wa-UARKEDU.exe?SUBED1=ARBIRD-L&A=1
I’m going to be honest, I have no experience in this sort of ID but with
the help of a bit of research and running my thoughts by AI, I came up with
this hypothesis:
Yellow-striped Armyworm (Spodoptera ornithogalli).
Once you know it, all the features line up:
• Black body with bold yellow lateral stripes
• Golden/amber head
• Caudal protrusion (not a true horn, but a raised bump near the rear)
• Ground-level wandering — armyworms do exactly this when they’re mature
and looking to pupate
• Very common in Arkansas
It’s a moth in family Noctuidae, and a well-known agricultural pest — feeds
on a huge range of plants including grasses, corn, soybeans, and many
garden crops.
Bird value is still high — Noctuid caterpillars are eaten readily by most
of the same birds, and because they can appear in large numbers (“armies”),
they’re a reliable food pulse for ground-foraging birds like:
• Meadowlarks
• Thrushes
• Brown Thrashers
Happy to be proven wrong by someone who knows better, but I enjoyed the
mystery!
- Tom
- Tom Marsan-Ryan
Pronouns: he/him/his
860-869-2096
___________________
*Please be advised that I keep a Sunday-Monday Sabbath, and often don't
reply to emails those days. If you'd like a quicker response, feel free to
call/text.
On Sat, May 9, 2026 at 7:34 PM Brian Carlson <brianrcarlson...>
wrote:
Date: 5/9/26 7:03 am From: Dedra Gerard <000002df2472bba2-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: Sharp Chapel this morning
Love it!
Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS
On Friday, May 8, 2026, 3:24 PM, Ragupathy Kannan <0000013b0ad14faf-dmarc-request...> wrote:
Matt Matlock and I had a great time this morning in Sharp Chapel Road, Crawford Co. I got more little videos of shorebird behavior than in the past decade :) Light was just perfect as the sun peeped above the horizon. And the birds were so busy feeding they didn't care how close we got. Enjoy our photos and videos at: https://ebird.org/checklist/S334765850 KannanFt. Smith
Matt Matlock and I had a great time this morning in Sharp Chapel Road, Crawford Co. I got more little videos of shorebird behavior than in the past decade :) Light was just perfect as the sun peeped above the horizon. And the birds were so busy feeding they didn't care how close we got. Enjoy our photos and videos at: https://ebird.org/checklist/S334765850 KannanFt. Smith
Date: 5/7/26 3:57 pm From: Jerry Butler <jerrysharon.butler...> Subject: Dicamba and Birding
Ten or more years ago I discovered an excellent small birding patch on the grounds of Mt Moriah Baptist Church and cemetery, on Toltec Road in southern Lonoke County. Two or three years later, a farmer from nearby sprayed dicambia on his crops and the vegetation at that site shrivelled up and died and for the next couple of years the birding at Mt Moriah took a nose dive. So I quit going by there to look Today I decided to give it another go, and my, am I glad I did. The birds are back.! The vegetation looks great, though a few of the big trees are gone. I saw three painted buntings, more than I have ever seen at one time, a prothonotary warbler and 24 other species of song birds.
I find it encouraging that stiffer regulations on diacambia use reversed its ill effects so remarkably, but the Trump administration lacks the courage it takes to do what science has shown is best for our environment and the long term health of agriculture. Thank goodness for the wise farmers who care for their soil and practce good agricultural methods.
Date: 5/7/26 12:49 pm From: Charles H Mills <00000218c727d931-dmarc-request...> Subject: Long-billed Curlew
I observed a single Long-billed Curlew along Little River 70 east of Ogden about 8:30 this morning. The coordinates for my viewing position were: 33° 36.3880N, -93° 53.8632W This location is probably within 3/4 mile of the Red River.
Also in the same field and available for comparison was a single Upland Sandpiper.
They're telling me that because they hatched on the morning of 4/29, this is their Day 9. Or so I infer, because their eyes are half open, their bills are dark and lengthening, and there was an adorable first wing flap (displaying short pinfeathers) this morning. Often when the mother's away, the bill tips are visible and vertical. And the chicks are starting to move and stretch the nest walls on their own.
Yesterday's rain and highs in the low 50's kept Mom on the nest more than she had been. Our hummingbird feeders were busy, with cold mothers trying to keep themselves and their nestlings fueled, and one territorial male. It must have been difficult if not impossible to find sufficient arthropods, but RTHUs have evolved to weather the weather, unless it's far outside the usual extremes.
Janine PerlmanAlexander Mt., Saline Co.
Date: 5/7/26 9:52 am From: Patty McLean <000008e6fff5e5c8-dmarc-request...> Subject: Warblers, Vireos, Flycatchers and Thrush
I hope everyone is finding some fun migrants! Over the last week, Michael and I have seen several delights. Blackpoll, Palm, Prairie, Tennessee, Redstart, Nashville, Kentucky, Chestnut-sided, Wilson's, Blue-winged, Golden-winged and Yellow Warbler...plus both Waterthrushes.. Also OVENBIRDs, CANADA and a handsome male MOURNING WARBLER. Vireos have included Warbling, Philadelphia, Blue-headed, Yellow-throated, White-eyed and Red-eyed.Flycatchers are growing in number and we had nice open views of a very cooperative Acadian Flycatcher, which are more often heard than seen.Swainson's and Gray-cheeked Thrush and a Veery. Most of these were at two separate locations: Bell Slough WMA--Grassy Lake Road (Faulkner Cnty) and Mingo Creek Rd (White Cnty) except for the Veery, which was in the Ft Smith area during the AAS convention.Location information:Bell https://birdinghotspots.org/hotspot/L11324398Mingohttps://birdinghotspots.org/hotspot/L30709342Hope all have a chance to get out and see some of these lovely birds. The Roadrunners Patty McLean and Michael Linz
Date: 5/6/26 7:25 pm From: <arbour...> <arbour...> Subject: Red Slough Bird Survey - May 6
It was heavy overcast, cool, rainy, and windy on the survey today. 77 species were found. Best highlight was a Glossy Ibis in unit 15. Here is my list for today:
From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List <ARBIRD-L...> on behalf of Ragupathy Kannan <0000013b0ad14faf-dmarc-request...> Sent: Wednesday, May 6, 2026 4:22 PM To: <ARBIRD-L...> <ARBIRD-L...> Subject: Re: Black-billed Cuckoo "The Black-billed Cuckoo is rarely seen during migration" according to Birds of the World. Nice find, Sandy. On Wednesday, 6 May 2026 at 03:24:14 pm GMT-5, Sandy Berger <sndbrgr...> wrote:
At Sunnymede. Found by me. Verified by Matt. No photo. Cause I’m lame and didn’t bring my camera. SandyFoer Smith
"The Black-billed Cuckoo is rarely seen during migration" according to Birds of the World. Nice find, Sandy.
On Wednesday, 6 May 2026 at 03:24:14 pm GMT-5, Sandy Berger <sndbrgr...> wrote:
At Sunnymede. Found by me. Verified by Matt. No photo. Cause I’m lame and didn’t bring my camera.
SandyFoer Smith
Date: 5/6/26 10:49 am From: Drew Stephens <0000109643f780a6-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: A bird a minute or better?
Each morning Ive been setting my phone outside on the back porch with Merlin running, while I shower and get dressed. 10 or 15 minutes. 20+ birds each time. Recorded my first Oriole yesterday.
[Image.png]
Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef> ________________________________
From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List <ARBIRD-L...> on behalf of Jerry Butler <jerrysharon.butler...>
Sent: Wednesday, May 6, 2026 12:04:32 PM
To: <ARBIRD-L...> <ARBIRD-L...>
Subject: A bird a minute or better?
You don't often get email from <jerrysharon.butler...> Learn why this is important<https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification> Two weeks ago I went to a friend's house who keeps a well stocked
feeder in hopes of seeing my FOS rose-breasted grosbeak. I never saw it, but I sat there 37 minutes with my Merlin on and I also counted counted a few species I saw that were not vocalizing. Later at home, when I posted them all, I noticed that I had seen 37 species in 37 minutes.
It got me wondering, how long a person might continue successful birding at that pace?. Not much longer I guessed, I figured that 37 min span might have been a record for me. However, yesterday, I birded the Greenway in Hot Springs and I walked only about 2 tenths of a mile and counted 51 species in 41 minutes, breaking my newly set personal record. Most of what I saw and heard was the bird species you would expect, but I did see a blackpoll warbler which was a Garland County first for me.
I usually bird for much longer spans of time but I seldom see more than fifty species, particularly when I'm alone. What is your experience?
Date: 5/6/26 10:17 am From: Jerry Butler <jerrysharon.butler...> Subject: A bird a minute or better?
Two weeks ago I went to a friend's house who keeps a well stocked feeder in hopes of seeing my FOS rose-breasted grosbeak. I never saw it, but I sat there 37 minutes with my Merlin on and I also counted counted a few species I saw that were not vocalizing. Later at home, when I posted them all, I noticed that I had seen 37 species in 37 minutes.
It got me wondering, how long a person might continue successful birding at that pace?. Not much longer I guessed, I figured that 37 min span might have been a record for me. However, yesterday, I birded the Greenway in Hot Springs and I walked only about 2 tenths of a mile and counted 51 species in 41 minutes, breaking my newly set personal record. Most of what I saw and heard was the bird species you would expect, but I did see a blackpoll warbler which was a Garland County first for me.
I usually bird for much longer spans of time but I seldom see more than fifty species, particularly when I'm alone. What is your experience?
Date: 5/6/26 10:13 am From: Ragupathy Kannan <0000013b0ad14faf-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: AAST fundraiser nature tour to Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
We have 3-4 seats left in this tour. Please spread the word and help me raise $1000 for the Arkansas Audubon Society Trust. Kannan
On Wednesday, 29 April 2026 at 11:37:26 am GMT-5, Ragupathy Kannan <greathornbill...> wrote:
Hi all, as announced in the state meeting, here is the itinerary for the Arkansas Audubon Society Trust fund raiser trip 3-11 January, 2027.
https://wetu.com/Itinerary/Landing/9f33e5aa-96fa-4f4d-82de-1de25288eafe Cost will be $3310 per person excluding air (double occupancy) for 16 people. Minimum is 8 participants. The tour is expected to raise $1000 for the Arkansas Audubon Society Trust. Please reply off line if interested.
Cheers, Kannan
The chicks are now 6 days old. In spite of relatively cool temps, the mother has spent far more time off the nest than the Birds of the World account describes. At 3 days she was away roughly half the time. On a few occasions yesterday I saw her come in for a quick aerial check on the nest, and then zip off again. Once she performed a touch and go. :-)
Now, though the babies still can't fully generate their own body heat, when I check at random times throughout the day, she's away more often than not, and for long periods. And the chicks continue to grow and thrive. When they stretch up to be fed, their heads, eyes still closed, with yellow, gradually lengthening bills, are easily visible. At all other times they stay huddled and unseen.
After the mother has regurgitated their meals with ease, she often takes a stance I haven't observed with other mothers. She seems to be half sitting, half standing, very still, bill angled down. She then feeds the chicks a little more, and it appears that during that short interval she had been laboring to bring up everything she could. What she won't do for her nestlings.
Every bird is an individual. And every mother devotedly expends enormous energy and attention to her offspring. For each clutch -- typically there are two each summer -- every moment of her life revolves around nest construction, egg production and incubation, and feeding and protecting her young. Makes me tired to think about it.
Janine PerlmanAlexander Mt., Saline Co.
Date: 5/5/26 4:42 pm From: Jodi Morris <mjodimorris...> Subject: Re: My letter opposing LR data center
Agree.
On Tue, May 5, 2026 at 5:41 PM Carol Joan Patterson <
<0000003a0ccbe138-dmarc-request...> wrote:
> I like the way this letter is organized - with specific topics and
> explanations. It makes the arguments against the permit easier to grasp.
>
> On Friday, May 1, 2026 at 07:00:34 AM CDT, Anita Schnee <
> <000003224553d416-dmarc-request...> wrote:
>
>
> Thank you Rev. Garner for your outstanding letter. Here is my additional
> .02 worth:
>
> Little Rock District, Regulatory Division
> U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
> PO Box 867
> Little Rock, AR 72203-0867
>
> Re: Public Comment in Opposition to Permit Application – Willowbend
> Capital LLC ("Project Boar"), Port of Little Rock
>
> Dear Colonel Swenson:
>
> I write to urge the Little Rock District of the U.S. Army Corps of
> Engineers to deny the Clean Water Act Section 404 permit application
> submitted by Michael Montfort on behalf of Willowbend Capital LLC for the
> construction of a large-scale data center campus at the Port of Little Rock.
>
> I. IDENTITY AND TRANSPARENCY
>
> The Corps and the public should not lose sight of who the actual applicant
> is. Willowbend Capital LLC is a Delaware-registered shell company with no
> independent operations. Michael Montfort, its incorporator and manager, is
> a professional front man who has organized an interlocking web of similar
> LLCs — including Forgelight Ventures (Conway), Groot LLC (West Memphis),
> and Deep Meadow Ventures (Indiana) — all on behalf of the same ultimate
> developer: Google LLC, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., one of the wealthiest
> corporations in the world. Google was not publicly identified as the
> developer until an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette investigation in January 2026,
> even though city officials had by then already approved land sales,
> annexations, rezonings, and a 65% property tax abatement lasting 30 years.
>
> This pattern of concealment is not accidental and not new. It is Google's
> deliberate, repeating strategy for acquiring land, securing public
> subsidies, and obtaining regulatory permits before the affected public can
> meaningfully respond. The Corps should weigh this conduct as evidence of
> bad faith in the public interest review it is required to conduct.
>
> The Indiana record is instructive. In Franklin Township, southeast of
> Indianapolis, a company calling itself "Deep Meadow Ventures, LLC" — again
> managed by Michael Montfort — filed rezoning requests in March 2025 for 468
> acres of farmland to host a data center campus codenamed "Project Flo." The
> company's identity was concealed behind non-disclosure agreements that
> prevented even local elected officials from revealing who wanted to build
> in their community. A city councilor signed the NDA. Documents obtained by
> Indianapolis public radio station WFYI in July 2025 revealed Google as the
> company behind Project Flo — but Google never officially confirmed its
> involvement even as the controversy intensified. A months-long grassroots
> campaign led by Andrew Filler, a hobby farmer whose land abutted the site,
> organized the Protect Franklin Township coalition. On September 22, 2025,
> minutes before a scheduled City-County Council vote that the company
> apparently expected to lose, Google abruptly withdrew its rezoning
> application. Hundreds of supporters packed council chambers and erupted in
> cheers.
>
> Undeterred, Google moved on — this time identified only as a "Fortune 100
> company" — to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where despite widespread local
> opposition it obtained approval to build a $2 billion data center campus on
> more than 700 acres, codenamed "Project Zodiac." When the project expanded
> in Phase 2, the developer (this time operating as Hatchworks LLC) sought
> and received permission from Indiana's Department of Environmental
> Management to fill more than two acres of protected wetlands — without
> holding a single public hearing, despite repeated community requests for
> one. Residents and environmental groups are now fighting a subsequent
> application for 143 additional diesel generators.
>
> Now comes "Project Boar" in Little Rock — the same developer, the same
> shell-company structure, the same code names, and the same ask: let us fill
> in the wetlands, waive the taxes, and keep the public in the dark until the
> concrete is poured.
>
> II. ENVIRONMENTAL HARM
>
> The environmental costs of this application are severe and documented in
> the applicant's own filings. The project would require filling 16.8 acres
> of wetlands and obliterating more than 6,000 feet of streams in and around
> Fourche Bayou — impacts on federally regulated waters of the United States
> that trigger this very permitting process. The application acknowledges
> potential harm to endangered species, including monarch butterflies.
> Wetland mitigation credits purchased elsewhere cannot replicate the
> specific ecological functions of these wetlands: flood attenuation, water
> filtration, and habitat for species dependent on this particular stretch of
> the Arkansas River corridor.
>
> The Corps is required under the Clean Water Act's Section 404(b)(1)
> Guidelines to determine whether the applicant has demonstrated that there
> is no practicable alternative that would result in less adverse impact to
> the aquatic ecosystem. Given the scale of Google's resources and its
> ongoing acquisition of sites across the region — including approximately
> 780 acres already purchased at the Port of Little Rock for roughly $23
> million — the applicant cannot credibly claim that no less-damaging site or
> layout is available.
>
> III. SCALE OF DEMAND AND PUBLIC COSTS
>
> When operational, this data center is expected to consume more than 100
> megawatts of electricity — roughly equivalent to the power consumption of
> every household in the City of Little Rock combined. That demand will not
> be absorbed painlessly; it will drive new generation investments by Entergy
> Arkansas and shift costs onto the ratepayers who can least afford to
> subsidize a Fortune 500 company's infrastructure. Central Arkansas Water
> and the Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority will bear the burden of
> serving the facility's industrial water needs.
>
> The promised public benefit — approximately 50 permanent jobs — is
> disproportionate to these costs. As Fort Wayne's experience with Project
> Zodiac has shown, the job figures attached to these projects are often
> their most flattering attribute, and they rarely materialize at the
> promised scale.
>
> IV. THE PUBLIC INTEREST REQUIRES DENIAL — OR AT MINIMUM A PUBLIC HEARING
>
> The Corps' public interest review must weigh environmental, economic, and
> social factors. Here, the balance is not close. The project destroys
> irreplaceable wetland habitat, imposes enormous power and water demands on
> the public, delivers negligible permanent employment, and was advanced
> through a deliberate campaign of secrecy that denied affected communities a
> meaningful voice.
>
> I urge the Corps at a minimum to require a full public hearing before any
> further action is taken on this application, and to rigorously apply the
> Section 404(b)(1) alternatives analysis. On the merits, the application
> should be denied.
>
> Respectfully submitted,
>
> Anita Schnee
> Fayetteville, AR
>
> ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`
>
>
>
> On Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 09:55:42 PM CDT, Kevin Krajcir <
> <kjkrajcir...> wrote:
>
>
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Date: 5/5/26 3:41 pm From: Carol Joan Patterson <0000003a0ccbe138-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: My letter opposing LR data center
I like the way this letter is organized - with specific topics and explanations. It makes the arguments against the permit easier to grasp.
On Friday, May 1, 2026 at 07:00:34 AM CDT, Anita Schnee <000003224553d416-dmarc-request...> wrote:
Thank you Rev. Garner for your outstanding letter. Here is my additional .02 worth:
Little Rock District, Regulatory DivisionU.S. Army Corps of EngineersPO Box 867Little Rock, AR 72203-0867
Re: Public Comment in Opposition to Permit Application – Willowbend Capital LLC ("Project Boar"), Port of Little Rock
Dear Colonel Swenson:
I write to urge the Little Rock District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deny the Clean Water Act Section 404 permit application submitted by Michael Montfort on behalf of Willowbend Capital LLC for the construction of a large-scale data center campus at the Port of Little Rock.
I. IDENTITY AND TRANSPARENCY
The Corps and the public should not lose sight of who the actual applicant is. Willowbend Capital LLC is a Delaware-registered shell company with no independent operations. Michael Montfort, its incorporator and manager, is a professional front man who has organized an interlocking web of similar LLCs — including Forgelight Ventures (Conway), Groot LLC (West Memphis), and Deep Meadow Ventures (Indiana) — all on behalf of the same ultimate developer: Google LLC, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., one of the wealthiest corporations in the world. Google was not publicly identified as the developer until an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette investigation in January 2026, even though city officials had by then already approved land sales, annexations, rezonings, and a 65% property tax abatement lasting 30 years.
This pattern of concealment is not accidental and not new. It is Google's deliberate, repeating strategy for acquiring land, securing public subsidies, and obtaining regulatory permits before the affected public can meaningfully respond. The Corps should weigh this conduct as evidence of bad faith in the public interest review it is required to conduct.
The Indiana record is instructive. In Franklin Township, southeast of Indianapolis, a company calling itself "Deep Meadow Ventures, LLC" — again managed by Michael Montfort — filed rezoning requests in March 2025 for 468 acres of farmland to host a data center campus codenamed "Project Flo." The company's identity was concealed behind non-disclosure agreements that prevented even local elected officials from revealing who wanted to build in their community. A city councilor signed the NDA. Documents obtained by Indianapolis public radio station WFYI in July 2025 revealed Google as the company behind Project Flo — but Google never officially confirmed its involvement even as the controversy intensified. A months-long grassroots campaign led by Andrew Filler, a hobby farmer whose land abutted the site, organized the Protect Franklin Township coalition. On September 22, 2025, minutes before a scheduled City-County Council vote that the company apparently expected to lose, Google abruptly withdrew its rezoning application. Hundreds of supporters packed council chambers and erupted in cheers.
Undeterred, Google moved on — this time identified only as a "Fortune 100 company" — to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where despite widespread local opposition it obtained approval to build a $2 billion data center campus on more than 700 acres, codenamed "Project Zodiac." When the project expanded in Phase 2, the developer (this time operating as Hatchworks LLC) sought and received permission from Indiana's Department of Environmental Management to fill more than two acres of protected wetlands — without holding a single public hearing, despite repeated community requests for one. Residents and environmental groups are now fighting a subsequent application for 143 additional diesel generators.
Now comes "Project Boar" in Little Rock — the same developer, the same shell-company structure, the same code names, and the same ask: let us fill in the wetlands, waive the taxes, and keep the public in the dark until the concrete is poured.
II. ENVIRONMENTAL HARM
The environmental costs of this application are severe and documented in the applicant's own filings. The project would require filling 16.8 acres of wetlands and obliterating more than 6,000 feet of streams in and around Fourche Bayou — impacts on federally regulated waters of the United States that trigger this very permitting process. The application acknowledges potential harm to endangered species, including monarch butterflies. Wetland mitigation credits purchased elsewhere cannot replicate the specific ecological functions of these wetlands: flood attenuation, water filtration, and habitat for species dependent on this particular stretch of the Arkansas River corridor.
The Corps is required under the Clean Water Act's Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines to determine whether the applicant has demonstrated that there is no practicable alternative that would result in less adverse impact to the aquatic ecosystem. Given the scale of Google's resources and its ongoing acquisition of sites across the region — including approximately 780 acres already purchased at the Port of Little Rock for roughly $23 million — the applicant cannot credibly claim that no less-damaging site or layout is available.
III. SCALE OF DEMAND AND PUBLIC COSTS
When operational, this data center is expected to consume more than 100 megawatts of electricity — roughly equivalent to the power consumption of every household in the City of Little Rock combined. That demand will not be absorbed painlessly; it will drive new generation investments by Entergy Arkansas and shift costs onto the ratepayers who can least afford to subsidize a Fortune 500 company's infrastructure. Central Arkansas Water and the Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority will bear the burden of serving the facility's industrial water needs.
The promised public benefit — approximately 50 permanent jobs — is disproportionate to these costs. As Fort Wayne's experience with Project Zodiac has shown, the job figures attached to these projects are often their most flattering attribute, and they rarely materialize at the promised scale.
IV. THE PUBLIC INTEREST REQUIRES DENIAL — OR AT MINIMUM A PUBLIC HEARING
The Corps' public interest review must weigh environmental, economic, and social factors. Here, the balance is not close. The project destroys irreplaceable wetland habitat, imposes enormous power and water demands on the public, delivers negligible permanent employment, and was advanced through a deliberate campaign of secrecy that denied affected communities a meaningful voice.
I urge the Corps at a minimum to require a full public hearing before any further action is taken on this application, and to rigorously apply the Section 404(b)(1) alternatives analysis. On the merits, the application should be denied.
Respectfully submitted,
Anita SchneeFayetteville, AR
~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`
On Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 09:55:42 PM CDT, Kevin Krajcir <kjkrajcir...> wrote:
Date: 5/5/26 3:03 pm From: Carol Joan Patterson <0000003a0ccbe138-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: Dowitchers
I too have read Cyn-tee Lee's article. In fact, I carry it with me as a handy reference. It really is helpful, and I recommend it to all.
On Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at 02:16:28 PM CDT, Ian MacGregor <00000489141846bd-dmarc-request...> wrote:
Another field mark is that short-bills have more decurved bills. In the picture of the bird EBird Identifies as a Short-billed the down curve is quite apparent, but much less so in the picture of the two Dowitchers together.
I read Cyn-tee Lee’s article on Dowitcher identification many of the differences are qualified as subtle and some cases a way of finding one species of Dowitcher in a flock of the other.
Finally there is the white feather edging on the wing covert and scapulars. On Long-bills this is just at the tips forming a straight lines, but on Short-bills it extends up the sides of the feathers forming a Vee.
I cannot say for certain what is true for these two birds
Ian
-------- Original Message --------
On Monday, 05/04/26 at 21:47 Patty McLean <plm108...> wrote:
Hi Jacque and Ian. These look more like SBDOs to me. Admittedly I'm just looking via my cell phone but a few key features pop out. The flatness of the back vs the football shape of a LBDO, the non-descript gray panel on the wing. Look at Sibley and compare these 2 features and I think you'll come to the same conclusion. Unfortunately i can't tell much about the scapulars or whether the birds have streaks or spots along the shoulders.
The bar chart indicates they should already be in Benton County by now.
Please forgive me if I mislead you. I'm not good with photos on my cellphone. And, if ever in doubt, it's always best to submit as LBDO/SBDO -- but I'm sure you hate doing that, like me.
Best wishes for the best birds,Patty
-------- Original message --------From: JACQUE BROWN <bluebird2...> Date: 5/4/26 7:27 PM (GMT-06:00) To: <ARBIRD-L...> Subject: Re: Dowitchers
No surprise my photos are nearly Identical and I had no problem uploading two of them to ebird. in the photos the angle of the shot does make them look shorter than they were to the eye, since they are facing towards or away from us. The birds were not really cooperative. In most of my pics they are beak deep in muck.
Jacque Brown.
On Monday, May 4, 2026 at 06:24:43 PM CDT, Ian MacGregor <00000489141846bd-dmarc-request...> wrote:
I was with Jacque Brown at Charlie Craig today. The most exciting thing for me was my first Arkansas Hudsonian Godwit. A few minutes before we came across a couple of dowitchers. We both thought they were Long-billed, but when I tried to add the photo of one of the birds to my Ebird list, Merlin rejected it as a Short-billed. Also in the picture of both, Merlin thinks the bottom bird is Short-billed.
I am including three pictures:, the bird accepted as a Long-billed, the one rejected as a Long_billed by eBird, and a picture of them both together
On the single bird which is possibly a Short-billed, the bill does look short, but I that could be due to the camera angle. In the picture of the two birds together. I don't see much difference in bill length. What a I do see is the bird eBird thinks is a Short-billed has a few larger spots on its wing coverts.
Merin photo id is by no means perfect. So it could simply be wrong, and bit birds are indeed Long-billed, but if one of the birds is a Short-billed, what clinches that id
I am assuming tar Jacque has much better photos.
Ian Sent with Proton Mail secure email.
Another field mark is that short-bills have more decurved bills. In the picture of the bird EBird
Identifies as a Short-billed the down curve is quite apparent, but much less so in the picture of the two Dowitchers together.
I read Cyn-tee Lee’s article on Dowitcher identification many of the differences are qualified as subtle and some cases a way of finding one species of Dowitcher in a flock of the other.
Finally there is the white feather edging on the wing covert and scapulars. On Long-bills this is just at the tips forming a straight lines, but on Short-bills it extends up the sides of the feathers forming a Vee.
I cannot say for certain what is true for these two birds
-------- Original Message --------
On Monday, 05/04/26 at 21:47 Patty McLean <plm108...> wrote:
> Hi Jacque and Ian. These look more like SBDOs to me. Admittedly I'm just looking via my cell phone but a few key features pop out. The flatness of the back vs the football shape of a LBDO, the non-descript gray panel on the wing. Look at Sibley and compare these 2 features and I think you'll come to the same conclusion. Unfortunately i can't tell much about the scapulars or whether the birds have streaks or spots along the shoulders.
>
> The bar chart indicates they should already be in Benton County by now.
>
> Please forgive me if I mislead you. I'm not good with photos on my cellphone. And, if ever in doubt, it's always best to submit as LBDO/SBDO -- but I'm sure you hate doing that, like me.
>
> Best wishes for the best birds,
> Patty
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: JACQUE BROWN <bluebird2...>
> Date: 5/4/26 7:27 PM (GMT-06:00)
> To: <ARBIRD-L...>
> Subject: Re: Dowitchers
>
> No surprise my photos are nearly Identical and I had no problem uploading two of them to ebird. in the photos the angle of the shot does make them look shorter than they were to the eye, since they are facing towards or away from us. The birds were not really cooperative. In most of my pics they are beak deep in muck.
>
> Jacque Brown.
>
> On Monday, May 4, 2026 at 06:24:43 PM CDT, Ian MacGregor <00000489141846bd-dmarc-request...> wrote:
>
> I was with Jacque Brown at Charlie Craig today. The most exciting thing for me was my first Arkansas Hudsonian Godwit. A few minutes before we came across a couple of dowitchers. We both thought they were Long-billed, but when I tried to add the photo of one of the birds to my Ebird list, Merlin rejected it as a Short-billed. Also in the picture of both, Merlin thinks the bottom bird is Short-billed.
>
> I am including three pictures:, the bird accepted as a Long-billed, the one rejected as a Long_billed by eBird, and a picture of them both together
>
> On the single bird which is possibly a Short-billed, the bill does look short, but I that could be due to the camera angle. In the picture of the two birds together. I don't see much difference in bill length. What a I do see is the bird eBird thinks is a Short-billed has a few larger spots on its wing coverts.
>
> Merin photo id is by no means perfect. So it could simply be wrong, and bit birds are indeed Long-billed, but if one of the birds is a Short-billed, what clinches that id
>
> I am assuming tar Jacque has much better photos.
>
> Ian
>
> Sent with [Proton Mail](https://proton.me/mail/home) secure email.
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
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Date: 5/4/26 7:40 pm From: Sarah Morris <saraha.morris1...> Subject: Gillam Park Fieldtrip Report
Spring migration made Gillam Park a fantastic destination on Saturday for
the Audubon Society of Central Arkansas's (ASCA) monthly field trip and
bird banding demonstration. More than 20 people attended, and we recorded
53 species, including 13 warblers.
We arrived just as Kevin Krajcir, ASCA Vice President and a Conservation
Biologist with the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, and volunteers
were banding their first birds of the morning, giving us a close-up view of
a Chestnut-sided Warbler.
The banding demonstration provided a chance to see several species up
close, including Summer Tanager, Indigo Bunting, Rose-breasted Grosbeak,
Painted Bunting, and Nashville Warbler.
We later walked the paved and gravel trails down to the floating dock,
where we had excellent views of a perched Broad-winged Hawk and another
being chased by a Blue Jay, while hearing a variety of vireos and warblers
along the way. At one point, while searching for singing Golden-winged
Warblers, a Chestnut-sided Warbler landed within arm’s reach behind us and
hopped about, seemingly studying the group.
In total, species recorded included Acadian Flycatcher, Yellow-throated
Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, Wood Thrush, Summer Tanager, and Rose-breasted
Grosbeak. Warblers observed included Ovenbird, Golden-winged,
Black-and-white, Tennessee, Nashville, Kentucky, Common Yellowthroat,
American Redstart, Northern Parula, Magnolia, Northern Yellow,
Chestnut-sided, and Yellow-rumped. Near the floating dock, we also found a
Gray-cheeked Thrush, along with a Wood Duck and two Yellow-crowned Night
Herons.
The complete checklist is available at ebird.org/checklist/S331124459.
No surprise my photos are nearly Identical and I had no problem uploading two of them to ebird. in the photos the angle of the shot does make them look shorter than they were to the eye, since they are facing towards or away from us. The birds were not really cooperative. In most of my pics they are beak deep in muck.
Jacque Brown.
On Monday, May 4, 2026 at 06:24:43 PM CDT, Ian MacGregor <00000489141846bd-dmarc-request...> wrote:
I was with Jacque Brown at Charlie Craig today. The most exciting thing for me was my first Arkansas Hudsonian Godwit. A few minutes before we came across a couple of dowitchers. We both thought they were Long-billed, but when I tried to add the photo of one of the birds to my Ebird list, Merlin rejected it as a Short-billed. Also in the picture of both, Merlin thinks the bottom bird is Short-billed.
I am including three pictures:, the bird accepted as a Long-billed, the one rejected as a Long_billed by eBird, and a picture of them both together
On the single bird which is possibly a Short-billed, the bill does look short, but I that could be due to the camera angle. In the picture of the two birds together. I don't see much difference in bill length. What a I do see is the bird eBird thinks is a Short-billed has a few larger spots on its wing coverts.
Merin photo id is by no means perfect. So it could simply be wrong, and bit birds are indeed Long-billed, but if one of the birds is a Short-billed, what clinches that id
I am assuming tar Jacque has much better photos.
Ian Sent with Proton Mail secure email.
Date: 5/4/26 4:25 pm From: Ian MacGregor <00000489141846bd-dmarc-request...> Subject: Dowitchers
I was with Jacque Brown at Charlie Craig today. The most exciting thing for me was my first Arkansas Hudsonian Godwit. A few minutes before we came across a couple of dowitchers. We both thought they were Long-billed, but when I tried to add the photo of one of the birds to my Ebird list, Merlin rejected it as a Short-billed. Also in the picture of both, Merlin thinks the bottom bird is Short-billed.
I am including three pictures:, the bird accepted as a Long-billed, the one rejected as a Long_billed by eBird, and a picture of them both together
On the single bird which is possibly a Short-billed, the bill does look short, but I that could be due to the camera angle. In the picture of the two birds together. I don't see much difference in bill length. What a I do see is the bird eBird thinks is a Short-billed has a few larger spots on its wing coverts.
Merin photo id is by no means perfect. So it could simply be wrong, and bit birds are indeed Long-billed, but if one of the birds is a Short-billed, what clinches that id
Date: 5/3/26 11:07 am From: Bob Harden <flutterbybob...> Subject: Brown Pelican
Sent from my iPhone. I am at Bois D’Arc Lake in Hempstead Co. with Sharon Beasley. There is a Brown Pelican Circling over the Lake with a Flock of Turkey Vultures
############################
We plan to bird from 9 am to around noon walking 3-5 miles on old paved roads. This walk is free and open to the public. You can join for any portion of the walk; the causeway to access the preserve is approximately 3/4 of a mile one way, so out and back makes a nice 1.5 mile walk. After crossing the causeway, there are several miles of old paved campground roads to walk.
