Date: 11/12/24 7:02 am From: Joseph Neal <0000078cbd583d7c-dmarc-request...> Subject: Decent day at Lake No Loons
Several years ago I started referring to Northwest Arkansas City’s Beaver Lake as Lake No Loons. Finding as many as 1-3 Common Loons is about it during mid-winter loon season. Migration is different.
Yesterday was loon migration. I visited four spots on the lake’s north side including Old Glade on Slate Gap Road, Lost Bridge South Park, Lost Bridge North Park, and Indian Creek Creek Park. I saw loons on each stop, for a total of 18, all Common Loons.
It was warm and sunny. Loons were barking. I heard a good yodel at Indian Creek. On a calm warm day, with almost no boats – and no noise disturbance except leaf blowers – that yodel dominates. You could hear it a long ways off, at least as far as leaf blowers.
Other observations of note: at least 135 Horned Grebes at Slate Gap. A flock of 25+ Franklin’s Gulls flew over the big pool between Indian Creek and the dam.
Yesterday was also a good duck day EXCEPT the huge string of hundreds of ducks of several species visible from Slate Gap Road were at least ¾ mile out. They tend to form long rafts in the area of the old White River current. While the day was calm and water “flat,” there was too much glare.
