I was thinking about this as I sought an outside path this evening (at Butterfield, which, as a retirement community on a tight footprint, seems almost urban — with 400+ residents and 200+ employees, you can imagine the area that must be used for parking, since many residents continue to drive their own cars) and heard a lot of bird chat as the resident birds were settling for the night.
Butterfield has a rather formal landscape, with lots of trimmed and clipped evergreens. This wouldn't seem to be great for birds, but with the nearby creek and trail and other nearby wild areas (Lake Fayetteville, the botanical garden, a golf course, numerous trails) we have our share of birds. Only down at the creekside have we seen unusual birds for urban settings, but I think the long-time bird observers here may have seen some right on the campus. And the birds love the closely trimmed evergreen shrubs and trees for the roosting places they offer. I can hear them inside as I pass.
We plan to put both giant and smaller sunflowers on our garden plot in the community garden. And we're advocating for a more lush landscape, with more food plants.
Harriet Jansma
Northern edge of Fayetteville
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From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List <ARBIRD-L...> on behalf of Carol Joan Patterson <0000003a0ccbe138-dmarc-request...>
Sent: Tuesday, March 4, 2025 5:45 PM
To: <ARBIRD-L...> <ARBIRD-L...>
Subject: Re: Thank you Birding Community!
Donna,
This email actually brought tears to my eyes. I know that a great many of us deeply love the birds and fellow birders. Through birding we have truly connected with these wonderful feathered beings and other wild creatures as well. I feel privileged to have this connection and feel sorry for the many unaware people. If they were connected their lives would be richer, and they too would do what they could to save birds.
On Friday, February 28, 2025 at 04:37:04 AM CST, Donna Haynes <00000003bd9d64d2-dmarc-request...> wrote:
I wasn't going to write anything, but I hope this is found as a post filled with kindness and respect. I want to just thank all of our amazing scientists, conservation professionals we have in our birding community! I have learned SO much from all of you and many of our "civilian" birders as well! It took a while before I felt truly accepted by the Arkansas Birding Community. (I started birding with others around 2009) I imagine it would have taken so much longer if I had not had an open and teachable mind. It probably would have never happened if I continually told veteran birders(and scientists) they are wrong.
Because of all of our birding community I have grown not only as a person, but as an advocate for the birds as well! (I am and will always be a work in progress)I don't scream to the heavens about what I personally do for birds often! Most of us don't. We're not looking for accolades... We just want to save birds! Our Arkansas Birding Community as a whole is so dedicated to saving birds in any way they can wether it be financially, offering time, reaching out/volunteering in their local communities and schools, just talking to people about birds on a daily basis (in person or on the socials), planting native plants for birds, contacting our representatives and asking them to do better for birds and in many other ways! I see all of you and want to thank you for all you do for birds and birders of Arkansas! Let's go birding, listen to those who have dedicated their lives to birds and learn together!
Donna Haynes
West Pulaski Co.
