JamesDixon.us

Why they are called Kingfishers

jamesdix — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:29:03 +0000

Think of the Ride of the Valkyries as you watch this.

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Christmas Eve Birding

Jim Dixon — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 23:28:55 +0000

I birded Two Rivers Saturday Morning. The highlight was probably a butterfly but more on that later. I walked the horse trail, which is turning out to be good for sparrows this year. There I saw Chipping, Field, Savannah, Fox, Song, and White-throated Sparrow. Sharp-shinned, Red-shouldered, and Red-tailed Hawks plus a Bald Eagle. One Gray Catbird and one Fish Crow plus 19 other species. As I was leaving through one of the fields, I spooked a butterfly so I followed it until I could get a look and it turned out to be an Orange Sulfur.

Savannah Sparrow
Orange Sulphur
Dew Drop
Pied-billed Grebe

New State Bird 12/10/2011

Jim Dixon — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 11:55:13 +0000

Bill Shepherd & Dan Scheiman first spotted the rare (for Arkansas) Vermillion Flycatcher at Stuttgart Municipal Airport on Friday the 9th. I got a call from Dottie that night telling me that she, Doris, and Karen were heading there Saturday morning and were saving a spot for me and Sam. So we bundled up and headed out. We arrived at the airport at 8:15 and went to the location Dan provided. Lots of White-crowned Sparrows, thousands of Snow Geese, a few Ross’s Geese, aand assortment of other birds but no easy to spot flycatcher. So we walked around in the 30+ degree but thankfully no wind weather. For two hours. Then at 10:30, when he deemed it warm enough to look for insects, the flycatcher arrived. Flitting from tree to rice stubble to bush, he stayed there the entire rest of the time we were there. I had seen one out west about 25 years ago but not since and not in Arkansas. It was a life bird for Sam and several others.

Vermillion Flycatcher

White-crowned Sparrow

Northern Harrier

New Life Bird 12/3/2011

Jim Dixon — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 12:34:20 +0000

A Brewer’s Sparrow was reported at Woolsey Wet Prairie in Fayetteville Wednesday. Friday evening, Karen called to see if I’d be interested in chasing it. So, Saturday Sam & I met her, Dan, Dottie, and Doris at the Carpet Barn for nearly three hour trek. There we met Joe Neal who would serve as our guide. The temperature was supposed to be about 50 but the 20 MPH wind made it feel much cooler and inhibit birding opportunities. We were there for two hours and really saw very few birds considering the time spent. However, we did get to see the bird soon after arrival. I managed to squeeze off one moderately acceptable picture but for the most part this and all other sparrows stayed under the brush to avoid the wind. After that sighting, we walked around looking for our second target bird – American Tree Sparrow. We managed to site three or four of those, adding a second life bird for Sam, Dottie, and Doris. Our third target, Harris Sparrow was a no show. The exhausted group headed home with rain drops nipping at our heels.

Brewer's Sparrow Woolsey Wet Prairie December 2011

Saturday 11/19/2011

Jim Dixon — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 12:00:49 +0000

I went to Cook’s Landing Saturday morning hoping for birds and pictures. I checked out the dam but settled on the service road due a large number of people. There were about a hundred Ring-billed Gull at the dam but nothing more interesting. On the service road, I saw a FOS Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated Sparrow, House Finch, Song Sparrow, and one Fish Crow. I keep thinking, “that’s the last butterfly or dragonfly of the season” and was surprised to find a single Double-striped Dancer.

Later, about 3PM, I went to the Lake Maumelle spillway and walked the trail there. I saw a number of Bufflehead coming into the sheltered area perhaps for the evening, several Black Vultures, one Pine Warbler.

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Weekend Recap

Jim Dixon — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:27:25 +0000

Sam and I got up Saturday morning to join ASCA for a field trip to Nimrod Lake. Along the way and on the way back, we stopped at Lake Maumelle to look for the recently reported Red-throated Loon. The second time was the charm. We had success at Nimrod, spotting all of our target birds and getting to watch a Cooper’s hawk fold his wings and dive at his hoped for lunch.

Later that night, I had a CAAS meeting where nearly have the people were new or at least recent so that was good.

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New Life Bird 10/16/2011

Jim Dixon — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:02:04 +0000

Mitchell Pruitt, who is working a Big Year, contacted several us to see if we wanted to join him for a search for a Nelson’s (previously Sharp-tailed) Sparrow at Bald Knob NWR. So, Karen H, Dan S, Sam and I all went Sunday morning. We picked a field south of the grain bins and walked out. Within 5 minutes Dan had spotted a yellowish headed sparrow and we followed it around for the next 20 minutes to confirm. Between field marks spied through binos and photos later examined we confirmed it was in fact the sought after Nelson’s Sparrow. Sam and I shared a New Species Fist Bump in celebration.

Weekend of July 17, 2011

Jim Dixon — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 10:51:13 +0000

The birding is kind of slow right now but here are some pictures from the weekend from the Little Rock Area.

American Lady

Spicebush Swallowtail

Maumelle FourthFest

Jim Dixon — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 23:40:55 +0000

Sam, Jack, and I went to the Maumelle FourthFest fireworks show Monday night. I made my first ever attempt at fireworks photography and I think some of them turned out okay.

Fireworks Slideshow

Summer Doldrums 6/26/2011

Jim Dixon — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 21:02:58 +0000

Summer’s here for sure. It was 79 at 7 this morning and 97 as I write this. Except for an occasional Neotropic Cormorant, I’m seeing the same birds day after day so I’m turning my camera to other things. The dragonflies are starting to get interesting so they are getting my most attention. Here’s a few of my recent images.