Category: Birding

I had Friday off so after dropping Samantha off at school, I took off for Treadway’s in Prairie County.  I’m used to going there in the summer for shore birds but inly recently learned that its good in winter for waterfowl.  My target today was a Surf Scoter reported by Kenny Nichols.  This was actually my second attempt, I had gone the Saturday before but had failed to see him.

It was cold and sunny, about 27 F.  That wasn’t so bad as I was dressed for it but the difference between the super cold air and not as cold water made for a shimmering inversion layer that reduced the clarity of my images.

I did see the Surf Scoter and got pictures though he never let me get too close plus the following list of birds.  An asterisk indicates first of year.

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• Surf Scoter *
• Ross’s Goose *
• Snow Goose
• Mallard
• Northern Shoveler
• Canvasback
• Lesser Scaup
• Bufflehead
• Common Goldeneye
• Ruddy Duck
• Horned Grebe
• Great Blue Heron
• Turkey Vulture
• Northern Harrier
• Red-tailed Hawk
• American Kestrel
• American Coot
• Killdeer
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Ring-billed Gull
• Mourning Dove
• Belted Kingfisher
• American Crow
• American Pipit
• Northern Cardinal
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Eastern Meadowlark

CK Franklin had reported a Rufous hummer at her house this week so, since I had Friday off and a new camera, I visited there after dropping Sam off at school.  It was sunny and cold, a little below freezing, and the Sun was still low as I stood quietly in their front yard.  I think I may have just missed his first visit because it took a while for him to show so I enjoyed her other yard birds until then.  Once he did show, it took four near approaches before he decided to come to the feeder but eventually he did.  I got good looks and some good pictures.

Rufous Hummingbird at Franklin House:

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Saturday morning I went to Two Rivers Park and birded the backwater, the field north of the main trail, and then the horse trail.  I saw a reasonable number and variety of birds but nothing unusual.  I hoped one of the Eastern Meadowlarks would morph into a Western but none obliged me.  Later I went the Terry Library and was greeted by Cedar Waxwings as I got out.  Yay!

Sunday, I decided to do various points on Lake Maumelle.  I started with a closed road north of the Lyon Nursery Pond.  It is marked “no trespassing” but I had previously gotten an okay from CAW to birds these areas.  Right after the gate the road goes up a steep hill that elevates your heart and breath rates but the path was otherwise never hard.  It opens up to a bay that probably only boat people ever see.  It was cool, in its newness, and I hope CAW will open it or the abandoned marina on the other side up but I didn’t see anything unusual there.

Then I went to Vista Point and scoped the area.  After a bit, I spied a Pacific Loon floating with several of his more Common cousins.  Since they were together I was able to make direct comparisons to make the identification easier.  Nothing else unusual was seen there or at other points on the lake on my way back.

Where I found the Pacific Loon:

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