Category: Birding

Sam and I joined ASCA for a field trip to the Ozark National Forest for a look at breeding warbler.  We started at a spot a little east of Pelsor, then worked our way back down south along highway 7 stopping at Page Hollow and Granny Gap road.  It was a hot sunny day and we were worn out by the end. Our total species count was rather low but we did get most of our target birds and Sam picked up several life birds.

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Species seen or heard:

• Acadian Flycatcher
• American Goldfinch
• Black-and-white Warbler
• Black-throated Green Warbler
• Blue Grosbeak
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
• Carolina Chickadee
• Carolina Wren
• Cerulean Warbler
• Chimney Swift
• Downy Woodpecker
• Eastern Towhee
• Hooded Warbler
• Hooded Warbler
• Indigo Bunting
• Kentucky Warbler
• Northern Cardinal
• Ovenbird
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Prairie Warbler
• Red-eyed Vireo
• Red-headed Woodpecker
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird
• Tufted Titmouse
• White-eyed Vireo
• Yellow-breasted Chat
• Yellow-throated Vireo
• Yellow-throated Warbler

Several ASCA members went to this WMA about 20 minutes east of Searcy on Saturday to see the Grasshopper Sparrows that had been previously reported there.  Once I learned of their success, I decided to follow them on Sunday.  I got a late start due to trying to do too much, install a new hard drive and get it cloned, but arrived there at 9:30.  I found these Grasshopper Sparrows in the fields between the WMA office and the creek just as described.  I had listened to their call beforehand and heard and then saw them within minutes of arriving.  They were the only truly extraordinary site although I did see many Cattle Egrets and a dozen American White Pelicans.  There was also one crayfish who questioned if I wanted a piece of him.

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** = Life Bird.

Species seen or heard:

• Grasshopper Sparrow **
• Cattle Egret
• Indigo Bunting
• Mourning Dove
• Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
• Great Egret
• Great Blue Heron
• Little Blue Heron
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Yellow-breasted Chat
• American White Pelican
• Dickcissel
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Northern Cardinal
• Killdeer
• Common Yellowthroat
• Anhinga

I decided to walk the East Quarry Trail, a trail I had never done before.  I started the walk at 7 AM.  The weather was clearing and the temperature was still mild.  I was not inundated by species but I did encounter Pine Warblers and Indigo Buntings frequently, the latter being common at the actual East Quarry.  While there I heard what sounded like a Painted Bunting and as it turns out, it was.  I got some good pictures and then later saw his lady friend.  I heard a familiar warbler sound that I couldn’t quite place. I later listened to my birding CDs and identified it as a Wilson’s Warbler even though its about a week late for that one.  The round trip is about 3 miles which I finished up about 9:30.

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* = First of Year

Species seen or heard:

• Wilson’s Warbler *
• Pine Warbler
• Indigo Bunting
• Carolina Wren
• Carolina Chickadee
• White-eyed Vireo
• Eastern Wood-Pewee
• American Crow
• Red-eyed Vireo
• Tufted Titmouse
• Summer Tanager
• Yellow-billed Cuckoo
• Worm-eating Warbler
• Fish Crow
• Blue Jay
• Northern Cardinal
• Painted Bunting
• Yellow-breasted Chat
• Green Heron
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Mourning Dove
• Turkey Vulture
• Swainson’s Warbler