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Earlier in the week, Kenny Nichols spotted a single Barnacle Goose while on the Pine Bluff CBC,  The next day, the coordinator, Robert Dorster, relocated the bird. It was three days later before I could go but Sam and I followed Robert’s excellent directions to a spot off of highway 79. There we found a flock of mixed Snow, Ross’s, and Greater White-fronted Geese.   I stopped at every dark neck with a white head to see if it had the requisite dark cap, so that the white was a mask on an otherwise dark neck and head, with a dark bill.  When they all spooked, I started over when they landed.  After 40 minutes of panning the scope, checking every dark phase goose out there we spotted the one with the right field marks.

Karen Holliday, Patty McClean, and I went to Stuttgart Thursday morning hoping for Longspurs and Short-eared Owls.  While we were skunked for the latter we achieved the former in spades.  First off it was a cold and blustery day.  A predicted cold front appeared to be arriving early.  The temperature ranged from mid to upper 30s all day and there was a constant wind.  About mid-day I realized this would serve as a good shakedown cruise for the Lonoke CBC in about a week.  I need to get to thin gloves or glove liners to protect my fingers but otherwise I was well protected.

Anyway, we fairly quickly identified about 5 Smith’s Longspurs as they flew over.  These were year birds for me, number 267 on my Arkansas Year list. Soon afterward we heard more bird sounds in the agri fields to the north so went there and found hundreds then thousands of Lapland Longspurs.  Of course we didn’t catch every bird and identify it then place it over there but everywhere we looked we saw birds that were obviously Laplands.  We just walked into these clouds of birds and they would go elsewhere and then come back.

Also in the fields we came across groups of American Pipits and Horned Larks plus plenty of Mallard, Greater White-fronted Goose, Snow and Ross’s Goose, Northern Harrier and other species.

I started a cold Sunday morning by birding what I call the Maumelle Valley Estates Wetlands in Maumelle.  It is an area of rumored to be federally protected wetlands in a new housing development in Maumelle.  I didn’t see anything extraordinary there but as I was finishing I got an email on my phone. It was an AR-Bird post from Kenny Nichols who had a Barrow’s Goldeneye at his house on Lake Dardanelle.  I called Sam to let her know and then notified Karen Holliday because I suspected she wouldn’t get the email until much too late.  I went home for Sam and then met up with Karen and off we went as she also contacted other birders.  In case you are not aware, a Barrow’s Goldeneye is an accidental species in Arkansas.  It was last reported in 2003 and that individual stayed one day.

We got to Kenny & LaDonna’s house at about 11 PM and within 5 minutes had all seen the Barrow’s Goldeneye, confirming the field marks so we were sure.  It was a life bird for all three of us.  The Braddy’s were there as well and soon the Boyles’, Scheiman’s, and Terry Butler also arrived.

In all it was very fine if unexpected outing.  Thanks to Kenny & LaDonna for finding the bird and inviting people to their house to see it.