Two Rivers Park 11/20/2009

I had Friday off and started the day with a visit to probably my favorite urban destination – Two Rivers Park.  The birds were busy along the back water.  I parked in the area beyond the main trail and it took me an hour to walk back to the main trail head.  I saw a first of season Fox Sparrow and Marsh Wren.

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Two Rivers Park and Lake Maumelle 11/15/2009

With the idea that Two Rivers Park is best in the early morning and birds at Lake Maumelle might last longer, I started at TRP at 8.  I got off to a good start at the swampy area at the start of the paved trail with a Virginia Rail.  Unfortunately that was the highlight of the visit.  There weren’t many sparrows or much else for that matter.  At Lake Maumelle, there wasn’t much going on either – 2 Common Loon, 2 Horned Grebe, 2 Pied-billed Grebe, 2 American Crow. Seeing a pattern, I looked around for an arc but could not find one.

As I was about to load up the spotting scope, I saw something new fly in.  A quick look showed something weird.  Closer scrutiny showed similarities to a Long-tailed Duck but the head was too light and the bill too heavy (or so I thought).  After sharing my images with AR-Bird, all agreed it was a Long-tailed Duck.  The LTDU is an “uncommon Winter Visitor” and a life bird for me.  Apparently it was enough to stir some activity as I know of at least two people went to chase it.

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Boyd Point Wastewater Treatment 11/6/2009

I went to this treatment facility in Pine Bluff today joined by Delos. We didn’t see anything that hasn’t been reported there recently but that included 20+ Eared Grebes plus many hundreds each of Ruddy Duck, Northern Shoveler, and Franklin’s Gulls.

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Species seen or heard:

  • Canada Goose
  • Gadwall
  • American Wigeon
  • Blue-winged Teal
  • Northern Shoveler
  • Lesser Scaup
  • Bufflehead
  • Hooded Merganser
  • Ruddy Duck
  • Pied-billed Grebe
  • Horned Grebe
  • Eared Grebe
  • American White Pelican
  • Great Blue Heron
  • Great Egret
  • Red-shouldered Hawk
  • American Coot
  • Killdeer
  • Franklin’s Gull
  • Ring-billed Gull
  • Belted Kingfisher
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker
  • Northern Flicker
  • Blue Jay
  • American Crow
  • Fish Crow
  • Eastern Bluebird
  • Northern Mockingbird
  • White-throated Sparrow
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