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There was a post to AR-Bird today about a Rufous Hummingbird at a house in the Heights where one had been seen for almost six months last fall and winter.  After work, I called and went over. The home owners very graciously allowed me to hang out in their den and wait. I didn’t have to wait long, the hummer appeared almost instantly. He however was very territorial and for about thirty minutes the only glimpsies I got were his backside as he chased another hummer away.  Finally however, I was able to get some images as he took a breather.

https://jamesdixon.us/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5885

https://jamesdixon.us/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5882

https://jamesdixon.us/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5894

https://jamesdixon.us/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5891

https://jamesdixon.us/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5888

Sunday morning, Allan & Kathleen Mueller, Jane Gulley, Karen Holliday, Samantha,  and I traveled the Mississippi Levee Road from almost the Louisiana border to the Lake Chicot Pumping Station. Though long and hot (104 degrees at about 2PM) it was well worth the effort.  Among the commoners, we saw 3 Roseate Spoonbill, 10 White-faced Ibis, 2 Mottled Duck, 3 Upland Sandpiper, 7 Wood Stork, 1 Snow Goose.  Our most common bird of the day was probably Cattle Egret of which we saw about 500.  The White-faced Ibis was a hard call, we studied them in scopes for about 10 minutes before deciding they were the one and not the similar Glossy Ibis.  However, some glimpses of red eyes convinced us.  We all agreed that this road trip was well worth doing again.
Here are some images from the day.
Roseate Spoonbill
https://jamesdixon.us/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5855
https://jamesdixon.us/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5852

White-faced Ibis
https://jamesdixon.us/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5858
https://jamesdixon.us/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5846
https://jamesdixon.us/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5843

Upland Sandpiper
https://jamesdixon.us/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5840
https://jamesdixon.us/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5837

Wood Stork
https://jamesdixon.us/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5849

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
https://jamesdixon.us/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5834

Bonus!
Bumblebee
https://jamesdixon.us/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5861
https://jamesdixon.us/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5864

I started the landing at a quarter to 7, about 25 minutes after sunrise, trying to beat the heat.  I was partially successful.  Though a popular spot with cyclers and runners, the park seemed busier than usual.  I walked a big loop from the backwater parking area, to the dam, along the River Trail to NorthShore Trail, along NorthShore Trail to almost the ADEQ building, then along a gravel utility road back to the parking lot.  I didn’t really see anything notable, perhaps the most notable thing was that all of the Cliff Swallows had vacated their homes under the Big Dam Bridge.  I did not see a one. I did have a good view of a Great Blue Heron preening in a tree, a close up of  Green Heron, and a Variegated Fritillary.  The loop was about 3.2 miles around and took 2.25 hours.  By the time I finished it, the temperature was about 90 on its way to a predicted 103.