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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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This Thanksgiving morning, I put the turkey in the oven and then headed to Bell Slough WMA for a few hours (leaving people at home to watch the bird).  Figuring that hunters might be less plentiful at the main entrance, especially on Thanksgiving, that is where I went.  There was one vehicle there and I had birded for over 30 minutes before hearing my first shotgun blasts and those were in the distance.  I walked the big waterfowl rest area first then took to the trail after the rest area seemed rather slow.  I did hear what might have been a hunter’s duck call in the rest area but the birds weren’t distressed nor was there ever any shooting going on.  It was mainly Coots.  I can’t say I saw anything exotic.  Later after the meal and processing pictures from the day, I went to Lake Maumelle to see if there were anything exciting there.  Again it was kind of slow there.

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