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I didn’t feel like going far afield when I got up an decided to hit Allsopp and Murray Parks. I did so, running into fellow birders Lynn and Becky at Allsopp. Things were kind of slow at Murray so I left there a little early with a vague idea of going to Terry Dam later to look for Painted Buntings.

When I got home I got an email from ARBird about a Gull-billed Tern spotted near Arkansas City by Dick Baxter. That’s in the southeast corner of the state and about 2 hours away. After thinking about it for a while, I called Dick and got some directions and also realized that he intended to stay there to help birders in the new and temporary birding Mecca. So Angie and I got ready and headed there. We found the site without too much trouble and found Dick and his wife Sarah, Kenny & LaDonna Nichols, and Dennis Braddy there. They had the tern spotted and scoped for us. Unfortunately it was too far away for the camera but the identification was easy in a scope. This was a new bird for Arkansas, from what I hear it has never been reported before. Thank you, Dick.

** = New Life Bird, * = First of Season

Species seen or heard at Allsopp:

• Rock Pigeon
• Mourning Dove
• Carolina Chickadee
• American Robin
• Northern Cardinal
• White-eyed Vireo
• Red-eyed Vireo
• European Starling
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Nashville Warbler
• Brown Thrasher
• Pine Warbler
• Northern Flicker
• Eastern Wood-Pewee
• Blue Jay
• American Crow
• Black-throated Green Warbler
• Fish Crow
• Hooded Warbler
• Orchard Oriole
• Mississippi Kite
• Broad-winged Hawk
• Carolina Wren
• Tufted Titmouse

Species seen or heard at Murray:

• Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
• European Starling
• Northern Mockingbird
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Turkey Vulture
• Fish Crow
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Northern Rough-winged Swallow
• Northern Cardinal
• Belted Kingfisher
• Mourning Dove
• Blue Grosbeak
• Eastern Kingbird
• Canada Goose

Species seen or heard at Dick Baxter’s site:

• Gull-billed Tern **
• Black-necked Stilt *
• Willet *
• Semipalmated Sandpiper *
• Least Sandpiper *
• Bobolink *
• Mallard
• Northern Shoveler
• American White Pelican
• Double-crested Cormorant
• Great Egret
• American Coot
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Scarlet Tanager

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Angie, Sam, and I joined a group of other birders for an AAS Conference at this WMA near Pottsville. We arrived about 7:30, birded the area and then went to nearby Sweeden Island Park. I got FOS Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Baltimore Oriole.

Species seen or heard at Galla Creek WMA:

• Rose-breasted Grosbeak *
• American Crow
• Barred Owl
• Black-and-white Warbler
• Blue Jay
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Carolina Chickadee
• Common Yellowthroat
• Downy Woodpecker
• Eastern Phoebe
• Fish Crow
• Indigo Bunting
• Mourning Dove
• Northern Cardinal
• Northern Flicker
• Northern Parula
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Prothonotary Warbler
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Red-eyed Vireo
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
• Tufted Titmouse
• Turkey Vulture
• White-throated Sparrow
• Yellow-breasted Chat
• Yellow-throated Vireo

Species seen or heard at Sweeden Island Park:

• Baltimore Oriole *
• Fish Crow
• Eastern Kingbird
• Turkey Vulture
• Summer Tanager
• White-eyed Vireo
• Northern Flicker
• White-throated Sparrow
• Tufted Titmouse
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

I went to Gillam Park this morning with the plan of stopping at Murray park on the way home. It was pretty birdy there from the start. I just walked down to the oxbow lake and back, foregoing the upland route. I still spent 2.5 hours there and managed to get 44 species and 6 FOS birds – Mississippi Kite, House Wren, Marsh Wren, Sedge Wren, Nashville Warbler, and Little Blue Heron. As I was leaving I saw activity at the new Audubon Arkansas center and remembered that they were going to pile hay today for insulation. I decided to skip Murray Park and help.

Species seen or heard:

• Mississippi Kite *
• House Wren *
• Marsh Wren *
• Sedge Wren *
• Nashville Warbler *
• Little Blue Heron *
• Orchard Oriole
• White-eyed Vireo
• Red-eyed Vireo
• American Crow
• Blue Jay
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Hairy Woodpecker
• Tufted Titmouse
• Carolina Wren
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Hooded Warbler
• Black-throated Green Warbler
• Summer Tanager
• Northern Mockingbird
• White-throated Sparrow
• Eastern Phoebe
• Blue Grosbeak
• Yellow-throated Warbler
• Yellow-throated Vireo
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Indigo Bunting
• Winter Wren
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Northern Cardinal
• Great Egret
• Turkey Vulture
• Chipping Sparrow
• Eastern Kingbird
• Green Heron
• Belted Kingfisher
• Wood Thrush
• Eastern Wood-pewee
• Great Crested Flycatcher
• American Robin
• Brown Thrasher
• Fish Crow
• Red-tailed Hawk