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Samantha, Angie, and I joined an ASCA field trip to Delta Rivers Nature Center, Pine Bluff Water Treatment Ponds, and Cane Creek State Park on March 14. This was an all day event and we got home just in time for Sam and me to scarf down some dinner and head for a CAAS meeting. Once everything was tallied, Samantha got about 12 official life birds (official cause she’s seen more that we’ve got recorded in eBird) and much to my later surprise, I got one life bird – Eared Grebe.

Species seen or heard:
Governor Mike Huckabee Delta Rivers Nature Center (spent two hours here)
• Canada Goose
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Eastern Phoebe
• Carolina Wren
• Northern Flicker
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Blue Jay
• Double-crested Cormorant
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Carolina Chickadee
• Belted Kingfisher
• Northern Cardinal
• Hermit Thrush
• White-throated Sparrow
• Cedar Waxwing
• Common Grackle
• Tufted Titmouse
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• American Coot
• American Robin
• Great Blue Heron
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Blue-winged Teal
• House Finch
• Mallard

Pine Bluff–Boyd Point Wastewater Treatment
• American Coot
• Northern Cardinal
• Northern Shoveler
• Bufflehead
• Canada Goose
• Ruddy Duck
• Eared Grebe
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Blue-winged Teal
• Eastern Bluebird
• Ring-billed Gull
• Lesser Scaup
• Belted Kingfisher
• Red-tailed Hawk

Plus an Armadillo

Lake Saracen
• Double-crested Cormorant
• American White Pelican
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Purple Martin
• American Coot
• Ring-billed Gull
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Belted Kingfisher
• Common Grackle
• Northern Mockingbird
• Eastern Phoebe
• Great Blue Heron
• Pied-billed Grebe

Cane Creek State Park (stayed about 90 minutes)
• Double-crested Cormorant
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Mourning Dove
• Tufted Titmouse
• Bald Eagle
• American Crow
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Killdeer
• Belted Kingfisher
• Turkey Vulture
• Northern Harrier
• Barred Owl
• Wood Duck
• Great Egret

I went to Gillam Park in SE Little Rock this morning. My first trip there since the Little Rock CBC. I arrived at 8:45 and if that sounds late, remember that Daylight Savings time started today. I walked about 2 miles total, far short of a full visit, when rain interrupted my fun. Not wanting to short out my camera, I left at 9:55. I did see my first Hairy Woodpecker of the year, in fact since I got back into birding two years ago this month Gillam Park is the only place where I’ve seen Hairies.

Species seen or heard:
• Carolina Wren
• European Starling
• Northern Cardinal
• Blue Jay
• American Robin
• Eastern Phoebe
• Turkey Vulture
• Northern Flicker
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• White-throated Sparrow
• American Crow
• Eastern Towhee
• Tufted Titmouse
• Hairy Woodpecker
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Carolina Chickadee

I went to the park this morning to bird as the weather was not amenable yesterday. This morning it was sunny with a temperature of 27 and 15-20 MPH wind from the north. So much better than Saturday. I arrived at 8 AM. I found the water at the swamp to be about a foot higher than when I was last here two weeks ago. The most notable find was probably the 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers which were about 2 weeks early. I saw small fleeting birds the right color with eye-rings and the white bars along the tail. I can’t think of anything else they could have been. Also got my first Winter and Sedge Wrens of the year. I also saw six species of sparrow including Le Conte’s and Lincoln’s. Left at 10:30 AM.

Species seen or heard:
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (2)
• Le Conte’s Sparrow
• Lincoln’s Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• Field Sparrow
• Savannah Sparrow
• Fox Sparrow
• Sedge Wren
• Winter Wren
• Carolina Wren
• Double-crested Cormorant (200)
• American Robin
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Northern Cardinal
• Eastern Bluebird
• American Coot
• Great Blue Heron
• American Crow
• Blue Jay
• Northern Flicker
• Canada Goose
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Turkey Vulture
• White-throated Sparrow
• Mourning Dove
• Downy Woodpecker
• Ring-billed Gull
• Carolina Chickadee
• Northern Mockingbird
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Red-tailed Hawk

Plus one Fox Squirrel, some deer, and one Armadillo carcass suitable for cleaning and mounting. I thought of my 13 year old son and then decided against bringing it home for him.