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I arrived at the lake at about 7:45. It was cloudy but clearing and about 50+ degrees. I wanted to get back into Bell Slough to see if anything was new in the last week. The first thing I noticed was the water over the dam was much less that 7 days ago. Later as I got into the WMA, I realized the water level there was 3, maybe even 4 feet lower than last Sunday. In fact, Grassy Lake was flowing into Palarm Creek instead of the other way around. I got my first of season Black-and-white Warbler today and Yellow-breasted Chat, both based on calls. There was a probably escaped domestic or domestic hybrid goose on the creek. He was mostly white, orange feet, gray wings, black bill, with black markings on his neck and head. Even though it did not seem as birdy as last Sunday, I got 40 species in about 2.5 hours.

Species seen or heard:
• Black-and-white Warbler *
• Yellow-Breasted Chat *
• Mallard
• American Robin
• Carolina Chickadee
• White-throated Sparrow
• Blue Jay
• Northern Cardinal
• Northern Mockingbird
• Double-crested Cormorant
• Great Blue Heron
• Belted Kingfisher
• Eastern Phoebe
• Ring-billed Gull
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Eastern Towhee
• Tufted Titmouse
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• Brown Thrasher
• Carolina Wren
• American Crow
• Great Egret
• Northern Flicker
• Fish Crow
• Blue-winged Teal
• Common Grackle
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Downy Woodpecker
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Eastern Bluebird
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Field Sparrow
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Turkey Vulture
• Brown Pelican
• American Coot
• Purple Martin
• House Sparrow

* First of season

I arrived at 8:05. It was cloudy with temperatures in the mid 40s but there was no wind and it was milder that I expected for that reason. My target bird was the Brown Pelican reported there yesterday, it would be a state bird for me. The bird was not apparent from the dam site so I moved into Bell Slough figuring I check the lake more when I was done. I did see the Brown Pelican when I checked the lake the second time. 38 species in about 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Species seen or heard:
• Brown Pelican
• American Coot
• Canada Goose
• Blue Jay
• Northern Cardinal
• Carolina Chickadee
• Pine Warbler
• Great Blue Heron
• Double-crested Cormorant
• Great Egret
• Belted Kingfisher
• Fish Crow
• Bald Eagle
• Northern Mockingbird
• Eastern Bluebird
• American Crow
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Mallard
• Eastern Phoebe
• White-throated Sparrow
• Wood Duck
• Common Grackle
• Eastern Wood-Pewee
• European Starling
• Northern Flicker
• Blue-winged Teal
• Downy Woodpecker
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Turkey Vulture
• Brown Thrasher
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Carolina Wren
• American Robin
• Swamp Sparrow
• Ring-billed Gull

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