![]() Twenty miles west, Mount Nebo State Park ranks third in this site list, but it’s a rewarding and often birdy experience to walk the 4-mile Bench Trail, encircling the mountaintop. Of the three, it’s probably best for spring migrants, and has nesting Greater Roadrunner (irregular) and Brown-headed Nuthatch. The farthest east is Petit Jean State Park, a popular destination with extensive trails and scenic gorges. All three have state parks on top, and all three-because of their extensive woodlands and their position as virtual islands in the river lowlands-are excellent places for spring songbird migration. Petit Jean State Park / Mount Magazine State ParkĪlong a stretch of 40 miles on the south side of the Arkansas River rise three monadnock-type mountains, set somewhat apart from other upland areas. In fall, especially, it can be productive simply to find a viewing spot along the Arkansas River and watch what flies by, from American White Pelican and Osprey to Caspian Tern. Much can be seen simply by driving refuge roads, but to find songbirds it’s better to walk the old roads into the woods, along with paths atop some of the levees. Long-eared Owl has occasionally wintered in stands of thick cedars, and Short-eared Owl sometimes frequents grassy areas in winter. ![]() In spring, Yellow-headed Blackbird appears with some regularity, straying eastward from its main range.įrom fall through spring, Holla Bend can host hundreds of geese and ducks, along with not-to-be-expected species such as Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Golden Eagle, and Sandhill Crane. Among the birds nesting here are Wood Duck, Wild Turkey, Greater Roadrunner, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Bell’s Vireo, Kentucky Warbler, Lark Sparrow, and Painted Bunting. Highlights include songbird migration in spring, when the varied habitats attract a corresponding diversity of species. More than 270 species have been spotted at Holla Bend. Established when a large bend in the Arkansas River was cut through to straighten the channel, it comprises bottomland hardwood forest, scrubby fields, wetlands, and frontage on the river. ![]() This refuge in central Arkansas certainly ranks with the state’s best overall birding sites, regardless of season. The best time to find Bachman’s Sparrow is in spring and early summer when the males sing.Īround 150 birds have been recorded in this area, including nesting Northern Bobwhite, Wild Turkey, Broad-winged Hawk, Greater Roadrunner, Kentucky Warbler, Pine Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Summer Tanager, and Scarlet Tanager. It may take quite a bit of looking to find Red-cockaded Woodpecker, as they range widely to feed. One place to find these birds is at a site in the Ouachita National Forest, reached by turning west onto a forest road off Highway 71 nine miles south of the town of Waldron.ĭrive about three miles into the national forest and look for the kind of open pinewoods these birds prefer. The nuthatch is fairly common in many kinds of pinewoods, while the sparrow prefers open woods with a grassy understory. Modern forestry practices have made such a habitat rare. The woodpecker is an endangered species, primarily because it needs old-growth pine trees for nesting, as well as an open understory. Three of the sought-after birds of southern pine forests are Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and Bachman’s Sparrow. A long levee here has hosted Wood Stork, Roseate Spoonbill, Say’s Phoebe, Couch’s Kingbird, Sprague’s Pipit, Chestnut-collared Longspur, McCown’s Longspur, and Snow Bunting, to list a few rarities. Bald Eagles have nested at spots around the lake, and Rock Wrens appear with some regularity in winter along the dam.Ī few miles northeast, the Okay Landing area of the lake can be productive also. ![]() Roads lead to the river just below the dam, which can be worth checking for gulls. Though there are no guarantees, rarities such as Magnificent Frigatebird, jaegers, Little Gull, and Sooty Tern have appeared at Millwood. At times, the lake can be full of dabbling and diving ducks, loons, grebes, American White Pelicans, gulls, and terns. A spotting scope is practically a necessity here. There’s a state park at the western edge of the huge dam, but the Beards Bluff area at the eastern end is usually a better viewpoint. Millwood is a very large reservoir, and covering it requires visiting various lookout points. It’s at its best from fall through spring for waterfowl and gulls, and in spring and fall migration for unusual songbirds. In southwestern Arkansas, the large reservoir called Millwood Lake has long been a hotspot for waterbirds, as well as for an extensive list of rare species of all types. ![]()
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