Northwest Arkansas Birding Tour Hosted by SWS South Central Chapter

Photo source: Angela Westfall of Westfall Photography.

The South Central Chapter of the Society of Wetland Scientists hosted a Northwest Arkansas Birding Tour at the C. B. Charlie Craig State Fish Hatchery, Centerton, Arkansas, on April 28th, 2018. Forty attendees enjoyed a beautiful day of birdwatching led by renowned ornithologist, Joe Neal. The tour began with an educational lecture by Joe Neal and then all hiked the grounds around the hatchery ponds. Thirty-three different species of birds were seen during the tour of the hatchery. Operated by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, the 141-acre hatchery has been designated by the Arkansas Audubon as an Important Bird Area.

Intended to be a family-friendly event, one-third of the attendees were children. The fundraising event was planned by Jodie Murray Burns, Arkansas Educational and Outreach Coordinator for the South Central Chapter, along with Eric Fuselier, South Central Chapter member. Coffee and doughnuts for the event were donated by Starbucks and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. Corporate sponsors for the birding tour were Cattails Environmental, LLC, and Garver.

The local representatives of the SWS South Central chapter anticipate hosting this birding event annually to raise chapter funds and support the mission of the Society of Wetland Scientists - to promote understanding, conservation, protection, restoration, science-based management, and sustainability of wetlands. If any local chapter members are interested in assisting with this event next year, please contact Jodie Murray Burns.

Photo source: Cassie Schmidt

List of Birds Seen on April 28, 2018: Greater Yellow legs, Lesser Yellow legs, Northern Shoveler duck, Blue-wing Teal ducks, Cliff swallow, Blue Heron, Spotted sandpiper, Green heron, Pied-Bill Grebe, Tree swallow,  Scissor-tailed flycatcher, Killdeer, Canada Goose, Carolina wren, Eastern Meadowlark, Savannah Sparrow, White-Throated Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Double crested cormorants, Bald Eagle, Purple Martin, Yellow warbler, Brown thrasher, Ruby crowned kinglet, Yellow-Rumped warbler, Eastern kingbird, Baltimore Oriole, Rose-Breasted grosbeak, Eurasian collared dove, Red-winged Blackbird, Blue jay, Cowbird, Red-tailed Hawk

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