New to Arkansas (1 Viewer)

It doesn't appear as if many Arkansans read this thread and fewer post to it. Anyway, we are in our first year of living in west central Arkansas and we enjoy the mountains surrounding us. We are in our first winter snow event and our feeders are getting emptied on a daily basis. We've filled them up three times in the last 72 hours and will probably have to do so again tomorrow. We are seeing: wrens, chickadees, red-winged blackbirds, eastern towhees, northern cardinals, common grackles, chipping sparrows, American pipits, mourning doves, Eurasian collared doves, house finches, purple finches, eastern bluebirds, northern mockingbirds, and a large goose-like bird that has taken up residence in our pond (which currently looks like a small lake, due to the heavy rains of the last 60 days).

You are in a good spot there, Mr Birder. You will have, of course, the eastern range of species, but also, some of the southern and mainly western species are expanding their range and you are on the cusp of that.

So, I am jealous of your birds and your snow, believe it or not. We've had very little here(snow, but I also don't get many birds at my urban feeder) in upstate NY this year and I miss it. Even more so, I am actually missing the winters in the Ozarks (even a couple inches of ice would make me happy!).

Hi, Mr Birder,

While I'm not currently living in Arkansas, I'm originally from the Little Rock area and visit Arkansas every year. I have spent a fair amount of time photographing and birding central, mid-eastern, ozark areas. My last few trips have been in your area Mt. Magazine, Petit Jean Mt., Holla Bend NWR all great places for birding. (See My Arkansas albums at www.pbase.com/dlee if you like)

Hope to see some photos of your backyard bird before long and welcome to Birdforum.

Dick

Hello I live in north central Arkansas. I am new to birdwatching and feeding. I enjoy setting on my back porch watching the birds in my back yard at the feeders. Can you tell me what kind of seed do you feed? I am haveing a hard time with blackbirds right now. They are eating me out of house and home 100's of them. They are not the red winged blackbirds. These have large yellow looking eyes. They scare all the other birds off. Last summer I had a red tail hawk in my yard. He took a dove or 2. One morning he flew over my house and hit the corner on my screened in back porch knocked the screen out he fell to the ground for a few mins. then he flew up in a tree. I watched him for a couple of hours in the tree. That didnt stop him he visited my yard a couple of time during the winter. Havent seen him in a few weeks. I hope to see him again this summer even though he will eat something I dont want him to.

Hi Mr Birder...

Welcome to Arkansas!

We have lived here in central Arkansas 30 years now.
But we have only in the last few years gotten into bird photography.
I lurk in this forum quit a lot without logging in, so there may be more
Arkies around than you might think.
Yes...you are in a good place for birds. And on the west side you get a lot
of birds in the flyway we don't get to see here in central AR unless we do a bit of driving.
You might want to subscribe to the ARbirds list. Lots of info here in the state
as well from this list. PM me and I will give you the addy. I don't think we are supposed to list them here.

Cheryle

Hello fellow Arkies! New to Arkansas the past two years and very new to birding too. I love the site here. Last night I saw my first Rose breasted Grosbeak! I was thrilled! We are in NW Arkansas and enjoying our birds very much!!

Well I guess one more won't blacken the pot. I live in NW Arkansas and moved here from the central part of the state in 81. Most of my family have been bird watchers and I do a great deal while bowhunting deer from October thru February. There is a wide variety to see from Scissor Tail Flycatchers to Bald Eagles, Turkeys to Loons. I try to take some photos but use motion activated remote still units quite a bit. I've lived in a large part of the south but the Ozarks are truly my favorite place.

Check to see if the mix you are feeding the birds has corn in it. If so, choose a mix with No corn as that attracts blackbirds. Also, perhaps put up a scarecrow. May sound funny but it does keep the blackbirds away.

Try this Wild Bird Seed Mix

Randy
www.sweney-kern.com

carolynw said:

Hello I live in north central Arkansas. I am new to birdwatching and feeding. I enjoy setting on my back porch watching the birds in my back yard at the feeders. Can you tell me what kind of seed do you feed? I am haveing a hard time with blackbirds right now. They are eating me out of house and home 100's of them. They are not the red winged blackbirds. These have large yellow looking eyes. They scare all the other birds off. Last summer I had a red tail hawk in my yard. He took a dove or 2. One morning he flew over my house and hit the corner on my screened in back porch knocked the screen out he fell to the ground for a few mins. then he flew up in a tree. I watched him for a couple of hours in the tree. That didnt stop him he visited my yard a couple of time during the winter. Havent seen him in a few weeks. I hope to see him again this summer even though he will eat something I dont want him to.

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hi......

i have lived in arkansas for my whole life..... now you know why they call us the natural state!!!!i have handraised and abandoned robin once. it was so neat! you must really enjoy the fall!all the leaves changing!!!!its so beautiful! are you a fan of the razorbacks yet? i know i am!

This is an old thread, but just in case you're still listening . . .

Went for a walk around Lake Fayetteville earlier this week, pretty much to try out a used Swift 839 from eBay. Very nice selection of ducks at the east end: numberless Coot, pair of Woodies, lots of Gadwall with good study views. Very close views of Pied-billed Grebe near the dam if you're taking pictures. The footpath (as opposed to the bike path) is pretty much limited to the south side of the lake, but fortuitously so since the light is always right.

You've probably seen the Red-cockadeds by now? The Buffalo Creek area in Needmore makes a wonderful winter walk, even though it took us til noon to actually find the woodpeckers (the marked trees were helpful, but the birds were along the north fork of the road).

You've probably also been to Brinkley for the obligatory snipe--er, woodpecker--hunt. Dagmar is prettier and more productive in May. If you go down the east side of the White River NWR looking for geese, stop at the Louisiana Purchase Historic SP--it too is even better in spring, when it will remind you of birding in Central Park

also consider Lake Chicot state park and Milwood Lake state park in south AR

edj