Arkansas-Louisiana: Summer 2019

Waterfowl through Warblers

There were several Arkansas reports of lingering out-of-season waterfowl for the summer season. Solitary Snow Geese were at Beaverfork Lake, Faulkner 3 Jul (ML, PMc); Bald Knob NWR, White 8 Jul (GW); and Osceola, Mississippi 29 Jul (WDR). Also in AR, a Northern Shoveler was at Alma Wastewater Treatment Plant, Crawford 24 Jul (SB); an American Wigeon was at Little Rock, Pulaski 30 Jul (RS); and a Lesser Scaup was at the Alma Wastewater Treatment Plant 22 Jul (GW). 

Rare to uncommon in Arkansas, but local and spreading, single Inca Doves were observed near the post office at McNeil, Columbia 4 Jun (DMo, SS); the US Forest Service office at Hector, Pope 16 Jul (LA); and El Dorado, Union 27 Jul (PMa). A White-winged Dove at Curtis Walker Park in Conway, 5 Jun (CM) was a first for Faulkner, AR. Normally a somewhat rare winter visitor to Louisiana, a Groove-billed Ani seemed very early on 28 July at Pointe Aux Chenes WMA, Terrebonne. Rare, very local and difficult to observe in Arkansas, a King Rail was spotted at Choctaw Island WMA, Desha 17 Jul (GH, JM, KM). Limpkins continued to defy the range map, nesting again at the Houma, Terrebonne site where the first confirmed Louisiana nesting took place the year prior; an adult and four juveniles were observed there 9 Jun (SG). 

A Black-necked Stilt feeding in a flooded field just east of Little Rock 30 Jul was a surprising first for Pulaski, AR (RS). Rare and endangered, a banded Piping Plover was photographed at Lake Dardanelle SP, Pope, AR 28 Jul (AO). Rare but annual in Arkansas, a Marbled Godwit was observed at Bald Knob NWR, White, along with a suprising adult Laughing Gull 28 Jul (JB, TB, ET). A Glaucous Gull first observed in April continued at Elmers Island, Jefferson, LA 8 Jun (JG). Rare in summer in Arkansas, a Neotropic Cormorant near Cadron Settlement Park 31 Jul was a first for Perry (ML, PMc). A Swallow-tailed Kite observed near Horseshoe Lake, Crittenden 24 Jul (WDR) was the season’s only Arkansas report of this rare and local summer resident. 

A male and female Red-breasted Nuthatch continued at a feeder at Ninestone Land Trust, Carroll, AR, through 2 Jun after a particularly “irruptive” winter. Though nesting was suspected, no fledglings had yet been observed (DMa, JAG). Rare, local, and declining, a Bewick’s Wren was photographed at Hindsville, Madison, AR 8 Ju (VGK, JN, m.ob.). Very rare in summer, and perhaps just the third for Boone, AR, a Red Crossbill was observed eating sunflower seeds at a feeder in Harrion 26 Jul (SJG). Just the fourth July occurrence on file for Arkansas, a White-throated Sparrow was recorded singing near Garfield, Benton 13 Jul (PP). A very late Nashville Warbler was seen 9 Jun near Okolona, Clark, AR (PCh).

Significance for Arkansas records is based on Arkansas Birds, their distribution and abundance (James and Neal 1986) and the Arkansas Audubon Society (AAS) online bird record database (for records since 1986). The significance of Louisiana records is based on trends derived from the database of bird record cards submitted to and archived at the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science (LSUMNS); records are primarily taken from rare bird reports submitted to the Louisiana Bird Records Committee (LBRC) and to the Louisiana birding listserv (LABIRD). More detailed information on Louisiana rarity reports can be found at www.losbird.org/lbrc/lbrc.htm. County and parish names are italicized. 

Report processed by Amy Davis, 22 Jul 2021.