River otters offer antics for winter wildlife watchers
Feb. 1, 2023
Photos by Chris Newberry
LITTLE ROCK — Conservation comeback stories often focus on the amazing return of white-tailed deer, the black bear in Arkansas and other game species, but one of The Natural State’s most charismatic critters also came back as a result of proper game management and habitat conservation. Once nearly wiped clean from Arkansas’s streams, the river otter now enjoys a healthy population which benefits not only trappers, but the many men and women who enjoy watching wildlife from a canoe, kayak or other watercraft.
Waxing poetic
Jan. 11, 2023
Cedar waxwings grace gardens throughout winter in The Natural State
The cedar waxwing is one of Arkansas’s most striking winter residents, although it does not stand out with garish plumage. Instead of sporting raucous colors or flitting about in dizzying displays of hops and jumps, waxwings are some of the sleekest, most elegant-looking birds likely to grace your backyard or hedge.
Pelicans provide winter wildlife-viewing excitement
Dec. 14, 2022
Images by Chris Newberry
LITTLE ROCK — Although pelicans can be spotted any time of year in The Natural State, winter is prime time to visit reservoirs and dams along the Arkansas River and see flocks of these huge birds gathering and feeding on shad and other fish that are stunned after being pulled through the gates.
AGFC, partners offer new experience for birding community
Dec. 7, 2022
LITTLE ROCK — Birders and other wildlife-watching enthusiasts have a great new way to participate in outdoor recreation, thanks to the creation of a special Natural State-specific online gateway to Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology’s eBird birdwatching system.
123rd annual Christmas Bird Count begins Dec. 14
Nov. 30, 2022
LITTLE ROCK — Waterfowl hunters aren’t the only people watching the skies during the holiday season. Birdwatching enthusiasts will be catching the winter migration of songbirds, shorebirds and all sorts of avian species during this year’s annual Christmas Bird Count, Dec. 14-Jan. 5, coordinated by the National Audubon Society.
Birders benefit from waterfowl habitat program
Feb. 9, 2022
LITTLE ROCK — Duck hunters aren’t the only people who know and appreciate the soul-stirring sight of thousands of ducks, geese and other migratory birds descending on open fields in the Arkansas Delta. Each year, birders and other wildlife-watching enthusiasts flock to wetlands during winter to catch a glimpse of these birds as they make their annual trip between nesting grounds in the North and warmer breeding grounds below the frost belt. And thanks to the habitat offered by waterfowl-focused programs in Arkansas, these birdwatchers have more than 3,800-acres of private land to enjoy their passion through the end of winter.
New Lake Maumelle loop trail offers birds, blooms and bank fishing
Oct. 27, 2021
LITTLE ROCK — A new loop in the trail system around Lake Maumelle in central Arkansas will take visitors on a tour of scenic views among the open forests of the Ouachita foothills. The 2.3-mile Bufflehead Bay trail was completed this fall, and is sure to be a favorite among bird-watchers and other conservationists looking for a secluded adventure without the long drive to a remote destination.