Easter at Wapanocca

   We got up early Sunday, when it was still dark, and drove to eastern Arkansas to the Wapanocca Wildlife Refuge. This used to be a private hunt club. There are canals and a small lake. and lots of swampy bottomland to serve as habitat for birds.

   Over time, the level of the water in the lake had been dropping. The lake was leaking. So the Wildlife Service drained the lake to harden up the muddy bottom of the lake. They then refilled it and the ducks love it.

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

   In Spring the birds are easy to distinguish because they are whistling and singing loudly to attract a mate and to defend territory. The problem of birding in the springtime has to do with the leaves on the trees which make it difficult to find the birds. In autumn the leaves fall and it is easier to spot birds. But in autumn they do not sing to attract attention. So, there are trade-offs each way.

Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)

   Here is a list of the birds we saw at the Wapanocca Wildlife Area.

• Prothonotary Warbler
  
• Northern Cardinal
  
• Carolina Wren
  
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
  
• Indigo Bunting
  
• Yellow-billed Cuckoo
  
• Savannah Sparrow
  
• Canada Goose
  
• Common Grackle
  
• Pied-billed Grebe
  
• Fish Crow
  
• Northern Shoveler
  
• Red-winged Blackbird
  
• Eastern Bluebird
  
• Carolina Chickadee
  
• Great Horned Owl
  
• American Crow
  
• Eastern Phoebe
  
• Great Blue Heron
  
• Blue-winged Teal
  
• American Coot
  
• Wild Turkey
  

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

Robert
photos courtesy of wikipedia