Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society will host a field trip to Chesney Prairie Natural Area near Siloam Springs on Saturday, July 13th, at 8:00 AM. Chesney is an 82-acre grassland preserve managed by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission. It represents a precious remnant of the much larger historic Lindsley Prairie that once comprised 20-25 square miles. We can expect native prairie birds like Dickcissel, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, American Kestrel, and possibly Painted Bunting and Loggerhead Shrike. We’ll also take in the native summer flora like Blazing Star, Rattlesnake Master, and various attending pollinating insects.
Meet at 8:00 AM at the entrance to Chesney Prairies Natural Area (GPS: 36.218533, -94.4826207). The trip will consist of a flat 1-mile loop walk on mowed grass trails. We expect to spend about two hours moving slowly to take everything in, but attendees are free to come and go as they please. Chiggers and ticks are minimal on the paths thanks to mowing, but insect repellant is still worth considering. Water and sun protection are recommended. The trip is free and open to the public. You do not need to be an NWAAS member to attend.
This trip is free and open to the public. There’s no limit to participation. We ask that you RSVP by email to [email protected] so we know how many to expect. In your email, please include your name and the total number in your party.
From Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, take highway 412 W to near Siloam Springs city limits. At the intersection of 412 & 59, turn N onto 59. You pass the Siloam Springs airport. Approximately 1 mile past the airport, note an intersection: the road west is “Chesney” and the road east is “Bill Young.” Take Bill Young Road east approximately 0.8 miles. At this point there is a gravel farm road going north. Go approximately 0.5 miles north on this road to the dead end and the entrance sign to Chesney Prairie Natural Area (GPS: 36.218533, -94.4826207)
When the weather is bad for humans, it’s usually bad for birds too. We’ll cancel the trip at least 12 hours in advance if the weather is forecasted to be dangerous or unsuitable for birding. Field trip cancellations will be emailed to the NWAAS field trip list (email [email protected] to be added to this list). We’ll also try to post wherever else we can in a timely manner (Facebook, etc.)
Contact info for questions about the trip.
All Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society field trips are free and open to the public. We always welcome new members, but membership in NWAAS is not required for participation. We try to make our field trips accessible to everyone, all ages, abilities, interests. Beginning birders are always welcome. We have field trips on Saturdays and Sundays to accommodate different schedules. We encourage carpooling where possible.
If you plan on attending a field trip, please RSVP to [email protected]. This helps us plan for attendance, communicate to participants last-minute, and manage attendance for trips with limited capacity.
For maps and more information about these places, check the Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society web site http://www.nwarkaudubon.org/ and the section “Places to bird in northwest Arkansas” (under Menu on upper left side of the home page).
If you are interested in being added to the NWAAS email list for updates on field trips and other society events, please send a message to: [email protected]. Some of the information on the trips below can change, so additional details & updates about trips are sent via the email prior to the announced date -- check the NWAAS Facebook page for the latest.
SAFETY FIRST, ALWAYS! Our field trips are open to everyone. We try to warn about any special dangers that might be encountered, but neither NWAAS nor individual field trip leaders assume responsibility for personal safety. If you have special needs, or special concerns, please ask the field trip leader before the trip starts. We do not knowingly place anyone in danger on any field trip. We count on those who attend to keep trips safe for everyone.