The Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society will host a field trip to Shores Lake in the Ozark National Forest on Saturday, March 16, 2024, starting at 9:00 AM. This area features mature shortleaf pine habitat that’s the best place in Northwest Arkansas to find our target species: Brown-headed Nuthatch. We’ll enjoy all the fine birds this pine forest offers, keeping a keen eye out for Red Crossbill, which has been seen in this area in the past. Bill Beall, veteran birder from Ft. Smith will co-lead this trip. Meet at 9 AM at the Shores Lake picnic area entrance (GPS: 35.640199, -93.959962) on the west side of the lake. We’ll bird around the lake and surrounding area for a few hours. You are welcome to leave whenever you need.
For those who want to keep birding in the afternoon, Bill Beall will lead us down to the Kibler Bottoms and Frog Bayou WMA area (near Alma, AR) to explore the ponds, river, and agricultural fields in the valley.
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, take I-49 south ~50 miles to Mountainburg. Take exit 34 and turn left to connect to HWY 71 S. Follow HWY 71 south for ~1 mile, then turn left on Hickory St (by the Post Office). Head up the hill, turning left again to stay on Hickory St for two more miles. Then turn left onto NF-1007/Old Locke Rd. Follow Old Lock Rd for ~5 miles, then turn right onto Old Fern Rd. Follow Old Fern Rd ~4 miles, then turn left on AR-215. Follow AR-215 for ~3 miles to Shores Lake Recreation Area. We’ll meet at the picnic area entrance (GPS: 35.640199, -93.959962).
For the optional second half of the day exploring Kibler Bottoms and Sharp Chapel Rd, here are some key locations to use for routing:
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.