This field trip has been CANCELED due to hazardous weather. We’ll work with NWA Land Trust to reschedule this even for an upcoming weekend.
The Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society and the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust will co-lead a field trip to Betty Hinshaw Bird Sanctuary on Saturday, June 10, 2023 at 9:00 AM. Birders will have the opportunity to explore this newly protected sanctuary of 25 acres along Wildcat Creek, guided by an NWA Land Trust representative who will share management plans to support grassland birds. We hope this trip will serve as an introduction to birders interested in this new sanctuary and encourage more regular visits in the future. The trip will consist of ~1 mile of hiking around a former farm pasture with flat but uneven ground. We’ll plan for two hours but participants may come and go as they please. Sturdy shoes, sun protection, insect repellent, and water are encouraged. As always, the trip is free and open to the public. You do not need to be a member of NWAAS to attend.
The Sanctuary is located at 2150 County Rd 84, Springdale AR. There are many ways to get there from Fayetteville using the address and GPS. The simplest approach from Fayetteville is to take 1-49 N, to HWY 412 west towards Tontitown. Just past the Tontitown Museum and Police Station take a left on S Barrington Rd (Co Rd 84). Follow this road south for 2.4 miles until you see a lake on the left. The driveway to access the sanctuary is on the left with a large white cow statue at its entrance. Follow the driveway around the lake, then fork to the right down towards the open field (do not proceed up the hill, this is a private residence). Parking should be available in the field (GPS: 36.144923, -94.236811) and overflow parking is available in the church parking lot across from the driveway entrance.
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 try to arrange carpools 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.