Hobbs State Park and bird experts Joe Neal and Taylor Long will offer three educational boat trips on Beaver Lake, focusing on migrating Common Loons. These boat tours will be held on three consecutive Saturdays: November 4th, 11th, and 18th 2023, each from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM departing from Rocky Branch Marina on Beaver Lake. In addition to Loons, other waterfowl species typically seen include Horned Grebes, several duck species, two gull species, Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, and other water birds. These trips are separate from the regular Hobbs Bald Eagle cruises scheduled from November through February.
Each two-hour trip will be accompanied by either Joe Neal, author of “Birds in Northwest Arkansas,” or Taylor Long of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to help identify birds and answer questions. The cruise will be aboard Hobbs State Park’s covered pontoon boat, which is ideal for the loon outings.
Departure initiates from Rocky Branch Marina (GPS: 36.339270, -93.931760). It will be restful, slow travel for about 8 – 10 miles in one of the lake’s most open and picturesque areas. If you are an experienced birder or just want to explore a large body of water with lots of bird life, get on board and bring your camera or binoculars.
NOTE: To attend this trip, you must make reservations and pay through Hobbs State Park. Reservations may no be open yet (Hobbs is still working on posting the event).
Call 479-789-5000 to reserve your spots. Space is limited, and tours fill quickly. The minimum age is 16 years old, and the cost is $14.00 per person plus tax.
From Fayetteville/Springdale, take US-412 East towards Spring Valley, then turn left on AR-303. Follow 303 North past War Eagle (over the bridge) until you reach AR-12. If you’d like to take advantage of the last nice restroom, The Hobbs State Park Visitor Center, is very close by going right on AR-12. Otherwise, go left on AR-12. Follow AR-12 for 2.8 miles, then turn right on AR-303. Follow AR-303 for 2.3 miles, then continue onto Rocky Branch Rd for 1.3 miles. Turn left onto Park Rd, go 0.5 miles, then turn right onto Rocky Branch Marina Rd. You’ll soon see the Marina on your right; park at the first parking lot and look for people with binoculars. If you don’t see anyone in the parking lot, head down the walkway to where the boats are parked. Plan to arrive before 10:00 so we have time to load up and check-in for a prompt 10:00 AM departure.
Wind, water, and November temperatures can make this tour quite cold. Come prepared with layers and a good hat and gloves, even if the forecast seems mild.
There is no bathroom on board the boat and no winter toilets available at the Marina or the Rocky Branch day-use area. The closest restroom option on the way to Rocky Branch Marina is at the Shaddox Hollow Trailhead (GPS: 36.339270, -93.931760) on HWY 303. There are also wonderful facilities at the Hobbs State Park visitor center (GPS: 36.2855986,-93.9388112), which is about a 15-minute drive from the marina.
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.