Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society will host a field trip to Kibler Bottoms and Frog Bayou WMA near Alma on Sunday, August 25th, at 9:00 AM. The focus of this trip will be migrating fall shorebirds with reasonable chances of seeing Upland Sandpipers and Buff-breasted Sandpipers. Other local specialties include Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and Least Terns. This will be a car-caravan-style field trip: mostly slow driving with frequent stops for observing with binoculars (and spotting scopes). At Sharp Chapel Road we may walk from the cars up to one mile to get a better view of wet units so please bring bug spray, sun protection, and water. (Local birders say Sharp Chapel is all grown over with poor shorebird habitat, so we’ll likely skip it this year and use the extra time to visit Blackland Rd where shorebirding has been more productive.)
We will meet at the Alma McDonald’s parking lot (Address: 247 U. S. Hwy 71, Alma, AR 72921) at 9:00 AM to consolidate cars. From there, we’ll first make our way through the sod farms and agricultural fields of Kibler Bottoms, then over to the Orrick Road ponds, Sharp Chapel Road wet units, and finally into Frog Bayou WMA to scan the big river for terns. We expect to finish around noon. The trip is free and open to the public. You do not need to be an NWAAS member to attend.
Because this trip involves mostly driving and stopping along backcountry roads, we’re limiting our group size to 20 to ensure a good and safe experience for our participants. To RSVP, email [email protected] to let us know you plan on attending the August shorebird field trip. Please include your name and the total number in your party.
<aside> ⚠️ This trip is full, but we are keeping a waitlist.
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From Fayetteville to Alma McDonalds, take I-49 South toward Fort Smith. Take exit 20 to merge onto I-40 E toward Alma, then soon after take exit 13 and turn right on US-71 N. McDonald’s is on the right. GPS: 35.486811, -94.2270521
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.