Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society will host a birding field trip to Lake Fayetteville on Saturday, November 30th, 2024, starting at 9:00 AM. The focus of this trip will be winter waterfowl (ducks, geese, grebes) that accumulate on the lake at this time of year. We will meet at the trailhead parking lot South of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks and make our way along a forest trail to the site of the former Mulhollan Waterfowl Blind that sadly burned down this year. Despite the loss of the blind, we will still do our best to survey waterfowl on the lake from this vantage point. The walk to the blind and back will be approximately 1.25 miles on flat dirt trails and boardwalks with the trip lasting no more than 2 hours. If waterfowl are congregating on the North or West sides of the lake, we may add an optional addition to the trip by driving around to the ONSC dock, or the marina. The trip is free and open to the public. You do not have to be a member of NWAAS 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.
Standing on the edge of the lake in December can be quite chilly. Check the forecast and err on the side of being overdressed if it’s at all chilly. The walk from parking to the blind is approximately 3/4 mile of flat dirt and wooden boardwalk trails. The trail is wide and flat (no steep slopes) but could be uneven in places (roots, mud, etc.). Hiking shoes are recommended.
The trailhead parking lot is on the Southwest side of Lake Fayetteville at 4607 N Crossover Rd, Fayetteville, AR 72764 (just South of the BGO parking lot). We will gather on the trail by this parking lot. From the parking lot, we’ll head north on the trail and follow it around the BGO before taking a left onto the mountain biking path that will lead us to the former waterfowl blind area. If you’re late, feel free to head straight to the blind area as directly as you choose. The exact location of the blind area is GPS 36.136538, -94.123705.
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.