July 2023 – Memos for Me

Mottled Duck

July 15, 2023

Mottled Ducks have been spotted at Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge, and this is the best view I’ve gotten so far – with the exception of a few looks through a scope.

Mottled Ducks are frustrating for me. They are a dark brown, medium-sized duck with a bright yellow bill and a black spot at the gape (the spot where the bill meets feathers/head). They also closely resemble a female Mallard duck – and when they are far from view, it’s hard to tell which is which.

Mottled Ducks are on the watch list. They are commonly along the Gulf of Mexico coast and favor open marshy country, wet prairies and rice fields.

At the refuge, they’ve been spotted in a flooded field that refuge staff maintain for migrating shorebirds. I was lucky to arrive when more experienced birders were already set up. They were able to quickly point them out to me, and even let me peek through their scopes to get a better view.

Willets

July 2, 2023

Willets, a large, stocky shorebird with a black-and-white wing pattern, are not common in Arkansas, but have been spotted frequently this summer. I saw my first three Willets this weekend at Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge. They were making their way through a flooded rice field.

Willets are typically found along the U.S. coastline. One fun fact: like Killdeers, Willets pretend to be disabled by a broken wing to draw attention to themselves and way from their eggs or chicks.

Unfortunately, Willets are listed on bird watch lists as one of the bird species at risk of becoming threatened or endangered without conservation action.

Mountain View: A Mini-Vacation1

July 1, 2023

A portion of my days off was spent at a #mountainview cabin overlooking a creek where this Louisiana Waterthrush liked to forage.

We had many activities planned but ended up spending the majority of our time at the cabin just relaxing, completing crafts, birding and wading in the creek. And I finally got a photo of a Wood Thrush.

Taking A Break

July 1, 2023

I took a few days off because I needed a break. One of the first things I did was head to south Arkansas to visit the Overflowed National Wildlife Refuge (specifically the North Sanctuary section) in Ashley County.

My goal was to spot, and photograph, Least Bitterns. It was a success, although I really did not expect to be successful on my first attempt. Least Bitterns are very small herons found in wetland areas, although they can be difficult to find. They are found in Arkansas during breeding season. I actually found five with the most active Least Bittern being the one feeding its young.

It was a great trip with plenty of findings – including my first look at a Broad-winged Hawk. Here’s some of what I found at the refuge and in the nearby area: