Carolina Wren – Memos for Me

Photos: Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois d’Arc WMA

August 4, 2022

I recently visited the Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois d’ Arc Wildlife Management Area outside of Hope in Hempstead County. Established as a WMA in the 1950s, my goal was to find a Purple Gallinule.

Similar to the Common Gallinule, this marsh bird is chicken sized. I’ve seen the common Gallinule plenty before, but not the Purple Gallinule. This visit had me seeing plenty as they walked across vegetation on the water. They are typically found in pockets of Arkansas during breeding season.

The visit was enjoyable, and I was happy to get a better photo and look of an Anhinga.

Here’s some other photos of what I saw:

A trip between rain showers

April 23, 2020

Swainson Thrush2 PMSP 04192020.JPG — Swainson’s Thrush

There were few birds found recently on Pinnacle Mountain State Park’s Arboretum Trail (and only 1 other person – we stayed far away from each other), but the ones I definitely made the trip taken between rain showers count. I found a Carolina Wren feeding its babies, a Carolina Chickadee (not pictured) gathering food and a Swanson’s Thrush. A native Red Columbine flower also grew near the trail – a perfect celebration of this being Native Plant Week.