113th CBC Arkansas Regional Summary

By Leif Anderson

The 113^th CBC in Arkansas was a nice season for counting with only 13 percent of the counts having light rain, nine percent had patchy snow, and four percent had partly frozen water.  Temperatures ranged from 20 to 73 F.  Moderate local influences were 22 percent of the counts having winds exceeding 15 miles per hour for half the day or more.  Two major local weather influences were extreme drought on nine percent of the counts and heavy rain on four percent of the counts.  The pleasant conditions resulted in the number of species, parties, observers, miles and hours remaining near normal.  Number of individual birds (1,269,344) was 85 percent below average because of reduced blackbird numbers.

All told, 23 counts were submitted with 10 counts having more than 90 species, including Holla Bend N.W.R. with the species high of 125.  Fayetteville had the most new or unusual species (8) and Jonesboro & Lonoke tied with the most new high counts (8).  Fayetteville had the most hours and Conway has the most observers.  The numbers for the following bird highlights are normalized by party hours.  In broad groups, geese were 651 percent above average (because of Snow Geese) and semi-hardy waterbirds up 586 percent.  Both have set 60-year highs in at least two of the last four years.  Blackbirds were down 98 percent (4th year in a row) and frugivores 96 percent below average, for the second year in a row.     

This season no regularly occurring species were “missed”.  Setting new 60-year highs were Greater White-fronted Goose and Snow Goose (both new highs in 3 of last 5 years), Northern Pintail (with 87% at Wapanocca N.W.R), Common Merganser, American White Pelican, Great Egret (with 52% at Lonoke), Black Vulture, Eurasian Collared-Dove (2 years in a row) and Red Crossbill (with 78% at North Fork of Illinois Bayou).    

Northern Shoveler was 464 percent above average, Merlin up 367 percent, Sandhill Crane up 670 percent (seen only 3 times in 52 years then in 7 of last 8 years.), Forster’s Tern up 301 percent (best in 14 years), Inca Dove up 331 percent (seen sporadically for 51 years, then every year for the last 9 years), Red-breasted Nuthatch up 127 percent (but only 35 % of all time high), Sedge Wren up 195 percent (but only 56% of all time high), American Pipit 306 percent (80% of all time high) and Red Crossbill up 2133 percent.  Meanwhile, 60-year lows were set by Least Sandpiper.

Black Duck was 99 percent below average (with 4 of the worst years seen in the last 5 years), Northern Bobwhite (-93 percent, with the last 3 years being the worst in 60 years), Herring Gull (-94 percent), Greater Roadrunner (-59 percent), and Loggerhead Shrike (-74 percent, with a sharp decline in the last 7 years).

There were several interesting species-specific patterns.  Stilt Sandpiper has been seen only three times in 60 years, all within the last seven years.  White-winged Dove also has only been seen three times in 60 years, all within the last eight years.  And Tree Swallow was seen for only the fifth time in 60 years.

The trend in average species numbers has always increased in Arkansas.  In the 1910’s the average species total was 30 species.  In the 30’s it was 39, in the 50’s 56; in the 60’s 72; in the 70’s 77; in the 90’s 82; and in the 2010’s – 86 species.   This is probably due to better optics and field guides, new technology, and an increased pool of observers with better understanding of wintering preferences and habitat requirements.     

Species found only on one count included  Red-breasted Merganser (Arkadelphia), Cattle Egret (Bayou DeView), White-winged Dove (Fort Smith- Moffett), Trumpeter Swan and Virginia Rail (Holla Bend N.W.R.), Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Lake Georgia Pacific-Felsenthal N.W.R.), Least Sandpiper (Lonoke), Eared Grebe and Lesser Yellowlegs (Pine Bluff), and American Black Duck (Wapanocca N.W.R.). 

And by my reconing the “birds-of-the-year” were the first Arkansas CBC records of Barrow’s Goldeneye at Holla Bend N.W.R and Great Crested Flycatcher at Hot Springs Village.  Another great bird was an Ash-throated Flycatcher on the Tennessee side of Wapanocca N.W.R.

It can never be said frequently enough—all the compilers and volunteers deserve a big “thank you” for your hard work!