Listing Through Life

coragyps (from korax, raven, and gyps, vulture) atratus (black)

Saturday, September 19, 1981 — 11:00 am

Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas

I drove over the top of Petit Jean Mountain, through the state park. On the west side of the mountain, a creek cuts a deep canyon that extends nearly a mile through the plateau. An overlook along the road gives a great view of this canyon and the Arkansas River valley beyond.

Three Black Vultures were perched in a dead tree right at the lip of the canyon. Shortly after I spotted them, they took off down into the canyon, flapping slowly with short glides. They joined three others that were already circling over the valley below me. All six flew slowly out of sight down near the canyon floor.

I took this photo of two Black Vultures 24 years later from the exact spot where I saw my lifers.

egretta (diminutive of heron) thula (Chilean name for this bird)

Saturday, September 19, 1981 — 9:05 am

Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas

I was standing on the observation deck overlooking the old river channel. I had been watching and listening to a Fish Crow when I noticed the Snowy Egret. It was wading up to its leg joints in a brush-edged area of the pond. It made its way to a mud flat near shore, stood for a short time, then walked slowly along the edge of the slough. It then took off, flying gracefully past where I stood and disappeared behind some brush.

corvus (raven) ossifragus (bone-breaking)

Saturday, September 19, 1981 — 9:00 am

Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas

This was my first visit to Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge. It’s not a terribly picturesque place. The entire refuge sits on what used to be an oxbow surrounded by a loop of the Arkansas River. The main river channel was straightened and now cuts across the base of the loop. The area is flat flood plain covered with fields and scruffy woods. The old river channel is now a series of muddy sloughs and lakes.

On this visit, I was specifically looking for Fish Crows. I was seeing crows everywhere, but they weren’t making any noise. I finally spotted one in the trees on the south side of the old channel slough. It was calling in a short, nasal-sounding “ca” without the hoarseness of the American Crows that were calling nearby. I also heard it giving a two-syllable “ca-ah.”  Both calls carried pretty far.

egretta (diminutive of heron) caerulea (blue)

Friday, September 18, 1981 — 2:10 pm

Mayflower, Arkansas — Lake Conway

I birded Bell Slough Wildlife Area in Mayflower. The area was crawling with hunters and fishermen, so I didn’t wander around much. I stood on the dam and looked out over the lake for a few minutes. While I was doing that, an Osprey flew over.

Near the Mayflower exit off Interstate 40, the road cuts across a corner of Lake Conway on a causeway. To one side was a large bay full of standing tree stumps. On the other side was a long, narrow bay covered with lily pads from shore to shore. I pulled off to the side of the road and scanned the area. I spotted the Little Blue Heron standing near the shore about 80 yards away. It was standing still when I first saw it. After about 30 seconds, it flew to another spot and stood still again. It kept repeating this behavior, standing still for a while, then flying or wading to another spot and standing again.

blarina brevicauda

September 11, 1981 — 10:15 am

Des Plaines, Illinois — home

I heard shuffling in the raspberry patch next to the garage and saw movement between the flagstones in the walk. I picked up a stone and saw the Short-tailed Shrew in a small trench it had dug.  It ran up the trench under the bricks toward the raspberries.

It was approximately three-and-a half-inches long including a one-inch tail. It’s fur was a uniform dark gray. I didn’t see any ears or eyes. As it moved, its pink nose wiggled rapidly.