casmerodius (from kosmos, ornament and herodios, a heron) albus (white)
Monday, May 12, 1980 — 4:30 pm
Conway, Arkansas — Sturgis Road
I spent about an hour birding by the bridge on Sturgis Road. The creek had overflowed and flooded the surrounding cow pastures, making an acres-wide puddle. I didn’t see many birds while I was there but I did see two Great Egrets. They were flying over the field about 40 feet over the water and continued in a straight line until they disappeared.
melospiza (from melos, song, and spiza, finch) lincolnii (given in 1834 by John James Audubon for Thomas Lincoln, young man who accompanied Audubon on his Labrador trip of 1833)
Monday, May 12, 1980 — 1:00 pm
Conway, Arkansas — Happy Valley
I had been chased inside during the morning by thunderstorms, and I was restless to get back out. Things settled down for a while at midday, and I wandered down the road to the creek, risking another encounter with the dragon lady (see Nashville Warbler).
The Lincoln’s Sparrow was foraging in the bushes and on the ground along the edge of the creek right where it crosses the road. I was still watching it when I was called in to lunch. By the time I finished eating, the thunderstorm was in full force again.
icterus (jaundice) spurius (false)
Monday, May 12, 1980 — 7:10 am
Conway, Arkansas — Happy Valley
This pair of Orchard Orioles was flying perch-to-perch in the trees and brush along a small pond. At one point, the male mounted the female for a few moments. I spotted them again later in the day down by the creek that crosses the road.
caprimulgus (from caper, goat, and mulgeo, to milk) carolinensis (of Carolina)
Monday, May 12, 1980 — 6:15 am
Conway, Arkansas — Happy Valley
I had been hearing Chuck-will’s-widows singing in the woods on the hillside next to the house every night since we arrived. I determined to try to find one before I left. I got up just as it was getting light this morning and headed into the woods. I heard one singing, and almost immediately flushed it from the ground about twenty feet in front of me. It landed in a tree about forty feet away. It sat parallel on a branch with one wing hanging down on each side. Its enormous mouth was held wide open. As I got closer, it flitted off noiselessly and disappeared. I was surprised at how large it was and how big the mouth was. It looked like its entire head was hinged at the back.
archilochus (from archi-, first in importance, and lochos, an ambush) colubris (South American Indian name for these birds)
Saturday, May 10, 1980 — 12:15 pm
Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas
Petit Jean State Park covers the top of a plateau that rises abruptly out of the Arkansas River valley. The mountain is covered with oak/pine woods and is cut by numerous canyons and hollows. My wife and I were walking through the trees that line the river on top of the mountain. We spotted this male Ruby-throated Hummingbird perched on a branch of a small tree not far from the water.
Later, we saw a male hovering in front of some tubular red flowers. As we approached, it flew past us and landed on a branch about 20 feet away. Its throat appeared black except in direct sunlight.
