June 3
Warren Prairie Natural Area
Hwy. 278- east of Warren, AR
Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the Dixon Road commuter lot, Exit 3 off I-530 south. We should get to the Warren Prairie Natural Area parking lot on Hwy. 172 around 9:00 a.m. for those who would like to meet us there. Our target bird is the Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW). The young fledge around the last part of May through mid-June, so RCW family groups should still be in the general cluster areas. Warren Prairie is an Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission site located in the Coastal Plain and consists of a mosaic of saline barrens, salt slicks, post oak flatwoods, prairie mound woodlands, pine woodlands, and bottomland hardwood forest communities. It is also a global National Audubon Society Important Bird Area (IBA). Bill Holimon, Natural Heritage ornithologist and Chief of Research who manages the RCW population and its habitat, will join us. He will explain the history of the RCW project, provide an update on the status of the project, and give an overview of the special features of the saline barrens and the specialized plants and animals that inhabit this unique environment.
Bring scopes, boots, bug spray, water, sunscreen, and snacks/lunch. There are no bathroom facilities at the Prairie. There is a McDonald’s in Warren. From Warren, take U.S. Highway 278 East approximately 4.5 miles, across the Saline River, to the junction of State Highway 172 (Old Hwy. 8). Turn right (south) and proceed 2.0 miles to parking lot and sign on the left (east). GPS coordinates are [33.57956, -91.98643]