GENTRY — Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society will host a field trip to Eagle Watch Nature Trail near Gentry on Saturday, Feb 5.
The EWNT field trip will be led by Terry Stanfill, manager of the EWNT.
"Meet in the parking area at 9 a.m.," Stanfill said. "If you are late, just come on down the trail towards the observation deck. Expect bald eagles, red-headed woodpeckers and more. Bring your spotting scope," he suggested.
NAAS will also host a field trip to Hobbes State Park-Conservation Areaand Rocky Branch on Beaver Lake on Saturday, Jan 22. Participants should meet at the Hobbes visitor's center parking lot at 9 a.m. The trip will include some easy walking for upland forest birds, such as pine warblers in the shortleaf pine habitat, and then travel the few miles to Rocky Branch on Beaver Lake for winter waterfowl.
Both field trips will be hosted by Joe Neal, one of the Arkansas' leading birders. He is a retired biologist for the National Forest Service and the author of a recentlypublished book, "Birds of Northwest Arkansas." He's also curator ofbird records for Arkansas Audubon Society and field trip leader for NWAAS.
"If anyone has a question about birds, he can answer it," said Stanfill.
Directions and additional information for both locations can be found at www.nwarkaudubon. org/id17.html.
NWAAS field trips are free and open to the public. Membership in NWAAS is not a requirement, nor is it necessary to be an experienced birder. An interest in the outdoors is helpful.
A list of all currently scheduled field trips for 2011 is available at www.nwarkaudubon.org/id4.
Sports, Pages 7 on 01/12/2011