April 19th Excursion
I woke around 7:00 am and packed up my camping implements, the tarp and sleeping bag damp from the storms of the previous night. The clouds had blown off the mountain, so I would be able to see more birds than the day before. I loaded my car, changed clothes, and drove to the lodge.
The Mount Magazine Lodge is a huge structure, flanked on each side by cabins for rent as well as a large building that acts as a hotel. The view of the area south of Mount Magazine is stunning from the lodge and the walkways around it. Since the weather had cleared since the previous day, one could see for a great distance into the valley below (including Blue Mountain Lake). I took a number of photos of the magnificent view and then consulted my trail map to plan the day's hike.
I decided to park at the south picnic area, Benefield Picnic Area, follow the Bear Hollow Trail north, then take the Will Apple Trail west, and then take the Greenfield to Mossback Ridge to complete the loop. I met a pair of hikers from Little Rock who commented on the pleasant nature of a hike through the clouds. I walked along some of the bluffs of the West Benefield Loop before following the Bear Hollow Trail north. Along the bluffs I spotted several Black-and-White Warblers frolicking among the vegetation, some coming close enough to be photographed, though I was not fast enough to capture them.
Much of the southern section of the Bear Hollow Trail was strangley devoid of birds (except the incessant Ovenbird calls), but I began to encounter more on the northern leg. I spotted an olive-brown bird gleaning insects in a nearby tree and consulted my guide, determining the suspect to be a Red-eyed Vireo. I heard a familiar squeaking and scanned the nearby trees, homing in on the source: an active White-breasted Nuthatch bounding along the trunk of a snag. In the same area I was able to observe a pair of Downy Woodpeckers as they scaled the branches of a tree in search of food.
I saw a flash of red and followed the source visually, quite sure I would be recording another male Northern Cardinal. However, when I could focus on the suspect I was delighted to identify him as a male Scarlet Tanager, a new addition to my lifelist. Less than 100 yards further down the trail I would spot a female Scarlet Tanager as well, her distinctive yellow an excellent identifier. At certain times I could hear the familiar call of a Carolina Wren ringing through the canyon. The nsasal spew! of a pair of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and ubiquitous cheer! song of numerous male Northern Cardinals could be heard near the north end of the Bear Hollow Trail.
I reached the end of the Bear Hollow Trail and walked to the Horse Camp where I could pick-up the Will Apple Trail. While observing a group (9-12) of Chipping Sparrows, I was approached by two rangers who were looking for bear tracks. They explained that a woman had claimed to have seen a bear in the vicinity, so they had to search for bear tracks to verify the report. One of the rangers spoke about the different warblers he could hear in the area, as well as how common Ovenbirds and Black-and-White Warblers are on Mt. Magazine.
I followed Will Apple Trail to the visitor's center, noticing how much more dense the clouds were since I began my hike at around 8:00 am. I found the Greenfield trail and followed it to the intersection of the Mossback Ridge Trail where I proceeded east toward the Benefield Picnic Area. I arrived back at my car around 12:30 pm where I changed clothes, packed away the birding equipment, and plotted a route back to Tulsa. (Mt. Magazine -> Ozark, AR -> Mulberry, AR -> Ft. Smith, AR -> Tulsa, OK)
On the way out of the park I stopped several times at scenic overlooks to take photos of the countryside. The clouds began to blow away and the sun came out, promising a pleasant drive back to Oklahoma.
Location: Mount Magazine SP - Bear Hollow/Will Apple Trails - Corley, ARObservation date: 4/19/09Number of species: 16
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura 1
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens 3
Hairy Woodpecker - Picoides villosus 1
Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe 1
Red-eyed Vireo - Vireo olivaceus 1
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata 3
Carolina Chickadee - Poecile carolinensis 5
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor 1
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis 1
Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea 1
Black-and-white Warbler - Mniotilta varia 10
Ovenbird - Seiurus aurocapilla 10
Scarlet Tanager - Piranga olivacea 2
Chipping Sparrow - Spizella passerina 9
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis 2
New Addition to SPQ's Lifelist
154) Scarlet Tanager
Photos: (Numbered from top to bottom)
1-4) Various photos taken at the Cameron Bluff Overlook.
5-8) Several photos of the Mt. Magazine Lodge and the view nearby.
9) An example of the rugged landscape found along the West Benefield Loop.
10) A view from one of the bluffs found along the West Benefield Loop.
11) Early morning dew on the leaf of a plant found along the Bear Hollow Trail.
12) A rugged stone staircase forming part of the Bear Hollow Trail.
13) A small stream found on the Will Apple Trail.
14) An unidentified Red flower.
15-19) Several photos of the Petit Jean Overlook, found on HWY-309 north of Havanna, AR.
-SPQ 4/24/2009
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