With the warmer weather finally settling into the Ozark region of north-central Arkansas, it is exciting to think about getting outdoors again to enjoy some recreational activities in our public lands. Arkansas State Parks exist, in part, to enhance the quality of life through exceptional outdoor experiences and help our guests form personal connections to the parks and their resources. Bull Shoals-White River State Park has a variety of walking paths and hiking trails of varying lengths and difficulties for visitors to explore, offering cliff top views overlooking the White River and shoreline stopping points along Bull Shoals Lake. Each trail and point of interest contribute to our park’s unique story. While we often anticipate hiking towards a specific destination on the trail—perhaps a clearing with a view or a streamside bench for a picnic spot—we have a tendency to overlook the subtle, simple wonders occurring along the way, forgetting to “stop and smell the roses,” so to speak. Some of nature’s truly incredible “wow” moments are happening all over the forest floor, camouflaged against the shrubs and trees, or tucked beside a rotting log, and each of those has a story to uncover. The following photos and descriptions provide a brief glimpse of a much grander narrative that is unfolding in nature all the time, regardless if we are witness to its mysteries. How many of these, and similar amazing things, can you spot during your next venture down a trail? “It is a shame to miss that which is right beneath the steps of inquiring minds.” –Anonymous

Four Tulsa birders were joined by five Bartlesville folks Saturday morning to walk the Pathfinder Parkway and see what birds we could find. Migration still seems to be a little later than usual, but we did find a few good birds. Here is a list of the highlights: White-eyed Vireo-2 Warbling Vireo-2 Yellow-throated Vireo-2 Red-eyed Vireo-1 Orange-crowned Warbler-3 Northern Parula Warbler-3 Myrtle Warbler-5 Yellow-throated Warbler-2 Prothonotary Warbler-2 Louisiana Waterthrush-1 Lincoln's Sparrow-5 Thanks go to Mark Peterson for leading us, and to Jen Wong for the attached photos. - Jim Deming

Seven Tulsa Audubon members met four Indian Nations Audubon members at Spavinaw State Park for a day of birds and wild flowers. After birding around the park and vicinity, we headed for the main objective; the City of Tulsa property between Lakes Spavinaw and Eucha, which has been largely untouched for 100 years.Migrating birds were scarce, but we did find Louisiana Waterthrushes, Northern Parula, and Yellow-throated Warbler. The Ozark wildflowers were blooming nicely, and we saw Woodland Phlox, Rue Anemone, Dutchman's Breeches, Bloodroot, Trout Lillies, Yellow and Blue Violets, Cutleaved Toothwort, and others we could not identify. Both Spavinaw and Eucha Lakes still had Common Loons, and Eucha had an Osprey. After lunch in Jay, we went to the upper Eucha area for a while before heading home. There we found a rookery of Great Blue Herons, and observed them coming and going for a while. We lucked out on the weather, and while we finished with only 52 bird species, we all agreed it was a very good trip. Here is the complete bird list: Canada Goose Gadwall Scaup sp. Common Loon Pied-billed Grebe Double-crested Cormorant American White Pelican Great Blue Heron Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Red-tailed Hawk American Coot Bonaparte's Gull Franklin's Gull Eurasian Collared-Dove Mourning Dove Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Eastern Phoebe Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Blue Jay American Crow Fish Crow Barn Swallow Carolina Chickadee Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch Carolina Wren Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Eastern Bluebird American Robin Northern Mockingbird European Starling Louisiana Waterthrush Northern Parula Yellow-throated Warbler Chipping Sparrow Song Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Northern Cardinal Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle House Finch American Goldfinch House Sparrow

Experience the natural wonders of Panama with Tulsa Audubon Society, Sept. 26 - Oct. 5, 2019! Panama offers some of the most exciting birding in all of Central America as well as amazing lodging options. Our tour will start at the unique Canopy Tower, a former US Air Force radar tower in the midst of Soberania National Park (near the Panama Canal) that’s been turned into a beautiful eco-tourism lodge to give you eye-level looks at birds and other wildlife. Then, we’ll move on to the Canopy Lodge situated in beautiful El Valle, for a very different set of birds and other wildlife. Lots of birds and other wildlife, plus fun and fellowship! Click here for a flyer with the details. Contact Jeff Cox ( jeffacox54@gmail.com or 918-629-2140) for more information.