By Margi Jenks

Spring is on its way.  I’ve looked at the calendar, and even though we had snow on the ground last Friday and Sunday, every day we are getting a little closer to March 20^th.  Pretty soon our feathered friends will be waking us up every morning with their calls and songs. 

Are you an experienced birdwatcher, or are you just starting to wish you knew the name of that little brown bird that sings you a song every morning?  If you fall in either category, please join us on Saturday, March 6^th at 1:00 PM at the Crater Park Pavilion for an afternoon workshop of bird identification and bird-watching tips.  In addition, each workshop member will receive and put together a birdhouse that they can take home to enhance their backyard environment.  The $15.00 workshop fee is payable the day of the workshop. To reserve your spot, call Margi or Waymon at 870-285-3116, or send an email to margaret.jenks@arkansas.gov.

Now that I live in a state park, this winter I have dipped my toe in birdfeeding and bird-watching (and squirrel and deer feeding as well, since it is difficult to feed just the birds).  To find out the best way to do it, I did what I usually do--went to the library and found a book. In the early part of December I bought the correct feed and put up a feeder and suet holder.  The book had also suggested ground feeding, so I did that as well.  At the beginning no birds came to the feeders, just the ground feeders.  The book said that the birds like to hide in nearby trees and shrubs, but my front yard is still a flat field/work in progress.  So, I cut some brush and put it in a corner next to my feeding station.  Still no birds.  So, on a Hot Springs shopping trip I stopped by the Wild Bird Center and talked to the nice lady.  She suggested that the birds had not figured out yet that the feeders contained food, and to just be patient.  And, to my amazement, my patience paid off. In late January it was like a light turned on for the birds.  Now I can’t keep up with filling the feeders for the juncos, warblers, a few goldfinches, and even some doves and red-headed woodpeckers.  So, I am really looking forward to talking with the Texarkana Audubon Society members who may be coming up to help with the workshop.  Maybe they can tell me if the little yellow birds that come to my feeders are yellow or prothonotary warblers.

Gift Shop Specials: We have a new hat/t-shirt combo that is called a “3fer”.  You get a cap, short sleeved t-shirt and a long sleeved t-shirt for 1 low price of $27.98. 

Search area last plowed:  February 3, 2010, Total diamonds so far in 2010 - 34

Diamonds registered February 8^th to February 14th (100 pts. = 1 carat):

February 11 - Thomas Houser, Bossier City, LA, 5 pt. white, 6 pt. white, 10 pt. white

February 13 - Thomas Houser, Bossier City, LA, 16 pt. white

February 14 - Jerry Laurent, Murfreesboro, AR, 2 pt. yellow; Rhiannon Compton, Monterey, CA, 10 pt. white; Jackson Dowd, Monterey, CA, 11 pt. white; Billy Moore, Murfreesboro, AR, 11 pt. brown, 59 pt. white; David Anderson, Kent City, MI, 25 pt. white, 90 pt. white