Recent records of Arkansas rare or out of season birds submitted for inclusion in the AAS Rare Bird Database.  These records have not been vetted by the AAS Rare Bird Committee.
ID Species County Locale Date Number Observers comments  
48899843 Barrow's Goldeneye Pope Lake Dardanelle 12/3/2011 1 Kenny Nichols Adult male. Very rare winter visitor. 4th state record.  
48899866 Wilson's Snipe Pulaski UALR Dickinson Hall 12/7/2011 1 K.R. harris casualty of hitting window at Dickinson Hall at UALR  
48899867 Vermilion Flycatcher Prairie Stuttgart Airport 12/9/2011 1 Dan Scheiman, Bill Shepherd Very rare winter visitor and first county record. Immature male transitioning into adult plumage - brown-gray above, orange-red below, mix of red and gray on face, bright red crown.  
48899868 Rough-legged Hawk Crittenden Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge 12/10/2011 1 Ron Howard, Linda Howard Uncommon winter visitor. Photo available.  
48899869 Blue-headed Vireo Yell Our cabin on Lake Dardanelle 12/10/2011 1 Kenny & LaDonna Nichols, Charles Mills Rare in winter. Singing.  
48899871 Lesser Black-backed Gull Yell Lake Dardanelle 12/11/2011 1 Kenny & LaDonna Nichols, MOB Adult. Rare winter visitor.  
48899888 White-winged Scoter Faulkner Beaverfork Lake 12/17/2011 1 Michael Linz and Mitchell Pruitt First record of bird for Faulkner County.  
48899889 Greater Roadrunner Monroe Gin Rd. just east of Monroe/Woodruff Co. line 12/19/2011 1 Dan Scheiman, Samantha Scheiman, John Andre Rare in eastern Arkansas; possibly a second county record. Coordinates are 34.970639 -91.290139. Observed during Bayou DeView CBC  
48899890 Bewick's Wren Monroe Orchard Lane off Hwy 17 12/19/2011 1 Dan Scheiman, Samantha Scheiman, John Andre Rare winter resident. One of two seen by this party on the Bayou DeView CBC.  
48899891 Bewick's Wren Monroe Dark Corner Rd. 12/19/2011 1 Dan Scheiman, Samantha Scheiman, John Andre Rare winter resident. One of two seen by this party on the Bayou DeView CBC.  
48899892 Cattle Egret Poinsett Senteney Road 12/28/2011 1 Ron Howard Uncommon in winter.  
48899854 American Woodcock Washington Lake Fayetteville 12/4/2011 2 H. David Chapman Uncommon in early winter in nwAR  
48899865 American Tree Sparrow Washington Woolsey Wet Prairie 12/3/2011 3 Dan Scheiman, Joe Neal, Karen Holliday, Dottie and Doris Boyles, Jim and Samantha Dixon Rare but regular at this location.  
48899870 Glaucous Gull Yell Lake Dardanelle 12/10/2011 3 Kenny & LaDonna Nichols, Charles Mills Very rare winter visitor. First sighting of multiple birds. All three were in first-winter plumage.  
48899893 Greater Yellowlegs Poinsett Senteny Road 12/28/2011 19 Ron Howard Large number of late migrants for this area.  
48899894 Greater Yellowlegs Poinsett Punkin Center Road, south of Jonesboro 12/28/2011 50 Mitchell Pruitt Uncommon in winter. One Lesser Yellowlegs was seen with this group also. A local said they have been in the area for a few months. Photos available.  
  Virginia Rail Monroe Mallard Pointe 12/19/2011 4 Lyndal York Bill Shepherd Alan Mueller High number in one location. Four different birds responded with "oink" calls to tape.  
  Blue-headed Vireo Washington Lake Fayetteville 8/29/2009 1 H. David Chapman Earliest fall arrival date for AR in database. Record recovered from field notes.  
  Fish Crow Washington Lake Fayetteville 2/17/2011 1 H. David Chapman Early date for nwAR. Record recovered from field notes.  
  American Black Duck Mississippi Big Lake NWR 1/4/2012 2 Ron Howard Uncommon winter resident. 2 hybrid Mallard X A. Black Duck also present. Photo availabe  
  Yellow-breasted Chat Crittenden Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge 1/6/2012 1 Ron Howard 1st winter record. Appears to be a female or a 1st winter bird from lack of black in the face. Photo available  
  Rufous Hummingbird Pulaski Little Rock 1/5/2012 1 Tana Beasley, Elizabeth Lewis (homeowner) Adult female. Recapture. Previously banded by Don McSwain and Tana Beasley at Clancy Ct. in Little Rock on January 22, 2010. Photographed.  
  Little Blue Heron Hempstead Bois d'Arc Lake WMA 12/30/2011 1 Edie Calaway, Kelly Chitwood Far north of typical wintering range.  
  Snowy Egret Hempstead Bois d'Arc Lake WMA 12/30/2011 12 Edie Calaway, Kelly Chitwood A nice group of non-typical wintering species.  
  White Ibis Hempstead Bois d'Arc Lake WMA 12/30/2011 3 Edie Calaway, Kelly Chitwood A nice group of non-typical wintering species.  
  Red-cockaded Woodpecker Drew Warren Prairie Natural Area 12/29/2011 1 Eran Kilpatrick It does not look like this species has been reported from Warren Prairie Natural Area or Drew County. The bird was first heard then observed gleaning bark from a large pine. Additional details and gps coordinates can be provided upon request.  
  Marsh Wren Monroe Mallard Pointe hunting lodge cattails 12/19/2011 2 Lyndal York Bill Shepherd Alan Mueller Came out of cattails in response to tape call. No record for Monroe County. No doubt present in this habitat.  
  Harris's Sparrow Union 5610 Moro Bay Hwy. (6 miles east of El Dorado). 1/14/2012 1 Kelly Chitwood First (documented) sighting for Union County. Immature plumage.  
  Western Grebe Yell Lake Dardanelle, Delaware Recreation Area 1/16/2012 1 Dan and Samantha Scheiman Very rare winter visitor. Long-necked grebe; neck white in front, dark behind; dark cap; long, yellow bill; eye within black on face eliminates Clark's; previously found nearby by Leif Anderson on Jan 14.  
  American Woodcock Ouachita 930 Sharp Avenue 1/17/2012 2 Kelly Chitwood Uncommon species for the area.  
  Harris's Sparrow Faulkner Lollie Bottoms 12/18/2012 1 Lyndal York, Edie Calaway Responded to taped call. With many imm. white-crowned sparrows. Rare  
  Peregrine Falcon Benton Fruitwood Road along the Spavinaw Creek - 5 1/2 miles northwest of Centerton (Craig) Fish Hatchery 1/20/2012 1 Monte Harris According to Arkansas Audubon records, peregrine falcons are rare in Arkansas especially in winter. This bird had an abundance of white throat feathers unlike any other large hawk-like bird I have seen.  
  Harris's Sparrow Pulaski Haynes home, Lawson Rd. west of Little Rock 1/21/2012 1 Donna Haynes Winter Plumage, unusual Arkansas visitor, and even more unusual for Pulaski Co. Photo available.  
  Thayer's Gull Yell Lake Dardanelle 1/21/2012 1 Kenny & LaDonna Nichols, MOB Very rare winter visitor. First record of an adult. Photos taken by Jim Dixon and Michael Linz.  
  Eared Grebe Logan Hwy 109 bridge, 1 mile North of Morrison Bluff 1/14/2012 17 Leif Anderson, Teresa Mathews WRr. Amongst 1800 A. Coots and 200 Pied-billed Grebes.  
  Cackling Goose Johnson Country Club Lane Waterfowl Rest Area, Clarksville 1/15/2012 1 Leif Anderson WRu. Amongst 24 Canada Goose. Richardsons sub species.  
  Blue-winged Teal Johnson Country Club Lane Waterfowl Rest Area, Clarksville 1/15/2012 3 Leif Anderson WRr. Amongst 12 species of dabbling and diving duck.  
  Common Merganser Yell Delaware Bay Recreation Area, 2 miles NE of Delaware. 1/15/2012 1 Leif Anderson WVr. Non-breeding adult Male.  
  Red-breasted Merganser Johnson Cabin Creek Recreation Area, 3 miles SW of Knoxville. 1/15/2012 4 Leif Anderson WVr. Adult non-breeding.  
  Red-necked Grebe Johnson Cabin Creek Recreation Area, 3 miles SW of Knoxville. 1/15/2012 1 Leif Anderson WVvr. Previously reported by Nichols, et. all in Dec. Adult non-breeding with large yellowish 2-toned bill and dull reddish wash on neck.  
  Western Grebe Yell Inner delaware Bay, 2 miles East of Delaware. 1/15/2012 1 Leif Anderson WVr. Previously reported by others. Amongst 4 Horned Grebes.  
  Black-headed Gull Johnson Cabin Creek Recreation Area, 3 miles SW of Knoxville. 1/15/2012 1 Leif Anderson WVvr. Non-breeding adult. Flying with Bonapartes. Flew 40-50 feet over head with excellent looks at bright red legs and blackish underwing primaries versus pinkish legs and whiteish primaries of Bonapartes.  
  Lesser Black-backed Gull Yell Delaware Bay Recreation Area, 2 miles NE of Delaware. 1/15/2012 2 Leif Anderson WVr. Non-breeding adult and sub-adult. As previously observed by Nichols et all.  
  Glaucous Gull Yell Delaware Bay Recreation Area, 2 miles NE of Delaware. 1/15/2012 1 Leif Anderson WVvr. 1st winter. As previously observed by Nichols et all.  
  Laughing Gull Pope Dardanelle Lock and Dam, Russellville 1/15/2012 1 Leif Anderson Vu. Non-breeding adult. Feeding with Ring-billed and Herring Gulls behind barge-chain in lock.  
  Common Yellowthroat Johnson Cabin Creek Recreation Area, 3 miles SW of Knoxville. 1/15/2012 1 Leif Anderson WRr. Female. Call notes in cattail marsh, then responded to pishing by flying to Willow trees 20 feet away, along water edge.  
  Eared Grebe Chicot Lake Chicot, Lake Village. 1/21/2012 35 Leif Anderson, Teresa Mathews. WRr. Amongst 89 Horned Grebes.  
  Snowy Egret Chicot MS River levee, 3 miles NE of Lake Village. 1/21/2012 1 Leif Anderson, Teresa Mathews. WVvr. In levee borrow pit with 31 Great Egrets and 4 Great Blue Herons.  
  Say's Phoebe Ashley Near the Overflow NWR Office. Travel 300 yards behind the office toward the Observation deck and watch the field. 1/23/2012 1 Bobby Schat ,Ray Woods, Michael Budd Park at the Office and walk down to the site  
  Snowy Owl Garland Near Hamilton Gate point and Airport Road in Hot Springs Lake Hamilton 1/8/2012 1 Jim and Shirley Drake Observed on neighbor's roof at 7:15 am. Still there at 7:45 but gone at11 on return from church. Submitting two photos which are diagnostic for a snowy owl. Very rare in AR Info. entered by Lyndal York  
  Lesser Black-backed Gull Yell Lake Dardanelle, Delaware Recreation Area 1/21/2012 1 Dan Scheiman, Kenny Nichols, Karen Holliday, Terry Butler, m.obs. Rare winter visitor. Photographed. Between RBGU and HERG in size; back darker than nearby HERGs; streaky neck and head; yellow bill with red spot below; solid black primaries project from folded wing; seen by others at location many times this season.  
  Glaucous Gull Yell Lake Dardanelle, Delaware Recreation Area 1/21/2012 1 Dan Scheiman, Kenny Nichols, Karen Holliday, Terry Butler, m.obs. Very rare winter visitor. Adult. Photographed. Large all-white gull dwarfs RBGUs and bigger still than HERGs; skinny looking bill with black tip; pink legs; seen by others at location many times this season.  
  Thayer's Gull Yell Lake Dardanelle, Delaware Recreation Area 1/21/2012 1 Dan Scheiman, Kenny Nichols, Karen Holliday, Terry Butler, m.obs. Very rare winter visitor. First adult recorded in AR. Photographed. About the size of a RBGU; yellow bill with red spot at tip like HERG; streaky on breast and head; in flight black restricted to wingtips, mostly white above and below; pink legs.  
  Merlin Pope Holla Bend NWR 1/21/2012 1 Dan Scheiman, Karen Holliday, Jim Dixon, Terry Butler, Michael Linz, m.obs. Uncommon winter visitor. Video recording made by Michael Linz  
  Harris's Sparrow Pope Country Loop Rd. 1/21/2012 3 Dan Scheiman, Karen Holliday, Jim Dixon, Terry Butler, Michael Linz, m.obs. Uncommon winter resident, but regular at this location. 2 adults, 1 immature. Mixed with White-crowned Sparrows. Photographed by Michael Linz.  
  Common Redpoll Boone 512 Yorkshire Cove, Harrison, AR 1/20/2012 1 Sally Jo Gibson Rare bird to Arkansas. Male, color matches that in National Geographic Field Guide to the Bords of North America 6th Edition. Two poor quality photos taken, but good enough for identification.  
  Thayer's Gull Yell Dardanelle Lock & Dam 1/28/2007 1 Kenny & LaDonna Nichols Very rare winter visitor. In second-winter plumage. Seen regularly after first sighting until last seen on March 3, 2007. Seen later by Cameron Cox and many other birders. Photos taken and available.  
  Thayer's Gull Yell Dardanelle Lock & Dam 2/18/2007 1 Kenny & LaDonna Nichols Very rare winter visitor. Bird was in first-winter plumage. Only seen this one day.  
  Red-breasted Merganser Yell Lake Dardanelle 1/27/2012 1 Kenny Nichols Rare winter visitor. Adult male. Seen again the next day in the same location.  
  Neotropic Cormorant Yell Dardanelle Lock & Dam 1/28/2012 1 Kenny & LaDonna Nichols Very rare visitor. Adult. Flyover in the company of five Double-crested Cormorants.  
  Bewick's Wren Lonoke Lonoke CBC 1/2/2012 1 Kenny & LaDonna Nichols Rare permanent resident.  
  Long-tailed Duck Logan Lake Dardanelle 12/30/2011 1 Kenny & LaDonna Nichols Rare winter visitor.  
  Red-breasted Merganser Logan Lake Dardanelle 12/30/2011 1 Kenny & LaDonna Nichols Rare winter visitor.  
  Red-necked Grebe Logan Lake Dardanelle 12/30/2011 1 Kenny & LaDonna Nichols Very rare winter visitor. Appeared to be in non-breeding adult plumage. This bird was first found the day before by Anthony, Amy and Aidan Jones of Chillicothe, IL.