MOUNTAIN PINE -- Saturday will be a high-flying occasion at Lake Ouachita State Park, as International Migratory Bird Day is celebrated with a program of hiking, boating and nature-focused talks.
The first of International Migratory Bird Day's four events is the free Caddo Bend Birding Hike at 8:30 a.m., led by a park interpreter along 4-mile Caddo Bend Trail. With a touch of whimsy, the program leaflet asks visitors to "flock to the Caddo Bend Trailhead" near the amphitheater.
At 11 a.m., the free Migration Challenge presentation will give visitors a feel for some of the hardships faced by migratory birds in seasonal flights that may stretch hundreds or even thousands of miles. For this one, "Fly to the visitor center."
There's a fee for the 2 p.m. Boating for Birds excursion on the lake, and advance reservations are required. The charge is $10 ($6 for youngsters 6-12, free for those younger). "Roost at the marina" before setting out to view birds on their spring migratory layover in central Arkansas.
At 4 p.m., The Eagle Has Landed will focus on the adaptations that make bald eagles such skillful predators. "Nest at the visitor center" for a park interpreter's free presentation.
This is the 24th annual International Migratory Bird Day, intended as "a call to action to preserve birds and their habitats." This year's event is focusing on "how birds have inspired many of the most significant environmental conservation actions in the Americas."
Migrating birds are important, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, because they "connect people with nature and add beauty, sounds and color to our world." They also "contribute environmental benefits, including pollination, insect and rodent control, and seed dispersal." And they "are good indicators of environmental health," as well as playing "a key role in the U.S. economy."
At 40,000-acre Lake Ouachita, the largest such body of water entirely within Arkansas boundaries, visitors can rent a variety of craft at the park's 70-slip marina. The choices include party barges, ski and fishing boats, pedal boats, kayaks and canoes. The lake is amply stocked with bream, crappie, catfish, striped bass and largemouth bass -- some of them seasonal prey for the the migrating bald eagles featured on Saturday.
Lake Ouachita State Park is at the east end of the lake, 15 miles northwest of downtown Hot Springs. For more information, call (501) 767-9366 or visit ArkansasStateParks.com. The park has cabins and campsites for overnight visitors.
Weekend on 05/12/2016