Briefly

Get close to birds

Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area will host “Birds and Breakfast” from 10 a.m. to noon on Feb. 5 in the outdoor pavilion near the visitor center. Trained ornithologists will catch songbirds and carefully release them after visitors get an up-close look and unique photos of the birds. Breakfast snacks and beverages will be served until 11 a.m. From 11 to noon, Lynn Sciumbato will present her birds of prey program featuring live hawks, owls and vultures. Sciumbato has been rehabilitating injured birds at her Morning Star Wildlife Rehabilitation Center near Gravette for 30 years. Call the park visitor center at 479-789-5000 for details.

Plan now for spring break

Peel Compton Foundation will offer a variety of nature camps and programs in March during spring break in Bentonville. Programs include a five-day camp March 21-25 at Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, day camps at The Quiver archery range, free wetland tours at Osage Park and day camps at Peel Museum & Botanical Garden about life in the 1800s with activities, garden exploration and yard games. Sign up for programs at bit.ly/ pcf-springbreak

Event tests outdoor skills

Registration is open now for Pack Rat Outdoor Center’s Brewha Bushwhack outdoor skills event April 9 along the Mulberry River at Byrd’s Adventure Center. Teams of three to four people navigate various skills stations that include paddling a canoe, identifying animal tracks, building a fire, shooting a traditional bow and arrow and more.Visit www.brewhabushwhack.com to register and see more information.

Winter prime for eagle tours

January and February are the best months to see bald eagles at Beaver Lake on pontoon boat cruises offered by Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area.

Passengers have seen an average of 2.6 bald eagles per cruise this winter, said Steve Chyrchel, park interpreter. Some cruises have encountered five eagles. Passengers should dress for weather 20 degrees colder than it is on land.

Trips leave Rocky Branch Marina at 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, weather permitting, through February. Cost is $15 plus tax for adults and $7.50 plus tax for youths. Advanced registration and payment is required and can be made by stopping by or calling the park visitor center, 479-789-5000. Reservations are not taken at the marina.

Donations fund

habitat work

Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society is helping raise funds for invasive species removal at Nine-stone Land Trust in Carroll County, an affiliate of Ozark Land Trust.

Contributions will help fund the removal of Siricea Lespedeza on the 412-acre tract near Berryville during June and July. Audubon has been a partner in other habitat improvement projects at Nine-stone including glade restoration and removal of other invasive species such as privet and multi-flora rose. Habitat improvements benefit many species of wildlife including bobwhite quail.

People making a contribution of $100 or more may choose from artwork by Judith Ann Griffiths, artist and co-founder of Ninestone Land Trust.

Make checks payable to Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society and mail to treasurer Bill Beall, 2204 Hendricks Blvd., Fort Smith, AR 72903-3422. Make note on the check it is for Ninestone Restoration 2022. All funds received will be used for the project.

First responder

course set

Pack Rat Outdoor Center will host a wilderness first responder course Feb. 12-20 at Byrd’s Adventure Center on the Mulberry River. Cost is $650.

Ozark Safety and Rescue educators and Sierra Rescue International educators will teach the course. A wide range of practical wilderness scenarios will take place. Skills will be taught to manage complex medical challenges in the back country. Time is split between hands-on medical training, lectures, discussions and day and night field scenarios.

For details, visit packratoc.com or call the store at 479-521-6340.

Corps hiring

park attendants

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seeks park attendants for the 2022 visitor seasons.

These paid positions offer an opportunity to spend the season working in the parks at Beaver Lake. Park attendants are the primary point of contact for most campers and day-use visitors during the recreation seasons.

For details contact Park Ranger Lucas Wicker, 501-340-1705, [email protected].

Shirts celebrate

Buffalo River

Buffalo National River Partners, in cooperation with Bonfire, an online merchandise store used by nonprofit organizations across the country, is offering T-shirts and sweatshirts to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Buffalo National River in 2022.

Shirts feature the 50th anniversary logo created by Laura Salinas of Rogers. The artwork shows a canoe paddler passing a bluff with another person paddling a birch-bark canoe.

Sales are a fundraiser for Buffalo National River Partners that supports the cultural, recreational and educational programs at Buffalo National River. The Buffalo was designated the nation’s first national river by Congress in 1972.

To order merchandise, visit bonfire.com/store/buffalo-national-river-partners/


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