Second Annual Big Woods Birding Festival
in Clarendon, AR

The Second Annual Big Woods Birding Festival will be held on Saturday, May 31 from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm in Clarendon, AR. This event promises a day full of fun, educational, and free activities for the entire family! This year's theme is Birds of the Louisiana Purchase. The Louisiana Purchase Traveling Exhibit will be housed in the Monroe County Courthouse in Clarendon from May 28 through June 14.

May 31st will kick off with a youth fishing derby at the Donald Branch Fishin' Hole, located on Ann Alden and Carla Dr. The fishing derby will be held from 7:00 am until 9:30 am with catfish being stocked by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Prizes will be awarded to derby participants at the Big Woods Birding Festival's opening ceremonies at 10:00 am. After further renovations this summer, the Donald Branch Fishin' Hole will become a permanent community fishing pond and park for youth and their families.

Guided bird walks will also begin bright and early at 7:00 am. These exciting walks will be led by an expert birder or two-be sure to bring your binoculars! Guided bird walks will meet at the Tourist Welcome Center on the corner of Madison and Second St, and will walk down the levee along the White River. Last year, over 50 species of birds were identified on the walks-you're sure to see something new!

The official opening of the Big Woods Birding Festival is at 10:00 am at the Tourist Welcome Center on the corner of Madison and 2nd St. Mayor Boshers will deliver a welcoming address, prizes will be awarded for the winner of the logo contest, and fishing derby participants. After the welcoming remarks, the Little Rock Zoo will showcase their Birds of Prey in a spectacular program that features several live hawks, owls, and a bald eagle. This presentation is sponsored by Entergy. If last year's crowd is any indication, you'd better arrive early for a seat!

Expert speakers will be delivering presentations at the American Legion Hut beginning at 11:40 until 3:00 pm. Please see the final schedule for actual speaker times. Scheduled presentations include Dr. Davis from Ducks Unlimited who will talk about the mallards and wood ducks of the White River bottomlands. Bill Holimon from the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission will present Birding 101-how to identify common birds. Lori Spencer from Mt. Magazine State Park will give an encore presentation about butterflies and may lead a guided butterfly walk in the afternoon. The final presentation will be Birds of the Louisiana Purchase, which will discuss the Carolina Parakeet and Passenger Pigeon. These two species were once numerous throughout the Big Woods area, but are now extinct. The festivities will end with a guided field trip to the Louisiana Purchase State Monument at 3:00 pm. This trip will be on a first come-first serve basis, so please call if you would like to come along. The boardwalk at the park is a prime location to spot birds!

Plans for this year's festival also include the popular boat rides on the White River. This year we will have two boats for the river tours, which will be scheduled every hour from 11:00am until 3:00 pm. Two popular children's activities will also return this year. Kids will be able to construct their own birdhouse and pinecone birdfeeders to take home and hang in their yards. Crafts, educational booths, food, and other fun activities, including a petting zoo and pony rides, will also be available. Don't miss this fantastic day in Clarendon-bring your family to enjoy the fun!

Please call Kathy Radomski at (870) 946-0595 or Clarendon City Hall at (870) 747-3802 for more information.

Clarendon will also be hosting a Mountain Man Rendezvous on May 3-4 with the theme of "Mouth of Cache". Clarendon was originally called Mouth of Cache. This educational and free event will depict life as it was in the 1800's. Reenactors will portray various characters from these times, including explorers Hunter and Dunbar and Freeman and Curtis. Demonstrations about how surveying was done in the early 19th century will be given, as well as public hands-on activities. Other portrayals of historic figures will give visitors an opportunity to see how people lived and survived during this time period. Visitors should expect to leave the project with a newfound feeling and keen understanding of what impact the Louisiana Purchase had on Arkansas and her people. Please call Reggie Talley with the Cooperative Extension Service in Clarendon for more information about this event (870) 747-3397.