ARKANSAS & LOUISIANA 
Making their second (but first "chaseable") appearance within two years in 
Louisiana, these two banded flamingos, a wild American Flamingo on the left 
(marked "HDNT," originating from MeKico's Yucatan Peninsula in 2005) and an 
escapee Greater Flamingo on the right (marked "492," from the Sedgwick County 
Zoo, Wichita, Kansas) delighted birders at Grand Chenier, Cameron Parish 1 -14 
(here 7) May 2009. Photograph by John P. Sevenair. 
at Waldenburg, Poinsett 11-12 Mar (ph. DB) 
were thought to represent the first ne. 
Arkansas occurrence in 100 years! 
Mottled Ducks are now expected in small 
numbers in se. Arkansas, but still of interest 
were a hen with 3 ducklings near Mellwood, 
Phillips 10 May (LA, TM) and up to nine pairs 
at C.N.E during late May, including a hen with 
4 ducklings 21 May (DB). Reports of Region- 
ally rare Cinnamon Teal included an ad. male 
at Sabine N.W.R., Cameron 5 Mar (GG, RD) 
and a pair near Cheneyville, Rapides 15 Mar 
(ph. JiJ); the latter represents one of the few 
convincing occurrences of a female in 
Louisiana. Twelve Northern Shovelers near 
Cheneyville 25 May Oil) was a large number 
for so late; although not unprecedented in late 
spring and early summer, it is unclear if these 
relatively large groups represent flocks of late 
migrants or just aggregations of unhealthy lin- 
gering/summering birds. A male Northern 
Pintail at B.K.N.W.R. 23 May (ph. JDx) and a 
Canvasback on the Red R., Bossier 24 May 
(ph. Jf&JT) — the latter latest ever in spring 
for nw. Louisiana and one of very few late 
spring occurrences for the state — may also 
have involved defective individuals. A massive 
concentration estimated at 145,000 Lesser 
Scaup on the Gulf of Mexico off the Ruther- 
ford Beach area, Cameron 15 Mar also includ- 
ed a sprinkling of all three scoter species: one 
White-winged, 11 Surfs, and 4 Blacks QBo, 
DBo). The only reports of late coastal scoters 
involved one. very worn female Surf at Holly 
Beach, Cameron 17 May (vt. PAW, DPM) and a 
female Black there 16-20 May (vt. PAW, DPM, 
JVH). A Long-tailed Duck on L. Pontchartrain 
at Metairie, Jefferson since late Dec remained 
through 20 Mar (ph. BW). Two Ruddy Ducks 
at S.EE 30 May (ph. JDx) were very late and 
possibly summering. 
GREBES THROUGH PLOVERS 
A mind-boggling estimated 800+ Horned 
Grebes counted at various points along the n. 
shore of L. Pontchartrain, St. 
Tammany 2 Mar Qbo) more 
than doubled the previous 
Louisiana high count! Brown 
Pelicans continue to be report- 
ed inland with increasing fre- 
quency. Single imms. were en- 
countered at L. Conway, 
Faulkner, AR 14-21 Mar (ph. 
K&LN, DS, SH), Cotile L., 
Rapides, LA 16-18 Mar QVH), 
and in the Atchafalaya Basin in 
Pointe Coupee just e. of Krotz 
Springs 6 Apr Qoseph Morlan, 
Robbie Eischer); whether their 
presence was still related to 
last fall’s hurricanes or some other phenome- 
non is unclear. Thought to be arriving spring 
migrants, 2 Anhingas at Jacobs L., Arkansas 7 
Mar (DS, K&AR) were exceptionally early for 
Arkansas; 5 in Monroe 19 Apr (DS, DBr) may 
have been a hrst for this county in e.-cen. 
Arkansas. Sightings of an American Bittern at 
W.W.P. 1 Mar and 4 Apr OCN, AS, JBr, MAM, 
David Woolsey et al.) likely pertained to the 
same bird reported there during the preceding 
winter season. C.N.E continues to produce 
new record Arkansas counts of Least Bitterns, 
the latest benchmark being 32 on 21 May 
(DB); singles at W.W.P. 24 Apr QCN, AS, SE, 
SD) and 24 May (MAM) were unusual for nw. 
Arkansas, and one on the L. Pontchartrain 
causeway, Jefferson 8 Mar (Ste- 
fan Woltman) was very early. 
Still a rare bird in the n. cor- 
ners of Arkansas, especially in 
spring. Tricolored Herons were 
spotted in Mississippi 6 May 
(ph. Timothy R Jones) and in 
Crawford 20 May (B&TB); up 
to 8 incubating ads. at a heron- 
ry at Mibermel rice farm near 
Powhatan, Natchitoches 9-12 
May (HH, BH, Mac Hardy) 
provided another confirmed 
breeding site for n. Louisiana. A Green Heron 
at N.L.T. 6 Mar QAG) was record early for nw. 
Arkansas by almost a month, and another at 
Eayetteville, Washington 6 Apr (HDC) was 
also very early. Unusually large numbers of 
White Ibis penetrated northward into e. 
Arkansas, starting with a single imm. at 
C.N.E 2 May (DB, RoH, KN), followed by 41 
near Helena, Phillips 10 May (LA, TM), 34 at 
B.K.N.W.R. 14 May, and 101 ads. there 17 
May (both KN). Also generally rare in the n. 
interior, far inland sightings of White-faced 
Ibis included one at S.EE 17 Apr (DBr), an 
impressive 20 at Erog Bayou W.M.A., Craw- 
ford 30 Apr (B63:TB), and one at C.N.E 21 
May (DB); breeding is unconfirmed away 
from the immediate coast, so it is unclear if 
these birds are migrants (to points n. and w. 
of the Region), spring “overshoots,” or wan- 
dering nonbreeders. Two Wood Storks at 
Spanish L., Ascension/Iberville 5 May Qim 
Ragland, Erank Bonifay) and another nearby 
near St. Gabriel, Ibetyille 10 May (ph. DLD) 
were relatively early; 40 near Cheneyville 24 
May (ph. JiJ) was also a large flock for so ear- 
ly. After a first appearance back in early fall 
2007, the now-famous Texas/Louisiana Amer- 
ican Flamingo (a.k.a. “HDNT”) made its 
Louisiana encore, once again accompanied by 
the equally famous escapee Greater Flamingo 
“492,” and was enjoyed by many birders 1-14 
May at Grand Chenier, Cameron (Butch Con- 
ner, Jide Cyndi Sellers, vt. PAW, CCS, ph. DBo, 
BMM, ph. PEC, ph. JPS, JVH, m.ob.); this rep- 
resents the 2nd state occurrence of American 
Flamingo. 
Noteworthy Swallow-tailed Kite sightings 
included a rather early returnee at Pearl River, 
St. Tammany 5 Mar QOC; although one was 
also reported here 14 Feb), a rare and early sw. 
Louisiana migrant at the Lacassine N.W.R. 
Pool Unit, Cameron 7 Mar (GG, RD) and an- 
other on the immediate coast of Cameron 17 
Apr (BMM, PEC), and a cen. Louisiana mi- 
grant near Gardner, Rapides 24 Mar QVH, Ju- 
dith M. Huner). A breeding pair of Red-tailed 
Hawks at Thornwell through the period (Den- 
nis Demcheck, Kay Radlauer, DLD, SWC) 
was, surprisingly, the first confirmed nesting 
so far sw. in Louisiana. Two imm. Golden Ea- 
gles wintering in se. Stone, Arkansas were 
both seen through 1 Apr, and one remained 
until 14 Apr (ph. Herschel Raney). A pair of 
Crested Caracaras at Grand Chenier 26 Apr 
(DLD, SWC) was interesting on the immedi- 
ate coast and a bit farther e. than normal. Most 
noteworthy among several reports of Pere- 
grine Falcons in Arkansas were relatively late 
individuals at Cabot, Lonoke 12 May (K&LN), 
Lollie Valley, Faulkner 16 May (DS, KH), and 
near Bunge, Desha 20 May (DB); one was also 
very late (especially near the coast) at 
Cameron Prairie N.W.R., Cameron, LA 17 May 
(SWC, DLD). American Golden-Plover con- 
Louisiana typically hosts one to a few Glaucous Gulls per year, but two in the 
same area, much less in the same view, is almost unheard of. These two first-cy- 
cle individuals crossed paths on Holly Beach, Cameron Parish, Louisiana 28 March 
2008. Photograph by Paul E. Conover. 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 3 
449 
