Great Blue Heron,Ardea herodias.
Common permanent resident. This species nests primarily in colonies that utilize tall
trees like sycamores in isolated forested river bottomlands. In the western Arkansas
Ozarks there are known nesting colonies on Lee Creek, Osage Creek, white River, Illinois
River, Ventris Creek at Beaver Lake, Middle Fork of the White River, Richland Creek and
no doubt elsewhere. The birds utilize nesting sites year after year, but these sites are
easily disturbed. A man and his two sons killed more than
30 adults at the Osage Creek heronry in 1982. Small colonies with up to 40 or 50 nests
are typicaI, but smaller colonies and even single nests are sometimes seen.
Great Egret,Casmerodius albus.
April 5 to November 10. Fairly common transient, primarily during April and May in
spring, and mid-August to mid-October in fall. There are sparse records throughout
the summer, but the species has not yet been found nesting in the region. The birds
can be observed along rivers and lakes, and on mudflats like those at the state fish
hatchery in Benton County. A flock of 15 was seen at Lake Sequoyah on September 13,
1980, a year when the water level was low, exposing extensive mudflats and large areas
of shallow water.