Longpool Falls

The Longpool Recreation Area is located north of Dover Arkansas. The hike in to this fall is a short 3/4 mile. The waterfall is 44 feet tall. The first photo in the series below is the fall and the remainder are from the creek downstream. By the way, the water in the creek was very chilly. I found that out when I slipped and fell in. That will wake you up for sure.

Garvan Woodland Gardens

The photos below were taken at Garvan Gardens which is located on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs Arkansas. For more information and to see what's in bloom, log on to www.garvangardens.org

7 Hollows Trail

Melissa and I hiked our favorite trail. This was actually our 2nd time to hike the 7 Hollows trail. This trail is a 5 mile loop located off of Hwy 154 just west of Mather Lodge on Petit Jean Mountain. It has bluffs, creeks, boulders, and a waterfall.

The waterfall is called Grotto Falls and it is about midway through the hike. To get their you take a short detour off of the trail. When we arrived at the fall we were met by a friendly man (David) with a flute. He told us that he likes to come to this area to relax and practice his music. He explained that the Grotto has really good acoustics almost like you experience when singing in the shower. He said that he is practicing for an upcoming Easter event. He treated Melissa and me to a song and he was very very good. We left him to his peaceful surroundings and went on to complete our hike.

7 Hollows would be a good beginner hike. If anyone would like a guided tour just let us know. :)

Melissa at one of the creeks

We startle a buzzard from it's roost

Me near the Natural Bridge area

Melissa crossing a creek

Grotto Fall

Grotto Fall

David reading at the Grotto

David playing for us

Melissa stops to wait for the slow cameraman.

Forked Mountain Falls

Last weekend was perfect for waterfall hunting and for waterfall photography. We had plenty of rain and is was cloudy so the sun was not a factor. Melissa and I headed for the Ouachitas to shoot Forked Mountain Falls. This fall is located just south of Hollis Arkansas and about 5 miles east of Hwy 7. It is only a 10' fall but the water was really running. I Love It!! I also like the rock in the background of the fall picture. It looks like someone with their head cocked back, mouth wide open, and shouting to the heavens.

Forked Mountain Falls

Melissa on the road back from the fall. That is Forked Mountain in the background.

The Great Backyard Bird Count

I participated in the Backyard Bird Count this year. The way it works is from February 15th through the 18th people were asked to observe and count birds for at least 15 minutes one or all of the days. You then go to the website www.birdsource.org/gbbc and submit your counts. They have an online checklist so you can pick each bird you saw and enter the number seen. The last time I checked (this is Sunday evening) there have been over 28,000 checklists submitted and over 3,290,000 birds counted so far. This count is done annually for a four day period so you might want to give it a try next year. I keep a bird feeder stocked most of the year so it was easy for me to just sit and watch. The following are some of the birds that visit my feeder on a regular basis:

The first bird is a House Finch. This bird was first introduced to the US, in New York City, illegally around 50 years ago as cage birds. When the law started breathing down the necks of the dealers, they released the birds into the wild. They can now be found in most of the United States.

House Finch

Black Capped Chickadee

Dark-Eyed Junco (Prefers to feed on the ground)

The next bird is the Red-Breasted Nuthatch Nuthatches are the only birds can can climb headfirst down a tree trunk. They mate for life.

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

Tufted Titmouse

Black-Capped Chickadee

Yellow Rumped Warbler

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

Back to the Cabin

Melissa and I spent three nights in our favoite cabin near Jasper, AR. The cabins are the "Ozark Bluff Dwellers" and our favorite is the "Osage". We highly recommend these cabins. They are on the edge of a bluff and the veiw is awesome. The owners, Ed and Llonka French even built their own hiking trail that is two miles in one direction and has a waterfall along the way. The trailhead is near one of the cabins. I hiked this trail last spring and saw my first bear face to face in the wild. The pictures to follow were taken on this trip. :)

The first three pictures were taken on the trail near the cabins. Two are of French Falls and the last is of a cascade down stream of the falls.

Melissa spotted these deer from the kitchen window of the cabin. As we were leaving to go hike, I took these shots from the truck.

These next 3 falls were all off of Forest Road 1205 near Ben Hur Arkansas. It was really too late in the day and too sunny to take waterfall pictures but I did what I could despite the conditions.

Six Finger Falls (Only two fingers showing in this photo)

Falling Water Falls

Falling Water Falls

Terry Keefe Falls (78' Tall - The little blue speck at the base is Melissa)

Roark Bluff - The longest limestone bluff on the Buffalo River
Another angle on Roark Bluff as the sun was setting

Recently some conservation groups re-introduced some juvenile trumpeter swans to Mill Pond in Boxley Valley near Ponca, Arkansas. These swans will migrate north to the upper midwest in late February or early March. The hope is that they will return next year and bring some friends. Trumpeter swans mate for life and live up to 30 years. They can grow up to 4' tall, weigh 30 lbs and have 8' wingspans.

Trumpeter Swans in Boxley Valley

Falls Creek Falls

This waterfall is located in the Lake Catherine State Park near Hot Springs. The hike is a short 1.4 mile round trip. The waterfall is fed by Falls Creek which explains the name of the fall.