Wed 10 April
The plan for this trip and the timing thereof, are evident in the title. We were heading east in pursuit of the rush of spring songbirds flowing up the middle of the country. I wanted to get out of Texas--although a lot of migrants do head through Texas--specifically to get to the warblers that stick further to the eastern states.
So our end destination was Reelfoot Lake State Park in northwestern Tennessee. Just over the Mississippi River. But there was no reason to rush to get there--there are plenty of birds in Arkansas, too.
Thus our first day took us to White Oak Lake State Park in south-eastern Arkansas. On arrival, I looked at the news and they said "Millions in Southern U.S. face flooding, tornadoes and hail from massive storm". The storm was in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi and luckily, not Arkansas, although it had just started in raining at about 6:30 and was likely to continue for a long time. Felt like that, anyway.
Lovely park. We came here several years ago, in August, and I remembered it as a very nice place. What I didn't remember, were the trails. A lot of trails. (Will explain later), No one was around except old people, except for the very young lady who checked me in at the office. And, of course, the birds were around. There were birds all over the place. We were greeted by barn swallows at the office, then chipping sparrows, mockingbirds, warblers of several unknown vintages. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Fish Crow, Great Egret, and oddly, a Kingfisher in the trees next to the water. I've never seen one skulk in trees like that, but that's what he was doing.
But all that would come next day, because the rain was driving us indoors for the night. We have a lot of Doc Martin episodes to complete.
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