DOCENTS CELEBRATE

Don Culwell

Saturday evening, 6:00 PM on September 8, 17 docents and their spouses gathered around a low fire in the center pit of the new outdoor classroom-pavilion to roast skewered, stuffed jalapeño peppers and corn on the cob. Conversations over hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine, and soft drinks caught every one up on early fall activities. With school classes now in session and teachers encouraged to bring classes out to SFNC for the day, docents will soon be busy again fulfilling South Fork’s mission: “No Child Left Inside” to stomp out the nature deficit syndrome.

So, with visiting over appetizers and drinks completed, docents were treated to a supper of fried chicken, slaw, biscuits, and fruit salad before desserts of peach cobbler and iced brownies were served.

Entertainment for the evening was by the Arkansas fiddle champion, Tim Trawick and his brother, Steve on guitar; toe patting melodies, gospel songs, and old familiar tunes sure rang through the rafters as the group gathered around on the hand-made cedar benches; surely some foursome must have been square dancing off to the side!

Docents were gifted with a T-shirt or a SFNC cap; a drawing honored door prize winners. It was indeed a great evening honoring South Fork docents for the great work they do to make nature come alive.

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See how cool it is to be a docent? If this sounds like a good fit for you, ask us how you can put your skills & enthusiasm to use as part of our docent volunteer team. Call 501-745-6444 or contact Programs Director Dr. Don Culwell at 501-358-2095.

Save the date! Saturday, September 15, 2018 from 10am-Noon at the South Fork Nature Center on Greers Ferry Lake in Choctaw

One of the fascinating stories in the world of nature is that of the Monarch butterfly migration.

On September 15, from 10:00 am to noon, an event at South Fork Nature Center where we will be assisting scientists in learning more about the “Monarch Migration Phenomenon”. We will be tagging adult Monarchs and releasing them. Some participants will be able to select a butterfly, hold it while it is being tagged, and then release it to nature (please note there will be a limited number of these spaces available; not everyone who attends will be able to hold & release a Monarch). If it survives the trip to Mexico and is found by someone, scientists will be able to add the information about that butterfly to their database.

Learn more about Monarchs by joining us in this citizen science effort at the special nature preserve we call South Fork Nature Center. Find driving directions here!

Click on the following link to read about Monarch Tagging and Migration:

Monarch Watch: Tagging →

Friday, August 10, was time for a clean-up burn of many downed cedars that had been cut a couple months before. This opens up considerable glade area for colonization of forbs and grasses.

Fourteen South Fork docents, friends, and Master Naturalists were on hand at 8:00 AM to light four big fires, piling on the cedar, all of which could be done in this very dry time of year due to significant rain two days before.

South Fork glades have been the site of major milkweed planting, as young plants have been set into the shallow soil in an attempt to grow flowers that attract butterflies and bees, as well as providing vegetation to feed butterfly larvae. These glade “wildflower meadows” must be kept free from most tree growth, allowing forbs and grasses to get the needed sun for their growth and development.

Come to South Fork Nature Center to check out the glade development for yourself!

Night Hike Brings Good Turnout

Joyce Hartmann

Anticipation of a night hike and learning about owls brought about 30 people of all ages to the Outdoor Education Pavilion on Saturday, July 28th. Included were nature lovers, members of the Little Red River Audubon Society, Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, and the Iris League. It was a lovely cool July evening with overcast skies.

Gates-Rogers Foundation Vice President Bob and Docent Joyce Hartmann presented a program at 7:30 p.m. while guests roasted s’mores around the fire pit. Bob spoke about our most common owls: the Barn Owl, Eastern Screech Owl, the Barred Owl, and the Great-horned Owl. He also touched briefly on the owls that pass through here occasionally, including the Short-eared Owl and Burrowing Owl. He talked about other night birds, including the Whippoorwill and the Chuck-will’s Widow. Joyce showed photos and played the sounds of owl and bird calls on her tablet, using the iBird Pro app. She also talked about the Katydid and the Cicada, and how they produced their noisy night sounds.

We watched the bats flying around the pavilion and visited until 8:30, when it became dark enough to walk unseen through the woods and call up some owls. On the peninsula perimeter trail, the first stop was at the boardwalk…Little Red River Audubon Society President Edie Calaway played screech owl sounds from her phone, sounding like a high-pitched horse whinny, as we stood quietly and listened. Cicadas and katydids made it hard to hear.

The group hiked to the first bench circle and sat quietly as the screech owl song was again played. And then we heard an answer! And another. Simultaneous calls! Several screech owls came closer with each call. Although no one could see the birds, 3 to 5 owls were all around us and so close, right overhead in nearby trees! It was exciting!

The group hiked on with red flashlights to the second bench circle. This time Edie played the Barred Owl call (Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?). There’s something really awesome about sitting in complete silence in the dark, just listening, with about 20 other people! Some heard the faint call of a Barred Owl in the distance. A dog barked across the lake. Coyotes howled and yipped nearby. As the group walked back toward the cabin, a stunningly beautiful full moon rose over the mountain, reflecting in the water. 

Thanks go to Janet Miron, Gates-Rogers Foundation Executive Director, who came up with the idea of a summer night hike and Owl Prowl. It was a great success, as owls were actually called in over the noise of the insects, and many enjoyed learning about different kinds of night noises. Thanks to the great group for being so cooperative and quiet, enabling owls to hear the calls and people to hear owls in the silence. The s’mores were delicious, new friends were made, and everyone can look forward to another owl prowl in late fall or winter.

Pollinators make our world go round! Our June 16 “Pollinator Event” celebrated with arts & crafts, fun nature-themed projects and fully-immersive exploration for young visitors and young-at-heart. Special thanks to our amazing docent volunteers who helped orchestrate this incredible event!

Docent Ruth Andre, our native plant/butterfly enthusiast, once again brought her gorgeous native plants, started from seed, to give away to our participants. Her advice and pointers on establishing a pollinator garden using native plants was well received by the guests. Thanks Ruth!

Watch our video slideshow here: