Some of My Favorite Birds Are Back

You don't have to be a serious birder to notice a wide range of bird species along the River Trail. We've got everything from Road Runners to Bald Eagles, but two of my seasonal favorites are the Indigo Bunting and the Scissor Tailed Flycatcher.

You can see flycatchers almost any time during the summer months along the trail at the deer fields west of the soccer fields. They will be either perched on anything available or cruising for bugs in the airspace over the field.

For the last couple of seasons, I've mostly seen the buntings on the wooded stretch of trail between the BDB and the S-Turn bridge, but they seem to be everywhere this summer. In addition to the upper NLR trail, I've spotten some near the quarry and on the Little Rock side. These birds are brilliant blue (not to be confused with bluebirds, which have a rust colored chest). When seen out of direct light, they can appear near-black, but are luminous in the sun.

Both of these birds are elegant in their own way and spotting them is just one of the many small things that can bring a smile and make for a good day on the bike.