The Fall 2026 Arkansas Audubon Society convention will be held on October 16-18, 2026, at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville. Get ready for outstanding speakers and field trips! Field trips will include great birding destinations with amazing guides, a banding observation opportunity, and a beginner-friendly option on Saturday. On Sunday, three location options are offered, including Holla Bend NWR, birding around Lake Dardanelle, and Atkins Bottoms.
We have a block of rooms at the Holiday Inn Express, including both King and Double Queen rooms. The Holiday Inn has a continental breakfast. The cutoff date for our reserved block of rooms is Wednesday September 16th, so don’t procrastinate! To reserve your room at our group rate of $104, follow the link here call (479)-219-5152 and ask for a reservation in the Arkansas Audubon Society block. Register for the convention here or at the above link by September 25th to qualify for Early Bird registration rates: $15 for ARBA members and $20 for non-members. Student registration is $10. Registration after the early bird rate will be $20 for ARBA members, $25 for non-members and $15 for student. Save money by registering early! Register by 10/02 to guarantee meals for the meeting.
On Friday night Chris Kellner, Professor of Wildlife Science at Arkansas Tech University, will speak about the results from a collaborative research study on the movement and habitat selection of Rusty Blackbirds wintering in the Arkansas River Valley. This research was done in collaboration with his graduate student, Roxy Ohanyan. Chris will also summarize what Christmas Bird Count Data reveals about long-term population trends for this fascinating and rapidly declining species.
Saturday afternoon's symposium will feature a panel discussion about conservation easements. Conservation easements allow private landowners to play a critical role in protecting wildlife habitat, water resources, and open spaces for future generations. Land trusts, nonprofits, and government agencies hold and maintain these easements. The Nature Conservancy manages conservation easements across the US, including over 25,000 acres in Arkansas. This session will provide an overview of conservation easements from both sides—that of the landowner and of TNC—and also touch on other voluntary land conservation strategies available to private landowners. It will also introduce local land trusts and conservation partners who use this and similar tools. Anna Metrailer, Director of Protection for The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas, will be our presenter. She manages conservation land transactions across the state working closely with private landowners, public partners and other conservation organizations to advance protection of our lands and waters for people and nature. She has over 15 years of experience working for environmental organizations and has been in this role for 6 years. Anna has a B.A. in Environmental Studies from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a J.D. from the University of Arkansas School of Law. We are hoping for a lively Q & A session! Bring your questions about conservation easements, or email them in advance to Lynn Foster, lfoster5211@gmail.com.
On Saturday evening, our featured speaker will be Ryan Parker, the Arkansas State Coordinator at Quail Forever. Ryan will be presenting to us about habitat restoration on private lands, with a focus on how members can get involved and better improve your properties to support wildlife.
Field Trip Coordinator Patty McLean has done a fabulous job putting together interesting field trips for us, with 10 guided field trips over three days. These include a banding field trip, easy trips that involve birding by car, and trips to some of the top birding locations in the region including Lake Dardanelle State Park, Holla Bend NWR and Atkins Bottoms. Please take time to look at the options that Patty has planned, and you’ll find it hard to choose!
Last but not least, we will once again hold our silent auction. It's not too early to be thinking about items to donate! Please bring new/like new items to be donated for sale. Used items, including books, can be offered on our “Free Table.”
We hope you can join us for an entertaining and educational weekend of birding, learning and gathering with friends! Contact Michael Ferrara with any questions at mcferrara44@gmail.com.
ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS
Chris Kellner has been involved with birds in Arkansas for more than 40 years. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Arkansas under Dr. Kim Smith, with Dr. Doug James serving on his graduate committee. His dissertation focused on how a periodical cicada emergence influenced the foraging behavior of insectivorous birds. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Virginia Tech with Dr. James Karr, studying Brown-headed Cowbird nest parasitism. Chris has been a Professor of Wildlife Science at Arkansas Tech University for the past 35 years and also teaches ornithology each summer at the Halberg Ecology Camp where he just completed his 4th year. His research has focused on a wide variety of Arkansas birds, including Loggerhead Shrikes, Cerulean Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chats, Bell's Vireos, American Robins, grassland birds, and, most recently, Rusty Blackbirds. He will share results from a collaborative study with his graduate student, Roxy Ohanyan, on the movements and habitat selection of Rusty Blackbirds wintering in the Arkansas River Valley.
Ryan Parker has been working in Arkansas for 6 years when he started working for Quail Forever. Ryan received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wyoming, and later received his masters degree in Grassland Wildlife Ecology from the University of Colorado Denver. He worked as a Grasslands Coordinating Wildlife Biologist for 3 year before transitioning to his current role as the Arkansas State Coordinator. Ryan leads a team of 20 biologists and habitat specialists working to deliver upland wildlife habitat restoration across Arkansas. He works closely with public and private partners to advance conservation programs and habitat restoration on private lands. Ryan’s interests include managing and restoring grassland habitats for migratory songbirds and upland game birds, with an emphasis on native grasses, forbs, and shrubs. Their experience includes grazing management, native seed mixes, prescribed fire, and USDA Farm Bill conservation programs.