My parents moved us to Northwest Arkansas from Oklahoma when I was four years old. After a few rental properties, we settled on 10 acres near Gravette. It was the first plot purchased from 100 acres that had been divided up into 10-acre plots. So, we had 100 uninhabited acres to wander for many years before anyone else purchased in the area. I spent most of my free time chasing lizards and snakes in the warmer weather and watching birds at the feeders in the winter months. In 2000 I graduated high school and went to Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, AR, where I earned a degree in Zoology. I later moved to Las Vegas, NV, and spent 11 years in the desert. That story I’ll save for another time. For now, I just want to say that I have owned a home in Northwest Arkansas for 5 years and have compiled a species list. To date, I have 54 birds, 2 salamanders, 3 snakes, and 6 mammals (lists below). All of this on my little third of an acre, granted my house backs up to a larger forested area.

Salamanders

Slimy salamander
Long-tailed salamander

Snakes

Dekays ground snake
Ring-necked snake
Rat snake

Lizard

Common 5-lined skink

Mammals

Gray squirrel
Eastern chipmunk
Raccoon
Armadillo
Red fox
Groundhog

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For the Love of Dirt