More birds on the move
Oklahoma Mesonet reported 0.36 inches of rainfall over the past seven-day period.
Payne County rare birds for the same time listed Painted Bunting, late flyover Upland Sandpipers in assorted locations, Common Poorwill at Oklahoma State University Wetlands, Sabine’s Gull at Lake Carl Blackwell, Great Crested Flycatcher at Will Rogers Woods, and Bell’s Vireo and Orchard Oriole as late migrants at the Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University.
An estimated 3,712,700 birds crossed Payne County between Monday, Sept. 23, 2024 at 1930 hours and Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024 at 0720 hours. Peak migration traffic was an estimated 668,700 birds in flight, a high count. Migrants were flying at an altitude of 3,300 feet at wind speeds of 24 mph from SSE.
Expected nocturnal migrants were Yellow, Nashville, and Orange-crowned Warblers, Green Heron, Blue-gray
DEB HIRT
Gnatcatcher, Warbling Vireo, Baltimore Oriole, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Least Flycatcher, Snowy Egret and Clay-colored and Lincoln’s Sparrows.
Geomagnetic vagrancy conditions are at moderate levels, with current vagrancy conditions at 0.8 (high), current magnetic field distortion at 0.6 (high), and current solar activity conditions at 1.6 (high).
Species richness trends are ramping up at relative richness between 50 and 75.
Species demographic trends give a continued uptick on Lazuli Bunting with downward trends on Cassin’s Finch.
Nationwide vagrant/rare birds include Steller’s Sea-Eagle in Newfoundland, Gray Gull in Florida, and California’s Slate-throated Redstart.
Maine counted Common Gull, as Kentucky posted Clapper Rail.
Wood Stork stopped off in Illinois, as Michigan cheered their Arctic Tern.
Arizona shared Plain-capped Starthroat, and Nevada ticked Great Crested Flycatcher.
Six American Crows were mobilized in The Lowlands at Boomer Lake, so personal property bears watching. From personal experience, they are fond of bringing ladies’ unmentionables to residences of single men.
Boomer Lake added Canada Goose, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard, Pied-billed Grebe, American Coot, Ring-billed Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, Snowy and Great Egrets, Great Blue Heron, Blue Jay, Carolina Wren, Eastern Bluebird, Northern Cardinal, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Nashville Warbler, Dickcissel, Mourning Dove, Killdeer, Turkey Vulture, Red Bellied, Downy, and Pileated Woodpeckers, American Kestrel, Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay, American Crow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina and Bewick’s Wrens, European Starling, House Sparrow, House Finch, Redwinged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Yellow Warbler, and Tree Swallow.
Lake Carl Blackwell tagged Wild Turkey, Sabine’s, Franklin, and Ring-billed Gulls, Osprey, Least Sandpiper, and Forster’s Tern.
Sanborn Lake checked Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, Chimney Swift, Red-headed and Hairy Woodpeckers, Northern Flicker, Red-shouldered Hawk, and American Robin.
Cushing Water Treatment Plant (restricted access) called out Green-winged Teal, Sora, Wilson’s Snipe, Pectoral Sandpiper, Glossy/Whitefaced Ibis, Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher, Loggerhead Shrike, Marsh Wren, American Goldfinch, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, and Brown-headed Cowbird.
Lake Carl Blackwell Dam recorded Great Horned Owl and Peregrine Falcon.
Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University tagged Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-tailed Hawk, White- and Red-eyed Vireos, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Northern Parula, Wilson’s and Orange- crowned Warblers, Summer Tanager, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Great-tailed Grackle, Rock Pigeon, Warbling Vireo, Tufted Titmouse, House and Clay-colored Sparrows, Yellow- breasted Chat, Orchard Oriole, and Indigo Bunting.
Deb Hirt is a wild bird rehabilitator and photographer living in Stillwater.
A Common Gull.
CHARLES J. SHARP, CC BY-SA 4.0
