This won’t be the end of the late birds
Oklahoma Mesonet reported 0.03 inches of rainfall over the seven-day period before Wednesday.
Payne County rare birds over the same time frame included Harris’s Sparrow, Dickcissel, and Blue Grosbeak, all late birds. The Dickcissel was at Boomer Lake. Don’t expect this to be the end of late birds.
The nationwide rare/vagrant birds for the week include two continuing rarities with Arizona’s Yellow Grosbeak and Florida’s Gray Gull.
Newfoundland and Labrador ticked off Black-throated Gray Warbler, as Ontario added Black-tailed Gull and Vermilion Flycatcher.
New York counted Wood Stork, while Florida called out Bananaquit and Brewer’s Sparrow, and Texas counted Blue Bunting, while Arkansas shared Ash-throated Flycatcher.
Illinois tallied Chesttnut-collared Longspur, while Washington State recorded an Asian species, Marsh Sandpiper.
There were so few birds that crossed Payne County last night, they did not register, but we do know that an estimated 700 birds in flight were discovered on Tuesday October 29,2024 at 1940 hours.
Again, the numbers were so low we don’t have speed of travel nor altitude or flight direction.
Expected nocturnal migrants were Dark-eyed Junco, Song Sparrow, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Ruddy Duck, Gadwall, Redhead, Yellow-rumped and Orange-crowned Warblers, White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows, Lesser Scaup, Harris’s Sparrow, Ring-necked Duck, and Fox Sparrow.
The rare bird forecast is high with current vagrancy conditions at 1.1, current magnetic field distortion at 1.2, and current solar activity at 1.7.
Species richness trends are a little higher on the east coast, the south and in the vicinity of northern California, which is normal for this time of the year.
Seasonal richness trends show Magnolia Warbler on the upswing with Blackpoll Warbler slightly on an upswing.
Stay up-to-date with the new Stokes Guide to Finches by Lillian Stokes and Matthew Young. This book will help you do your irruptive finch counts almost like a pro. It is worth picking up a copy.
Boomer Lake shared Canada Goose, Mallard, Mourning Dove, American Coot, Killdeer, Pied-billed Grebe, Blue Jay, Carolina Chickadee, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Northern Cardinal, Ruddy Duck, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Red-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers, Yellow shafted Northern Flicker, Eastern Phoebe, Carolina Wren, European Starling, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, House, Lincoln’s, and Chipping Sparrows, Pine and Yellow- rumped Warblers, Northern Cardinal, Great Egret, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Ring-billed Gull, American Crow, Eastern Bluebird, American Pipit, Eastern Meadowlark, Common Grackle, and Dickcissel.
Lake Carl Blackwell counted Least Sandpiper, Franklin’s Gull, and Vesper Sparrow.
The Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University tallied Rock Pigeon, Cooper’s Hawk, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, American Crow, Tufted Titmouse, American Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Junco, Song Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, Brown-headed Cowbird, Indigo Bunting, Mourning Dove, Red-tailed Hawk, Barred Owl, Red-headed Woodpecker, American Kestrel, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Ruby- and Golden-crowned Kinglets, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Brown Thrasher, House Finch, Eurasian Collared-Dove, and Red-shouldered Hawk.
Keep your eyes on the ground and your head in the clouds.
Happy birding! Deb Hirt is a wild bird rehabilitator and photographer living in Stillwater.
A Marsh Sandpiper
JJ HARRISON VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
DEB HIRT
