Restoration efforts benefit birds, critters

Payne County rare birds were Lesser Goldfinch at private residences and the rarer yellow western spp. of Palm Warbler.

The nationwide continuing rare/vagrant birds include Steller’s Sea-Eagle and Cattle Tyrant in Texas.

Nova Scotia located male Painted Bunting, while Rhode Island shared Townsend’s Warbler.

Delaware experienced Northern Lapwing with Texas adding Yellow-headed Caracara. The prior individual was not accepted by the rarity committee of Texas.

Oregon spotted White Wagtail, while California had Swallow-tailed Gull.

A couple of Black Vultures were seen flying over Mitch Park, which is out of the ordinary during winter.

The Least Bell’s Vireo is making a comeback in its usual spot in California off the Los Angeles River. The park is located at Taylor Yard and was placed on the endangered list in 1980. Due to habitat restoration and a returning natural riparian ecosystem along a bend in the river, things are looking up around the soft-bottomed sections.

The 100-Acre Project hopes to have it ready by 2028 in time for the LA Olympics. The new Paseo del Rio Park at Taylor Yard will provide more crucial habitat for chorus frogs, big brown bats, arroyo chub fish, and the osprey.

It will be more environmentally friendly with changes to keep it from flooding, including something more porous than concrete, all welcome news.

Boomer Lake counted Canada Goose, Ring-billed Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, Mallard, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Killdeer, Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, House Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Black and Turkey Vultures, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Carolina Chickadee, Carolina Wren, European Starling, Northern Mockingbird, American Robin, Harris’s Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, domestic Mallard, Red-breasted Merganser, Mourning Dove, Rubyand Golden-crowned Kinglets, Dark-eyed Junco, Whitecrowned and White-throated Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, and Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Lake Carl Blackwell added American Coot, American Herring Gull, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Eastern Bluebird, rarer yellow spp. of Palm Warbler, Pied-billed Grebe, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Shoveler, Bonaparte’s Gull, American Pipit, Hooded Merganser, Red-shouldered Hawk, Downy, Hairy, and Pileated Woodpeckers, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Eastern Bluebird, Cedar Waxwing, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch, red Fox Sparrow, slate-colored Dark-eyed Junco, Savannah, Swamp, and Lincoln’s Sparrows, Green-winged Teal, Bald Eagle, American Kestrel, American White Pelican, House Finch, and Pine Warbler.

Lake Carl Blackwell—Dam tagged Gadwall, Greater/ Lesser Scaup, Cackling Goose, Northern Pintail, Ring-necked Duck, Common Goldeneye, Greater Scaup, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Spotted Towhee, Eastern Meadowlark, Northern Harrier, Black Scoter, Bonaparte’s Gull, and Rusty Blackbird.

The Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University shared Rock Pigeon (Feral), Red-headed Woodpecker, Harlan’s Hawk, Wood Duck, Eastern Phoebe, and Orange- crowned Warbler.

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 White Wagtail with juvenile.

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DEB HIRT