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Migrating birds are still cruising through the state
Oklahoma Mesonet reported 0.03 inches of precipitation in the past seven days.
Payne County rare birds for the same period recorded ongoing injured American Herring Gull, Neotropic Cormorant, and Orchard Oriole at Boomer Lake, Great Crested Flycatcher at a private residence on Cimarron Hill Road, and Cedar Waxwing, Painted Bunting, and Myrtle and Audubon’s Yellow-rumped Warblers at Lake Carl Blackwell.
An estimated 21,600 birds crossed Payne County between Monday, Sept. 22, 2025 at 1930 hours and Tuesday, Sept.23, 2025 at 0710 hours. Peak migration traffic was an estimated 13,400 birds in flight at an altitude of 6,100 feet at a cruising speed of 12 mph heading SSE.
Expected nocturnal migrants were Scissor-tailed and Great Crested Flycatchers, Baltimore Oriole, Gray Catbird, Dickcissel, Bell’s Vireo, Painted Bunting, Snowy Egret, Yellow Warbler, Least Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Eastern Kingbird, Upland Sandpiper, and Little Blue Heron.
The nationwide rare/vagrant birds were the ongoing Steller’s Sea-Eagle of Newfoundland.
Common Ringed Plover hung its hat in St. Pierre & Miquelon, Broad-winged Hawk from Labrador, Quebec shared Gray Kingbird and Black-tailed Gull, Alberta counted Little Blue Heron, Ancient Murrelet, and Bluewinged Warbler.
New Jersey enjoyed the presence of Fork-tailed Flycatcher, as Bell’s Vireo wandered about both Carolinas.
Florida flagged Variegated Flycatcher, while Texas tagged Double-striped Thick-Knee.
California also enjoyed Common Ringed Plover and Dark-sided Flycatcher, first time south of Alaska.
Washington State discovered
DEB HIRT
Red-necked Stint and Upland Sandpiper, and Alaska had been having a heyday with Siberian Accentor, Yellow- browed Bunting, Common Chiffchaff, and Red-flanked Bluetail.
Boomer Lake added Canada Goose, Mallard, Rock Pigeon (Feral), Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Scissor- tailed Flycatcher, Bell’s Vireo, European Starling, House Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Northern Cardinal, Mourning Dove, Killdeer, American Herring Gull, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Cooper’s Hawk, yellow-shafted Northern Flicker, Eastern Kingbird, Warbling Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Carolina Chickadee, Barn Swallow, Carolina Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Bluebird, House Finch, Pine Warbler, Chimney Swift, Red-headed, Red-bellied, and Downy Woodpeckers, Baltimore Oriole, Yellow Warbler, Mississippi Kite, Belted Kingfisher, Eastern Phoebe, American Robin, Eastern Meadowlark, White-winged Dove, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Brown Thrasher, and Common Grackle.
Lake Carl Blackwell penned in Inca Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Common Nighthawk, Black Vulture, Osprey, Pileated Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Wood Duck, Ruby- throated Hummingbird, American Coot, Least Sandpiper, Black Tern, Forster’s Tern, Pied-billed and Eared Grebes, Horned/Eared Grebe, White-faced Ibis, Bald Eagle, Hairy Woodpecker, American Kestrel, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Tree Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Northern House Wren, Bewick’s Wren, Gray Catbird, American Goldfinch, Chipping and Lark Sparrows, Orchard Oriole, Brown-headed Cowbird, Nashville Warbler, Northern Paula, Myrtle Yellow- rumped Warbler, Yellow- throated Warbler, Summer Tanager, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Dickcissel, American Avocet, Ring-billed Gull, American White Pelican, Red-shouldered Hawk, White-eyed Vireo, Cedar Waxwing, Audubon’s Yellow- rumped Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, and Field Sparrow.
Sanborn Lake penciled Great Horned Owl and Blue-headed Vireo.
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 Dark-sided Flycatcher.
LIP KEE YAP, CC BY-SA 2.0
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