Some birds are signs of winter

Oklahoma Mesonet reported 1.81 inches of rain over the past week.

This was a welcome holiday gift, as we need the winter rains for the spring fruits and plants.

Payne County rare birds over the same period include Yellow Palm Warbler, a rarer palm warbler spp. at Lake Carl Blackwell, and continuing Lesser Goldfinch at assorted residential feeders. It may be sparse, but it is quality.

Nationwide rare/vagrant birds include Newfoundland and Labrador’s Steller’s Sea-Eagle, Rhode Island’s Northern Lapwing, Texas’ Kelp Gull, Yellow-headed Caracara, Cattle Tyrant, Brown Jay, Mottled Owl, Wisconsin’s White Wagtail, Arizona’s Berylline Hummingbird, and Oregon’s Tundra Bean-Goose.

It was nice to see Cackling Geese over the weekend overhead. It is never winter in my opinion until the Cackling grace us. It is so enjoyable to get a glass on them, and seek out hybrid forms, which is always interesting and shows if one delves deep enough, what might be a part of that bird’s genetics. Genetics has always appealed to writer.

For those not well acquainted with the simplicity of the Orange-crowned Warbler, this remarkable little bird has visited the better part of our world, showing biogeographic diversity. It is sometimes referred to as the Taiga Orange- crowned Warbler as it can be seen in the northern Boreal Forest limits in wetter, more open taiga groves.

In the forests of the Rockies, the Rocky Mountain Orange- crowned Warbler can be found from alpine meadows to almost the valley floor where there are shorter trees and denser growth.

Lutescent or Pacific Orange-

DEB HIRT

crowned Warbler as a breeding Orange-crowned Warbler can be seen west of the Sierra Cascades where the mountains flatten and annual temperature narrows.

The Channel Islands Orange- crowned Warbler is range restricted by a mild Mediterranean climate year round.

Boomer Lake counted Cackling and Canada Geese, Mallard, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Mourning Dove, Killdeer, Ring-billed Gull, Double- crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Black and Turkey Vultures, Sharp-shinned and Red-shouldered Hawks, Great Horned Owl, Belted Kingfisher, Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Carolina Chickadee, Carolina Wren, European Starling, House Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Song and Harris’s Sparrows, Spotted Towhee, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Carolina Chickadee, Cedar Waxwing, Red-winged Blackbird, Blue Jay, American Crow, and Northern Mockingbird.

Lake Carl Blackwell counted Common Goldeneye, Eurasian Collared-Dove, American Coot, Bonaparte’s Gull, Piedbilled Grebe, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, American Kestrel, Tufted Titmouse, Ruby- and Golden-crowned Kinglets, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, and Dark-eyed Junco.

Lake Cark Blackwell—Dam added Pileated Woodpecker, yellow-shafted Northern Flicker, Bewick’s Wren, slate-colored Dark-eyed Junco, and White-throated Sparrow.

Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University shared Wood Duck, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, American Robin, White-throated Sparrow, Greater White-fronted Goose, Rock Pigeon (feral), Cooper’s and Red-tailed Hawks, Hairy Woodpecker, and House Finch.

Lake Carl Blackwell— HPELS tagged Wild Turkey.

Keep your eyes on the ground and your head in the clouds. Happy birding, and Happy New Year.

Deb Hirt is a wild bird rehabilitator and photographer living in Stillwater.

Am Orange-crowned Warbler

ANDY REAGO & CHRISSY MCCLARREN, CC BY 2.0 , VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS