Had to let people know about these birds

Mesonet.org is still reporting no rain over the past week.

I recall one year quite some time ago when one winter was so dry, Boomer Creek was nearly dry. It gave me the opportunity at that time when I crossed Airport Road to cross the creek and see what was there. I had just moved to Stillwater not too long prior. It was an interesting trip, as I went with a friend, and we saw the heronry. Well, my eyes just lit right up and I knew I would not be racing through there without getting glimpses of the treasure trove of herons, including some surprises over the years to me. It surprised other people as well, and that was part of the reason that I began this column. That gave me a lot of good heron experience, as well as some interesting pictures as time went on and new discoveries like the first reported Neotropic Cormorant. Wood Ducks hid out there along with many other different birds, animals, and snakes.

Payne County rare birds for the week included Lesser Goldfinch at private residences and Teal Ridge Wetland, Ladder- backed Woodpecker in the country, Palm Warbler at Lake Carl Blackwell, and Roughlegged Hawk in the Peach/ McElroy area.

The ongoing nationwide rare/vagrant birds for the week were Northern Lapwing in Newfoundland and Massachusetts, Yellow-headed Caracara and Large-billed Tern in Florida, and Mottled Owl and Brown Jay in Texas.

Newfoundland and Labrador called Carolina Wren, while Nova Scotia tagged Townsend’s Warbler.

Vermont ticked Bullock’s Oriole, while Short-tailed Shearwater visited Illinois.

There was another shearwater, likely the short-tailed in Hudson Bay.

Florida came up with a Grey-breasted Martin or Cuban Martin at Lake Apopka, as well as Snow Bunting, as Georgia shouted out Hooded Oriole.

Oregon marked Bean Goose sp. possibly a Tundra, and Scarlet Tanager. Washington State tagged Whooper Swan.

Boomer Lake counted Mallard, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Killdeer, Ring-billed Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle Downy Woodpecker, Carolina Chickadee, American Pipit, slate-colored Dark-eyed Junco, and myrtle Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Lake Carl Blackwell viewed Ross’s and Canada Geese, Northern Shoveler, Greenwinged Teal, Canvasback, Hooded and Red-breasted Mergansers, Eurasian Collared- Dove, American Coot, Bonaparte’s and American Herring Gulls, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Flicker, American Crow, European Starling, Eastern Bluebird, House Sparrow, Red-bellied Woodpecker, American Kestrel, Ruby- and Golden-crowned Kinglets, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Mockingbird, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Gadwall, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Tufted Titmouse, Song and House Sparrows, Northern Cardinal, American Wigeon, Common Goldeneye, Black Vulture, Northern Harrier, Belted Kingfisher, Blue Jay, Brown Creeper, American Goldfinch, Red-winged Blackbird, and Palm and Pine Warblers.

Meridian Technology Center Pond eyed Rock Pigeon (feral), Common Merganser, and Eastern Meadowlark.

Sanborn Lake shared Ringnecked Duck, Mourning Dove, red Fox Sparrow, Harris’s Sparrow, and Spotted Towhee.

Lake Carl Blackwell – Dam added Greater Scaup, Sharpshinned and Red-shouldered Hawks, Pileated and Hairy Woodpeckers, White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows, and House Finch.

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 Golden-crowned Kinglet.

GARY IRWIN, CC BY-SA 2.0 , VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

DEB HIRT