A top destination for birds

Oklahoma Mesonet reported 0.02 inches of precipitation over the past week.

Payne County rare birds for the same period included Ross’s Goose among the goose clan at Boomer Lake, Scissor- tailed Flycatcher at Lake Carl Blackwell and Northern Parula at the Payne County Run Club.

An estimated 832,600 birds crossed Payne County between Monday, March 30, 2026 at 1950 hours and Tuesday March 31, 2026 at 0710 hours.

Peak migration traffic was an estimated 47,700 birds in flight from the NNE, wind speed of 50 mph at an altitude of 2,400 feet.

Expected nocturnal migrants were Dark-eyed Junco, Harris’s, Song, Vesper, and White-crowned Sparrows, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Yellow- rumped and Black-andwhite Warblers, Blue-winged Teal, Gadwall, Redhead, Bufflehead, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and Louisiana Waterthrush.

Continuing nationwide rarities/ vagrants include Mottled Owl, Cattle Tyrant, Brown Jay, and Crimson-collared Grosbeak of Texas. Yukon Canada’s Eurasian Bullfinch is still presenting itself with European Robin in Quebec, Garganey in Pennsylvania, and Red-flanked Bluetail in Virginia.

British Colombia’s Sagebrush Sparrow is a noteworthy find, followed by Mississippi’s Black-tailed Gull that blew in from eastern Asia.

The final frontier this week, is the Phoenix Petrel in Hawaii, just south of Big Island offshore, of course.

For those of you that need an interesting place to go this year, here’s writer’s advice for a great crossword clue as well as some outstanding birding. It’s a foreign country, but not a ridiculous distance. However,

DEB HIRT

it could be somewhat prohibitive this year due to airline price increases, but you do need to get there. The answer to the trivia question for the day is Panama, but don’t take a wrong turn and head for the Canal. Ever hear of Pipeline Road? It is only one of the top birding spots that you have got to get to. Your wisest choice would be to get yourself a local guide, because it is infamous for world records there alone, in the tune of well over 300 species. Now you know.

Boomer Lake added Mallard, American Coot, Killdeer, Ring-billed Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, American and Fish Crows, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, European Starling, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, American Goldfinch, House, Harris’s, Song, Savannah, and Lincoln’s Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Snow and Canada Geese, Blue-winged Teal, Mallard, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Duck, Mourning Dove, Ring-billed Gull, Pied-billed Grebe, Turkey Vulture, Carolina Chickadee, Purple Martin, Barn and Cliff Swallows, Ruby- crowned Kinglet, Greattailed Grackle, Great Egret, Blue Jay, American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Greater Yellowlegs, Bald Eagle, Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker, Eastern and Western Meadowlarks, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Red-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers, Eastern Phoebe, House Finch, Pine and Yellow-rumped Warblers.

Lake Carl Blackwell counted Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks,Northern Rough-winged Swallow, and White-breasted Nuthatch.

Ghost Hollow tagged Black Vulture, Swainson’s Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Hairy Woodpecker, Lark Sparrow, Black-and-white Warbler, and Northern Parula.

The Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University checked Wood Duck, Cooper’s Hawk, Marsh Wren, Purple Finch, Rock Pigeon (feral), Chipping Sparrow, and Yellow- bellied Sapsucker.

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 Northern Parula.

SHENANDOAHNPS, PUBLIC DOMAIN, VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS