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Don’t try to adjust bird diets
Oklahoma Mesonet recorded 0.42 inches of rainfall over the past week in Payne County, which was necessary over a dry winter thus far.
Payne County rare birds for the same time frame include Fish Crow reported in a residential area with normal vocal “uh” designators.
Nationwide rare/vagrant ongoing individuals have been ticking upward this winter. British Columbia reported Taiga Flycatcher, with Yellow- headed Caracara in both Delaware and Florida, Redflanked Bluetail in Virginia, Texas’ semi-resident Cattle Tyrant and Brown Jay, and lastly, Eurasian Bullfinch in Yukon.
Taiga Bean-Goose has been enjoying both southern Vancouver and appear to be increasing in North America overall over the past several years.
Maryland has been hosting Crested Carcara, as New Jersey claimed a Glaucous winged Gull, which also seems to be increasing in the northeast and Middle Atlantic states.
North Carolina has been enjoying Townsend’s Warbler, while Illinois boasted Shortbilled Gull, and Michigan counted another Crested Caracara for this week’s individuals.
Kansas tagged Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Colorado counted Brant, and Idaho had a vacationing Mountain Plover.
Just a reminder as well as FYI information to pass on to budding hummingbird aficionados that don’t yet have the experience to know, but you could be saving lives.
It is critical that we do not attempt to feed hummingbirds anything other than a 1:4 solution of table sugar without dyes, mixes, or commercial mixes.
Now that we are in False Spring (which is entirely governed by El Nino getting a solid start), the American Robin is already here and may pick up voracious steam.
Hummingbirds have a diet of their own choosing and they know exactly what they need and will get it on their own.
If we add anything to their specific diet, we will be harming their specific body chemistry and needs with what will result in deficiencies or toxicities. ENOUGH SAID, but circulate this information widely.
Boomer Lake added Canada Goose, Mourning Dove, Ringbilled Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, American Coot, Bufflehead, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron, American Kestrel, American Crow, Caroline Chickadee, Carolina Wren, European Starling, Northern Mockingbird, American Robin, House Sparrow, Slate-colored Dark-eyed Junco, Harris’s and Song Sparrows, Redwinged Blackbird, Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warbler, Blue Jay, Eastern Bluebird, House Finch, Brown-headed Cowbird, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Northern Cardinal, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Downy Woodpecker, domestic Mallard, Greater/Lesser Scaup, and Tufted Titmouse.
Lake Carl Blackwell tagged Northern Bobwhite, American Woodcock, Northern Shoveler, White-crowned, Savannah, Field, Lincoln’s, and White-throated Sparrows, Spotted Towhee, Killdeer, Lesser Black-backed Gull, American White Pelican, Northern Harrier, Red-shouldered, Cooper’s, and Red-tailed Hawks, Belted Kingfisher, Red-headed, Red-bellied, and Pileated Woodpeckers, Northern Flicker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Eastern Meadowlark, Greenwinged Teal, Common Goldeneye, American Herring Gull, Eastern Phoebe, Bewick’s Wren, American Pipit, and Common Grackle.
Lake Carl Blackwell--Dam penned in Gadwall, Hooded and Common Mergansers, Northern Pintail, Bonaparte’s Gull, Bald Eagle, Hairy Woodpecker, Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, American Goldfinch, Western Meadowlark, Wood Duck, Cedar Waxwing, American Wigeon, and Fox Sparrow.
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 Glaucous-winged Gull
JAMES ST. JOHN, CC BY 2.0
DEB HIRT
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