Some birds flying low

Oklahoma Mesonet reported no rainfall over the past week.

Payne County rare birds for the same timeframe include a very probable Mourning Warbler at Sanborn Lake, Acadian Flycatcher at Bearded Birding Wildlife Refuge (private, north of West 80th and South Cottonwood Road).

An estimated 700 birds crossed Payne County between Monday, Aug. 31 at 2000 hours and Tuesday at 0700 hours.

Peak migration traffic was an estimated 400 birds in flight on Sept. 1 at 0250 hours. When birds in flight are this low, direction, speed and altitude cannot be reliably determined. Birds usually begin to migrate 30-45 minutes after sunset, with the greatest number 2-3 hours later. Birds generally migrate southward in fall, but seasonal timing, weather and geography alter flight direction and speed. Migratory birds regularly fly up to 10,000 feet above ground, though seasonal timing and weather conditions impact distribution.

Expected nocturnal migrants were Eastern Kingbird, Baltimore Oriole, Upland Sandpiper, Blue Grosbeak, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Wilson’s and Nashville Warblers, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Least Flycatcher, Bells Vireo, Lark Sparrow, Dickcissel, Little Blue Heron and Black Tern.

Nationwide continuing rarities include Steller’s Sea-Eagle of Newfoundland, Brown Jay of Texas and Arizona’s Tufted Flycatcher.

British Columbia twice captured a pelagic Shorttailed Albatross this week, while Quebec adds to the most extreme point for Swallowtailed Kite over this summer.

North Carolina boasted Wedge-tailed and Cape Verde Shearwaters on the same journey, as well as the Common Ringed Plover, luck in triplicate. On top of that, imagine the Trindade Petrel AND White-faced Storm Petrel. Remember the warning about the Super El Nino this year?

Georgia got its first Cassin’s Kingbird (misidentified in the eBird link).

Michigan procured its first Wandering Tattler, though Lake Michigan has been attracting these birds in both Indiana and Illinois.

Utah shared Long-tailed Jaeger, while California had a young Purple Gallinule, AND Washington State added Redfooted and Nazca Booby to their repertoire.

Alaska’s first mainland record of the Chinese Pond Heron made its debut, as the previous three records were on The Islands.

Ah, to be in the right place at the right time for this week in a Big Year!

On Aug. 23, an immature Rufous Hummingbird was spotted at Myriad Botanical Gardens in downtown OKC. It appeared to be defending sages and other blooming flowers at

See HIRT on C2

Deb Hirt

LIFE AT BOOMER LAKE

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north end of Crystal Bridge Conservatory near wheel hubcap pyramid sculpture. There were also one or two females there as well. Fairly rare fall occurrence away from nectar feeders in central Oklahoma.

Boomer Lake added Canada Goose, Mallard, domestic Mallard, Rock Pigeon (feral), Mourning Dove, Rubythroated Hummingbird, Killdeer, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Mississippi Kite, Red-shouldered Hawk, Least Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe, Scissortailed Flycatcher, Eastern Warbling Vireo, Carolina Chickadee, Barn Swallow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, European Starling, Eastern Bluebird, House Sparrow, House Finch, Northern Yellow and Pine Warblers, Northern Cardinal, Dickcissel, Chimney Swift, Great Egret, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Carolina Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Redwinged Blackbird, Common Grackle, new world warbler sp., Green-winged Teal, Piedbilled Grebe, Green Heron, American Crow, American Robin and Baltimore Oriole.

Lake Carl Blackwell tallied Eurasian Collared-Dove, Common Nighthawk, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Pileated Woodpecker, Great Crested Flycatcher, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, blackbird sp., White-winged Dove, Upland Sandpiper, Black and Forster’s Terns, Double Crested Cormorant, Mississippi Kite, Red-headed, Downy, Pileated and Hairy Woodpeckers, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Bell’s Vireo, Cliff Swallow, Bewick’s Wren, Gray Catbird, Field Sparrow, Orchard Oriole, Yellow-throated Warbler, Summer Tanager, Indigo and Painted Buntings and Purple Martin.

Keep your eyes on the ground and your head in the clouds. Happy birding!

The Mourning Warbler is an uncommon individual usually in wet areas, hopping on the ground. It can be confused with Connecticut and MacGillivray’s Warblers by having tin or no pale-eye arcs. It has a distinctive call.

Wildreturn via Wikimedia Commons