Some birds may not fully cross in a single night

Oklahoma Mesonet reported 3.24 inches of precipitation over the past week.

Payne County rare birds for the same time frame include late Wilson’s Warbler at Boomer Lake, Summer Tanager, late Broad-winged Hawk, late Tree Swallow, late black Tern and Yellow-throated Warbler at Lake Carl Blackwell, Mississippi Kite on South Black Walnut south of West 19th Ave. and Blue Grosbeak south of E0735 Road east of South Western.

An estimated 100 birds crossed Payne County between Monday, Oct. 19 at 1850 hours and Tuesday, Oct.

20 at 0740 hours.

Peak migration traffic was an estimated 1,400 birds in flight recorded Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 0650 hours. Not all birds may fully cross an area in a single night, resulting in a larger number of birds in flight than total number of birds crossed.

Direction, speed and altitude cannot be reliably determined when the number of birds in flight is low.

Expected nocturnal migrants were Yellow-rumped and Nashville Warblers, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated, Song, White-crowned, Vesper, and Savannah Sparrows, Western Meadowlark, Gadwall, Golden- and Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Redbreasted Nuthatch.

Now that we are in the season, here is an overview in the differences between Greater and Lesser Scaups.

Greater has a smooth, rounder head with the highest point above or slightly in front of the eye with a slightly broader and larger and blue bill where the nail bleeds out, like lipstick that had not been touched up all day. White stripe on trailing wing edge extends onto out (primary) flight feathers. The black and white wavy lined back feathers make it look generally paler. It is more of a salt water, coastal bay duck, preferring more open water.

Lesser Scaup is more common on Boomer Lake with a distinctly peaked head with the crown sitting further back toward the rear. The bill is narrower and smaller with a cleaner, smaller nail. In flight, the white stripe is mostly on the inner (secondary) feathers, showing duller, darker gray outer primaries.

Boomer Lake added Canada Goose, Ruddy Duck, duck sp., Blue- and Green-winged Teals, American Coot, Franklin’s and Ringbilled Gulls, gull sp., Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Red-bellied, Downy, and Hairy Woodpeckers, Blue Jay, Carolina and Marsh Wrens, Northern Mockingbird, House Finch, House Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Mourning Dove, Great Blue Heron, Swainson’s, Sharpshinned, Cooper’s, and Red-tailed Hawks, Eastern Bluebird, House Sparrow, Orange-crowned, Yellowrumped, Myrtle Yellow-rumped, Pine, Black-throated Green, late Wilson’s Warbler, and Nashville Warblers, Rock Pigeon (feral), Belted Kingfisher, Barn Swallow, European Starling, American Robin, Redwinged Blackbird, possible Muscovy Duck (domestic), Northern Flicker, American and late Fish Crows, domestic Mallard, Carolina Chickadee, Song and Chipping Sparrows, Common and Great-tailed Grackles, Wood Duck, Great Horned Owl, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Brown

See BIRDS on C2

LIFE AT BOOMER LAKE

Deb Hirt

The Red-shafted Northern Flicker is more western than eastern, not to be confused with the Gilded Flicker.

Marcel_Pepin via Wikimedia Commons

CONTINUED FROM C1

Thrasher, American White Pelican, Turkey Vulture, Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker, Western/Eastern Meadowlark, Glossy/ White-faced Ibis, Eurasian Collared-Dove, American Pipit, Pine Siskin, American Goldfinch and Bald Eagle.

Lake Carl Blackwell counted Lesser Scaup, Northern Pintail, Whitewinged Dove, Killdeer, Red-headed and Pileated Woodpeckers, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown-headed Cowbird, Savannah Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, Forester’s Tern, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Taiga Merlin, Red-shouldered and late Broad-winged Hawks, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Golden-crowned Kinglet, White-crowned Sparrow, Redhead, American Avocet, White-faced Ibis, American Kestrel, late Tree Swallow, Northern House and Bewick’s Wrens, Field, White-throated, and Lincoln’s Sparrows, Spotted Towhee, Red-shafted Northern Flicker, late Black Tern and Indigo Bunting.

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