Birds use geomagnetic migration
Oklahoma Mesonet reported 0.17 inches of rain over the past seven-day period (As of April 1).
Also over the same timeframe, rare birds recorded were Lesser Goldfinch at Will Rogers Woods (private), Yellow- headed Blackbird at Teal Ridge Wetland, and Neotropic Cormorant at Boomer Lake.
An estimated 81,800 nocturnal migrants crossed Payne County between Monday, March 31 at 1950 hours and Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 0710 hours. Peak migration traffic was an estimated 8,600 birds in flight at an altitude of 3,600 feet at a speed of 32 mph from the north.
Expected nocturnal migrants were Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Dark-eyed Junco, Blue-winged Teal, Lincoln’s, Fox, Lark, and Savannah Sparrows, Northern Parula, Louisiana Waterthrush, Yellow- rumped and Black-andwhite Warblers, Ring-necked Duck, and Bufflehead.
Current and predicted vagrancy conditions are high with geomagnetic vagrancy at 0.8, geomagnetic disturbance at 0.7, and current solar activity conditions at 1.5.
Thus far, spring geomagnetic vagrancy is high and is expected to remain the same over the next two weeks. Conditions are determined by factors that influence a bird’s ability to use the Earth’s geomagnetic field to navigate during migration.
Species richness trends are about the same as last week. Seasonality determines chances to observe rare birds.
Species demographic trends show the Eastern Bluebird to be at a slight decrease, while Wood Thrush is on a positive note.
The nationwide/rare birds for the week include Gray Gull in Alabama, Yellow Grosbeak in Arkansas, Texas’ Asian
DEB HIRT
Stonechat, Brown Jay, and Yellow-headed Caracara. Eurasian Sparrowhawk still remains on Adak, Alaska.
A suspect Gray-breasted Martin may have recently been located in New York, as West Virginia counted Bullock’s Oriole, and North Caroline tagged Sage Thrasher for only one day.
Ontario came up with Rock Ptarmigan, as Quebec spotted Common Shelduck.
Lawrence’s Goldfinch blew into Kansas, as Nebraska jostled several Common Cranes in different locations among Sandhill Cranes.
New Mexico had Tufted Flycatcher showing, and British Columbia scoped Whitewinged Dove. The first Ruby-throated Hummingbird may have been March 22 in Hochatown, OK.
Boomer Lake counted Cackling and Canada Geese, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard, Greater and Lesser Scaups, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Mourning Dove, American Coot, Killdeer, Ring-billed and American Herring Gulls, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Redtailed Hawk, yellow-shafted Northern Flicker, Fish and American Crows, Tree, Northern Rough-winged, Barn, and Cliff Swallows, Carolina Wren, European Starling, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, House, Field, White-crowned, Harris’s, Vesper, Song, and Lincoln’s Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, myrtle Yellow- rumped Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Purple Martin, American Wigeon, Greenwinged Teal, Canvasback, Redhead, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret, Cooper’s Hawk, Carolina Chickadee, Carolina Wren, Northern Pintail, Baird’s Sandpiper, Common Loon, Northern Mockingbird, Downy Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Pine Warbler, Red-tailed Hawk, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Great-tailed Grackle, domestic Mallard, Neotropic Cormorant, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Brown Thrasher, slate-colored Dark-eyed Junco, and Franklin’s Gull.
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 Gray-breasted Martin
CLÁUDIO DIAS TIMM FROM RIO GRANDE DO SUL, CC BY-SA 2.0
