Fast birds looking for food

DEB HIRT

Oklahoma Mesonet reported no precipitation for the past seven day period, but writer is excited to see how much the snowfall counts for, which we should have incorporated into next week’s figures.

Payne County rare birds over the past couple of weeks include Common Goldeneye x Hooded Merganser hybrid, which has been in the area for the past few years in the cove at Lake Carl Blackwell-Dam at the Turkey Creek Campground. This hybrid is a handsome individual with Common Goldeneye-like plumage and a merganser bill, sans the white facial spot. Also discovered were Eastern Towhee and the uncommon but confined to winter, Audubon’s Yellow- rumped Warbler, which has its yellow throat.

We also had a Sedge Wren noted by its sharp vocalization, as well as a Pink-sided Dark-eyed Junco that was remotely similar to a female Cassiar’s.

Franklin’s Gull in full-breeding plumage at Boomer Lake and male Bluewinged Teal appeared at Sanborn Lake, all very good finds for these noteworthy weather conditions.

The nationwide rare/vagrant birds for the week are all fabulous finds, as well as the normal ongoing green card holders--Cattle Tyrant, Mottled Owl, Crimson-collared Grosbeak, and Brown Jay.

We also have Newfoundland’s Steller’s Sea-Eagle, British Columbia’s Taiga Flycatcher, Virginia’s Redflanked Bluetail, Hawaii’s Blue Rockthrush, and Yukon’s Eurasian Bullfinch that has been around for close to a month.

Earlier in January, Quebec noticed the European Robin, a first for Canada, while Connecticut shared Bohemian Waxwing and Western Meadowlark.

New York has been collecting the bean-goose, both Tundra and Taiga Bean-Geese.

North Carolina has been enjoying Crested Caracara, MacGillivray’s Warbler, and Common Ground-Dove.

Kansas also had its own Crested Caracara, while British Columbia counted Summer Tanager.

Winter has certain things that we all look forward to, one of which is my own personal favorite, the little Sharp-shinned Hawk, but don’t let that description fool you, as that wee one packs quite a punch.

Since it is a severe cold snap, most of the hawks are desperate for whatever they can pick up for sustenance and are experiencing weight loss, so if you’re interested in photographs, now is the time of year.

Writer is enthralled with the sharpie, as it is so small, it appears that it is moving a lot faster than it is, but it CAN do that.

Two exemplary photos have come my way over the years with them. I was in the right place at the right time for one that captured a bird and was consuming it at Boomer Lake, as well as an in-my-face head and shoulders shot atop a hedge at my own residence.

Boomer Lake counted multiple species of goose--Snow, Ross’s, Snow/Ross’s, Greater White-fronted, Cackling, and Canada Geese,Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Greenwinged Teal, Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Ruddy Duck, American Coot, American Herring and Ring-billed Gulls, Pied-billed Grebe, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Blue Jay, Carolina Wren, Carolina Chickadee, European Starling, House Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Myrtle Yellow-rumped and Orange- crowned Warblers, Redhead, Northern Shoveler, domestic Mallard, Lesser Scaup, Red-breasted Merganser, American Coot, Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker, American Crow, Northern Mockingbird, Northern Cardinal, Common Goldeneye, Killdeer, Double-crested Cormorant, Harris’s and Fox Sparrows, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Dark-eyed Junco, Eastern Bluebird, Great Blue Heron, Slate-colored Dark-eyed Junco, western/ eastern meadowlark, Franklin’s and Bonaparte’s Gulls, and Merlin.

Lake Carl Blackwell recorded Common Merganser flyovers, Eurasian Collared- Dove, Wilson’s Snipe, Least Sandpiper, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Bald Eagle, American Pipit, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Bewick’s Wren, Oregon and Savannah Sparrows, Spotted Towhee, Common Grackle, American White Pelican, Red-headed Woodpecker, Purple Finch, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks, American Kestrel, Pileated Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, Golden-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Tree and Whitecrowned Sparrows, and Eastern Meadowlark.

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

Deb Hirt is a wild bird rehabilitator and photographer living in Stillwater.

A Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned Hawk.

MIKE MOREL/U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE. ENHANCEMENTS BY QUAZGAA AT EN.WIKIPEDIA, PUBLIC DOMAIN, VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS