Time for rare and interesting shorebirds

Oklahoma Mesonet again recorded no precipitation over the past three weeks (through Tuesday), putting the area well within drought conditions.

September migratory birds for the month shall be the following arrivals: Northern Pintail, Lesser Scaup, Eared Grebe, Common Poorwill, Sabine’s and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Sharpshinned Hawk, Merlin, Prairie Falcon, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Blue-headed and Philadelphia Vireos, Redbreasted Nuthatch, House, Sedge, and Marsh Wrens, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Swainson’s and Hermit Thrushes, Cedar Waxwing, American Pipit, Dark-eyed Junco, Vesper, Lincoln’s, Clay-colored, and Savannah Sparrows, Spotted and Eastern Towhees, Bobolink (rare in fall migration), Western Meadowlark, Brewer’s Blackbird, Ovenbird, Tennessee, Orange-crowned, Nashville, Chestnut-sided, and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Virginia Rail.

Departures should include Black-billed Cuckoo, Chuckwill’s- widow, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Common Gallinule, Black-necked Silt, Piping Plover, Upland Sandpiper, Marbled Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Red Knot, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Willet, Least Tern, Least Bittern, Tricolored Heron, White Ibis, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Yellow-bellied, Acadian, and Alder Flycatchers, Bell’s, Warbling, and Yellowthroated Vireos, Bank and Cliff Swallows, Purple Martin, Swainson’s Thrush, Cassin’s Sparrow, Yellow-breasted Chat, Bobolink, Orchard and Baltimore Orioles, Northern Waterthrush, Prothonotary, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Yellow- throated, Canada, and Kentucky Warblers, American Redstart and Painted Bunting.

Payne County rare birds were a possible Common Tern and an immature Rufous Hummingbird.

An estimated 15,700 birds crossed Payne County between Monday, Sept. 7, 2026 at 1950 hours and Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026 at 0700 hours.

Peak migration traffic was an estimated 13,900 birds in flight from the south, wind speed of 9 mph, at an altitude of 7,400 feet, recorded on Sept. 7 at 2140 hours.

Expected nocturnal migrants were Eastern Kingbird, Baltimore Oriole, Upland Sandpiper, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Wilson’s and Nashville Warblers, Scissor-tailed and Least Flycatchers, Little Blue and Green Herons, Northern Parula, Bell’s Vireo, Eastern Wood-Pewee and Black Tern.

Nationwide continuing rarities include Newfoundland’s Steller’s Sea-Eagle and Arizona’s Tufted Flycatcher.

See HIRT on C4

Deb Hirt

LIFE AT BOOMER LAKE

CONTINUED FROM C1

As you know, September is time for rare and interesting shorebirds. Quebec had the first eastern North American Far Eastern Curlew, world’s largest sandpiper. Alberta welcomed Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

New Hampshire broadcasted several Eared Grebes, while New York discovered two offshore White-tailed Tropicbirds.

Minnesota counted Swallow-tailed Kite, while Arizona tagged White Wagtail and White-throated Thrush.

Boomer Lake added Canada Goose, Mallard, domestic Mallard, Mourning Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Chimney Swift, Rubythroated Hummingbird, Forster’s Tern, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Mississippi Kite, Red-shouldered Hawk, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Least Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Warbling Vireo, Blue Jay, Carolina Chickadee, Barn Swallow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Carolina Wren, European Starling, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Bluebird, House Sparrow, House Finch, Red-winged Blackbird, Northern Yellow Warbler and Dickcissel.

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

A Blue-headed Vireo takes a break on a tree limb.

Wildreturn, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons