No telling what birds Super El Nino might bring

Oklahoma Mesonet recorded 0.23 inches of rainfall (before Tuesday) over the past weekly time frame.

Payne County rare birds for the same period flagged a marginally late Baltimore Oriole at several Payne County locations and Eastern Warbling Vireo at Lake Carl Blackwell.

An estimated 12,300 birds crossed Payne County between Monday, Sept. 28, 2026 at 1920 hours and Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 0720 hours.

Peak migration traffic was an estimated 8,800 birds in flight recorded Monday, Sept. 28 at 2200 hours from the SSE, wind speed of 6 mph, at an altitude of 4,900 feet.

Expected nocturnal migrants were Baltimore Oriole, Bluegray Gnatcatcher, Dickcissel, Nashville, Orange-crowned and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Green Heron, Least Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Rubycrowned Kinglet, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak, Redbreasted Nuthatch and Eastern Wood-Pewee.

Nationwide rarities/vagrants include ongoing Newfoundland and Labrador’s Steller’s Sea-Eagle, Texas’ Mottled Owl, Rose-throated Becard, Brown Jay and Rufous-capped Warbler.

Nova Scotia’s Barnacle Goose and British Columbia’s Sharptailed Sandpiper were on some strong radar.

Maryland’s Ruff was a very nice surprise to them.

Florida’s Smooth-billed Ani and American Flamingo clearly shined.

Indiana’s Fork-tailed Flycatcher was a top find.

Southeast Fairbanks Census Area of Alaska ticked off Common Crane.

Washington State’s Sharptailed Sandpiper, Slaty-backed Gull and Short-tailed Albatross pleased the masses.

California’s Nazca’s Booby, Yellow-green Vireo and Hawai’i’s Bulwer’s Petrel were excellent eye candy.

Not that the western variety of Yellow-rumped Warbler — the Audubon’s x Myrtle’s — is terribly rare in Oklahoma, there are other birds that are that can only be seen on the Panhandle, though not always that frequently. About three weeks ago, a lovely Hammond’s Flycatcher was observed at the canal entrance to Lake Hefner. Granted, it is not a hop-skipand- a-jump to Payne County, but it is another very distinct possibility. Watch for your fall birds, especially in the midst of a Super El Nino, as there is no telling what might crop up. After all, we did see some extensive activity last week with the nationwide vagrants. We do know that Oklahoma was on that list with Cactus Wren, Western Gull and

See HIRT on C6

Deb Hirt

LIFE AT BOOMER LAKE

CONTINUED FROM C1

American Three-toed Woodpecker.

Boomer Lake added Canada Goose, Mallard, Mourning Dove, Rubythroated Hummingbird, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Great Egret, Northern Flicker, Least and Scissor- tailed Flycatchers, Blue Jay, American Crow, European Starling, House Sparrow, Great-tailed Grackle, Wilson’s, Nashville, Northern Yellow and Yellow-throated Warblers, Northern Cardinal, Rock Pigeon (feral), Eurasian Collared- Dove, Chimney Swift, American Coot, Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied, Red-headed and Downy Woodpeckers, Carolina Chickadee, Carolina Wren, Eastern Bluebird, House Finch, Red-winged Blackbird, White-winged Dove, Cooper’s Hawk, Eastern Phoebe, Barn Swallow, Northern House Wren, Brown Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird and Common Grackle.

Lake Carl Blackwell counted White-faced Ibis, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Redshouldered and Red-tailed Hawks, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, American Robin, Chipping Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Pine and Yellowrumped Warblers, American Goldfinch, Forster’s Tern, Double-crested Cormorant, Hairy and Pileated Woodpeckers, Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker, American Kestrel, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Barn Swallow, Marsh Wren, early Pine Siskin, Field and Lincoln’s Sparrows, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow- rumped Warbler (Myrtle x Audubon’s), Summer Tanager and Indigo Bunting.

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

An American Three-toed Woodpecker digs for insects in a fallen tree at Mammoth Hot Springs. Neal Herbert I National Parks Services