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Looking for birds in the shade
Oklahoma Mesonet reported 0.03 inches of rainfall over the past weekly time frame.
Payne County rare birds tallied during the same period include only the ongoing injured American Herring Gull.
Nationwide rare/vagrant birds are mostly ongoing, but there are two first reports for the week.
Ontario has the first new report of Spotted Redshank, with ongoing Steller’s Sea-Eagle from Newfoundland and Labrador. Connecticut counted first reported Fork-tailed Flycatcher.
Moving to the south, Florida added Thick-billed Vireo, as Texas still observes Cattle Tyrant, and Wisconsin still counts Kelp Gull.
Arizona’s Berylline and White-eared Hummingbirds, Flame-colored Tanager, and Buff-collared Nightjar are still soaking up the sun, while Colorado’s Yellow Grosbeak has not worn out its welcome.
California is enjoying White-winged Tern.
An estimated 212,200 birds crossed Payne County between Monday, Aug. 11, 2025 at 2030 hours and Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025 at 0640 hours. Peak migration traffic was an estimated at 147,600 birds (high number) at 2,700 feet at a cruising speed of 13 mph from the SSW.
Expected nocturnal migrants were Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Painted Bunting, Baltimore Oriole, Indigo Bunting, Yellow Warbler, Upland Sandpiper, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Spotted Sandpiper, Great Crested Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Blue Grosbeak, Warbling Vireo, Bell’s Vireo, and Dickcissel.
It’s the dead of summer and birders are just like the birds: they disappear due to the hot weather, seeking cooler, shaded areas and reduce their activity to conserve energy. If you choose to be out to look
DEB HIRT
for them, focus upon dense brush and within leaf clusters, especially in the thickest part of the forest, like the amphibians.
Birders might even be busy with nesting young at their own residences, while birds tend to undergo molting now before that trip to southern wintering grounds, making them much more vulnerable.
Like today’s migrants, they are higher in the sky, enjoying the updrafts for good soaring, or foraging for food for themselves or their young, which tends to be more focused upon during cooler portions of the day.
If you want more yard birds, change the birdbath water more frequently to encourage them to hydrate and cool down.
Habitat loss and changes in insect populations will also affect visibility and distribution.
Thus far, Boomer Lake has been enjoying slightly cooler weather to count Canada Goose, Northern Shoveler, Mallard, Mourning Dove, Yellow- billed Cuckoo, Chimney Swift, Spotted Sandpiper, American Herring Gull, Black and Forster’s Terns, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Mississippi Kite, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Blue Jay, Fish Crow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Purple Martin, Barn Swallow, Carolina Wren, European Starling, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Bluebird, House Sparrow, House Finch, Orchard and Baltimore Orioles, Common Grackle, Yellow Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Dickcissel, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Green Heron, American Crow, Northern Cardinal, Turkey Vulture, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Cliff Swallow, and American Robin.
Lake Carl Blackwell added Northern Bobwhite, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Killdeer, Upland Sandpiper, Ring-billed Gull, Least Tern, Western Cattle Egret, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, and Indigo Bunting.
Stay just as hydrated in cooler weather.
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 White-winged Tern.
BOUKETENCATE, CC BY 4.0
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