Ways to help birds get more water

Oklahoma Mesonet reported 1.53 inches of precipitation over the past week.

Payne County rare birds for the same period were Osprey at Lake Carl Blackwell and Long-billed Curlew off South Western Rd just north of E0735 Rd., south of Cimarron River.

An estimated 594,500 birds crossed Payne County between Monday, Aug. 17 at 2020 hours and Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026 at 0650 hours.

Peak migration traffic was an estimated 348,100 birds in flight from the SSW, at an altitude of 2,800 feet, wind speed of 14 mph on Aug. 17 at 2140 hours.

Expected nocturnal migrants were Baltimore Oriole, Indigo Bunting, Blue Grosbeak, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Dickcissel, Scissor-tailed and Great Crested Flycatchers, Painted Bunting, Lark Sparrow, Common Nighthawk, Semipalmated and Upland Sandpipers, Little Blue Heron and Yellowcrowned Night-Heron.

For those of you that do not know about “SMOKEYS,” here is a heads up for your birding travels.

A large flock of Wild Turkeys can share about anything, like a smoke morph hen turkey. She can and sometimes will display like a tom and one or more of her poults may do so, too.

This is a rare genetic flaw where a turkey has no brown pigment, and one can more often see females like this, not males. This behavior can be attributed to a potential competitor or predator, any type of general agitation. It is normal behavior, and hormonally, older females are more likely to display than youthful ones. The behavior can be enticed by some nearby in the group already behaving in that manner.

The slow trickle of early southbound landbird migrants was highlighted by a relatively early first of fall Olive-sided Flycatcher at Martin Park Nature Center on Sunday, Aug. 16. Apparently one of the earliest-ever documented fall transient Olive-sided Flycatchers for the OKC area based on eBird data. The only other passage migrants detected were Northern Yellow Warbler, an adult Chipping Sparrow and Baltimore Oriole.

We have a reminder to provide water for the birds during migration as well as this terrible heat wave 2026. Put out a dish of water with some height to not encourage predators, or turn on a sprinkler if you have one. Not only will it attract birds, but you may come up with something that is uncommon or more shy. You won’t know unless you try it.

Nationwide rarities/vagrants include ongoing Newfoundland

See HIRT on C4

Deb Hirt

LIFE AT BOOMER LAKE

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and Labrador’s Steller’s Sea-Eagle, Florida’s Yellowheaded Caracara, Arizona’s Tufted Flycatcher and Flame-colored Tanager.

British Columbia’s Taiga Bean-Goose and Newfoundland and Labrador’s Common Ringed Plover also made an appearance.

Florida’s Smooth-billed Ani is still in view hereand- there.

Arizona’s Buff-collared Nightjar and White-eared and Berylline Hummingbirds provide an excelent show in-state.

California’s Ruff and Nazca Booby and Washington State’s White Wagtail were sure to please.

Boomer Lake added domestic and Canada Geese, Mallard, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Spotted Sandpiper, Forster’s Tern, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Mississippi Kite, American and Fish Crows, Barn Swallow, European Starling, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, House Finch, House Sparrow, Northern Yellow, Yellow- throated, and Pine Warblers, Northern Cardinal, Mourning Dove, Chimney Swift, Rubythroated Hummingbird, flyover Upland Sandpipers, Black Tern, Green Heron, Turkey Vulture, Red-bellied, Downy and Pileated Woodpeckers, Eastern Phoebe, Great Crested and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Eastern Kingbird, Carolina Chickadee, Carolina Wren, Tufted Titmouse, Purple Martin, Orchard and Baltimore Orioles, Redwinged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Great Horned Owl and Louisiana Waterthrush.

Lake Carl Blackwell counted Killdeer, Ringbilled Gull, Pied-billed Grebe, Osprey, Belted Kingfisher, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Blue Jay, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow and Dickcissel.

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

A Long-billed Curlew takes flight.

USFWS Mountain Prairie