Are Wood Ducks Breeding Birds in Oklahoma?

https://www.courierpress.com/story/life/columnists/sharon-sorenson/2018/04/01/birds-most-handsome-bird-all/468249002/

How to Identify the Sharp-shinned Hawk

http://myedmondsnews.com/2018/03/bird-lore-sharp-shinned-hawk/

Carolina Parakeet Driven to Extinction Due to Greed

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/the-mysterious-and-tragic-story-of-the-carolina-parakeet-americas-only-native-parrot/2018/03/30/4b3c5226-32a2-11e8-8abc-22a366b72f2d_story.html?utm_term=.9c90c53d8ae9

Feds Bounced Dominion's Bad Behavior on Atlantic Pipeline

www.newsadvance.com/news/local/to-protect-birds-and-endangered-bats-feds-reject-atlantic-coast/article_73f78dc7-75f3-5980-a21c-a07522e45452.html

Heavy Metals and Personality Disorders in Birds

https://phys.org/news/2018-03-results-wild-birds-personality-disorders.html

South Georgia Island Saved From Rat Infestation

http://vancouversun.com/news/world/the-last-continent-eradicating-rats-to-save-nearly-extinct-birds-in-one-of-the-most-remote-places-on-earth

Plant Native Plants For Birds

http://www.audubon.org/plantsforbirds

Put Hackberry Flats in Tillman County, OK On Your Birding List

03-24-18   Hackberry Flats WMA/Tillman County, OK 

1037-1600 hrs./69-82 F/partly cloudy

                                                               Male Cinnamon Teal

                                             Eared Grebe Approaching Breeding Plumage

                                                      Eared Grebe (Front) Showing Size
                                                Difference in Comparison to Ruddy Duck

                                                  Cinnamon Teal Showing Characteristic
                                                                 Speculum Coloring

                                                      Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow
                                                              (Last Year's Late Hatch)

                                                            Golden Eagle (Larger Bird)


03-25-18 Boomer Lake Park, Stillwater, OK
1127-1239/53-29 F/partly to mostly cloudy/E-13/75-72% RH/29.87-29.91 Hg and steady

                                                     Franklin's Gulls Highlighted Among
                                                                   Ring-billed Gulls

                                                   Franklin's Gull (Second Plumage View)

                                          Five Franklin's Gulls Showing Plumage Attributes



Hackberry Flats is the first set of photos, followed by three photos of  Franklin's Gulls the following day.

Hackberry is about four hours from Stillwater, unless one chooses Rte. 44, which we did not do on the way.  Consequently, we got there on the late side, but that could well have worked in our favor.

We had an exemplary day, as we observed several things of interest, but we were unable to locate a Snowy Plover which had been reported for a couple of days.

Not only did we see a Great Horned Owl at 1500 hrs. on an electrical pole, we managed a Golden Eagle, also observed on an electrical pole.  We both got shows of its underside, which proved beyond a shadow of a doubt what we had.  As a matter of fact, this is such a rare record, because the only other sightings listed on eBird were two others in February 2017.

It was an outstanding day, as many shore/water/wading birds tend to change as often as teens change their clothing.  For that reason we visited the waterways a few times in order to maximize what we could list on eBird.

Leaving the Stillwater residence, I was not expecting such a spectacular day, since barometric pressure was flat, but all in all, the four hour drive was well worth it.

It was my first time at Hackberry, as it was another birder's, but the third person had been there before.

Do I recommend this location?  Absolutely!  It is hard to plan great birding, especially if one has never been to a location, but it was encouraging due to the fact that this is a wetland.  It is in
pristine condition, which makes it a good spot for wildlife, knowing that it remains unspoiled by humanity.

Birds Matter More Than You Think

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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/23/the-radical-otherness-of-birds-jonathan-franzen-on-why-they-matter

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/25/how-can-we-save-the-countrys-birds

032518 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

http://www.stwnewspress.com/news/lifestyles/life-at-boomer-lake-spring-birds-are-arriving/image_2f557681-f47c-561b-9a4b-6faaae02dbfb.html

Carbon Turnover Could Well Cost and Add Birds in Mount Rainier, WA

http://www.thenewstribune.com/outdoors/article206401874.html

Birds Successful In Fighting Off Malaria

https://phys.org/news/2018-03-gut-bacteria-life-death-birds.html

Birds Will Be Moving Elsewhere if Climate Change Stays Unchecked

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/03/birds-climate-change-national-parks/

Age And Chromosome Length Likely Will Vary in All Species In View of Hardiness to Change

https://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/52115/title/Another-Bird-Telomere-Study--Different-Results/

Bulgarians Do Their Part for Wildlife

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/21/frozen-storks-bulgarians-rush-to-save-migrating-birds

Useful Keratin Mapping Will Tell Where the Birds Go

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/21/climate/australia-feathers.html

Birds in France Seeing Dramatic Decline Due to Pesticides

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/21/catastrophe-as-frances-bird-population-collapses-due-to-pesticides

Keep the Invasive Bradford Pear Tree Off Your Property

https://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-asks-public-not-plant-invasive-bradford-pear-trees

The Mysteries of Bar-tailed Godwits

http://mtpr.org/post/field-notes-how-scientists-study-bird-migration

Spring and Winter Birds Are Melding

                                                                  American Coots

                                                                    Tufted Titmouse

                                                                    Carolina Wren

                                                                      Canada Geese

                                                                    Carolina Wren

                                                                      Carolina Wren

                                                       Dark-eyed Junco (Slated-colored)

                                                                               Ditto


Feb. and March 2018

The winter has been somewhat slow, and not all photos could make it into the blog.  Here is a representation of a few things.  Spring migrants have been coming in and dribs and drabs, like the Great-tailed and Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds (the adults and juveniles were both seen today, Killdeer, and both the Neotropic and Double-crested Cormorants.

Most of the adult double-crested are heading north in order to breed, but the weather might not be quite to their liking.  The northern hemisphere in general has not had the best conditions, but here in the southern states, we are more than ready for what is here and what is coming.

Much of what we're expecting is already in Texas, so it won't be more than a few weeks that more birds will be here.

Populations have increased from our own woods, and this weekend was quite good birding.

Secrets of the American Robin

https://www.courierpress.com/story/life/columnists/sharon-sorenson/2018/03/18/birds-robin-visits-arent-exactly-omen/422665002/

031818 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

http://www.stwnewspress.com/news/lifestyles/life-at-boomer-lake-winter-birds-and-spring-birds-together/article_ebca8553-5030-583e-b1a7-ab2db7e0360a.html

A Simple Nest Can Be Quite Diverse (and Elaborate!)

http://www.heraldnet.com/life/this-column-will-build-up-your-knowledge-about-bird-nests/

Bowerbirds are known for structures that are tailor made and most welcoming, as well as very unusual, until the next female shows up.

Second Unseasonable Cold Snap Could Be Trying For Many UK Migratory Birds

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/17/winter-migratory-birds-wildlife-cold

Here Come the Migratory Birds

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/article/Migrating-birds-spend-spring-break-in-Texas-12758512.php#photo-15242722

Water Is the Giver of Life When It Comes to Birds and Other Animals

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180315122935.htm

Teal Ridge IS Making a Comeback!

www.stwnewspress.com/news/teal-ridge-is-making-a-comeback/article_ab54fbe5-949c-5a4b-b793-b07907a43ffc.html

Corvids and Parrots, and Now Icterids, Are Some of the Brightest Birds That You'll Encounter

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/03/year-of-the-bird-brains-intelligence-smarts/

If You Monitor Nest Boxes Cornell Lab of Ornithology Needs Your Invasive Species Data

https://cornell.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a5F06sMu9l42wOV?utm_source=Cornell+Lab+eNews&utm_campaign=bc214230ca-NestWatch_Survey_Invite2018&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_47588b5758-bc214230ca-302489317

Glutamate Neurotransmitter Receptors and Barbados Bullfinches Linked to Higher Cognitive Development

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180314145019.htm

It Isn't Alway Male Birds That You Hear Singing

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2018/03/14/female-birds-sing-these-biologists-want-you-to-listen/?utm_term=.c771088d1c2f

Wind Turbine Improvement Through Acoustic Lighthouse

https://www.popsci.com/acoustic-lighthouse-alerts-birds-to-wind-turbines

Alberta's Savanah Sparrows Change Their Pitch In Oilfields

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/13/climate/oil-field-birds-change-songs.html

Drones Can Get Better Bird Counts Than Humans

https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/drones-could-help-biologists-tally-birds/

The Best Advice, No Matter Where You Are For Winter, Will Save Birds

http://www.newburyportnews.com/columns/words-on-birds-march-is-critical-time-for-birds/article_42d31b27-499f-5f83-8c9d-4ff26616cbb0.html

First White Storks of 2018 Spotted in Romania

https://www.romania-insider.com/white-storks-arrive-in-romania-2018/

How to Enhance Your Yard for More Birds

http://www.dailyherald.com/entlife/20180311/plan-garden-enhancements-that-will-attract-birds

031118 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

www.stwnewspress.com/news/lifestyles/life-at-boomer-lake-checking-out-the-early-birds/article_d13addca-4c9a-59da-a541-2dd06f2b6c20.html

Bird Proof Glass In New Buildings Will Save Critical Migratory Paths From Many Deaths

https://www.pressherald.com/2018/03/11/une-student-center-designed-with-glass-to-keep-birds-safe/

Wind Turbines Less of a Problem to Birds Than Cats and Government

https://www.seeker.com/animals/birds-have-much-bigger-enemies-than-wind-turbines

How Second Rate Great Bower Birds Beat the Alphas at Their Game

https://cosmosmagazine.com/biology/beta-bower-birds-bonk-by-beating-bullies

Preening Is For the Health of the Birds

https://www.thehour.com/sports/article/For-the-Birds-Preening-for-health-appearance-12736136.php

Brazilian Black Jacobin Makes High Pitched Sounds Out of Normal Range

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180305130659.htm

Nestling Fossil Discovered in Spain, Not Shared Until Recently

www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-43249509

030418 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

http://www.stwnewspress.com/news/lifestyles/life-at-boomer-lake-a-few-rare-birds-arrive/article_cd90ab38-e53b-5aa7-b6ec-e7badf475b80.html

Danger Island Hosts Large Colony of Adelie Penguins

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/222269/20180303/supercolony-of-adelie-penguins-discovered-how-researchers-determined-number-of-birds.htm

Twelve Birds Listed in the NY Times Crossword, Their Photos, and a Few Details About Them

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/02/crosswords/crosswords-aviary.html

Rare, Symbiotic Yellow-billed Oxpecker Photos From Serengeti

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/02/animals-serengeti-tanzania-birds/

Stronger Protections Required for Oregon's Streaked Horned Lark

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2018/03/advocacy_group_sues_federal_go.html

Michigan State Proving that American Kestrels Reduce Pests in Orchards

https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=244549&org=NSF&from=news