Storms of 2019 Flood Boomer Lake and Beget Shorebirds Galore

                                                           Hooded Merganser (Right)
                                                                  Ruddy Duck (Left)

                                                           Female Hooded Merganser

                                                                   Ruddy Shelduck

                                                                    Willow Flycatcher

                                                             White-rumped Sandpipers

                                                              White-rumped Sandpiper

                                                             Semipalmated Sandpiper

                                                    Ruddy Turnstone ( Center of Group)

                                                                Franklin's Gull (Center)

                                                                      Black Tern

                                                              Franklin's Gull (Bottom)
           

                                                                         Forster's Terns


052119
0855-1012 hrs/65-66 F/mostly cloudy/89% RH--shortly after heavy rain stopped

A few dozen Canada Geese were in the arms of safety on the southeast corner of the our beloved Boomer Lake with low areas growing in size with water, which had two or three Mallards swimming within.  Three Great Blue Herons were seen in transit from all directions.

Beloved Boomer was flooded to the mow line and police units were out to deter traffic in flood areas on the west side. Heron Cove was my biggest worry, with the Green Heron nest just over the water and in full view.

Relaxing a little when I observed Mother Heron upon her nest, fast asleep, wet and bedraggled, the stick fortress was sinking lower just above water.  Two Willow Flycatchers were heard on the Cove, one safely hidden, yet obviously fearful and calling from the mulberry bush at The Cove.  On the west side of Heron Cove was a female Hooded Merganser near shore with a sleeping Ruddy Duck.  A Baltimore Oriole was in attendance, along with plenty of Great-tailed Grackles, a Common Grackle, and an Eastern Kingbird could be heard, while a Brown Thrasher was atop the trees, having taken sentry duties.  A yellow-shafted Northern Flicker always seemed to be foraging in front of me, always just ahead to pave the way.

At least one southwest jetty was nearly covered by water, yet the southeastern jetty was close to the same with a twelve-foot span toward the end of the cove submerged.  Franklin's Gulls could be observed, giving writer a good idea that there were shorebirds there.

On the way to the southeastern jetty, several familiar areas were choked with excess water with at least two more Willow Flycatchers flitting about in a normal nervous manner.  All birds were doing their best to stay above the rushing water line.  Mourning Doves were performing their plaintive wail atop the new power lines.  Ducks, both wild and domestic, and Canada Geese were going about their business foraging in wet grass.

Rounding the corner to reach the jetty, a friend was scoping the area.  He had come up with most of the photographed birds.  While we inched closer to these birds, he was walked beside me, telling me what he had observed.  We both continued to get as close as possible without driving the shorebirds and gulls away.  Upon approach, Black Terns were flying by closer than I had ever seen them, allowing wonderful observation of behavior.

The real question was nearest the bench at the end of the jetty, breached by several feet of standing water.  Was there a Common Tern among the Forester's Terns?  It turned out to be a false alarm, but this was a fabulous search for shorebirds, some of which I had never before seen in Oklahoma.

My standing joke has always been that birds that have never been here eventually come to see me and they Payne County list grows.