Showing posts with label American Coot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Coot. Show all posts
Monday, April 4, 2022
Saturday, March 26, 2022
Sunday, March 20, 2022
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
101321 Summer and Fall 2021
052521 Green Heron Adult
060321 Green Heron Nestlings, Clutch 1
060521 Green Heron Nestlings Clutch 1, View 2
All we had was one clutch of young birds this year. If there were more, it could not be seen due to the thickness and height of the shrubbery around Heron Cove.
080321 Lark Sparrow
It was somewhat of a surprise to find a group of these sparrows, but it was a nice surprise.
091521 Franklin's Gull
091621 Mourning Dove
101021 Green-winged Teal
American Wigeon and others
Blue-Winged Teal
Blue-winged Teal
101121 American Avocets
These were the birds from the recent bad weather. The ducks were early and a big surprise was the Cinnamon Teal, though all of them weren't really expected yet. Birds are resilient and know what hazards bad weather can bring. They were safe on the water.
101221 Great Blue Heron
This heron was in the company of another, which is unusual as they are solitary birds unless they are breeding. It is very possible that the other bird was offspring, which would make sense at this time of year.
Sorry for waiting so long to post, but now everything is current.
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
052621 Spring Into Spring with Our Green Heron First Family
043021 Carolina Chickadee
This little beauty was out with its mate, checking for a nest cavity. Writer had seen where it was contemplating nesting, though a Downy Woodpecker was trying to usurp the same area even if it was much larger than the chickadee. The Downy's size was much too great for the thin snag.
050821 Red Eared Slider
This lovely was close to shore, but it was easy to stay covered by leaves to get this shot and remain hidden to the subject.
American Avocet
051421 American Coot
Even though morning had been broken, the area coots didn't mind being observed. Look at those unusual lobed toes that are so well adapted to uneven surfaces!
051521 Canada Goose (Gosling)
Knowing a kid's parents will get you right in the front row to photograph the youngster.
Clay Colored Sparrow
This slightly wet all-star was with roughly eight other migrants and this one didn't mind being the center of attention.
There were eight sandpipers wheeling around the lake multiple times, which afforded this nice shot of a bird's-eye-view. How cliche, right?
052521 Least Flycatcher
Least Flycatchers are easy to shoot IF you see one. We were eye to eye.
Green Heron and Nestlings 1
One view of some of the first family of 2021.
Green Heron and Nestlings 2
View two with some of each bird in the photo.
Green Heron and Nestling 3
The other one must have ducked under the parent.
Sunday, April 25, 2021
042521 Boomer Lake's Spring Residents and Visitors
032421 Red Fox Squirrel
American Coot, View 2
041221 Ruddy Duck
Canada Goose, View 1
Canada Goose, View 2
042121 Franklin's Gull
Summer Tanager (western subspecies)
Eared Grebe, Breeding Plumage
White-throated Sparrow
Saturday, April 17, 2021
Sunday, January 17, 2021
Friday, October 23, 2020
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
042820 Migrants Hiding Within the Trees and Leaf Litter
042620 American Coot
White-faced Ibis
Swainson's Thrush
042720 Franklin's Gull
042820 Spotted Sandpiper
Clay-colored Sparrow
Tufted Titmouse
Common Yellowthroat
Southwestern Subspecies
Three Barn Swallows were sailing around under the Lakeview Road Bridge with the Bald Eagle off on a distant power pole. The swallows circled around the water, then along the lowlands of the southeast corner of the lake. Writer then scanned the short grass just in case there might be Buff-breasted Sandpipers coming in early. Some of the grass is a little long, but they should be able to work with it. Hopefully, they will come here for a much-wanted photo if the grass doesn't grow much more.
Writer swung around The Cove for Yellow-rumped and the sounds of Yellow Warbler, as well as Warbling Vireo. Upon initial inspection, no Green Herons in sight, but there were Great-tailed Grackles and a couple of Red-winged Blackbirds. Eyeing the water on the north side, there were two dozen Franklin's Gulls, one Great Blue Heron cast overhead in a southeast direction, while another was discovered on the north side of Heron Cove proper, as well as one Double-crested Cormorant.
The sound of a Nashville Warbler permeated the air, but the area around the bend heading north is very thick, mostly with the dreaded Bradford pear. I have a solid fear that if they continue to be allowed to grow, they will choke out what few natives we have, and the migrants will pick and choose where they want to go. Hopefully, we won't lose them in the future.
A female Yellow Warbler was discovered in the scrub before the Brown Thrasher's nesting area. A tail was observed poking from the thrasher nest. Passing the area, a male and female Yellow Warbler were observed going through the top branches and greenery in search of insects. One Yellow-rumped Warbler was also discovered within the same area.
Shorebird Jetty hosted three Spotted Sandpipers, five Purple Martins within their plastic house, and European Starlings littered the ground around the house. A couple of Red-winged Blackbirds were foraging just west of this area. No additional birds of interest were seen beyond this area, save for a Savannah Sparrow, a lone American Coot, and a couple of House Sparrows.
Along the stretch between Shorebird and Memorial Jetties, another Yellow-rumped Warbler was heard, a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was seen, and the sound of an Eastern Kingbird permeated the area, who was found atop the high wires. American Robins assaulted the ground seeking worms, while starlings searched for insect fodder. Three Western Kingbirds were enjoying their morning on the high wires. The Purple Martins were out catching breakfast.
A couple of Mourning Doves were on Memorial Jetty, Mallards were enjoying the water, and a Spotted Sandpiper patrolled its area around the north side perimeter. Social Scissor-tailed Flycatchers were in the large oak bordering the storm drain overflow ramp, attracting the three Western Kingbirds, and a Warbling Vireo announced its presence. A male Orchard Oriole kept calling for "Marguerite," until he tired of that and moved north. Three Clay-colored sparrows roved between the overflow, the bank, and the north side of the trees, while the Western Kingbirds relocated to the low wires on the east side across from Kicker. A pair of Brown Thrashers tossed leaves while foraging along the bank, sometimes sharing space with the Clay-colored Sparrows.
What could have been another Nashville Warbler sounded out along the west side of the willows/cottonwoods, but that was all. Most of the Purple Martins from the Kicker House returned from their foray to gather again and feed a female that is believed to be caring for eggs/young. With the House Sparrows that reside there, at least one bird will have to remain at all times to avoid possible harm to the eggs/young.
Cardinals were observed throughout the walk, and they still continued to call as the journey progressed. All trumpet vines remained unused, while the largest one by the Kicker martin house still shows no sign of flowering.
a single male Blue-winged Teal was discovered with a small group of Mallards along the northeast jetty, along with a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, and a Yellow-rumped Warbler. It appeared that our eleven Mallard Ducklings were shortchanged to eight, and a Canada Goose pair were herding three of their goslings, while a nearby Mallard drake flew off and landed in the water on the south side of the jetty. Perhaps the young annoyed him. Two American Coots lazily swam along the east shoreline.
A few Canada Geese and European Starlings were holding down the Kicker field, while a single Northern Mockingbird flew west from the small group of trees west of the protected zone surrounded by trees. The mocker flashed into a small tree north of the ficus, then returned to the original group of trees. I really hope that the Bell's Vireo that has been breeding here for years will return, even though the family was displaced by the addition of the new power poles. Unfortunately some of the vireo's territory was removed with the construction. The family moved just north of there into the scrub south of the northeast jetty.
High Point Ridge had very little scenery other than a few Double-crested Cormorants and Canada Geese swimming in the water.
Below the banks where the red cedars cluster, all was quiet, as well as the new road to the line of towering giant metal electrical poles, until we reached the woods. An hour was spent observing and photographing the Southwestern subspecies of Common Yellowthroat and Tufted Titmouse. The Pileated Woodpecker, Harris's Sparrow, and Red-bellied Woodpecker were seen and not heard, as was the Northern Flicker calling from afar. The Carolina Chickadees reminded all of their presence, while a brave Swainson's Thrush let me hear its call for the first time.
Working around and back on the main trail, there was little activity, save for a single Northern Mockingbird and European Starlings. Fifty-three species for the day was respectable enough.
Friday, October 25, 2019
Boomer Migration Prior to Rains
Yellow-rumped Warbler, View 1
American Coots
Yellow-rumped Warbler, View 2
102219
0750-0853/45-47 F (wind chill 41)/clear/W-5/54% RH/30.06-30.09 Hg and rising
Just prior to this two day rain that began very early Wednesday October 23, birds were flying in an erratic manner and preparing by eating as much as they could.
There were a dozen or more migrant Killdeer between Shorebird Jetty and the most southwest jetty. I got the actual count when a man was walking his dog and drove them into the air and they went onto the secondary location. There were some Killdeer there, a smaller amount, but I was unable to get an exact count prior to the incident. There were at least six, but I used the dozen figure.
Since this was actually a minor seasonal cooldown, there were also a few ducks upon the water, which included eighteen Gadwall, a few Northern Shovelers (juveniles), and eight American Coots.
The coots didn't even notice me at Heron Cove, and just came nearer when the above shot was taken.
As many know, Ken Kaufman wrote a book on pishing, and gave many examples on the included CD, but I have developed many of my own calls over the years. One that I came upon was actually learned from a Palm Warbler that I once encountered at Boomer Lake. When the Palm Warbler moved out of my view, I used it to call it back last fall.
Several birds were in sycamores, western soapberry and even within the Bradford pear trees on the west side of The Cove. I'm being very conservative when I say that there were thirty-five Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warblers in the area, along with the Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Carolina Chickadee, Eastern Bluebird, American Pipit, Chipping Sparrow, and Belted Kingfisher. Of course, the pipit will never be located in a tree, yet it had been clearly observed in the lowland nearby.
The warblers, kinglet, sparrow, and kingfisher all responded nicely to my own pish, and I could have shown many more photos of the warblers. The kinglet also availed itself, but was on the move, so out of the several shots that I obtained, none of them were worthy to be posted here. The chippie also hung in the brambles, but writer managed to get a lot of good looks for an extended period of time and just might have come up with other birds.
Then the rain hit and my birding adventures were curtailed. Perhaps tomorrow...
For the Palm Warbler Sighting:
https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2018/10/oklahoma-migratory-species-profile-palm.html
Monday, September 30, 2019
Migration Resurfaces In Higher Gear
Cattle, Egrets, View 1
Cattle Egrets, View 2
Yellow Warbler, View 1
Yellow Warbler, View 2
Yellow Warbler, View 3
092819
0726-0840/77-78 F/mostly cloudy/S-8/79% RH/29.77-29.80 Hg and rising
This was a higher migratory movement day. There were six Blue-winged Teal on the southeast corner lowlands, along with several Mallards, who were coming in the entire time there like a busy airport.
On the water, there were several Pied-billed Grebe and sixteen American Coot.
Observations were also made on a whopping forty-five Cattle Egrets, a few Snowy Egrets, the normal
six Great Egrets, and three Great Blue Herons.
Two non-breeding Forster's Terns were surveying the west side of the lake, and five Spotted Sandpipers were partaking of delectables on the shore of the southwest jetty, along with a Double-crested Cormorant on a snag not far from the jetty on the north side.
Overhead were a couple of southbound Barn Swallows over the water.
To make things interesting, the conservative number of ten Yellow Warblers are now classified as late arrivals by eBird. They were voraciously feeding between the Lakeview Road Bridge and the main path of Shorebird Jetty. There were no doubt more beyond that, as it is now a last minute dash for late birds to return south when they are in a state of Zugunruhe.
A Belted Kingfisher and a Cooper's Hawk also had words, and the size and speed of the kingfisher managed to speak volumes. The hawk had to carry on for breakfast, which was no doubt a young bird wasting time with a healthy kingfisher.
Ten Scissor-tailed Flycatchers were being sociable with each other, along with one that felt it was his duty to chase a Great Egret flying through the area several times. The flycatchers will be with us for another month or so, and if the males still have that much testosterone at this time of year, it could have something to do with all the singing males in flux like they seem to be now. The urge strikes, even though they are not quite ready to move south. It is an interesting concept.
Along with the normal birds for the season, there is no doubt that we are underway on our seasonal changes. There are still a few stragglers, like many warblers, and some likely have an added distance to deal with along with a first time journey. May they experience the best.
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