070525. SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

 https://stwnewspress-cnhi.newsmemory.com/?publink=1c3882d11_134fa75&fbclid=IwY2xjawLV-PJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFQOUliS0g1UEtVWmp0Y1IxAR6TFN0EVcQEA8_gUPRBUndg2B45WgJVLe7d1SaeQgO00WD4ckBKW17tcQb7wQ_aem_OqfWqrn2-acJS4VeC2UbPQ

040525 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

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061524 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

https://stwnewspress-cnhi.newsmemory.com?selDate=20240615&goTo=C002&artid=1&editionStart=The%20Stillwater NewsPress 

042323 SNP Edition, Life At Boomer Lake

https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/lifestyles/life-at-boomer-lake-birds-riding-swift-winds/article_2d9db622-dfab-11ed-a822-77cdae80fa35.html 

070422 Worth the Waiting For the Best of Nature to Show

 070422                                           Barn Swallow Female Adult (Bottom)

                                                              Barn Swallow Juvenile (Top)

The moms had the kids out and they were stretching their wings, as well as being fed. There were eleven Barn Swallows out today, which were mostly young ones.  Fortunately, I got a couple of nice photo ops for this holiday.

        

                                                           Closeup of Juvenile Barn Swallow

With the position of the young bird in the top photo, we see a lot more down, but it is the same bird.  I believe this one is the youngest bird I have photographed as a photographer.

                                                              Female Downy Woodpecker

Either I followed the woodpeckers or they followed me.  I saw both the mother and the young male progeny, but her photo is the best out of the two.

                                                                Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

This is the first sighting of the gnatcatcher this year.  It is nice having them close to home.  Luckily, this is the year that my overgrown hotspot is really producing as a second growth riparian area, though there are some older trees here, too.

                                                              Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Same area netted this beauty, which I knew was around, as it was heard.

                                               dark morph female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Plenty of butterflies out today.  This one gave a great viewing the moment that I saw it, so speed was necessary on getting this shot.

0655-0810/80-84 F (heat index 76-86)/partly cloudy/ESE5-S9/71-69% RH/29.98 Hg and steady - 29.98 Hg and rising 

040222 SNP Edition, Life At Boomer Lake

https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/lifestyles/life-at-boomer-lake-a-busy-time-for-migrant-birds/article_8a4a0748-b12d-11ec-b11e-2f9a5c384bca.html 

071421 SNP Edition, Life At Boomer Lake

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013121. Muskogee Edition, Birding Today

https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/birding-today-birds-make-adjustments-for-climate-changes/article_8b9d2652-6907-5a3f-baa9-deeb12049672.html 

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Very small and rarely standing still, the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher has two subspecies, the eastern and the western.  They also have a noticeable white eye ring, and a very defined blue-gray coloring.
The breathy and wheezing song can be heard before the bird can be seen, and that could be your only clue that they are in your presence.  However, during the fall, if they are still attending young, they will be a little more lenient to your view.

They glean small insects, usually from mid- to upper-story levels of trees.  In the east, they are riparian dwellers and foragers, and usually solitary.  The eastern birds nest in swampy woods and tend to favor broad-leafed, tall trees, especially oak which also is a favorite of most insects.  In the western regions, they tend to be located in mature brushy woods or thickets, as well as oak-juniper woods and chapparal.  Western nest in pinyon-juniper areas, open woods, or arid and dense brush.

                                                      Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, July 2016
                                                                      Boomer Creek
                                     
Once classed as an Old World Warbler, the male has a thin, black line over his eye and the long tail appears white from underneath.  The birds will often flutter while gleaning prey in foliage or around thin twigs.  Berries and fruit will be consumed in the winter.

Both sexes will build the nest, and the male often will show the female an assortment of sites on the territory, singing to her all the while as he perches during her inspection.  Both incubate fairly equally, as well as brood the young, who remain in the nest for close to two weeks.  The nests are usually made with spider silk and lichens.  They are attached either in small, high forks or on a horizontal branch.

                                                         Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Nest
                                                                           OK 2016

They are migratory, except in the extreme southern ranges.

Birds and Zugunruhe, An Experience in Nature

                                                             Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

                                                                    Carolina Wren

                                                     First Canada Goose Family of 2018

                                                         Male Brown-headed Cowbird

                                                            Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

First half of April 2018

Spring migration generally began at the appropriate time, but like everything else that is no
longer certain, the birds are playing a guessing game.  Our avian friends have no choice is what
they do, for zugunruhe is a very strong urge.  It is a great pull telling birds that they are going to
move and they have no control over this very strong call of nature.  It is their call to move north, if
in our hemisphere, and there is nothing that they can do about it.  The birds must go.  Even birds that
are caged or trapped experience the same sensation, and they do try to fly away, even if they cannot.

Experiments have been done, even as far as turning their cages in directions that do not face north, south, east, or west.  In the darkness in an inverted cone-shaped device with paper under them, birds still face the correct direction for their nonexistent flight.

Birds face many hazards during this flight.  The Gulf of Mexico spans six hundred miles, and if the they have northern winds pushing them back, they must still fight the wind or land upon an oil rig if they run out of fat reserves in order the rest.  Violent storms can force them down wherever they may be in transit, so they may or may not make it, possibly plunging into a watery grave.  These animals have been known to hitch rides on boats or ships in order to complete their journey.

Nature is amazing, but it can be cruel.  Juvenal birds survive this grueling journey about fifty percent of the time.

For the birds that do make it in one wave, this event is called a fallout and if any of you have been privy to this, birds will not move once they have landed, as they are so exhausted.  They could land on South Padre Island, High Island or countless other places, even more inland.

The best thing to do is to let them rest so that they can refuel and continue their journey to their breeding grounds, as they only have a few short months to breed.  Some birds travel from one end of the hemisphere to the other, so this is not a feat for the weak.  Some of them sleep for a few seconds while their are still in flight, some do not even take the time to eat, even if they are able to stop.

For the young and old birds alike, one must congratulate them for their efforts.  It is not an easy feat, and they do it twice a year.

042218 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

www.stwnewspress.com/news/lifestyles/life-at-boomer-lake-local-birds-less-affected-by-cold/article_b0dddd03-04fd-5aec-97eb-0229628edcf8.html

The Birds Say That Summer is Nearly Over

                                                            Juvenile Brown Thrasher

                                                                Green Heron, Clutch 6

                                                                 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

                                                                    Eastern Kingbird

                                                               Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

                                                               Green Herons, Clutch 6


Sunday 08-21-16 through Wednesday 08-24-16

There birds generally indicate that summer is over and things are soon about to change.  The
days have been cooling down, and the length of the daylight is shortening.  Migration has
already begun with a light to medium shorebird movement, and songbirds have started to take to
the air.

Here is our last clutch of Green Herons that are growing up and still in the area, even though
their birthplace had been taken over by other herons and they were left on the sidelines.  They managed to raise themselves and persevere, while the parents went elsewhere, but that is quite normal this late in the season.  Many of the other Green Herons from various clutches remained in various locations on Boomer Lake, Boomer Creek, and even in smaller western waterways in the vicinity.
This was quite the year for Green Herons, and next year will help us fill in the story even more.

We also saw plenty of juvenile birds, like Brown Thrashers, Northern Mockingbirds, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Eastern Kingbirds, and many, many more.

Many of the Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets came out and settled on the lake from the Boomer Creek Rookery and are still in our presence.

                                                      1st Summer Broad-winged Hawk

                                                                      Great Egret
                                                            "Making a Withdrawal"


Tuesday, August 30

0728-0954 hrs./70 to 80 degrees F/partly cloudy/light and variable S winds

A beautiful first summer Broad-winged Hawk came looking for breakfast, stayed a while in a few different area locations, and was escorted off by three brave American Goldfinches when they had
enough.  Even young hawks can raise alarm calls with songbirds, and they will even brave the odds
in order to protect each other.  The young Green Herons watched and waited, not even paying the hawk any mind.  Hawk watch has begun, and a few visitors have been in our midst.  Turkey vultures
are also returning to the area, and soon it will be Songbird Central for the southern push of warblers,
vireos, and other familiar faces that we just saw heading north just a few short months ago.

Catching Up on News and Green Heron Chicks Shine On

Eldest Green Heron, Clutch 6

                                                                             Ditto

                                                                          Ditto

                                                                  Green Heron Adult

                                                         Green Heron Chick, Clutch 6
                                                           Immediately After Feeding

                                                                   Great Blue Heron
                                                              Stands Fast on His Snag

                                                          Green Heron Chick, Clutch 6
                                                           Reacts to Sights and Sounds

                                                         Green Heron Chick, Clutch 6
                                                 "That's My Story, and I'm Stickin' to It"

                                                                      Great Blue Heron
                                                                  "Got My Eye on You"

                                                                         Great Egret

                                                                Blue-gray Gnatcatcher


Sunday, 08-14-16

69-83 degrees F (feels like 86)/0720-1100 hrs./partly cloudy/13 mph NE winds/52% RH


It is definitely time for that cool change, and it was actually a pleasure to walk over three miles
to Boomer Creek, which I had not been able to inspect for a couple of months, since the last storm
knocked down so many of the snags that the Bald Eagles would perch on while surveying their
territory.

We also lost the snag on the north end of the lake proper, which was home to a Red-bellied
Woodpecker before it was usurped by European Starlings in 2012.  The following year, it was
home to Downy Woodpeckers.  This was the finest year, as we had breeding Great Crested
Flycatchers, as you might recall.  When it turned unbearably hot, I was not able to return to see
the young fledge.  There had definitely been young ones.

This was day four for our brave little Green Herons, who stayed out of Great Blue Herons way.
Even the parent worked around him in order to get food to the youngsters, but all was well.  It
was truly a beautiful day in the neighborhood with many other birds, including the Downy Woodpecker, Mississippi Kite, and Baltimore Oriole, just to pique your interest.

Is It Always That Hard to Get Those Green Heron Teens Out of the House?

                                                              Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

                                                         Green Heron Chicks, Clutch 5

     
                                               Adult Green Heron Feeding Clutch 5 Chick

                                                                          Ditto

                                                         Green Heron Chicks, Clutch 4


Monday, 08-01-16

0711-0845 hrs./75-83 degrees F/partly cloudy/37-31% RH/10 mph S winds

It is getting later in the season and it is time to get these birds growing faster and moving about
more.  These message is quite clear with the adult's behavior.  These birds could be on the move
by the middle of the month, UNLESS they decide that they are going to raise more young ones.  Once the young birds are gone, there really is no reason for them to stay here, so we'll soon see what their plans are going to be.

                                                       Green Heron Chicks, Clutch 4

                                                         Green Heron Chick, Clutch 4

                                               Adult Green Heron Leaves Clutch 5 Chick

                                              Adult Green Heron Flies by Clutch 4 Chicks

                                                         Green Heron Chicks, Clutch 4

                                                         Green Heron Chicks, Clutch 4

                                                           Green Heron Chicks, Clutch 5

                                                     All Green Heron Chicks in Clutch 4


Tuesday, 08-02-16

0710-0928 hrs./79-85 degrees F (feels like 87)/partly cloudy/13 mph SSW winds/53% RH

All juvenile Green Herons are still on The Cove, but they won't be around much longer, the
way that the parents are trying to encourage flight.  Today they have been flying back and forth
several times, hoping to get the young ones to follow.  One clutch 4 bird actually did and was
gone for a short while.  There is no doubt that the adults want these youngsters out of here, but
they are hard to convince.

                                                      Green Heron Juvenile, Clutch 4

                                                                   Adult Green Heron

                                                       Green Heron Juvenile, Clutch 4

                                                           Green Heron Juvenile, Clutch 4

                                                                          Ditto

                                                         Green Heron Juvenile, Clutch 5

                                                       Adult Mallard, Missing Right Eye

                                                        Green Heron Juvenile, Clutch 4

                                                                             Ditto

                                                        Green Heron Juvenile, Clutch 4

                                                                             Ditto

                                                          Last Two Clutch 4 Juveniles


Wednesday, 08-04-16

82-88 degrees F/0716-0909 hrs./partly cloudy/8 mph SSW winds/63% RH

Our youngsters are starting to get the idea that sort flights are the key to survival when they
are out of their parents' care.  It also seems that they have an interest in the center tree, as they
all are pointing in that direction.  That leads me to believe that we have more youngsters on the
way, which is surprising, but very possible.

                                                        Green Heron Juvenile, Clutch 4

                                                                Green Heron Adult

                                                        Green Heron Juvenile, Clutch 4

                                                                 Green Heron Adult


Sunday, 08-07-16

76-83 degrees F (feels like 89)/0758-1024 hrs./mostly cloudy/8 mph NE winds/72% RH

Both parents are working very hard and are almost in a frenzied state to get our illustrious
young birds OUT OF HERE.  It is as plain as the nares on their bills that they need to find
another place to stay.


Monday, 08-08-16

All the juvenal birds that are left are the youngest two, one from clutch 4 and one from clutch 5.


Tuesday, 08-09-16

0800-0915 hrs./77-81 degrees F (feels like 87)/partly cloudy/80-74% RH/light and variable SE winds

The two youngest, one from each clutch, 4 and 5, are hiding in the shadows of the shore.  Great Blue
Heron and Great Egret are under the impression that this area now is free once again.  No adults were in sight wen I passed by.  I think that they're in for a rude awakening...