120322 SNP Edition, Life At Boomer Lake

https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/lifestyles/life-at-boomer-lake-visited-by-some-early-birds/article_37fd8e76-710b-11ed-8ad4-bbf06ecfa839.html 

052622 Late May Rains Hold Up Some Migrants, But Not Others

 051722                                                      Eastern Wood-Pewee

Today the Least Flycatcher was heard, but this character popped out at the end of the trip.

052422                                                          Orchard Oriole

This Orchard Oriole was observed between raindrops on the second rainy day of four.

                                                    

                                                              Great Crested Flycatcher

A pair of these birds were observed looking for protein when the rain held off for a while.

052622                                                            Cliff Swallow

This was the snag that a two Cliff Swallows had an interest in, though many were scouring the area for gnats and other tiny insects.  They rarely perch as their feet are somewhat rudimentary since they spend so much time on the wing.  Writer also tried for shots yesterday, but it began to rain and that made me more interested in heading home. 

                                                                        Canada Goose

A pair of Canada Geese preferred this quiet wet part of The Lowlands in which to set up a respite.  Photo taken to show a little water depth.

042521 Boomer Lake's Spring Residents and Visitors

 032421                                                       Red Fox Squirrel

                                                                  American Coot, View 1

                                                                    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

042720 Migrants of Central Oklahoma and Resident Raptor

                                               

                                                       Yellow-headed Blackbird, View 2

                                                       Yellow-headed Blackbird, View 3

                                                           Cackling Goose, View 1

                                                   Canada (L) and Cackling Goose (R)

                                                                   Eastern Kingbird

                                                              Red-shouldered Hawk


Saturday, 042520 was another excellent birding day.  There is a possibility that there are three Green Herons at The Cove.  It is suspected that we're looking at the patriarch male and two females, both to be nesting in different trees.  The nest, if there is one or more, hasn't been established yet, as writer wishes to give the birds adequate space this early in the season.  One of the usual Northern Flickers was heard just below the berm east of there around the mulberry/Bradford pear tree cluster.

Several Spotted Sandpipers were observed on Shorebird Jetty.  South of the jetty, five Lesser Scaups were discovered and a few American Coots closer to the west side of Heron Cove.  On the west side of the jetty was a lone Yellow-headed Blackbird with a suspected wing and foot injury.  The area rehabilitator was contacted, but it was learned a short time later that the blackbird disappeared.  Possibly it was really well enough to fly or a predator took care of the situation, though none was observed while at location.  There are still two or three Savannah Sparrows connected to this area.

Two Orchard Orioles are still in the area (males) and one Baltimore Oriole has been in the large oak by the east side restrooms, as well as a pair of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers.  The other two Baltimore Orioles had relocated themselves at my residence and the next door neighbor's oak tree.  There are still two or three singing Warbling Vireos at Boomer Lake, along with another near writer's location.

A possible Richardson's Cackling x Canada Goose  was discovered on Memorial Jetty with what might be its Canada Goose mate.  It is possible that this might be the same individual that another birder had seen within the past several days.  Looking at the photo, the small bill and smaller stature is seen, but there is clearly a mix of Canada in there.

It has also been noticed that more than one pair of Canada Geese had nests on all three east side jetties.  It appears that all eggs are either dead or had been addled.  A Mallard may still be brooding eggs, but we did see a trail of eleven ducklings earlier in the week with some that could have easily been adopted.  I have not seen the family since that initial finding.

There were two Western Kingbirds across from the Kicker plant, as well as a pair of Mourning Doves and what may be a lone Eurasian Collared-Dove.  A pair used to nest in a small tree once near the large oak beside the restrooms, but that area has been cleaned up to allow the storm drain appropriate function.  A lone Eastern Kingbird, who has been vascillating around the northeast jetty, along with two more Scissor-tailed Flycatchers whose territory runs to the Kicker field, and two more Savannah Sparrows are temporarily residing there.  Many more birds felt comfortable at the marsh grass before the old rotten snag collapsed into several pieces.  A male Eastern Bluebird was found on the Boomer Lake side of Kicker this morning.  The Orchard Oriole has been patrolling that area as far as the large oak south of there.

We're still finding interesting things around Goose Island, like Northern Shovelers and Blue-winged Teal.  Cormorants are still roosting in the tree, mostly by the lilac on The Island.

The wooded area has still been providing many interesting species, including Yellow, Yellow-rumped, and Black-and-White Warblers, as well as Swainson's Thrush, Red and White-eyed Vireos, and even the Pileated Woodpecker stopped by from Boomer Creek for a short time.  The Clay-colored Sparrows were also close by with Harris's and Field Sparrows, and Carolina Chickadees.  There's likely still more in the area that haven't yet been discovered.  It is a nice treasure trove of bustling activity in the midst of migration.  A Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher was also heard, as well as an Eastern Phoebe out around the Kicker Field, along with an Eastern Meadowlark and Killdeer.

Since our American Kestrel has been attending to nesting and feeding duties, he has not been on the north end of the Kicker fence on the electrical lines.  When the youngster(s) fledge, he will return, possibly with his mate and the young until they are ready to depart for the season.

On the return trip, coming around the stretch bordering Kicker's north and approaching the west gates, a Red-shouldered Hawk blew past me, no more than seven feet away.  It was not overhead, it was directly in front of me.  It was so close, it could see the red shoulder patch and see the yellow nares, which determined that this was a first year bird.  It landed in a cottonwood tree, which was where this photo was made.  A nice end to a glorious birding day!

Too bad there was no Bald Eagle nor Osprey today.  They were getting to be a great habit.  Now I'm looking for their presence.  Many times the eagle is atop the new metal electrical poles just surveying its territory.  The Osprey was getting to be familiar, too, as it was found three or four days riding the air currents while it was peering into the lake looking for fish.  Both of these familiar denizens were missed.

Today gave us a respectable 64 species.

040820. Migrants Continue to Trickle In

        040720                                           Neotropic Cormorant

This small cormorants will breed here, but it is just a matter of time.  The species has been coming to the area for five years, and though there are not many, it's more than just a vagrant at this point.  Will you get a load of the pose?

                        
     040820                                          Savannah Sparrow

This beauty was a surprise and we're looking at some lovely breeding plumage.  This is a northern breeder in the US, as well as the boreal forest.  My thanks go to the many species that stop over in our fair state on the way to the north.

                                                                American Robin

I had to snap this shot, as this little lady kept coming beside me while I was on the way to check for shorebirds.  It's remarkable how she could see to fly with all of this nest material in her area of vision.

                                                                    Canada Gosling
                                                                        "I'm Late!"

An area resident told me that she saw a gosling last week, but this was my first sighting.  There were four in this clutch.  The male knew me, as he gave me the head bob greeting, and the First Family brought them closer and let me take my shots.

                                                                   Canada Gosling
                                                                     "Who, Me?"

It really does seem little this little one really DID have that on his mind with this shot.

                                                                      Least Sandpiper

The smallest of sandpipers, this peep breeds on the tundra.  It is common, though declining.
It is believed that the eastern populations on their southbound migration fly from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to wintering ground in northeast South American, which is from 1800 to 2500 miles.  Shorebirds are amazing animals.

                                                                      Lesser Scaup

These birds came from the south and are winging their way to their breeding grounds.  Some breeding nearer in the US, and others may make it to Alaska and just below the tundra.

                                                            Double-crested Cormorant

If you look hard, you can see the double crests on the dark male on the far right.  We can see them as far ahead as the third week of May, and they are steadily increasing the time in the south before they head to their northern breeding grounds.

A Warbling Vireo was heard at Heron Cove this morning, but had no interest in showing itself, also today.  It was early.  Usually the Baltimore Oriole arrives with the Warbling Vireo mid-April.

                                                       

033120 Migratory and Unusual Spring Photos at Boomer Lake

03-18-20

                                                       Ruddy Shelduck vs. Canada Goose

                                                           Double-crested Cormorant


03-19-20

                                                                 Blue-winged Teal

                                                                    Savannah Sparrow

                                       

       
                                                   American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)

                                                               More American Toads

                                                                        View #2

                                                                 American Toad #4 out of 11


Top picture of the Ruddy Shelduck includes a Canada Goose in the shot.  The shelduck had been strutting around the area seemingly in an aggressive manner.  Unknown what affront occurred or with whom, but it appeared to be enticing aggression.  At this point, it mixed it up with the goose.  The shelduck left a few minutes later.

Most of the winter, the Double-crested Cormorant males were much darker than normal, which made me believe that they were in breeding plumage most of the time.  They were much closer in the second photo, and the tufts on the head or "crests," were definitely showing. but not in that photo.  I got to a better vantage point, as north as I could get from Goose Island, and snapped a photo of the head, which proved my assumption.

The Song Sparrow photo was a singing bird, and as we now know, "Singing Male" designations in eBird have been replaced with "Singing Bird," since so many female birds have been proven to sing, as well.  We are now out of the "male only" norm.  It took a century to prove that point.

Hanging in the lowlands at the southeast corner of Boomer Lake, it took an hour to get photos of the American Toad.  I'd been hearing them for years but never photographed them until the date these shots were made.

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.

More Rare Neotropic Cormorants Are on the Homefront

                                                          Adult Female Orchard Oriole

                                                               Neotropic Cormorant
                                                                  Breeding Plumage

                                                           Juvenile Neotropic Cormorant

                                                         Juvenile Neotropic Cormorants

                                                                    Canada Goose
                                                                 "King of the Hill"

                                                                 Willow Flycatcher


05-21-16
80-86 degrees F/1500-1820 hrs./partly cloudy/15 mph SE wind gusts


A couple of us had been wondering about some of the cormorants that we'd been observing,
and both came to the same conclusion, but didn't dare to speak up that these were all Neotropic
Cormorants.  I last photographed them together six days prior, but hadn't had the opportunity to
look at the photographs.

They were all observed again, yesterday, and I got better shots than on that cloudy day, and am
confident enough to say that they all ARE Neotropic Cormorants.  The breeding adult is easy to
identify, but the juveniles are a little tougher.  However, the clincher is the bill and surrounding area.
The juvenile nootropics also possess dark lores, whereas the more common Double-crested Cormorant has orange lores.  All juveniles described are first year birds.  Juvenile nootropics also have a dark breast, and the Double-crested variety has a light breast.  Unless one looks quite hard for this, they will be missed, so from now on, look closely at your cormorants, or you could miss a real
find like these.

The Orchard Orioles have moved in, including the young birds from last year.  There is one that
has been calling in a tree that belongs to some Eastern Kingbirds, who don't chase the oriole away.
They will remove other birds expediently, like the Northern Mockingbird, who is not a neotropical
migrant.

Another welcome guest that will be staying a while is the Willow Flycatcher, the above photo.  We
also host the Least, Alder, Great-crested, and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers at Boomer Lake.

There are still plenty of young Canada Geese with more on the way.  Both parents have been off the nests on warm days, so it is easy to observe the large, white eggs while they procure food for themselves.

The Champions of Boomer Lake

                                                             Yellow-rumped Warbler

                                                                     Lark Sparrow

                                                                     Song Sparrow

                                                                      Mallard Pair

                                                               Carolina Chickadee

                                                                        Fish Crow

                                                                    Swamp Sparrow

                                                           Male Northern Cardinal

                                                                Yellow-rumped Warbler

                                                               Blue-winged Teal Pair

                                                                      Canada Goose

                                                            Female Downy Woodpecker

                                                   Pied-billed Grebe in Breeding Plumage


45-64 degrees F/25 mph S wind gusts/0735-1120 hrs./partly cloudy

These were photos over the three days, and a good part of them represented the deep woods of Boomer Creek.  The denizens of the creek have been getting to know me over a period of time, as this vigil is preparatory to spring when the wood warblers spend a little time with us, then
head for the northern states to breed.

Songbirds are well represented here, even on such windy days that we have experienced, today by far the worst of the past several.  I was pleasantly surprised to see so many birds out, and it was well worth the trek, especially in the northern parts of my Land of Enchantment.

Woodpeckers are working on diligently on cavities, as are many other birds, who are awaiting the strong call of spring.  I have actively been seeking out active cavities, and with any luck, I hope to find at least one that will show me some youngsters.  Wish me well, and we will hope for the best.

Here's to spring, now that it is here, and may it be bountiful for us all.