101224 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

https://stwnewspress-cnhi.newsmemory.com/?publink=2282f4c01_134d498&fbclid=IwY2xjawF3a-JleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHVvYJUgj2oXwrFTx0YNykvDeXofYMtP5DZ_yLvuirjeCHpii2ASpBJL3OQ_aem_FN5axjDu8eGmQOnTmVhmlQ

021024 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

https://stwnewspress-cnhi.newsmemory.com?selDate=20240210&goTo=C002&artid=0&editionStart=The%20Stillwater NewsPress

021123 Muskogee edition, Birding Today

https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/lifestyles/birding-today-some-birds-call-tundra-region-home/article_5031b625-dc5c-56b4-badc-5ac9226d370a.html 

Oklahoma Migratory Species Profile: Greater White-fronted Goose

Brown-gray geese with dark belly bars (hence the nickname specklebelly), the Greater White-fronted Goose migrates through the area.  It is generally uncommon and local, even in its favorite winter ranges.

It is sooner heard than seen, with a high pitched laughing or yelping.  Know that sound and you'll not miss it, as it has a small and local winter range in Oklahoma at meadows, lakes, marshes and grain fields.

It will be seen in the Oklahoma skies in groups as it heads south, but look high, because it will be heard.  Its name was obtained for the small patch of white feathers at the base of its pink or orange bill.  There are three distinct subspecies seen in North America.  The group that is most often seen in the Great Plains will be the birds that breed in Far Slope of Alaska through the western and central Canadian Arctic, the Anser albifrons gambeli.

                                                      Greater White-fronted Goose
                                                     Boomer Lake Park, April 2018

On the breeding grounds, these migrants are very territorial, just like our Canada Geese.  Young stay with their parents for about the first year, and it takes them about two-and-a-half years to breed.  They will remain in the same breeding area.  They are strong fliers and will fly in the familiar "V" formation or in single file.

They are often in the company of other geese and will usually flush before the rest.

Who else is with the Greater White-fronted Goose?

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2018/04/boomer-lakes-year-of-bird.html

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2018/02/januarys-birds-of-boomer.html

Boomer Lake's Year of the Bird

                                                                 Common Loon

                                                  Franklin's Gulls Amid Ring-billed Gulls

                                                                    Purple Martin

                                                         Double-crested Cormorant
                                                Adult in Breeding Plumage (head tufts)

                                                                  Eastern Bluebird

                                                               Brown Thrasher (FOY)

                                                              Northern Mockingbird

                                                            Greater White-fronted Geese

                                                  Close Up Greater White-fronted Goose


04-07 - 04-08-18

This was the weekend that is proving that winter birds meet spring birds, and it was amazing.
The main winter birds were both the Common Loon and The Greater White-fronted Goose, neither of which are here the entire winter.  Both usually pop on by either in the midst of the coldest part of the winter, or while in transit to their northern breeding grounds, and none of the pictures show the birds well due to the distance.  Both species tend to be in the middle of the lake, but not this year.  As you can see, both of them were fairly close.  This was the first time that the Greater White-fronted Goose has come onto land, and it is about two weeks late on its breeding territory.  I assume that the adult male waited for the juvenile female to grow in most of her adult plumage and they will be northbound shortly.  This now makes her a second year bird.

The Franklin's Gulls are migratory birds, breeding on either side of the US/Canadian border.

The Purple Martins began trying to settle in last weekend.

If you look closely on the head of the Double-crested Cormorant, you'll note its namesake crests, which denotes a breeding age bird.

The Eastern Bluebird breeds in Oklahoma and stays with us year round, just like the Northern Mockingbird.

This Brown Thrasher showed up on Saturday, as did the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and the Scissor-tailed Flycatchers.

There will be many more birds to see as time progresses.