031426 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

https://stwnewspress-cnhi.newsmemory.com/?publink=0b4037340_1351ffe&fbclid=IwY2xjawQiP35leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeQoSlr-1WQJ8bsMm-NpW8TKJMVK3dgK5XjXJHy3e4-6GA33r2NH0bkEhVgfs_aem_gcdE3HECPSLYho_wX0GXsA 

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 

041022 SNP Edition, Life At Boomer Lake

https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/lifestyles/life-at-boomer-lake-it-s-a-bonanza-of-incoming-birds/article_908178d6-b6ae-11ec-bb13-1b31eb5c9305.html 

110720 Muskogee Edition, Birding Today

https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/birding-today-grebes-found-in-oklahoma-in-fall-and-winter/article_64d2461d-f8a2-5a87-a030-62543b69c78d.html 

103120. SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

 https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/life-at-boomer-lake-rare-raptors-making-their-way-to-payne-county/article_f844b342-1a57-11eb-b866-03dd645a6f17.html

040520 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/lifestyles/life-at-boomer-lake-saying-hello-to-some-goodbye-to-others/article_3426c376-75d2-11ea-b5eb-8b924bca74fc.html

110319 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/life-at-boomer-lake-nonstop-rain-brings-more-birds/article_bec3faf4-fd2c-11e9-a3be-eb96a6961a2c.html

012719 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/lifestyles/life-at-boomer-warmer-temps-keeping-some-birds-at-bay/article_ab0c18f0-ba2f-5775-963e-a7cd554b302f.html

111118 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/lifestyles/life-at-boomer-lake-spotting-a-few-odd-birds/article_0d26f7e2-dc3e-5590-9b03-3b5553448768.html

The Weekend's Wonders Are Still Inbound

                                                              Red-shouldered Hawk

                                                                           Ditto

                                                                            Ditto

                                                                Neotropic Cormorant

                                                              Downy Woodpecker

                                                                Blue-winged Teal

                                                                        Gadwall

                                                                Gadwall, Position 2

         
                                                                      Horned Grebe

                                                            Juvenal Great Blue Heron


03-18 and 03-19-17

We're back to spring weather again, as the low pressure system that had once been affecting
the eastern part of the country has moved on.  This makes migratory movement get into a
higher gear and bring us more birds that are northbound.

The Red-shouldered Hawk shots are all from today, and I practically walked into the bird before
I noticed it.  This gorgeous bird gave me these three shots and he was farther away from me in the first shot, and came closer.  These hawks are excellent mousers, and will prefer a mouse over a bird.
This is one of the many species that you'll save if you forgo rat poison.

The Neotropic Cormorant, a warmer weather bird, is rare in these parts, but has given us presence
since at least 2015.  February 21 of this year is the earliest that it has been here, and I strongly believe, even without a band, that this is one of last year's juvenal birds, now a pristine adult in breeding plumage.

Many Downy Woodpeckers were showing themselves today, and this one happened to be cavorting
with a female, also in the area.  Try as I might,  was unable to get a shot with the two of them together.

The Blue-winged Teal were not on the lake, but they were the only ones in the area.  They were found at the creek, spending a little extra time foraging before they go to their breeding grounds.

A lone Gadwall was in the company of the teal, and was still there when I quietly left the area.  None of them had any idea that I was in their presence, as it should be.

This Great Blue Heron is a beautiful example of one of last year's crop born here at Boomer Creek.
This bird is definitely a first year bird, due to its gray coloring.  A 5-year bird will have black epaulettes and tan shorts.  Due to their coloring, it is easy to age them.

This lone Horned Grebe was located near Goose Island in the area of the geese.

Joys of Grebes

                                                                     Horned Grebe

                                                               Male Northern Cardinal

                           
                                                                     Horned Grebe

                                                                       Ditto, View 2

                                                                       Ditto, View 3


12-04-16

0935-1243/48-54 degrees F/6 mph NNW winds/partly cloudy/64-66% RH/29.86 Hg and steady


I have never noticed the Horned Grebe on the lake on such a mild day, even though the time of
year is correct.  This bird can be differentiated from the Earned Grebe, as it has a white-tipped bill and a rounded head.  The Eared Grebe usually comes to this area in the summer and has a peaked head.

In times of El Nino, it is possible that birds will arrive at unusual times.