091325 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

https://stwnewspress-cnhi.newsmemory.com/?publink=14e634620_134fb45&fbclid=IwY2xjawMyQ8pleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHsvI3juv4e9GvjQkGfWsefjrnJpmFzwmoHHw6faC38nOwWPXh_N5a4cJg6QD_aem_W8c0Ag_V5giVGJlTbJ5MtQ 

082424 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

https://stwnewspress-cnhi.newsmemory.com/?selDate=20240824&goTo=C002&artid=0&editionStart=The%20Stillwater%20NewsPress 

082723 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/lifestyles/life-at-boomer-lake-figuring-out-when-birds-take-flight/article_62ac00aa-4205-11ee-b23e-c37b6f12ed93.html 

092521 SNP Edition, Life At Boomer Lake

https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/local_columnists/life-at-boomer-lake-changes-in-weather-bring-different-birds/article_3b7c0b12-1ca8-11ec-a278-0b14bc66bdad.html 

070321 SNP Edition, Life At Boomer Lake

https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/life-at-boomer-lake-soon-we-will-see-more-breeding-birds/article_a890995a-db87-11eb-ad4e-ab4a8d6228f5.html 

081218 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

http://www.stwnewspress.com/news/lifestyles/life-at-boomer-lake-following-birds-during-fall-migration/article_765d29de-1aa0-50b4-9a92-ecd7bb4ab19d.html

072918 Muskogee Edition, Birding Today

http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/lifestyles/birding-today-identifying-wading-birds-can-depend-on-age/article_a0223fd8-fd88-57bd-8c44-b427d9362e3c.html

Highlights of the Great Salt Lake National Wildlife Refuge

                                                               White-faced Ibises

                                                American Avocet, Non-Breeding Plumage

                                                                Little Blue Heron

                                                                 Monarch Butterfly

                                                                     Fox Squirrel

                                                               Downy Woodpecker

                                                                   Shelf Mushroom

                                                                  Red-tailed Hawk
                                                        Buteo jamaicensis borealis, light morph


These shots were taken in Alfalfa County, OK, mostly with the various confines of the
Great Salt Lake NWR, yesterday 09-26-15.

There was one particular area on the Eagle's Nest Trail, which was a virtual smorgasbord of
avian life.   All in the same vicinity were the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Downy and Red-bellied
Woodpeckers, a Northern Flicker, a female Blue Grosbeak, an unknown warbler, and possibly a
female American Kestrel.

We were there during the height of monarch butterfly migration, and observed them, as well as other butterfly species by the thousands.  With any luck, the butterflies will see some increases next
year, so keep your fingers crossed.

There were water birds galore, and even the Salt Flats on Sandpiper Trail even provided a little
water and this wonderful Texas Horned Lizard.

                                                             Texas Horned Lizard

   And then, this guy showed up.  What a find!    

                                                                  Five Lined Skink

The Heron Clan at Its Best

                                                                       Mourning Dove
                                                 

                                                               Great Blue Heron

                                                             Juvenile Little Blue Heron

                                                                       Great Egret

                                                                Great Blue Heron
                                                               "Silent Sentinel 7"

                                                               Great Blue Heron(Rear)
                                                              Little Blue Heron (Front)

                                                       Great Blue Heron Dives for Fish

                                                             And Comes Up Empty Handed

                                                                        "Shakin' Off"

                                                                   Great Blue Heron

                                                      Great Blue Heron Changes Position

                                                               Great Blue Heron

                                                          "Clear for Flight Maneuvers"

                                                          Great Blue Heron Finds a Toy

                                                                  And Sees Another Toy

                                                                Which He Really Likes

                                                               Great Blue Heron Poses



74-83 degrees F/0708-0955/cloudy to partly cloudy/15 mph winds

The heron clan delivers once again!  This young Great Blue Heron is a first year bird.  Note that
there is still a lot of white in its plumage, and there are still some finer feathers in the rump area.
This bird is still gaining experience, and was very attracted to the buttonbush, playing with the fruit like a toy.  This heron was eager to perform and seemed to enjoy being in front of a camera.  It
even fell flat on its face in the water trying to grab a fish, but that was no deterrent.

The adult Great Blue Heron with the juvenile Little Blue Heron was a stroke of luck.  Here you
are able to see the difference in size.  The little blue is a relatively compact bird, 24 inches in length
and weighing about 3/4 of a pound.

The Little Blue Heron tried to get on that snag more than once, and was frightened away by a couple of adult Great Egrets.  It managed to return, giving me this prize picture.  Who could ask for
anything better?

A Day with the Heron Clan

                                                          Juvenile Little Blue Heron

                                                                          Ditto

                                                            Juvenile Great Blue Heron

                                                                  Mourning Dove

                                                                    Green Heron


0715-0945/70-82 degrees/partly cloudy/light and variable winds

This was a spectacular day for herons and egrets--five Great Blue Herons and the same
number of Great Egrets were seen, as well as one Green Heron.  The Little Blue Heron had
been spotted in The Northern Reaches a few days prior.  As you can see, Little Blue Heron will
transform into a blue bird.  The youngest version is all white with black edges on the primary
feathers, which is rarely seen.  In its second year, it is sexually mature, and begins to morph with
blue splotches on the white feathers.  As a third year bird, it will be a stunning in its gorgeous slate blue and purple-red plumage with a blue bill.

Green Heron is still in the vicinity, and when I was most doubtful, there it was in all its glory, just
waiting to be photographed.

The Beautiful Little Blue Heron

http://aviannovice.hubpages.com/hub/The-Beautiful-Little-Blue-Heron?done

Just Singin' The Blues (and the Whites)

                                                                Little Blue Heron

                                                              Mallard Drake in Flight

                                                         Female Brown-headed Cowbird

                                                              "A Canada Goose Melee"

                                                               Male Eastern Bluebird

                                                          Male Downy Woodpecker

                                                       Great Egret in Breeding Plumage

                                                                           Ditto

                                                                 Great Egret in Flight

                                                                 Song Sparrow
                                                          "Just Singin' the Blues"

                                                          Female Red-winged Blackbird

                                                                     European Starling

0730-1110/partly cloudy/37-59 degrees/light and variable winds

There was a chill in the air due to a cold front band going through, but it didn't dissuade some
from making an appearance, like the Little Blue Heron.  I have never seen this bird at the lake,
but it is well within its range.  Our ducks are still holding over, and a couple of breeding Great Egrets are in the area.  There is much more to come, as migration is just beginning.  There will be a lot
more to see, so dust off that copy of your birding guide, and get ready to travel in my wake.