Boomer Lake's Soon-to Be Migrant and a Later Resting Migrant

                                                     Immature Mississippi Kite

082719
0805-911/76-77 F/variable to partly cloudy/N-8/81-80% RH/29.96-29.94 Hg and rising

This was about ten days before the kites left for their South American wintering grounds.  My last observation of an adult was on 091019.   Even at the time of this photo, this immature bird was still begging for food.  The adults let it beg, as it was old enough to find its own.

Kites usually nest near or even have a wasp's nest within it, which could protect the young from climbing predators.  Smaller birds also nest nearby and coexist peacefully.  However, if one injects a human in the picture, the adult kites are very territorial with parental duties, and unless the person is wearing a hat, his scalp could well be scraped by those talons.

                                                           Great Blue Heron



090119
9745-0926-71-77 F/partly cloudy/E-1/84-83% RH/30.05-30.11 Hg and rising

This lovely adult in breeding plumage was on the last southern jetty just north of Goose Island.  It calmly permitted this photo and with the backlighting, provided a nice accent.

                                                         Possible Least Flycatcher

                                                                          View 2

09-01-19
0745-0926/71-77 F/partly cloudy/E-1/86-80% RH/30.07 Hg and rising

Definitive ID of this empidonax species was not possible, but it is believed that this is the Least Flycatcher.  Most adults in fall are silent, but it would give occasional "piks."

Oklahoma Vagrants: Vermilion Flycatcher

pete-pete or  pete-a-weet

Uncommon and local in diverse mixes of brush, trees, riparian woodlands, agricultural areas, savannah, grassy openings near water, and in desert habitat, the Vermilion Flycatcher will enamor you.  The usually solitary bird will sally for small flying insects like a typical flycatcher from an open perch.

This spectacular red passerine of the south and southwest is a star in its own right.  The species is dimorphic, and the female is very similar to the Say's Flycatcher with her peach colored belly.

From Alaska to central South America, the wide range is enjoyed by this neotropical migrant, which encompasses over seven million square miles globally.

Males will bound across the high canopy while fluttering and singing a solicitous song in the spring to a chosen female.  They will fluff out the feathers, perform aerial acrobatics, and then swoop down to the perch from where they came.  The male will offer the female a butterfly to seal the deal.

                                                            Male Vermilion Flycatcher
                                               Patagonia Lake SP, Santa Cruz County, AZ
                                                                          2018

First found in Oklahoma in the twenty-first century, Darwin's flycatcher has visited the panhandle quite often, and has even made guest appearances in other parts of the state.  It has even been as far as the state of Maine.

A species of least concern and one not to be easily forgotten, the Galapagos flycatcher will bring a smile to one's face with its friendly nature.  Both parents care for the young, and the male will handle parental duties while the female begins a second clutch.  These small flycatchers are insectivores.

Land development and water redirection caused a serious problem in the lower Colorado River Valley for this bird.  It has rebounded and is spreading its wings as can be seen with its diverse range in other locales.

Other Birds Seen with the Vermilion Flycatcher:

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2018/05/birding-on-shoestring-american.html

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2017/02/representatives-of-days-3-through-5-in.html

Vagrants of Oklahoma: Great Kiskadee

KREEtaperrr, Kiskadeee, Christopher, BEE-tee-WEE

Whatever dialect you choose, the raucous Great Kiskadee will say something that you will understand.  This handsome passerine perches conspicuously in treetops in small groups, and due to its coloration, it is very easy to locate.

Common is dense woodlands, as well as around a water source, this perching songbird sometimes consumes fish, lizards, insects, and berries.

Seen only from spring through summer and until migration, a Great Kiskadee presented itself at Red Slough in McCurtain County in 2012.  It had been seen several times during that stretch, but was the only time recorded on eBird.  As several people there would agree, it was a very eye-catching vagrant.

Open and second growth wood lots appeal to them, as do scrubby irrigation channels, and suburbs when in a breeding area.  In the tropics and subtropics, they are within shade-grown coffee farms, and citrus and banana plantations.

                                                                Great Kiskadee
                                                   Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX 2017

These bold large flycatchers will eat animal or vegetable matter, human offerings, and even steal cat and dog food from the dishes.

Commonly found in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas as a permanent resident, this is one subspecies out of ten seen worldwide.  In 1957, the large flycatcher was introduced to Bermuda to control the large number of lizards.  It has proliferated to this day, and was never interested in Caribbean amphibians as a food source.  Only rarely will it migrate to Arizona.

In flycatcher fashion, it will mob hawks and larger birds due to its nature.


More of the Great Kiskadee and the Lower Rio Grande Valley:

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2017/02/birding-on-shoestring-days-11-through-13.html

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2017/02/days-one-and-two-of-birding-lower-rio.html

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Great Crested Flycatcher

Queeep! Wheeeep! or Krreeep! 

The Great Crested Flycatcher is common in mature deciduous forests, woodlots, shrubby habitat, old orchards, or parks usually found foraging for insects and berries from mid- or upper story branches.  Rarely in the open, this is a large and secretive flycatcher who still takes pride in sallying for insects.

Seen before it is heard, this large flycatcher arrives in Oklahoma in early April.  It is unmistakable with a bright sulphur belly and rufous wings and tail, located in eastern and central parts of our fine state.

                                                             
                                                               Great Crested Flycatcher
                                                               Boomer Lake Park, 2016

This cavity nester will use snags, birdhouses, live trees, and many manmade structures for nesting purposes from May through June.  Usually single brooded, the female will build the nest and  incubate, yet both sexes will handle the care of the young.  This insectivore is rarely located on the ground.  These birds tend to weave unusual items into their nests like snakeskin or plastic, simply because they can do so and find them out of the ordinary.  The former nest snag pictured above is no longer standing.  It met its demise a couple of years ago in a storm.

In the east, where most of these birds breed, males tend to congregate for roosting, but will arrive at the nest cavity shortly after sunrise to handle feeding the young birds.  Some of these roost sites in a large, old territory can have a couple of hundred unmated females and unsuccessful breeders.  As soon as the young are old enough to do so, they will also join these groups.

Usually avoiding coniferous forests, like those found in the boreal forest, the great crested favors second growth forest with open canopy landscape.  They enjoy many insects and spiders, and will consume fruit and berries to a smaller degree.

If you wish to attract a pair of these beautiful and unusual birds to your yard with the correct habitat, simply have a 1 3/4 inch hole in your bluebird nest box.  You can easily obtain a proper sized spade bit or hole saw for the job.

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2016/06/fruits-of-their-labors.html

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2016/06/potpourri-for-birding-soul.html

The above links shows more photos of  Great Crested Flycatchers with other birds seen that day!

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Western Kingbird

A bird of the western half of the US, the Western Kingbird is one of the tyrant flycatchers.  This flycatcher has white edges on both sides of the tail, a white throat and light gray breast, and has a high pitched and squeaky pidik-pik-pidik-pidik-PEEKado call.  It sounds like a sputtering car.

Many of these flycatchers nest upon manmade structures and have been comfortable for doing that for quite some time.  However, if they are in the countryside, they favor edge habitat like orchards, tree lined residential neighborhoods, hedgerows, grassland, desert scrub, fences, electrical or telephone wires, woodland or riparian edges, and many other venues.  They have adapted well to humanity and don't mind being in the close proximity of homo sapiens.

                                                                  Western Kingbird
                                                            Boomer Lake Park, 2016

This species is just as territorial as the Eastern Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and the rest of the kingbird clan.  When it is nesting season, they will drive any large bird out of the area, be it hawks or crows, yet several birds may share a single tree for nesting purposes.  They will many times repair a nest from the year before and reuse it.  The young fledge in about two weeks, but they still remain partially dependent.

Like the typical flycatcher, they will perch on branches and sally out after insects for both themselves and their young.  Oftentimes, they will return to the same branch and repeat the same activity after they have either eaten their insect or delivered it to a family member.

                                                         Black Mesa State Park, 2017

During courtship or while defending territory, they will display a reddish-orange crown, very similar to the Eastern Kingbird.

These birds are susceptible to pesticide problems, as they will easily encounter them while foraging around agricultural lands for insects.  They will dive for ground prey and search within foliage for protein matter.

They are a medium- to long-distance migrant, usually wintering in Central America.

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Say's Phoebe

Very similar to sallying for insects like other flycatchers, Say's Phoebe is the largest phoebe, as well as the loveliest.  Found in more open expanses than the typical phoebe, it will sometimes hover when foraging.

This tyrant flycatcher was named after a naturalist, Thomas Say, who first encountered it in Colorado in 1819.

                                                             Adult Say's Phoebe


Observed in western Oklahoma, even more so on the Panhandle, it is surprisingly easy to view this bird, sometimes even at close range.  This phoebe will often nest at Black Mesa on cliff crevices, rocky outcroppings, and on horizontal ledges under bridges.  It appears that they prefer shortgrass prairie country including sunlit canyons, open spaces near buildings, and mountain meadows of Black Mesa State Park.  As long as it is dry and desolate, this passerine will be open to the location.

Males arrive first on the nesting grounds and will quickly choose territories, which are in the neighborhood of a couple of acres.  The male will call for a mate and usually finds one quickly, so nesting begins soon after.  Nests mays be found in or on manmade structures, or abandoned mine shafts and caves.

Ranges have been expanding over the years.

The female will locate her nest site, and she will construct her nest, while she allows the male to observe.

                                                                Juvenile Say's Phoebe