Beautiful songs; beautiful birds are arriving almost daily. Beginning with shorebirds to ending with warblers, during April birds travelled through Oklahoma: some to settle down, others to continue on. As storms moved through the state during the month, several fallout episodes occurred. Also, 10 more species have now been reported in all 12 counties bringing the total reported in all 12 counties to 45. Who are the new ones?
On the 31st Pat Velte photographed a sleeping Red-necked Grebe off the Lake Hefner dam; and Mike Yough had Little Blue Heron at Teal Ridge Wetland in Payne County. On the 1st Sean Cowden saw Scissor-tailed Flycatcher at Wewoka in Seminole County. On the 3rd Abigail Hobbs noticed Blue Jay at Tecumseh in Pottawatomie County; Tim O’Connell observed Upland Sandpiper in Stillwater; and Curtis Stewart and Braden Farris counted Semipalmated Plover and American Avocet at NW 63rd/Kilpatrick Turnpike in Canadian County. On the 4th Braden Farris identified Broad-winged Hawk at Prairie Prime Ranch in Lincoln County; Mike Yough added Chimney Swift at Teal Ridge Wetland; and in Cleveland County Jerry Vanbebber recorded American Avocet at Lake Thunderbird SP; while Someone detected Yellow-throated Vireo at Lexington WMA.
On the 5th Steve Stone tallied American Avocet at Hefner Water Treatment Plant; Dick Gunn encountered Northern Parula, Vesper Sparrow and Yellow-throated Warbler along South Jenkins in Norman; and a birding friend’s son found Common Poorwill at Will Rogers Airport. On the 6th Jimmy Woodard confirmed Broad-winged Hawk at Lake Stanley Draper; Brian McLaughlin located Chimney Swift at Martin Park Nature Center; while at Lake Hefner-Kids Lake Park Braden Farris watched a Little Blue Heron get attacked and brought to the ground by an American Crow. After a short struggle, it was able to get back in the air and continue south. On the 7th Braden Farris reported Marbled Godwit and Bill Diffin verified White-faced Ibis at NW 63rd/Kilpatrick Turnpike; Thomas Kuder discovered Black-chinned Hummingbird in Norman; Nu Perera recognized Prothonotary Warbler at Lake Thunderbird SP-East Sentinel Campground; Scott Loss documented Bank Swallow at Boomer Lake Park in Stillwater; and Frank Walker had Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Bethany.
On the 8th in Seminole County Eugene Prewitt came across Bald Eagle at Wewoka Woods Camp while Jerry Vanbebber got White-eyed Vireo at Maud Wetlands and in Pottawatomie County at Tecumseh Lake Yellow-throated Warbler and Louisiana Waterthrush. Larry Mays spotted Upland Sandpiper at Newcastle Park in McClain County; Bill Diffin described American Golden-Plover at North Yukon Parkway; Brian Marra viewed Peregrine Falcon at NW 63rd/Kilpatrick Turnpike; Randolph King had Marbled Godwit and White-faced Ibis at Lake Thunderbird SP-East Sentinel and Green Heron were seen by Michael Reichert at Teal Ridge Wetland and Braden Farris at Lake Hefner-Stars and Stripes Park. On the 9th Aidan Rominger added Broad-winged Hawk at Teal Ridge Wetland; John Tharp turned up American Golden-Plover at Lake Thunderbird SP-East Sentinel and a Peregrine Falcon flew over his yard in Norman; while Braden Farris had one at Lake Hefner-Kids Lake Park.
On the 10th Randolph King identified House Wren in Westmoor; at Lake Thunderbird SP-East Sentinel John Tharp discovered Semipalmated Plover, Hudsonian Godwit, and Nashville Warbler and Cody Delano spotted Semipalmated Sandpiper; while at Cushing Water Treatment Plant Mike Yough also confirmed Hudsonian Godwit, Semipalmated Sandpiper plus Wilson’s Phalarope. On the 11th OU Ornithology Class observed Red-eyed Vireo at Lake Thunderbird SP-East Sentinel; and Frank Walker had House Wren in Bethany. On the 13th House Wrens were found by Grace Huffman at Stinchcomb WR west; and Mike Yough at Hoyt Grove Park in Stillwater; while Cody Delano photographed Willet at Ten Mile Flats in Norman; and Brian Marra recorded Western Sandpiper at Stinchcomb WR west.
On the 14th Zach DuFran located Western Kingbird along South Jenkins; John Tharp noticed Eastern Kingbird while Rachel Wrenn reported Bank Swallow at Lake Thunderbird SP-East Sentinel; and Hal Yocum counted Black-chinned Hummingbird at Mitch Park in Edmond. On the 15th Randolph King found Chimney Swift at Lake Thunderbird SP-East Sentinel; Calvin Rees got American Golden-Plover at Midwest Blvd Sod Farm; and Rod Lusey recognized Hudsonian Godwit at Arcadia Lake- Edmond Park. On the 16th Nadine Varner detected Lazuli Bunting in Midwest City; Nu Perera turned up Swainson’s Thrush and Wilson’s Warbler in Norman; in Payne County Scott Loss tallied American Golden-Plover at Meridian Technology Center Pond in Stillwater and Warbling Vireo at Lake Carl Blackwell. The 10 additional species reported in all 12 counties are: Blue-winged Teal, Wild Turkey, Rock Pigeon, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Hairy Woodpecker, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Tufted Titmouse, Barn Swallow, and Field Sparrow.
On the 17th Cody Delano came across Wilson’s Phalarope at Ten Mile Flats; Ryan Minton found Semipalmated Plover and Clay-colored Sparrow at Cushing Water Treatment Plant; Calvin Rees observed Eastern Kingbird at Lake Hefner; and Brian Marra located Red-eyed Vireo, and Bank Swallow at Arcadia Lake. On the 18th Grace Huffman saw Broad-winged Hawk at NW 63rd/Kilpatrick Turnpike; The OU Ornithology Class detected Bell’s Vireo, Indigo Bunting and Blue Grosbeak along South Jenkins; Stephen Ofsthun noticed Summer Tanager at Lake Thunderbird SP-Boathouse Area; Jason McKirahan discovered Willet at Arcadia Lake-Edmond Park; Jimmy Woodard verified Lesser Goldfinch at their feeder in Midwest City; Calvin Rees had White-faced Ibis at Lake Overholser; and Brian Marra encountered Sora and Warbling Vireo at Lake Overholser-Coffer Dam. On the 19th Abdul Dominguez added Green Heron at Pebblebrook Park in Norman; Landon Neumann spotted Red-eyed Vireo at Couch Park in Stillwater; and Baltimore Orioles were identified by Deb Hirt in Stillwater and Paul Cook at Lake Hefner.
On the 20tha Blue Grosbeak visited Hollis Price at her home in Jones; Jennifer Kidney viewed male Baltimore Oriole at her jelly feeder in Norman; Esther Key tallied American Avocet at Purcell Lake in McClain County; Rosario Douglas counted Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Norman; Rod Lusey got Semipalmated Plover at Arcadia Lake-Edmond Park; Bill Diffin reported Upland Sandpiper at Lake Overholser-Coffer Dam; Steve Stone photographed Long-billed Curlew at Lake Hefner Prairie Dog Point; and Branden Farris encountered Black-necked Stilt at NW 63rd/Kilpatrick Turnpike. A fallout of Piping Plovers was documented by Braden Farris at NW 63rd/Kilpatrick Turnpike; Landon Neumann at Meridian Technology Center Pond; and Calvin Rees at Lake Hefner. On the 21st Jimmy Woodward confirmed Orchard Oriole, Hudsonian Godwit and Stilt Sandpiper at NW 63rd/Kilpatrick Turnpike; Chad Ellis turned up Warbling Vireo along West Overholser Road; Deb Hirt recorded Summer Tanager at Boomer Lake Park; and Randolph King recognized Snowy Plover at Lake Hefner-OKC Docks.
On the 22nd John Tharp came across Caspian Tern and Warbling Vireo at Lake Thunderbird SP-East Sentinel; Hal Yocum and others located Northern Bobwhite at Mitch Park; Nancy Vicars detected Chimney Swift in OKC; Braden Farris saw Clay-colored Sparrow at Lake Hefner-Stars and Stripes Park; Landon Neumann heard a male Red Crossbill flying over Couch Park in Stillwater; and Scott Loss had Orchard Oriole at Lake Carl Blackwell. On the 23rd Johnny Carter observed Chuck-will’s-widow at Coyle in Logan County; Mike Yough noticed Western Kingbird at OSU, Braden Farris identified Summer Tanager at Arcadia Conservation Education Area; Bill Diffin found White-rumped Sandpiper at NW 63rd/Kilpatrick Turnpike; and Orchard Oriole was discovered by Randolph King at Little River SP in Cleveland County.
On the 24th Matt Jung added Yellow-crowned Night-Heron and Green Heron at Lake Hefner and Wilson’s Phalaropes at NW 63rd/Kilpatrick Turnpike; Jason Shaw counted Chimney Swift at Chickasha in Grady County; Braden Farris turned up Upland Sandpiper and Summer Tanager at Prairie Prime Ranch; and Rhianna Cameron confirmed Indigo Bunting in Spencer. Randolph King encountered Sora Rail at Lake Overholser–Route 66 Park; Steve Davis reported Willet and Chad Ellis verified Glossy Ibis along East Wagner Road in Yukon. In Norman Tricia Brown heard Chuck-will’s-widow; Alex Franzen watched Mississippi Kite at John H. Saxon Park; and Jennifer Kidney recognized Gray Catbird at her jelly feeder. Alex Harman recorded Ruby-throated Hummingbird at The Botanic Garden at OSU; Mike Yough got Stilt Sandpiper at Cushing Water Treatment Plant and Sora Rail at Teal Ridge Wetland and Michael Reichert tallied Little Blue Heron at Teal Ridge Wetland. Great Crested Flycatchers were spotted by Brian Marra at Lake Thunderbird SP-Hickory Hill Camp; and Jake Henning in Stillwater.
On the 25th Mike Yough came across Warbling Vireo, House Wren, Northern Parula, and Dickcissel at Dover in Kingfisher County; Kevin Wilson detected Indigo Bunting in Stillwater; Ivan de la Hera identified Eastern Kingbird at Boomer Lake Park; and Grace Huffman saw Caspian Tern NW 63rd/Kilpatrick Turnpike. Swainson’s Thrush were viewed by Alex Harman at OSU and Brian Marra at Crystal Lake in OKC. On the 26th Michael Reichert heard Chuck-will’s-widow at McPherson Preserve in Payne County; Ivan de la Hera observed Nashville Warbler and Yellow Warbler at Boomer Lake Park; Scott Loss located Blue Grosbeak at Teal Ridge Wetland; and Landon Neumann heard Dickcissel at Couch Park. In OKC Brian McLaughlin had Mississippi Kite; Jacob Kirkland discovered Least Flycatcher at Bluff Creek Trails; in Midwest City Jimmy Woodard counted Dickcissel; in Kingfisher County Patti Muzny and Nancy Vicars encountered Say’s Phoebe; and in Norman Someone noticed Painted Bunting.
On the 27th Randolph King added a Chimney Swift near Wynnewood in Garvin County and Black-necked Stilt at Ten Mile Flats. Jason Shaw confirmed Eastern Kingbird and Dickcissel at USAO Habitat Area in Grady County; Matthew Adams recorded Painted Bunting at Guthrie; Larry Mays tallied Clay-colored Sparrow in Newcastle. Jamie Runyan had Chuck-will’s-widow east of Oklahoma City; Braden Farris counted Great Crested Flycatcher at Arcadia Conservation Education Area; and Jacob Kirkland recognized American Redstart and Yellow Warbler at Joe B. Barnes Park in Midwest City. In Stillwater Anthony Tillilan reported Painted Bunting; Eric LoPresti spotted Kentucky Warbler at McPherson Preserve; and at Boomer Lake Park Mike Yough saw Prothonotary Warbler, and Scott Loss heard Blackpoll Warbler.
0n the 28th in Logan County D&D Norris verified Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Kairworks Garden; Michael King identified Great Crested Flycatcher at Guthrie; Megan Migues observed Clay-colored Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak and Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Stroud; Deanne McKinney spotted Green Heron at Rose Lake; Brent Barnes located Blue-headed Vireo along South Jenkins; Jimmy Woodard discovered Prothonotary Warbler, Painted Bunting and Tennessee Warbler at Arcadia Conservation Education Area; and Matt Jung found Bell’s Vireo at NW 63rd/Kilpatrick Turnpike. On the 29th Brian Marra encountered Blue-headed Vireo at Poore Park in Midwest City; Mike Yough noticed Chuck-will’s-widow at Dover; Zac Hemans detected Mississippi Kite at Liberty Lake in Logan County; and Nu Perera viewed Chestnut-sided Warbler in Norman. On the 30th Scott Loss spotted Palm Warbler and American Bittern at Teal Ridge Wetland; Jeanette Bider discovered Golden-winged Warbler in Norman; and Hal Yocum reported Warbling Vireo, Chimney Swifts, and Yellow-billed Cuckoo in Mitch Park. The serenade continues. Who will you hear and/or see?
In the Central Oklahoma area during April, 220 species were reported with 63 new species which brings the year’s total to 259. I appreciate those who help provide the history of central Oklahoma birds. Information is accessed at: ebird. 2021 eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance [web application]. eBird Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: https://ebird.org/region/US-OK?yr=all. (Accessed: April 28, 29 & 30, 2021); occasionally from Facebook, and the OKBIRDS List. I can be contacted at emkok@earthlink.net. Esther M. Key, Editor.
April Mar Feb Jan
Garvin 079 066 062 054
Seminole 080 073 053 035
Kingfisher 096 073 061 016
Pottawatomie 099 085 078 060
Grady 102 079 068 059
Logan 111 098 089 067
Lincoln 117 101 067 059
McClain 121 093 080 068
Canadian 189 147 127 116
Cleveland 204 151 128 119
Payne 214 159 138 124
Oklahoma 220 173 149 138
Number of bird species reported in 2021 according to eBird. www.ebird.org