So many birds; so many reports; and not enough room to record it all. Bird visitors are arriving daily. Some to stop in their travels to rest and refuel, while others are setting up housekeeping for the summer. Lively reports have been pouring in from all central Oklahoma counties except one.
On the 1st Larry Mays and others birded Lake Overholster and located a Cinnamon Teal and a hybrid Cinnamon/Blue-wing Teal. On the 11th Scott Loss found one at the Teal Ridge Wetland in Payne County and Larry found another one at Rose Lake on the 24th. Deanne McKinney spotted a Yellow-headed Blackbird at Rose Lake and on the 5th Dala Grissom saw them at Lake Stanley Draper.
On the 3rd Mary and Lou Truex saw a Ferruginous Hawk in the Stinchcomb Farm Area and a Peregrine Falcon at Lake Overholser. Elizabeth Pratt found a Tree Swallow on a farm pond in Canadian County. On the 4th a Little Blue Heron was spotted by Deb Hirt at Boomer Lake and on the 9th by Dala Grissom in Pottawatomie County. Northern Parula was found by Dallas Barber in Babcock Park and on the 5th by John Tharp along South Jenkins. On the 5th T K identified an Upland Sandpiper at the North Base Airport area in Norman. On the 6th Joe Grzybowski had Chimney Swift flying overhead in Norman.
On the 7th Jason Shaw noticed a Solitary Sandpiper at the USAO Habitat Area in Grady County. Christie Stoops had a Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Logan County which was then reported in 8 counties during the month. On the 8th at the Little River State Park Rachel Wrenn spotted the first Eastern Kingbird which was later seen in 9 counties. She also noticed a Broad-winged Hawk and Jason St. Sauver saw one at Arcadia Lake on the 11th.
On the 9th in Norman Phil Stepanian had a Black-chinned Hummingbird in his yard. They have also been reported in Logan County by Zach Poland and in Oklahoma County at Mitch Park. At Lake Thunderbird Rachel Wrenn noticed a Prothonotary Warbler, and on the 10th Phil Stepanian spotted a Marbled Godwit. Meanwhile at Boomer Lake Scott Loss heard a Warbling Vireo. On the 11th VA Ospovat had an Inca Dove in his Norman yard and at Lake Thunderbird State Park Joe Grzybowski discovered a Yellow-throated Vireo while T K located a Spotted Sandpiper and Red-eyed Vireo.
On the 12th Doug Wood birded Garvin County and located American Golden-Plover, Tree Swallow, Broad-winged Hawk, Indigo Bunting and Clay-colored Sparrow; in Grady County Linda Adams spotted a Prothonotary Warbler; at Ghost Hollow north of Perkins Evan Tanner located a Yellow-throated Warbler; and a Yellow Warbler was seen by Rachel Wrenn at the Little River State Park. On the 13th James Hubbell discovered Long-billed Dowitcher and Hudsonian Godwit at Rose Lake, and on the 14th Dolores Smith saw a flock of Yellow-headed Blackbirds near Amber.
On the 15th at Lake Overholser Coffer Dam Zach Poland spotted Semipalmated Plover and Marbled Godwit. On the 16th Jane Sutherland found Cedar Waxwings in Chandler. In Yukon near 50th Street and Yukon Parkway Sharon Henthorn located White-faced Ibis. At Boomer Lake John Polo noticed a Western Kingbird and Rick Farrar saw one at Timber Lake Estates in Norman. At the Teal Ridge Wetland an American Bittern and Green Heron was found by Chris Williams, and In Cushing Scott Loss saw a Gray Catbird.
On the 17th Zach birded Lake Overholser Coffer Dam and spotted Hudsonian Godwit, Willet, Long-billed Curlew, and Wilson’s Phalarope. Meanwhile at John Nichols Scout Ranch Chad Ellis heard a Chuck-will’s widow. At Lake Thunderbird Rachel Wrenn found a Piping Plover and at Little River State Park a Summer Tanager, Indigo Bunting and Great Crested Flycatcher. On the 18thin McClain County Joe Grzybowski identified 100 Upland Sandpipers, American Pipit, Sprague’s Pipit and Chestnut-collared Longspur while at Lake Thunderbird Phil Stepanian found a Willet and T K a Western Sandpiper. David Gersten identified a Bank Swallow at Will Rogers Airport.
On the 19that Lake Overholser Zack spotted a Snowy Plover, and Heather Shaffery saw a Semipalmated Plover. In Lincoln County Valerie Bradshaw found Northern Parula, Summer Tanager, and Orchard Oriole. At Lake Thunderbird Caleb Frome found a Caspian Tern; and Joe Grzybowski had a Swainson’s Thrush and Lazuli Bunting. Along South Jenkins John Tharp saw a Blue Grosbeak. Katherine Schwartz noticed a Bell’s Vireo in southeast Mustang. Chad Ellis spotted a Nashville Warbler at John Nichols Scout Ranch. While Baltimore Oriole were seen by Joe Grzybowski at Lake Thunderbird and Deb Hirt at Boomer Lake.
On the 20th at Taylor Lake in Grady County Bill Adams located Ruddy Duck, and Tree Swallow. At the Teal Ridge Wetland Scott Loss identified a Virginia Rail and at the Meridian Technology Center Pond a Willet. At Lake Overholser Jimmy Woodward saw a Black-bellied Plover. On the 21st at the Teal Ridge Wetland Eliana Ardila and Marc Kramer noticed a Palm Warbler. On the 22ndat Lake Overholser Mike McCloy spotted a Western Sandpiper, and at Lake El Reno a Warbling Vireo. At the Meridian Technology Center Pond Scott Loss noticed White-faced Ibis, and Sage Powers found a Tennessee Warbler in the OSU North Fields
On the 23rd at Lake Overholser Steve Davis had a Piping Plover. At the Little River State Park John Tharp found a Black-headed Grosbeak. At Babcock Park Roy Cruz noticed a Swainson’s Thrush. On the 24th Larry Mays spotted a White-rumped Sandpiper at Lake Overholser. Scott Loss noticed an Orchard Oriole at Boomer Lake.
On the 25th Joe Grzybowski had a Glossy Ibis at Rose Lake and Chad Ellis a Say’s Phoebe at Stinchcomb WMA west. Eric Duell found a Sora Rail, White-rumped Sandpiper, Kentucky Warbler, Summer Tanager and Chuck-will’s widow in Stillwater near Morningside Park. Scott Loss located a Dickcissel at Whittenberg Park. Deanne McKinney spotted a Mississippi Kite in Oklahoma City and the next day Evan Tanner saw one at the Teal Ridge Wetland. At Lake Hefner Soctt Loss noticed a Common Nighthawk. Jimmy Woodard located a Nashville Warbler, Baltimore Oriole and Indigo Bunting at the Oklahoma City Zoo Lake Park. Painted Buntings were spotted by Rachel Wrenn at Little River State Park and Eric Duell in Stillwater.
On the 26th Larry Mays birded Seminole County and saw an American Bittern, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Kentucky Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, and in Pottawatomie County at the Little River Wetland a Warbling Vireo, Common Yellowthroat, and Yellow Warbler. In Lincoln County Heidi Hellstern located a Bank Swallow near Wellston. At the Cushing Water Treatment Plant Scott Loss located a Least Bittern, and at the Riverside Road Woodlands a Least Flycatcher.
On the 27th James Hubbell drove around North Morgan Road and located Peregrine Falcon; at Lexington WMA Jeff Tibbits discovered a Bell’s Vireo; and at the Teal Ridge Wetland Evan Tanner saw a Sedge Wren. On the 28th Susan Thompson identified a Summer Tanager and Indigo Bunting at Bush Creek in Pottawatomie County; Jason Shaw saw an Eastern Kingbird at the USAO Habitat Area in Grady County; and in Choctaw Dr. Chris Butler heard a Chuck-will’s widow. What a busy month!!!
For April 2015, in the Central Oklahoma area 211 bird species were reported with 65 new species bringing the year’s total to 243. Meanwhile, in South America Noah ends April with a year-to-date total of 2,349. I appreciate those who help provide the history of central Oklahoma birds and can be contacted by e-mail at emkok@earthlink.net . Esther M. Key, Editor.