April is the biggest month of newly arriving bird species in Central Oklahoma, but many are only migrating through. Only a few of the resident birds have started nesting, while many of the Neotropic migrants and other summer birds are waiting until June to start nesting, according to the safe nesting dates provided by the Breeding Bird Survey. First of the spring arrivals include 1 erratic species; 15 shorebird species including one federally threatened species; 6 flycatcher species; 6 vireo species; 2 thrush species; 8 Cardinal Allies species and 11 warbler species.
On the 29th at Boomer Lake while photographing Snow Geese flying overhead, one of Deb Hirt’s photos IDed a Brown Booby. On the 1st Scott Loss came across Clay-colored Sparrow in The Botanic Garden at OSU; Vic Harjo added Purple Martin and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher at Wewoka Woods Camp in Seminole County; and Steve Stone detected Long-tailed Duck at Lake Overholser. On the 2nd Don Pearson found American Golden-Plover and Willet near Hennepin in Garvin County; and Jimmy Woodward tallied Yellow-throated Warbler at Sportsman Lake in Seminole County. Northern Parulas were spotted by Mike Yough at Cushing WTP in Payne County and Someone along South Jenkins. Broad-winged Hawks were noted by Branden Farris at Wes Watkins Lake in Pottawatomie County and Tim O’Connell in Stillwater. Five locations counted White-eyed Vireos: Branden at Shawnee Reservoir; Mike at Cushing WTP; Larry Mays at Meeker in Lincoln County; Grace Huffman at Crystal Lake in OKC; and Someone at Lake Thunderbird.
On the 3rd Grace Huffman recognized Semipalmated Sandpiper at Stinchcomb WR west. On the 4th Blayne Housh got Long-billed Dowitcher at Alex Marsh in Grady County; Someone identified American Avocet at Lake Thunderbird; and Braden Farris observed Chimney Swift at Lake Hefner. On the 5th Steve Davis photographed Long-billed Dowitcher at Stinchcomb WR west. On the 6th Grace Huffman documented Trumpeter Swan at Cedar Valley Golf Course in Logan County found by Devin Bosler; Someone located Nashville Warbler at Lake Thunderbird; and Jason Shaw recorded White-eyed Vireo at USAO Habitat Area in Grady County.
On the 7th Grace Huffman discovered Stilt Sandpiper and House Wren at Stinchcomb WR west; while Braden Farris saw House Wren at Edgewater Lake Preserve in Oklahoma County. Steve Stone noticed Northern Parula at Hafer Park and Someone had Clay-colored Sparrow along South Jenkins. On the 8th Braden Farris confirmed Spotted Sandpiper at Lake Hefner. On the 9th Stephen Ofsthun discovered Yellow-throated Vireo at Thunderbird Lake; Scott Loss reported American Bittern at Cushing WTP; Jimmy Woodward encountered Red-eyed Vireo at Martin Park Nature Center; and Braden Farris turned up Marbled Godwit; Clay-colored Sparrow, and Northern Parula at Stinchcomb WR west. Jacob Crissup added Yellow-headed Blackbird at Rose Lake in Canadian County; and Grace Huffman came across House Wren along South Jenkins in Norman.
On the 10th Rondi Large found Eastern Kingbird at Hickory Hollow in Seminole County; Brian Marra spotted Cattle Egret at Stinchcomb WR west; and Jimmy Woodward had Nashville Warbler in Midwest City. Broad-winged Hawks were reported by Cody Delano at Lake Thunderbird and Braden Farris at Prairie Prime Ranch in Lincoln County; while Peregrine Falcons were detected by Landon Neumann in Stillwater; and Grace Huffman at Stinchcomb WR East. On the 11th Frank Walker tallied Black-chinned Hummingbird in Union City in Canadian County; while Upland Sandpipers were noted by Larry Mays in Newcastle and Rachael & Dean Winstead in Jones. Cody Delano counted Cattle Egret near Moore; Hadley Walters recognized American Avocet at Lake Hefner; Rod Lusey got Broad-winged Hawk at Arcadia Lake; and Scott Loss identified Spotted Sandpiper at Meridian Technology Center Pond. Clay-colored Sparrows were located by Megan Migues at Stroud; Brian Marra at Arcadia Lake; and D&D Norris Kairworks Garden in Lincoln County.
On the 12th Joe Grzybowski observed Great Crested Flycatcher in Norman; Deb Hirt heard Warbling Vireo at Boomer Lake Park; and Michael McCoy recorded Cinnamon Teal at Bethany-Warr Acres WTP. Cody Delano saw Upland Sandpiper at Lake Thunderbird; and Steve Nord viewed Eastern Kingbird at Lake Hefner. Cattle Egrets were discovered by Logan Carter at Newalla in OKC and Scott Loss at Boomer Lake Park. On the 13th Joe Grzybowski verified Wilson’s Warbler in Norman; and Kalen Melton encountered Western Kingbird at Martin Park Nature Center. At Arcadia Lake Brian Marra confirmed Hudsonian Godwit and Rod Lusey noticed Marbled Godwit. Little Blue Herons were reported by Brian at Bluff Creek Trails; and Dailee Fagnant in Moore. In Stillwater Michael Reichert turned up Great Crested Flycatcher at Teal Ridge Wetland; and Scott Loss had Spotted Sandpiper at Meridian Technology Center Pond.
On the 14th Brian Marra detected Sedge Wren, Virginia Rail, and Spotted Sandpiper at Lake Stanley Draper; while Braden Farris added Green Heron at Lake Hefner and Long-billed Dowitcher at Arcadia Lake. Rhett Raibley spotted Broad-winged Hawk at Mulhall in Logan County; Stephen Ofsthun came across Western Kingbird in Norman; and Scott Loss had Red-eyed Vireo at Meridian Technology Center Pond. On the 15th Jim Magovern heard Chuck-will’s-widow in Norman; and Larry Mays found Broad-winged Hawk and White-eyed Vireo in Newcastle. In Stillwater Landon Neumann tallied Little Blue Heron; Scott Loss noted Chimney Swift; Tim O’Connell counted Eastern Kingbird; and Mike Yough got Western Kingbird and House Wren. Cattle Egrets were recognized by Nick Tepper near Stroud and Ethan Becker at Acme in Grady County.
On the 16th Trina Arnold identified Wilson’s Phalarope in Kingfisher County; and Cody Delano located Indigo Bunting, Dickcissel, and Red-eyed Vireo at Lake Thunderbird. In Payne County Kevin Wilson documented Say’s Phoebe at OSU Arboretum; Alex Harman observed Semipalmated Plover and Stilt Sandpiper south of Perkins; while Scott Loss verified Dunlin, Hudsonian Godwit; Semipalmated Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher at Cushing WTP, and elsewhere Willet and Upland Sandpiper. Scott also recorded Bank Swallow along with Steve Stone at Bethany/Warr Acres WTP. Swainson’s Thrushs were viewed by Rosario Douglas near Sutton Wilderness Park in Norman and Braden Farris at Lake Hefner. Braden also saw Upland Sandpiper and Western Kingbird at Stinchcomb WR west. In McClain County Cindy Risen discovered Cattle Egret at Goldsby and Larry Mays noticed Little Blue Heron in Newcastle. Mary & Lou Truex confirmed Semipalmated Sandpiper and Spotted Sandpiper near Hennepin in Garvin County; Michelle Spacek photographed Clay-colored Sparrow at Pink in Pottawatomie County; and Brian Marra encountered Eastern Kingbird and Warbling Vireo at Lake Stanley Draper.
On the 17th William Berumen reported Broad-winged Hawk at Tuttle in Grady County; Clay Billman turned up Swainson’s Thrush in Stillwater; Brian McLaughlin had Indigo Bunting at Martin Park Nature Center; and Frank Walker added Black-chinned Hummingbird at Bethany. At Lake Thunderbird Joe Grzybowski detected Semipalmated Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Wilson’s Phalarope and Cody Delano came across Hudsonian Godwit and Long-billed Dowitcher.
On the 18th Stephen Ofsthun found Summer Tanager at Lake Thunderbird; Brian McLaughlin spotted Baltimore Oriole in OKC; and Jerry Vanbebber noted Prothonotary Warbler at Lake Thunderbird. Jason Shaw tallied Chimney Swift at Austin Hall in Chickasha; Abdul Dominguez recognized Green Heron at Pebblebrook Park in Cleveland County; Scott Loss counted Nashville Warbler at The Botanic Garden of OSU and Braden Farris got Great Crested Flycatcher in Edmond.
On the 19th Braden Farris identified Gray Catbird at Lake Hefner; Jimmy Woodward located Chimney Swift and Eastern Kingbird at Yukon City Park and Great Crested Flycatcher at Chisholm Park in Canadian County; and Braden Farris observed Warbling Vireo at Lake Hefner. On the 20th Joe Grzybowski recorded White-faced Ibis and Blue Grosbeak at Lake Thunderbird. On the 21st Aaron Short saw Mississippi Kite at Liberty Lake in Logan County; Deb Hirt viewed Yellow Warbler and Gray Catbird at Boomer Lake Park; Scott Loss verified Orchard Oriole at The Botanic Garden at OSU and Dickcissel in Stillwater.
On the 22nd Kim Pagel confirmed Black-bellied Whistling-Duck at Lake Thunderbird; Braden Farris discovered Laughing Gull at Lake Hefner; and Scott Loss encountered Painted Bunting and Least Flycatcher at Babcock Park in Stillwater. Sandra Keller noticed Mississippi Kite in OKC; Kim Pagel reported Orchard Oriole at Lake Thunderbird. In Stillwater Kevin Wilson turned up Summer Tanager; Michael Reichert had Blue Grosbeak at Teal Ridge Wetland; and Clay Billman added Indigo Bunting at Cow Creek on West Virginia Ave.
On the 23rd Laura Lynn came across Caspian Tern at Stinchcomb WR east; and Michael Reichert detected Eastern Wood-Pewee at The Botanic Garden at OSU. Blue-headed Vireos were found by Kalen Melton at Martin Park Nature Center and Sandra Keller at Lake Thunderbird SP. Robert Meredith spotted Yellow Warbler at Joe B Barnes Park in Midwest City; Grace Huffman tallied Summer Tanager and Dickcissel at Spring Creek Trail; Sandra Keller noted Blue Grosbeak in OKC; and Jimmy Woodward recognized Painted Bunting in Midwest City.
On the 24th Landon Neumann counted Blackpoll Warbler at The Botanic Garden at OSU; Jimmy Woodward verified Black-headed Grosbeak in Midwest City; Robert Harding got Lazuli Bunting in Harrah; Someone identified Wood Thrush and Kentucky Warbler at Lake Thunderbird; and Brian Marra located Tennessee Warbler at Arcadia Lake. Bell’s Vireo were observed by Brian; Michael Reichert at Boomer Lake Park; and Braden Farris at Yukon WTP. In Norman Kate Burger saw Painted Bunting; and Jonah Padberg recorded Least Flycatcher, and Yellow Warbler along South Jenkins. Trina Arnold viewed Semipalmated Sandpiper and Spotted Sandpiper in Kingfisher County; Jason Shaw verified Black-bellied Whistling Duck at Shannon Springs Park in Grady County; Connor Marland confirmed Mississippi Kite at Wanette in Pottawatomie County; Brian Marra discovered Orchard Oriole at Arcadia Lake; and Scott Loss encountered Prothonotary Warbler at Boomer Lake Park. White-faced Ibis were noticed by Mike Yough at Cushing WTP and Jessica Nugent at Stinchcomb WR east.
On the 25th Brian Marra reported Rose-breasted Grosbeak at Lake Stanley Draper; Michelle Spacek documented Lazuli Bunting in Pottawatomie County; Steve Stone had Black-bellied Whistling-Duck at Bethany Warr Acres WTP; and Angie Holt turned up Bell’s Vireo along South Jenkins. On the 26th Sandra Keller added Least Flycatcher at Myriad Botanical Gardens in OKC and Swainson’s Thrush at Lake Elmer; and Grace Huffman came across Prothonotary Warbler at Stinchcomb WR Gate 1. On the 27th Scott Loss detected Ovenbird at The Botanic Garden at OSU; Michael Reichert found Northern Waterthrush at Teal Ridge Wetland; Jimmy Woodard spotted Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Midwest City; and D&D Norris tallied Swainson’s Thrush at Kairworks Garden.
On the 28th at Lake Hefner Braden Farris recognized Snowy Plover and White-rumped Sandpiper and Chase Moxley photographed Piping Plover. Someone counted Gray Catbird at Lake Thunderbird; Nancy Reed identified Tennessee Warbler in Norman; Samuel Driver located Eastern and Western Kingbirds, Baltimore Oriole and Chimney Swift at Wacker Park in Paul’s Valley. Swainson’s Thrushes were observed by Michelle Spacek in Pottawatomie County and Jason Shaw at USAO Habitat Area. On the 29th the OU Ornithology Class recorded Black Tern and Blackpoll Warbler at Lake Thunderbird. Palm Warblers were viewed by the OU class and Seth Kastner at Lake Hefner. Mississippi Kites were discovered by Landon Neumann in Stillwater; Zach DuFran in Norman; and Shelby Thomas at Blanchard in Grady County. And more are to come in May.
In the Central Oklahoma area during April 226 species were reported with 73 new species which brings the year’s total at 253. I appreciate those who help provide the history of central Oklahoma birds. Information is accessed at: ebird. 2022 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 20, 21, 28, 29, & 30, 2022); and occasionally from Facebook, and the OKBIRDS List. I can be contacted at emkok@earthlink.net. Esther M. Key, Editor.
April Mar Feb Jan
Seminole 067 024 019 002
Garvin 077 048 029 007
Pottawatomie 111 062 053 037
Grady 108 073 067 060
Kingfisher 096 082 039 016
Lincoln 112 086 067 061
McClain 110 096 076 062
Logan 134 099 089 072
Canadian 159 114 097 079
Cleveland 212 139 119 107
Payne 218 147 126 122
Oklahoma 225 152 131 119
Number of bird species reported in 2022 according to eBird. www.ebird.org