Pat
Northern Bobwhite
by John Shackford The Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) is a permanent resident of the southern states and well beyond. In Oklahoma it is found over the … Read more
Summer 2015
Summer birds need lots of protein to raise a nest full of hungry young birds. So where do birds get protein? Spiders, bugs, and caterpillars … Read more
Bell’s Vireo
by John Shackford According to USGS Breeding Bird Survey data from 1966-2012, and personal observations, the Bell’s Vireo (Vireo bellii) has shown a drastic decline … Read more
October 2015
On day 267 Noah commented: “If I hit 5,000 this year that means I’ll still miss half the birds in the world. And if we … Read more
Domestic Chicken
by John Shackford Thanksgiving is coming and one of the things we have to be thankful for is abundant food. Turkey is the Thanksgiving tradition … Read more
November 2015
As the beautiful fall weather turns into the first ice storm of the season, birders may be wondering why they should be concerned about the … Read more
Cooper’s Hawk
by John Shackford I always have a moment of pleasant surprise when I see a Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) fly over. Their flap-flap-flap—sail behavioral pattern … Read more
December 2015
As birds are busy snacking on seeds in our winter feeders, it is time to plan our yards and gardens to create a natural environment … Read more
American Kestrel
by John Shackford I think the American Kestrel (Falco sparaverius) has an interesting glitch about its name. We used to call it the Sparrow Hawk. … Read more
January 2016
A new year, a new beginning; and another adventurer, Arjan Dwarshuis, will attempt to break the world record by observing more than 6,000 bird species … Read more
Winter Wren
by John Shackford In checking on the taxonomy of the Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), I found that it is the same species as the Eurasian … Read more
February 2016
As winter winds down, the early bird summer nesters arrive as late winter migrants and quite a few people took part in the Great Backyard … Read more
House Wren
by John Shackford The House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) is a fairly frequent migrant through central Oklahoma during spring and fall, although it does not advertise … Read more
March 2016
At the end of a mild and dry winter, the bird action shifts from backyard feeders to incoming migrants. Flocks of thousands of geese disappear … Read more
Swainson’s Thrush
The Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) is strictly a migrant in Oklahoma. Most of these thrushes spend the breeding season well north of us in Canada … Read more
April 2016
WOW !! What a busy month. Birds were migrating and birders were busy recording their visits to Central Oklahoma. Also at the end of a … Read more
European Starling
by John Shackford Many years ago, about 1979, there was a huge blackbird roost in the cattails at the north end of Lake Overholser that … Read more
Patio/Carport Robins, Final Chapter (for now)
by Patti Muzny Last month the avian saga in our Oklahoma City backyard revolved around our three families of Robins that chose to nest under … Read more
Yellow Warbler
by John Shackford The Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) has recently undergone a Genus name change, from Dendroica to Setophaga. All warblers in the Genus Dendroica, … Read more
Robin Ramblings
Robins are nearly everywhere, from timberline in the mountains to the beaches of the South. We take them for granted and enjoy their songs and … Read more
February/March 2016
by Patti Muzny Spring has sprung up all around us and it’s always fun to be able to spend some quality time out of our … Read more
Spring 2015
Oklahoma manages to offer many challenges in our daily lives, not only to humans, but to our wildlife as well. We have not had many … Read more
Late April, Early May 2015
by Patti Muzny Late April, Early May 2015 Due to various circumstances beyond our control, the lawn in our front yard became sparse and pitiful, … Read more
Late March, Early April 2015
by Patti Muzny Late March, Early April 2015 When I’m attempting to enjoy peace and quiet at our cabin at Byars, OK, there is inevitably … Read more
Wrens in the Ferns
By Patti Muzny A record-breaking day warm and wonderful day at the end of January allowed me to indulge in some of my favorite undertakings. … Read more
Chirping about CBCs
By Patti Muzny January is a pretty good month for “chirping” about Christmas Bird Counts. When I opened up my CBC file for OKC Audubon, … Read more
Prairie Falcon
by John Shackford The main winter range of the Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanos) in Oklahoma covers the western 1/3rd of the state; sometimes one makes … Read more
December 2014
The Final Tall As the year comes to an end in spite of the weather, Birders flock to participate in the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) … Read more