California Condor
by John Shackford My best birding moment over the summer was not in Oklahoma but at Grand Canyon National Park; that is where my wife … Read more
Bird of the Month
American Goldfinch
By John Shackford In the September 2014 club newsletter, Patti Muzny had a wonderful story about the American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis), a pair of which … Read more
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) comes to mind around Thanksgiving time. In the last 10-15 years this species usually shows up on our Christmas Bird … Read more
Bonaparte’s Gull
The Bonaparte’s Gull (Larus pheladelphia) was a bird species that snuck up on me. Many years ago, John Newell said something about seeing Bonaparte’s Gulls … Read more
Long-billed Curlew
by John Shackford The Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus), the largest of our shorebirds at 23 inches, was once a breeding bird over much of the … Read more
Cliff Swallow
The Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) is a nesting bird everywhere in Oklahoma, but rarer in the eastern part of the state. Breeding bird surveys show … Read more
Cattle Egret
by John Shackford The Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis), is probably the most common heron in Oklahoma today. According to Cornell University’s website on birds, the … Read more
Northern Shoveler
by John Shackford Now a bit about the Northern Shoveler. A. C. Bent, in Life Histories of North American Wild Fowl (1987 Dover edition) stated … Read more
Northern Saw-whet Owl
by John Shackford Recently there was an inquiry by a gentleman on OKBIRDS@LISTS.OU.EDU about where to look for Northern Saw-whet Owls (Aegolius acadicus) in Oklahoma. … Read more
South Polar Skua
by John Shackford The South Polar Skua (Stercorarius maccormicki) that showed up at least from August 7- August 10, 2013 at Lake Overholser was more … Read more
Great-tailed Grackle
by John Shackford The Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) has an interesting history. It was lumped with the Boat-tailed Grackle in 1910 and only split in … Read more
Red-shouldered Hawk
To me there is something clean, crisp about the Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus). When you get a decent look at one here in Oklahoma, it … Read more
American Robin
The American Robin (Turdus migratorius) has long been awaited as a harbinger of spring across the northern U.S. and in much of the tree-covered parts … Read more
American Woodcock
by John Shackford Did you ever stop to think what an odd bird the American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) is? Here is a shorebird that shuns … Read more
Golden Eagle
by John Shackford Pat Velte asked a simple question: “What is the status of the Golden Eagle in central Oklahoma in winter?” “That’s a great … Read more
Eastern Screech-Owl (2012)
The Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio) can be a nemesis bird on our Christmas Bird Counts. I suspect that there are at least several dozen of … Read more
Whooping Crane
by John Shackford Oklahoma is in the middle of the flight path that Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) take every fall and spring as they come … Read more
Upland Sandpiper
by John Shackford I love hearing the Upland Sandpipers (Bartramia longicauda) calling as they fly overhead at night in fall and spring: Oodle-oo (3 syllables) … Read more
Scarlet Tanager
Most every birder has favorite birds, based on a variety of things. When I was maybe 10-12, my favorite bird, for beauty, became the Scarlet … Read more
Red-bellied Woodpecker
There are a number of things you may observe when you first encounter the Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), but most likely you will not see … Read more
Bewick’s Wren
When I think of Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii), usually about the first thing that comes to mind is pronunciation. Checking on the internet, I see … Read more
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is unquestionably a stately bird. It became the National Emblem of the U. S. in 1782. Benjamin Franklin had wanted … Read more
Carolina Wren
This month I would like to start with a bit of scientific sleuthing. As a refresher (for me at least), a “type specimen” (at the … Read more
Northern Cardinal
The most frequent bird to be used on North American Holiday Greeting Cards, I suspect, is the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). Add some snow to … Read more
American White Pelican
There is one bird on our lakes that really stands out this time of year—the American White Pelican (Pelicanus erythrorhynchos). If you have someone who … Read more
Orange-crowned Warbler
by John Shackford Do you ever wonder what some of our migrant birds do during the breeding season, before they head out for Oklahoma and … Read more
Piping Plover
We usually see the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), an endangered species, as spring and fall migrants in central Oklahoma, at Lakes Hefner and Overholser; our … Read more
Black-capped Vireo
By John Shackford Draper Lake, where we recently had our fun club picnic, was for a number of years, the site of research on the … Read more
Louisiana Waterthrush
by John Shackford Although it looks like a thrush, the Louisiana Waterthrush (Seiurus motacilla) is actually a warbler. The Louisiana Waterthrush nests in the eastern … Read more