As the last spring migrants pass through central Oklahoma, some migrants are beginning to settle down to start their June breeding season. A variety of new migrants were reported including Shorebirds, Flycatchers, Warblers, plus Bobolinks in six counties and Yellow-billed Cuckoos in seven. Unusual sightings included Cassin’s Sparrows in 3 counties and a flyover Crested Caracara.
On April 25 Trina Arnold added Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Midwest City. On April 29 Zach DuFran came across Gray-cheeked Thrush at Lake Thunderbird South Sentinel. On April 30th Alexa Walke detected American Redstart at Lake Stanley Draper Marina; Jerry Vanbebber found Whimbrel at Lake Thunderbird SP East Sentinel; Steven Glynn spotted Yellow-breasted Chat at Lexington WMA; Someone tallied Yellow-billed Cuckoo at Lake Thunderbird SP West Sentinel; and Alex Harman noted Bobolink at Cushing WTP in Payne County.
On May 1st Scott Loss documented Anhinga at Cushing WTP in Payne County; and Rondi Large recognized Spotted Sandpiper at Hickory Hollow in Seminole County. On the 2nd Braden Farris counted Whimbrel at Lake Hefner; Scott Loss got Common Tern at Lake Carl Blackwell; Mike Yough identified Yellow-billed Cuckoo at Cushing WTP; and Logan Kahle located Bobolink near Dover in Kingfisher County. On the 3rd Trina Arnold observed Sanderling at Lake Hefner Prairie Dog Point; Brian McLaughlin recorded Yellow-breasted Chat on Tinker Air Force Base; Cody Delano saw Buff-breasted Sandpiper along Ten Mile Flats in Norman; Mike Yough viewed American Redstart at The Botanic Garden at OSU; and Scott Loss verified Least Tern at Boomer Lake Park.
On the 4th AiLeng Chan confirmed Blackburnian Warbler at Martin Park Nature Center in OKC; Joe Grzybowski noticed Wilson’s Phalarope and Pectoral Sandpiper at Adkins Hill Sod Farm and Grasshopper Sparrow at Goldsby Sod Farm in McClain County. On the 5th Brian Marra reported Yellow-billed Cuckoo at Lake Stanley Draper and Bobolink and Western Sandpiper at Midwest Blvd Sod Farms; Mike Yough turned up Yellow-breasted Chat at Lone Chimney Lake in Payne County and Piping Plover at Lake Carl Blackwell; and Scott Loss discovered Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Stillwater. On the 6th Sabrina Jones photographed Ruddy Turnstone at Meridian Technology Center Pond in Stillwater.
On the 7th Curtis Stewart had Alder Flycatcher at OSU Arboretum; Mark Howery encountered a flock of Bobolink at Slaughterville in Cleveland County; Sarah Bland added Pileated Woodpecker near Wewoka in Seminole County; and Dailee Fagnant came across Painted Bunting and Dickcissel at Wynnewood in Garvin County. On the 9th Scott Loss detected Olive-sided Flycatcher at The Botanic Garden at OSU; and Landon Neumann found Magnolia Warbler at Couch Park in Stillwater. On the 11th Rhett Raibley tallied Bobolink at Mulhall in Logan County. On the 12th Scott Loss spotted Acadian Flycatcher in Payne County; and Rhett Raibley noted Yellow-billed Cuckoo in Mulhall. On the 13th Steve Stone recognized Willow Flycatcher at Lake Hefner Stars and Stripes Park and Least Tern at Prairie Dog Point; Scott Loss counted Veery at Ghost Hollow in Payne County; and Kalen Melton described Black-necked Stilt at Rose Lake in Canadian County.
On the 14th Brian Marra identified Mourning Warbler at Myriad Botanical Gardens in OKC; Trina Arnold got Black-bellied Plover at Lake Hefner; Grace Huffman located Black-necked Stilt at Stinchcomb WR Gate 1; Michael Reichert observed Willow Flycatcher at Teal Ridge Wetland; Jacob Kirkland recorded Scarlet Tanager at Calumet in Canadian County; and Jake Gerlt photographed Least Tern at Lake Overholser Route 66 Park. On the 15th Brian Marra and Grace Huffman saw Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Sod by Sherry in Yukon; and Jacob Kirkland viewed Bell’s Vireo and Grasshopper Sparrow on his BBA block in Pottawatomie County.
On the 16th Brian Marra verified Black-throated Green Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Olive-sided Flycatcher and Willow Flycatcher at Lake Stanley Draper Marina; and Ethan Becker heard Grasshopper Sparrow at Rush Springs in Grady County. On the 17th Brian McLaughlin confirmed Olive-sided Flycatcher at Bluff Creek Trails in OKC. On the 18th Scott Loss discovered Canada Warbler at Couch Park and Mourning Warbler at The Botanic Garden at OSU; and Braden Farris encountered Yellow-billed Cuckoo at Prairie Prime Ranch. On the 19th Landon Neumann heard and recorded Scarlet Tanager at Couch Park; Cody Delano noticed Alder Flycatcher at Lake Stanley Draper Marina; and Joseph Saunders reported Chestnut-sided Warbler at Ray Trent Park in Del City.
On the 20th Landon Neumann heard and recorded Cassin’s Sparrow in Stillwater. On the 21st Brian Marra had Ruddy Turnstone at Arcadia Lake in Edmond; Braden Farris documented Cassin’s Sparrow at Prairie Prime Ranch and turned up Bobolink at Wellston in Lincoln County. On the 22nd Landon Neumann described a flyover Crested Caracara at Teal Ridge Wetland in Stillwater. On the 24th Jake Gerlt photographed Yellow-billed Cuckoo west of Mustang. On the 26th Robert Harding spotted Yellow-billed Cuckoo at Wes Watkins Lake Campground in Pottawatomie County. On the 29th Mike Yough found Least Bittern at Teal Ridge Wetland. On June 1st Devin Bosler reported Cassin’s Sparrow in NW OKC which were photographed sitting on a thistle by Brian Marra the next day.
In the Central Oklahoma area during May 226 species were reported with 30 new species which brings the year’s total at 281. 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 May 30 & 31, 2022); and occasionally from Facebook, and the OKBIRDS List. I can be contacted at emkok@earthlink.net. Esther M. Key, Editor.
May April Mar Feb Jan
Seminole 072 067 024 019 002
Garvin 086 077 048 029 007
Grady 114 108 073 067 060
Kingfisher 120 096 082 039 016
McClain 126 110 096 076 062
Pottawatomie 140 111 062 053 037
Lincoln 140 112 086 067 061
Logan 158 134 099 089 072
Canadian 193 159 114 097 079
Cleveland 232 212 139 119 107
Oklahoma 249 225 152 131 119
Payne 252 218 147 126 122
Number of bird species reported in 2022 according to eBird. www.ebird.org