September 2013

If you can’t travel internationally; then watch international traveling birds

During September golden patches of Sunflowers and Goldenrod beckon butterflies and bugs for pollination so they can create the seed that feed the soon to arrive winter birds. Flocks of Southern migrating shorebirds, Purple Martins, Mississippi Kites, Mourning Doves and Scissortail Flycatchers are found along the wires as they begin their travels southward while migrating warblers pass through the state and a few winter residents begin arriving.

On the 1st Dave and Martha Evans found a wide variety of shorebirds including Black-necked Stilts and White-rumped Sandpipers at the West Wagner Road Playa in Yukon. James Hubbell had an Olive-sided Flycatcher and Orchard Oriole along Morgan Road. At Rose Lake he saw a Prothonotary Warbler. On the 2nd John Hurd was photographing a Sora Rail along NW 50th Street. As he got down near the bird to get some eye level shots, the bird calmly walked over to him and used him as a perch!! Later he had a Mourning Warbler at Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge. In Grady County Bob Nieman located 30 Mississippi Kites near McDonalds in Chickasha, and at Shannon Springs Park he discovered Warbling Vireo, Yellow Warbler and Baltimore Oriole.

On the 4th Ken Williams and Jim Arterburn were in Kingfisher County and saw two groups of migrating Mississippi Kites. On the 5th Chad Ellis found Rose Lake Road covered with shallow water and various waders including Tricolored Heron, White-faced Ibis, American Avocet, and several Sandpiper Species. On the 6th in Grady County at the Goldsby Sod Farm Joe Grzybowski noted Northern Rough-winged Swallows. On the 7th in Stillwater Tim O’Connell discovered a Stilt Sandpiper at the Teal Ridge Wetland. On the 9th at Dolese Youth Park Chad Ellis had a Black-throated Green Warbler and Wilson’s Warbler.

On the 10th in Kingfisher County John Couch was driving east from Dover and saw a couple of hawks on the ground, but a closer look showed there were at least 36 Swainson’s Hawks in the pastures. On the 11th Chad Ellis found a Least Tern and Buff-breasted Sandpiper along Wagner Road, while at Rose Lake John Hurd had an Alder Flycatcher. At the Teal Ridge Wetland Kinsey Winters saw a Peregrine Falcon.

On the 13th Chad took his lunch at Dolese Youth Park and located an American Redstart, and John Cleal spotted a pair of Pied-billed Grebes on the pond at Westwood Park Golf Course in Norman. On the 14th Dave Woodson checked out Martin Park and discovered Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Eastern Phoebe, and Chimney Swifts; and at SW 149thand McArthur Sharon Henthorn had Buff-breasted Sandpipers.

On the 15th Jimmy Woodward visited several locations in Seminole County. At Lake Konawa he discovered a Peregrine Falcon, Traill’s Flycatcher, and Lazuli Bunting; at Wewoka Lake a Red-headed Woodpecker; and at Sportsman Lake a Black Vulture, and Broad-winged Hawk. Later at home in Midwest City he found Bell’s Vireo and Blue-headed Vireo. In Garvin County Esther Key heard an Upland Sandpiper and saw eight Great Blue Herons fly overhead.

On the 16th James Hubbell noticed an American Bittern at Rose Lake. On the 17th Alex James stopped by Teal Ridge Wetlands and located American Golden Plover, Wilson’s Snipe and many Common Nighthawks. On the 18th John Hurd had an Eastern Screech Owl in his Oklahoma City yard. On the 19th John Raeside and Dick Gunn walked along South Jenkins and saw a Bald Eagle.

On the 20th while John Hurd was traveling in far western Canadian County he discovered a Say’s Phoebe, Common Ground Dove, Yellow-headed Blackbird and Magnolia Warbler. On the 21st Jennifer Kidney joined Joe Grzybowski along South Jenkins and experienced a mini warbler fallout including Northern Parula, Nashville Warbler and Yellow Warbler. On the 21st Jimmy Woodward and Nadine visited Pottawatomie County and found at the Shawnee Reservoir Sanderlings, a Bank Swallow and Dickcissel; at Tecumseh Lake, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, White-eyed Vireo and Eastern Bluebirds; and at Wes Watkins Lake, American White Pelicans, White-faced Ibis and Red-headed Woodpecker.

On the 24th in Logan County John Hurd checked Dolese Sand Pit and located Gadwall, Redhead, Red-necked Phalarope, and Black Tern, and on Cottonwood Creek Christie Stoops discovered an Eared Grebe. In Grady County at the USAO Habitat Area Jason Shaw discovered a Wood Duck, Green Heron, and Chimney Swift. On the 27th Dick Gunn reports several Sora Rails along South Jenkins, and Nancy Reed had a Summer Tanager in her yard in Norman.

On the 29th Jimmy took an 80 mile birding trip in Logan County. In some fields just north of Twin Lakes he counted over 95 Swainson’s Hawks. His best birding was along Indian Meridian Road up to the settlement of Meridian although caution is advised in traveling the road. At the Dolese Sand Pits he had a Philadelphia Vireo and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Other birds he saw on the trip were Merlin, Northern Harrier, Orange-crowned Warbler, House Wren, Gray Catbird, Clay-colored Sparrow, and Blue Grosbeak.

During September 140 bird species were reported with 5 new species which brought the 2013 year’s total to 271 species in the Central Oklahoma area. 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.