Date: 5/8/25 5:54 pm From: <arbour...> <arbour...> Subject: Red Slough Bird Survey - May 8
Steve Metz, Peter Michael, Kevin Flanagan, and I surveyed birds today at Red Slough and found 83 species. The weather started off clear, mild, and calm and turned partly cloudy, warm, and a little windy by the afternoon. Our major emphasis was on migrant Passerines (mainly warblers) as we spent most of the survey along Red Slough road and walking "Warbler Alley" by Bittern Lake. We only made a very brief visit into the large reservoirs in the afternoon so you will notice our water bird counts are way lower than normal. "Warbler Alley" lived up to its name today and we found several really good warblers. 17 species of warblers were found today. We just received 2.4 inches of rain a couple days ago and there was some flooding on the area but Red Slough road is ok and the north parking lot is no longer under water. Blackland road still has a lot of water on it so don't come in that way if you visit this weekend. The main birding areas have been mowed and are ready for visitors. Here is our list for today:
Survey taken at HF today. Star finds were 2 Whimbrels, 1 Ruddy Turnstone, Common Gallinule along with 19 other shorebird species. Northern buildings were still too wet to access again today.....
Tillman - Hackberry Flat Survey, Tillman, Oklahoma, US May 8, 2025 12:28 PM - 4:48 PM Protocol: Traveling 20.428 mile(s) 62 species
Blue-winged Teal 134 Cinnamon Teal 1 Northern Shoveler 74 Ruddy Duck 33 Northern Bobwhite 2 Mourning Dove 108 Common Nighthawk 26 Sora 2 Common Gallinule 1 Pic taken at Hackberry Flat American Coot 200 Black-necked Stilt 32 American Avocet 16 Black-bellied Plover 7 Killdeer 8 Snowy Plover 2 Upland Sandpiper 1 Whimbrel 2 Hudsonian Godwit 20 Long-billed Dowitcher 940 Wilson's Phalarope 560 Spotted Sandpiper 8 Solitary Sandpiper 6 Lesser Yellowlegs 22 Greater Yellowlegs 1 Ruddy Turnstone 1 Pic taken at Hackberry Flat 5-5-2025 Stilt Sandpiper 65 Dunlin 2 Baird's Sandpiper 8 White-rumped Sandpiper 17 Least Sandpiper 4 Pectoral Sandpiper 6 Semipalmated Sandpiper 35 Franklin's Gull 33 Black Tern 17 Pied-billed Grebe 13 Eared Grebe 8 Double-crested Cormorant 3 Glossy Ibis 1 Tba White-faced Ibis 175 Western Cattle-Egret 92 Great Egret 1 Turkey Vulture 1 Peregrine Falcon 1 Western Kingbird 4 Eastern Kingbird 6 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2 Loggerhead Shrike 1 Barn Swallow 12 Northern Mockingbird 1 Chipping Sparrow 1 Clay-colored Sparrow 3 Lark Sparrow 3 White-crowned Sparrow 3 Vesper Sparrow 1 Savannah Sparrow 2 Yellow-headed Blackbird 75 Females and first year males Eastern Meadowlark 7 Red-winged Blackbird 75 Brown-headed Cowbird 18 Common Grackle 23 Great-tailed Grackle 2 Dickcissel X
Date: 5/4/25 7:48 am From: Vicki and Dave Reed <vickianddave1...> Subject: Re: Birding the Wichit Mountains Refuge
Thanks to everyone that provided guidance on finding Rufous-crowned Sparrows and Black-capped Vireo at the Wichita Mountains NWR.
I was finally able to get there after the bad weather and spent Friday afternoon and Saturday morning there.
I was successful finding both species at a couple of locations. I also found Rock Wrens at Lake Elmer Thomas Dam. I missed Canyon Wren and could not find the Zone-tailed Hawk. That gives me a good reason to return.
Thanks again.
Dave Reed
On Wed, Apr 23, 2025, 5:13 PM Vicki and Dave Reed <vickianddave1...> wrote:
> My wifecand I are heading to Lawton and the Wichita Mountains Refuge on > Monday. We expect to be able to bird late in the afternoon on Monday and > then again for a couple of hours the next morning. Any suggestions on the > best spots for the Black-capped Vireo, Clay-colored Sparrow, and > Zone-tailed Hawk? > > Dave Reed > > >
Took Mary to HF for her b-day. All sightings were from the roads and the
areas walkable from the Meeting Center. Very little mud yet but it is
getting closer.
Goodest Birding.
Mary and Lou Truex
Tillman - Hackberry Flat Survey, Tillman, Oklahoma, US
May 3, 2025 10:25 AM - 2:26 PM
Protocol: Traveling
17.997 mile(s)
61 species
Canada Goose 2
Blue-winged Teal 210
Northern Shoveler 35
Gadwall 7
Northern Pintail 8
Redhead 2
Ruddy Duck 32
Mourning Dove 175
Common Nighthawk 2
American Coot 65
Black-necked Stilt 8
American Avocet 2
Black-bellied Plover 2
American Golden-Plover 3
Killdeer 12
Snowy Plover 2
Upland Sandpiper 2
Marbled Godwit 2
Short-billed Dowitcher 2 Two birds lifted about 15 feet out from us
and made the really soft tu tu tu call which lacked the tonality or
amplitude of the LBDO keek keek keek calls. Watched them down and drove
up. They were now 75' out but were good thru the scope. Buffy orange neck
and breast. Limited black dotting with no white encirclements, unlike
LBDO. Spotting, not barring down back flanks unlike LBDO.
Long-billed Dowitcher 1025
Wilson's Phalarope 575
Spotted Sandpiper 3
Solitary Sandpiper 5
Lesser Yellowlegs 4
Greater Yellowlegs 6
Stilt Sandpiper 2
Dunlin 1
Baird's Sandpiper 2
Pectoral Sandpiper 2
Semipalmated Sandpiper 4
Franklin's Gull 2
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Eared Grebe 3
White-faced Ibis 85
Snowy Egret 2
Western Cattle-Egret 14
Great Egret 6
Mississippi Kite 1
Swainson's Hawk 2
Least Flycatcher 1
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 9
Barn Swallow 24
Cliff Swallow 14
Chipping Sparrow 2
Clay-colored Sparrow 8
Field Sparrow 1
Lark Sparrow 8
White-crowned Sparrow 27 Actual count
Vesper Sparrow 3
Spotted Towhee 1
Yellow-headed Blackbird 300 Mostly female with 62 males
Eastern Meadowlark 12
Baltimore Oriole 2
Red-winged Blackbird 125
Brown-headed Cowbird 6
Common Grackle 9
Great-tailed Grackle 4
Nashville Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Painted Bunting 1
Dickcissel X Est 300-600 They are literally every 30 yards You
never stop hearing them over 80% of the 7000 acre property
Date: 5/2/25 3:04 pm From: my AT&T YAHOO MAIL <shenthorn205...> Subject: Re: Hackberry Flat 5-1-25
Thanks for the update! GREAT
Sent from AT&T Yahoo Mail on Android
On Thu, May 1, 2025 at 7:16 PM, Louis Truex<ml2x1954...> wrote: Hello Everyone,
The rain and runoff have filled HF to the brim. There is water in almostevery unit and the lake is full. No mud available right now but Kelvin is workingon making that happen. Here is my list for today from the roads and not includingthe North end bc that road is too muddy to drive.
Tillman - Hackberry Flat Survey, Tillman, Oklahoma, US
May 1, 2025 1:22 PM - 3:46 PM
Protocol: Traveling
15.58 mile(s)
42 species (+2 other taxa)
Blue-winged Teal 58
Northern Shoveler 16
Gadwall 4
Northern Pintail 5
Greater Scaup 1 Con't bird
Ruddy Duck 44
Northern Bobwhite 4
Mourning Dove 160
American Coot 14
Black-necked Stilt 16
American Avocet 5
Killdeer 7
Upland Sandpiper 2
Hudsonian Godwit 4
Marbled Godwit 1
Long-billed Dowitcher 375
Wilson's Phalarope 240
Solitary Sandpiper 4
Lesser Yellowlegs 14
Greater Yellowlegs 6
Semipalmated Sandpiper 5
Glossy Ibis 1 Gray legs with red ankles/knees. Blue facial outline with no plum in facial skin
White-faced Ibis 175
Glossy x White-faced Ibis (hybrid) 1 Correct Glossy legs but plum facial skin Correct blue facial outline
Western Cattle-Egret 22
Great Egret 7
Swainson's Hawk 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Loggerhead Shrike 2
Horned Lark 2
Barn Swallow 4
Northern Mockingbird 1
Grasshopper Sparrow 1
Clay-colored Sparrow 2
Lark Sparrow 17
Vesper Sparrow 6 White tail edging with eye-ring and red shoulder patches
Savannah Sparrow 8
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Yellow-headed Blackbird 54 Individually counted
Eastern Meadowlark 6
Western/Eastern Meadowlark 8
Red-winged Blackbird 180
Great-tailed Grackle 4
Dickcissel 30
I do when I have time. Yesterday I didn’t get to.
Horton Slough trail is usually very productive. I actually have a friend
there now. He is walking the trail. He’s got 30 species in 20 minutes. I’ve
had 70 species just on Horton Slough trail. So yes. Do the trails. You know
though…there’s no guarantees. The trail at Sandtown parking lot may catch
northward moving migrants as they cross the river.
Sandy
On Thu, May 1, 2025 at 7:45 PM drhal2 Yocum <drhal2...> wrote:
> Sandy, when you bird there do you walk the trail along both sides of the
> canal/ creek for warblers and other passerines?
> A friend and I are thinking about a day trip over there next week. We like
> everything, but especially the warblers as they pass through.
> Hal Yocum , Edmond
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On May 1, 2025, at 4:38 PM, Sandy Berger <sndbrgr...> wrote:
> >
> > Had a splendid morning at Sequoyah. Saw and/or heard 72 species. There
> was a lot of water in the fields but very few shorebirds. I suspect they
> got up and got gone on this sw push of winds. The river is very high and
> there was a lot of tree trash going downriver at Sandtown parking lot. And
> as I expected a half a dozen Spotted Sandpipers were sitting on the log
> jams as they floated down river. Fish Crows were also enjoying a ride. As
> was a turtle and a snake. A Canada Goose with her two youngsters were also
> zipping along down the flow. She got them safely to shore.
> >
> > Best birds of the day were two Black-necked Stilts, two Black-bellied
> Plovers, and a singing male Black-throated Green Warbler. That warbler
> might be a state bird for me.
> >
> > Sandy B.
> > Sequoyah county
>
The rain and runoff have filled HF to the brim. There is water in almost
every unit and the lake is full. No mud available right now but Kelvin is
working
on making that happen. Here is my list for today from the roads and not
including
the North end bc that road is too muddy to drive.
Tillman - Hackberry Flat Survey, Tillman, Oklahoma, US
May 1, 2025 1:22 PM - 3:46 PM
Protocol: Traveling
15.58 mile(s)
42 species (+2 other taxa)
Blue-winged Teal 58
Northern Shoveler 16
Gadwall 4
Northern Pintail 5
Greater Scaup 1 Con't bird
Ruddy Duck 44
Northern Bobwhite 4
Mourning Dove 160
American Coot 14
Black-necked Stilt 16
American Avocet 5
Killdeer 7
Upland Sandpiper 2
Hudsonian Godwit 4
Marbled Godwit 1
Long-billed Dowitcher 375
Wilson's Phalarope 240
Solitary Sandpiper 4
Lesser Yellowlegs 14
Greater Yellowlegs 6
Semipalmated Sandpiper 5
Glossy Ibis 1 Gray legs with red ankles/knees. Blue facial outline
with no plum in facial skin
White-faced Ibis 175
Glossy x White-faced Ibis (hybrid) 1 Correct Glossy legs but plum
facial skin Correct blue facial outline
Western Cattle-Egret 22
Great Egret 7
Swainson's Hawk 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Loggerhead Shrike 2
Horned Lark 2
Barn Swallow 4
Northern Mockingbird 1
Grasshopper Sparrow 1
Clay-colored Sparrow 2
Lark Sparrow 17
Vesper Sparrow 6 White tail edging with eye-ring and red shoulder
patches
Savannah Sparrow 8
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Yellow-headed Blackbird 54 Individually counted
Eastern Meadowlark 6
Western/Eastern Meadowlark 8
Red-winged Blackbird 180
Great-tailed Grackle 4
Dickcissel 30
Sandy, when you bird there do you walk the trail along both sides of the canal/ creek for warblers and other passerines?
A friend and I are thinking about a day trip over there next week. We like everything, but especially the warblers as they pass through.
Hal Yocum , Edmond
Sent from my iPhone
> On May 1, 2025, at 4:38 PM, Sandy Berger <sndbrgr...> wrote:
>
> Had a splendid morning at Sequoyah. Saw and/or heard 72 species. There was a lot of water in the fields but very few shorebirds. I suspect they got up and got gone on this sw push of winds. The river is very high and there was a lot of tree trash going downriver at Sandtown parking lot. And as I expected a half a dozen Spotted Sandpipers were sitting on the log jams as they floated down river. Fish Crows were also enjoying a ride. As was a turtle and a snake. A Canada Goose with her two youngsters were also zipping along down the flow. She got them safely to shore.
>
> Best birds of the day were two Black-necked Stilts, two Black-bellied Plovers, and a singing male Black-throated Green Warbler. That warbler might be a state bird for me.
>
> Sandy B.
> Sequoyah county
Had a splendid morning at Sequoyah. Saw and/or heard 72 species. There was a lot of water in the fields but very few shorebirds. I suspect they got up and got gone on this sw push of winds. The river is very high and there was a lot of tree trash going downriver at Sandtown parking lot. And as I expected a half a dozen Spotted Sandpipers were sitting on the log jams as they floated down river. Fish Crows were also enjoying a ride. As was a turtle and a snake. A Canada Goose with her two youngsters were also zipping along down the flow. She got them safely to shore.
Best birds of the day were two Black-necked Stilts, two Black-bellied Plovers, and a singing male Black-throated Green Warbler. That warbler might be a state bird for me.
Date: 4/30/25 5:42 pm From: <arbour...> <arbour...> Subject: Red Slough Bird Survey - April 30
It was overcast, mild, and windy on the bird survey today with a thunderstorm in the afternoon. 78 species were found. Not much in the way of through migrants yet. Theres a huge heronry (~ 30,000 birds) in Ward Lake this year and it looks like most of our heronry birds have moved over there to nest this year. We still have Anhingas and Neotropic Cormorants nesting on Pintail Lake as well as some Little-blue Herons but most everything else has moved over to Ward Lake. Here is my list for today:
Date: 4/29/25 2:00 pm From: my AT&T YAHOO MAIL <shenthorn205...> Subject: Wood ducks north of Yukon
I only had a few minutes, was looking for measurable water. Pair of wood ducks in flooded field west of Foreman Rd at about 63rd St. Other waterways previously dry now have water.
Date: 4/29/25 5:25 am From: Landon Neumann <landonneumann25...> Subject: Re: Southern OK Big Day
Thanks all,
Melinda, we didn't have time to get to Eldorado. Instead we tried for
mesquite birds in some mesquite patches around Hackberry.
Jeff, the big day record of 195 was set by Steve Glover, Greg Cook, Nick
Tepper, and Logan Kahle on May 7th 2022. It's not posted on ABA listing
central. It was posted on this listserve (I'll forward you the email). I
doubt ours will be posted there either as none of our team are ABA members.
Only ABA members can post their lists to that site. I've seen some of your
old big days. Good stuff! I do think there are several routes in the state
that could be competitive.
Landon Neumann
Stillwater, OK
On Mon, Apr 28, 2025 at 8:23 PM Melinda Droege <oklagranny26...>
wrote:
> Thanks Landon for your Big Day report and Congrats. I used to love Big
> days and yours sounds like it was perfect with almost no big misses.
> Wonder if you had time to get to Eldorado for those specials tho you did
> get Ladderbacked. What time did you start and end?
>
> Bet next year you or someone will get 200!
>
> Again, congrats!
> Melinda Droege
> Bartlesville
>
> On Mon, Apr 28, 2025 at 6:05 PM Landon Neumann <landonneumann25...>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Last Saturday Mike Yough, Neil Gilbert, and I conducted an OK big day for
>> Payne County Audubon's Birdlam competition. The route consisted of southern
>> McCurtain Co including Red Slough to Hackberry. This is a similar route
>> that a couple Texas birders broke the state all time big day record several
>> years ago hitting 195. While we didn't expect to break the record (about a
>> week early imo) we had a fantastic day hitting 187 species. This shatters
>> the previously OK April Big Day record by 40 species. Basically had all
>> expected birds for the date plus 14 waterfowl species and many lingering
>> winter songbirds pushing our total up. Best birds were probably Northern
>> Waterthrush, Black-throated Green Warbler (both warblers 3rd Tillman Co
>> records), and Black-headed Grosbeak in the mesquite trees at Hackberry by
>> the abandoned buildings. Also had 24 Buff-breasted Sandpipers at a p-dog
>> down near Ryan OK. Attached is an ebird trip report if you're curious for
>> more info - https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ebird.org/tripreport/358283__;!!GNU8KkXDZlD12Q!5-KfTdKcu6UuGPlvVbboZ9QueszuXgmeYLNmw-YV63gShnvz9gmjNzkrrgwMMW-1izr2ouSwEv6OD2cbzxeC1YzxEIox$ [ebird[.]org]
>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ebird.org/tripreport/358283__;!!GNU8KkXDZlD12Q!7ryWjgoiJnsnNJZqllkYfYGQS87edzlWFGrGpo9fqo0dDA9spQLlUSLzIEMYGfdErhX5T-2-5LCFzTsGWaDw1ZUIYVHq$>.
>> The route was approx 650 miles.
>>
>> Overall, I do think you could get 200 species in a day in OK from late
>> April to mid May. I've run this route twice now. First time was the first
>> week of May and had 165 species. I made some slight changes to the route
>> this time by fine tuning the route and adding Crosstimbers WMA for a couple
>> species. However, I think the key to 200 species in a day in OK is
>> Hackberry being great (it was good on Saturday but the excessive rain
>> reduced the amount of mud it appeared so we missed some easy peeps) and
>> having great weather (cloudy, no wind, and cold front, which we had on
>> Saturday), plus some luck. You could easily run this route next weekend
>> when theoretically there are more potential species and get less than 187
>> if you get a hot windy day.
>>
>> Landon Neumann
>> Stillwater, OK
>>
>
Date: 4/29/25 4:14 am From: my AT&T YAHOO MAIL <shenthorn205...> Subject: Re: Southern OK Big Day
Love it! You must really know your bird sounds.
Sent from AT&T Yahoo Mail on Android
On Mon, Apr 28, 2025 at 8:24 PM, Melinda Droege<oklagranny26...> wrote:
Thanks Landon for your Big Day report and Congrats. I used to love Big days and yours sounds like it was perfect with almost no big misses. Wonder if you had time to get to Eldorado for those specials tho you did get Ladderbacked. What time did you start and end?
Bet next year you or someone will get 200!
Again, congrats!Melinda DroegeBartlesville
On Mon, Apr 28, 2025 at 6:05 PM Landon Neumann <landonneumann25...> wrote:
Hi all,
Last Saturday Mike Yough, Neil Gilbert, and I conducted an OK big day for Payne County Audubon's Birdlam competition. The route consisted of southern McCurtain Co including Red Slough to Hackberry. This is a similar route that a couple Texas birders broke the state all time big day record several years ago hitting 195. While we didn't expect to break the record (about a week early imo) we had a fantastic day hitting 187 species. This shatters the previously OK April Big Day record by 40 species. Basically had all expected birds for the date plus 14 waterfowl species and many lingering winter songbirds pushing our total up. Best birds were probably Northern Waterthrush, Black-throated Green Warbler (both warblers 3rd Tillman Co records), and Black-headed Grosbeak in the mesquite trees at Hackberry by the abandoned buildings. Also had 24 Buff-breasted Sandpipers at a p-dog down near Ryan OK. Attached is an ebird trip report if you're curious for more info - https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ebird.org/tripreport/358283__;!!GNU8KkXDZlD12Q!6VkOa1W-K-gqzMR6jOLzSuRwrES3ztFxfDAb6jfKk2x_QTYQcAhZk8J5LxhUUhUpYF9BsKiBN-QwxTmjj1BMJYo$ [ebird[.]org]. The route was approx 650 miles.
Overall, I do think you could get 200 species in a day in OK from late April to mid May. I've run this route twice now. First time was the first week of May and had 165 species. I made some slight changes to the route this time by fine tuning the route and adding Crosstimbers WMA for a couple species. However, I think the key to 200 species in a day in OK is Hackberry being great (it was good on Saturday but the excessive rain reduced the amount of mud it appeared so we missed some easy peeps) and having great weather (cloudy, no wind, and cold front, which we had on Saturday), plus some luck. You could easily run this route next weekend when theoretically there are more potential species and get less than 187 if you get a hot windy day.
Landon NeumannStillwater, OK
Date: 4/28/25 6:23 pm From: Melinda Droege <oklagranny26...> Subject: Re: Southern OK Big Day
Thanks Landon for your Big Day report and Congrats. I used to love Big
days and yours sounds like it was perfect with almost no big misses.
Wonder if you had time to get to Eldorado for those specials tho you did
get Ladderbacked. What time did you start and end?
Bet next year you or someone will get 200!
Again, congrats!
Melinda Droege
Bartlesville
On Mon, Apr 28, 2025 at 6:05 PM Landon Neumann <landonneumann25...>
wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Last Saturday Mike Yough, Neil Gilbert, and I conducted an OK big day for
> Payne County Audubon's Birdlam competition. The route consisted of southern
> McCurtain Co including Red Slough to Hackberry. This is a similar route
> that a couple Texas birders broke the state all time big day record several
> years ago hitting 195. While we didn't expect to break the record (about a
> week early imo) we had a fantastic day hitting 187 species. This shatters
> the previously OK April Big Day record by 40 species. Basically had all
> expected birds for the date plus 14 waterfowl species and many lingering
> winter songbirds pushing our total up. Best birds were probably Northern
> Waterthrush, Black-throated Green Warbler (both warblers 3rd Tillman Co
> records), and Black-headed Grosbeak in the mesquite trees at Hackberry by
> the abandoned buildings. Also had 24 Buff-breasted Sandpipers at a p-dog
> down near Ryan OK. Attached is an ebird trip report if you're curious for
> more info - https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ebird.org/tripreport/358283__;!!GNU8KkXDZlD12Q!4NBD17EfF9lkZYMIkEOqdw6Yl3H3OxEwmVnfTCgsgpCXEGvCqVgw7_GiNvac7UdwRbQPbHSo0yQ9jhbwtB7SWbIs$ [ebird[.]org]
> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ebird.org/tripreport/358283__;!!GNU8KkXDZlD12Q!7ryWjgoiJnsnNJZqllkYfYGQS87edzlWFGrGpo9fqo0dDA9spQLlUSLzIEMYGfdErhX5T-2-5LCFzTsGWaDw1ZUIYVHq$>.
> The route was approx 650 miles.
>
> Overall, I do think you could get 200 species in a day in OK from late
> April to mid May. I've run this route twice now. First time was the first
> week of May and had 165 species. I made some slight changes to the route
> this time by fine tuning the route and adding Crosstimbers WMA for a couple
> species. However, I think the key to 200 species in a day in OK is
> Hackberry being great (it was good on Saturday but the excessive rain
> reduced the amount of mud it appeared so we missed some easy peeps) and
> having great weather (cloudy, no wind, and cold front, which we had on
> Saturday), plus some luck. You could easily run this route next weekend
> when theoretically there are more potential species and get less than 187
> if you get a hot windy day.
>
> Landon Neumann
> Stillwater, OK
>
Date: 4/28/25 6:00 pm From: Jeff Cox <jeffacox54...> Subject: Re: Southern OK Big Day
Hi Landon,
Congratulations on your Great Big Day! That’s quite a feat! Doing any Big Day takes tremendous planning and determination to develop a route and schedule and try to stick with it, or to improvise as needed.
I don’t know about this effort by Texas birders a few years ago – I don’t see it in ABA Listing Central. Is there another repository of Big Day reports?
Some of you may remember that Kenn Kaufman, Jim Arterburn, and I set the OK Big Day twice, with 177 species in 1996 and 180 in 2001, using a northern route both times. In 2009, we tried a southern route similar to yours, on April 27. We battled with road construction and poor weather, and settled for 160 species, so we never got around to publishing it. (But I see it would still make the top 10 for Oklahoma, so maybe I’ll do that.)
Anyway, good job!
Jeff
Jeff Cox
Tulsa, OK
From: okbirds <OKBIRDS...> On Behalf Of Landon Neumann
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2025 3:52 PM
To: <OKBIRDS...>
Subject: [OKBIRDS] Southern OK Big Day
Overall, I do think you could get 200 species in a day in OK from late April to mid May. I've run this route twice now. First time was the first week of May and had 165 species. I made some slight changes to the route this time by fine tuning the route and adding Crosstimbers WMA for a couple species. However, I think the key to 200 species in a day in OK is Hackberry being great (it was good on Saturday but the excessive rain reduced the amount of mud it appeared so we missed some easy peeps) and having great weather (cloudy, no wind, and cold front, which we had on Saturday), plus some luck. You could easily run this route next weekend when theoretically there are more potential species and get less than 187 if you get a hot windy day.
Date: 4/28/25 4:05 pm From: Landon Neumann <landonneumann25...> Subject: Southern OK Big Day
Hi all,
Last Saturday Mike Yough, Neil Gilbert, and I conducted an OK big day for
Payne County Audubon's Birdlam competition. The route consisted of southern
McCurtain Co including Red Slough to Hackberry. This is a similar route
that a couple Texas birders broke the state all time big day record several
years ago hitting 195. While we didn't expect to break the record (about a
week early imo) we had a fantastic day hitting 187 species. This shatters
the previously OK April Big Day record by 40 species. Basically had all
expected birds for the date plus 14 waterfowl species and many lingering
winter songbirds pushing our total up. Best birds were probably Northern
Waterthrush, Black-throated Green Warbler (both warblers 3rd Tillman Co
records), and Black-headed Grosbeak in the mesquite trees at Hackberry by
the abandoned buildings. Also had 24 Buff-breasted Sandpipers at a p-dog
down near Ryan OK. Attached is an ebird trip report if you're curious for
more info - https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ebird.org/tripreport/358283__;!!GNU8KkXDZlD12Q!7ryWjgoiJnsnNJZqllkYfYGQS87edzlWFGrGpo9fqo0dDA9spQLlUSLzIEMYGfdErhX5T-2-5LCFzTsGWaDw1ZUIYVHq$ [ebird[.]org]. The route was approx 650
miles.
Overall, I do think you could get 200 species in a day in OK from late
April to mid May. I've run this route twice now. First time was the first
week of May and had 165 species. I made some slight changes to the route
this time by fine tuning the route and adding Crosstimbers WMA for a couple
species. However, I think the key to 200 species in a day in OK is
Hackberry being great (it was good on Saturday but the excessive rain
reduced the amount of mud it appeared so we missed some easy peeps) and
having great weather (cloudy, no wind, and cold front, which we had on
Saturday), plus some luck. You could easily run this route next weekend
when theoretically there are more potential species and get less than 187
if you get a hot windy day.
Tonight was the third night in a row I have had a beautiful adult male Black-Headed Grosbeak visit my platform feeder in west Edmond between 6 PM and 7:30 PM. I have not seen it in the mornings or afternoons. After seeing it on Friday, I thought for sure it would have moved north with the storms that came in from the south on Saturday, but it has stayed for a few days so far.
On Friday, I had mentioned on OKbirds that I thought it was the second report of a Black-Headed Grosbeak in Oklahoma County by looking at the sighting maps in eBird for central Oklahoma. That is wrong, when I later thought to pull up the number of sightings reported for the grosbeak in Oklahoma County specifically, eBird lists 14 reports. Still, this is a beautiful bird that is unusual in Oklahoma County and I have enjoyed watching it from my sunroom!
It has also been a great spring in my backyard for sparrows as I have had small groups of Chipping sparrows, Harris's sparrows and White-Crowned sparrows simultaneously which is unusual for my yard.
On the negative side, I have had a horrible start for hummingbirds this year. My first hummingbird was on April 25th which is the latest date for my first hummer ever. So far, that male Ruby-Throat has been the only hummingbird I have seen in my yard this year. I am not certain if others in central Oklahoma have noted a later showing of hummingbirds in their yards and areas so far this spring.
Date: 4/27/25 6:29 am From: my AT&T YAHOO MAIL <shenthorn205...> Subject: Zoo Lake
This morning I was at the park at 0635 and walked and drove all over. FOS black-crowned night-heron across the lake in gray plumage. Large number chimney swifts, red-winged blackbirds, blue-winged teal, cardinals. Two late ruddy ducks still here. Swainson's thrush and brown thrashers calling. Flyover group of cedar waxwings. 36 species in 90 minutes.
Sharon
What a great sighting! Are you willing to allow others to come see it if
it’s still around tomorrow (Sunday)?
Zach DuFran
Norman, OK
On Fri, Apr 25, 2025 at 10:40 PM Brent Barnes <
<00000113f4c02191-dmarc-request...> wrote:
> The joys of surprises for birders during migration season are great!
>
> Today, I had a beautiful adult male Black-Headed Grosbeak visit my
> backyard in west Edmond. It was seen in several trees and made two visits
> to one of my platform feeders. I am hoping it hangs around for a day or
> two. I submitted a report with multiple photos in eBird. As best I can tell
> through eBird, this is only the second documentation of a Black-Headed
> Grosbeak in Oklahoma county.
>
>
>
> - Brent Barnes
>
>
>
The joys of surprises for birders during migration season are great!
Today, I had a beautiful adult male Black-Headed Grosbeak visit my backyard in west Edmond. It was seen in several trees and made two visits to one of my platform feeders. I am hoping it hangs around for a day or two. I submitted a report with multiple photos in eBird. As best I can tell through eBird, this is only the second documentation of a Black-Headed Grosbeak in Oklahoma county.
Date: 4/23/25 8:41 pm From: Mike Yough <myough...> Subject: Birdlam
Greetings all. Just a friendly reminder that Birdlam is this Saturday.
Register for a t-shirt and the chance to win a prize.
Birdlam is Oklahoma’s big day birding event sponsored by the Payne County
Audubon Society. Held on the fourth Saturday in April, the aim of Birdlam
is to raise funds for Audubon chapters and other bird clubs across the
state, increase general awareness of the avifauna diversity within
Oklahoma, and … have fun!
Thanks to Jesse Pine, Hal Yocum and Mark and Mary Peterson in their tips in finding the Henslow's Sparrow at the Tall Grass Prairie reserve. I went today and left at 4:15 AM to make sure I was there by sunrise. I walked CR 4201 and was able to hear at least two Henslow's Sparrows and got a poor audio recording. I was able to visualize a sparrow multiple times but getting a well-focused photo was not entirely in the cards as they are extremely difficult to photograph as they pop up and quickly drop back into the taller grass and shrubs. I was never able to see one perched on a tall weed. As reported by the Peterson's, they stopped vocalizing early in the morning. I did not hear them or see them again after about 9 AM as they were silent and not calling anymore after that time. I will try again at some point to see if I can get a nice photo, but it was good to finally see and hear them!
Brent Barnes
On Saturday, April 12, 2025, 06:27:13 PM CDT, Mark and Mary Peterson <markandmarypeterson...> wrote:
I had a Henslow's sparrow yesterday about 3 miles south of the junction to Pawhuska on the south side of the TallgrassPrairie. 2 years ago, while doing the breeding bird atlas block north of the Tallgrass Prairie headquarters, I had 6 singing males in a 1 mile stretch. To get to this area, go north of the headquarters 2-3 miles and take the road to the NE for a mile or so. The road dips down to a stream bed and goes north. One thing about Henslow's sparrows, they are usually not found in the same place from year to year, because areas where they are are frequently burned from year to year. They like tall grassy areas with old previous year's grass. They usually sing from a tall weed. Also, they usually stop singing shortly after sunrise.
On Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 11:25 AM drhal2 Yocum <drhal2...> wrote:
Hi Brent, I used a slightly different due to my loss of hearing at the higher frequencies. I found the Henslow sparrow there at the Tall Grass Prairie by driving at 100 yard intervals , stopping for 5 minutes and using “Merlin to hear for me”. Then just 1-2 calls brought several right to the fence for excellent viewing and photos. That way I could cover more areas. No motor noise to compete.Hope you succeed.Hal A. Yocum , MD
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 11, 2025, at 8:15 AM, Jesse Pline <jessepline...> wrote:
Hi Brent,
Your best bet for Henslow's Sparrow will be by avoiding driving and instead walking the roads and trails. I had the same difficulty when working on finding them for my OK Big Year, the easiest way to find them is when they're singing and their song is very short and high-pitched, something that you'll have a very hard time hearing over a car engine.
On Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 1:02 AM Brent Barnes <00000113f4c02191-dmarc-request...> wrote:
Hello birders of Oklahoma!
I have finally broken down this year and am reaching out to the many Oklahoma birding experts on this list serve for suggestions on finding and photographing a bird that has become a real nemesis of mine - the Henslow's Sparrow. Obviously, the best place to find this species in Oklahoma is the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve, but after six half-day trips in April and May during the past two years, I have continued to strike out.
I know Henslow's Sparrow is a secretive bird of the sparse grassland, but reportedly males can be seen perched and singing during breeding season. I have slowly driven many miles at the Tall Grass preserve looking along grass areas and have walked the trails many times. I have found many great birds such as Upland Sandpiper, American Golden Plover, roosting Common Nighthawk in the mid-day, American Pipit and can usually find Savannah Sparrow and Field Sparrow and in May can easily find dozens of Dickissels, but no Henslow's Sparrows.
Do any of you have suggestions for finding and photographing this species at the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve? For those who have seen this species there, is it usually by slowly driving the grassy areas and searching the grassland or by walking the trails or headquarter areas? Is there an area of the large preserve where you have had better luck finding this species?
Thanks for any tips, I will likely try and get up there in the next two weeks and was hoping for suggestions.
Brent Barnes
Date: 4/23/25 5:16 pm From: <arbour...> <arbour...> Subject: Red Slough Bird Survey - April 23
It was overcast and mild, with a very slight wind on the bird survey today. 86 species were found. Lots of new arrivals now. Large numbers of gallinules are now present. Don't think we have ever had so many this early before. Soras seemed everywhere. A sapsucker was a month late for us. Here is my list for today:
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks - 8
Canada Geese - 7
Wood Duck - 9
Blue-winged Teal - 58
Northern Shoveler - 7
Ring-necked Duck - 2
Hooded Merganser - 2
Ruddy Duck - 2
Pied-billed Grebe – 19
Neotropic Cormorant - 8
Anhinga - 62
Least Bittern - 6
Great-blue Heron - 2
Great Egret - 35
Snowy Egret - 7
Little-blue Heron - 28
Cattle Egret - 11
Green Heron - 21
Yellow-crowned Night Heron - 1
White Ibis - 58
Black Vulture - 4
Turkey Vulture – 7
Red-shouldered Hawk - 3
King Rail - 2
Sora - 13
Purple Gallinule - 116
Common Gallinule - 127
American Coot – 76
Sandpiper species - 19 (distant flybys)
Mourning Dove - 6
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 6
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 1 (late; seen & heard.)
Date: 4/23/25 5:12 pm From: John Kennington <johnkennington...> Subject: Re: Birding the Wichit Mountains Refuge
To follow on, where are good spots at the refuge for Cave Swallows?
Thanks!
John Kennington
On Wed, Apr 23, 2025, 5:48 PM Louis Truex <ml2x1954...> wrote:
> Hi Dave!
>
> As you come into the Refuge area, Ruth left at the Elmer Thomas Lake Dam
> sign. You can find Rock Wren, Rufous-crowned Sparrow and possibly BCVI.
>
> The Sunset area on the west end of the Refuge is where the ZTHA’s are
> found, usually from the upper parking lot. We had 5 BCVI”s in the canyon
> to the North of where the creek comes out of Charon’s Gardens.
>
> CCSP’s are not anywhere specific but are found all over the refuge.
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> Lou
>
>
>
> On Wed, Apr 23, 2025 at 5:23 PM Vicki and Dave Reed <
> <vickianddave1...> wrote:
>
>> My wifecand I are heading to Lawton and the Wichita Mountains Refuge on
>> Monday. We expect to be able to bird late in the afternoon on Monday and
>> then again for a couple of hours the next morning. Any suggestions on the
>> best spots for the Black-capped Vireo, Clay-colored Sparrow, and
>> Zone-tailed Hawk?
>>
>> Dave Reed
>>
>>
>>
Date: 4/23/25 3:48 pm From: Louis Truex <ml2x1954...> Subject: Re: Birding the Wichit Mountains Refuge
Hi Dave!
As you come into the Refuge area, Ruth left at the Elmer Thomas Lake Dam
sign. You can find Rock Wren, Rufous-crowned Sparrow and possibly BCVI.
The Sunset area on the west end of the Refuge is where the ZTHA’s are
found, usually from the upper parking lot. We had 5 BCVI”s in the canyon
to the North of where the creek comes out of Charon’s Gardens.
CCSP’s are not anywhere specific but are found all over the refuge.
Hope this helps,
Lou
On Wed, Apr 23, 2025 at 5:23 PM Vicki and Dave Reed <vickianddave1...>
wrote:
> My wifecand I are heading to Lawton and the Wichita Mountains Refuge on
> Monday. We expect to be able to bird late in the afternoon on Monday and
> then again for a couple of hours the next morning. Any suggestions on the
> best spots for the Black-capped Vireo, Clay-colored Sparrow, and
> Zone-tailed Hawk?
>
> Dave Reed
>
>
>
The Sunset Picnic Area is where the Zone-tails are most likely to be at,
and is also probably my favorite spot for Black-capped Vireo from the
picnic area and anywhere along the Charon's Garden trail.
~Jesse Pline, CWR
Eugene, OR
On Wed, Apr 23, 2025, 3:38 PM Vicki and Dave Reed <vickianddave1...>
wrote:
> My wifecand I are heading to Lawton and the Wichita Mountains Refuge on
> Monday. We expect to be able to bird late in the afternoon on Monday and
> then again for a couple of hours the next morning. Any suggestions on the
> best spots for the Black-capped Vireo, Clay-colored Sparrow, and
> Zone-tailed Hawk?
>
> Dave Reed
>
>
>
Date: 4/23/25 3:23 pm From: Vicki and Dave Reed <vickianddave1...> Subject: Birding the Wichit Mountains Refuge
My wifecand I are heading to Lawton and the Wichita Mountains Refuge on Monday. We expect to be able to bird late in the afternoon on Monday and then again for a couple of hours the next morning. Any suggestions on the best spots for the Black-capped Vireo, Clay-colored Sparrow, and Zone-tailed Hawk?
Date: 4/20/25 8:26 am From: my AT&T YAHOO MAIL <shenthorn205...> Subject: Easter morning at Zoo Lake
After the torrential rain last night, the lake is pouring over the spillway. Birds were active and I'm practicing my ID skills. I am sitting and watching, scanning the trees, listening and checking Merlin app for vocals. Foliage makes it hard, but motion in the trees and grasses helps.
Lots of vocalizing of Carolina wrens, cardinals, and red-winged blackbirds. Skies were full of Franklin's gulls heading southeast. A nice surprise was a brown thrasher atop a tree singing his lungs out. I finally left him to his singing and moved on. What a repertoire! Who knew!
Several cowbirds were foraging and/or squeaking their distinctive high pitched sounds.
Several egrets flew above, too distant to ID. Lincoln sparrows kept popping up on Merlin and I confirmed one on a tree trunk. Barn swallows abounded and a few cliff swallows. More great-tailed grackles than usual flew high above. A spotted towhee popped up while I was scanning for the Lincoln's sparrows.
After sighting some coots, blue-winged teal and ruddy ducks, I headed home in the rain.
Hope to see you at Audubon meeting tomorrow at 7pm.
Sharon Henthorn
Sent from AT&T Yahoo Mail on Android
Date: 4/17/25 3:06 pm From: Mike Yough <myough...> Subject: Re: Payne County Audubon Field Trip: Prairie-Chickens and the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
Greetings all. Due to the forecast of inclement weather, the Tallgrass
Prairie Preserve field trip has been CANCELLED.
Good birding to all.
Mike
On Mon, Apr 14, 2025 at 8:25 PM Mike Yough <myough...> wrote:
> Greetings all. Payne County Audubon is sponsoring a field trip this
> Saturday (4/19).
>
> Please meet at the south parking lot of Boomer Lake Park (where the boat
> house and fountain are) at 5:15 am. This puts us on the lek at dawn. If you
> are coming from outside Payne Co please meet us at the Shidler elementary
> school parking lot (336 1st St, Shidler, OK 74652) at 6:30 am. From there
> we will carpool to minimize cars at the lek. After the lek we plan to bird
> the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve for Osage county specialties like Henslow's
> Sparrow, Upland Sandpiper, American Golden Plover. We'll bird until 1pm.
> Bring a sack lunch. If you plan to come please RSVP to
> <landon.neumann10...>
>
> Mike Yough
> PCAS President
>
>
> --
> "Prosperity knits a man to the world. He feels he is 'finding his place in
> it,' while really it is finding its place in him."
>
> -C.S. Lewis (from The Screwtape Letters)
>
--
"Prosperity knits a man to the world. He feels he is 'finding his place in
it,' while really it is finding its place in him."
Date: 4/17/25 5:05 am From: drhal2 Yocum <drhal2...> Subject: Hummingbirds
I have seen 1 BCHU and a pair of RTHU
at Mitch Park. BCHU on east side near Pond entrance and RTHU on both ends of the metal bridge. Both areas have good growth of blooming red Honeysuckle .
Hal Yocum, Edmond
Sent from my iPhone
Date: 4/15/25 7:52 pm From: <arbour...> <arbour...> Subject: Red Slough Bird Survey - April 15
It was partly cloudy, mild, and a little windy on the bird survey today. 66 species were found. Numerous Anhingas, Neotropic Cormorants, and Little-blue Herons are now sitting on nests on Pintail Lake. Gallinule numbers are increasing. Here is my list for today:
Date: 4/14/25 6:26 pm From: Mike Yough <myough...> Subject: Payne County Audubon Field Trip: Prairie-Chickens and the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
Greetings all. Payne County Audubon is sponsoring a field trip this Saturday (4/19).
Please meet at the south parking lot of Boomer Lake Park (where the boat house and fountain are) at 5:15 am. This puts us on the lek at dawn. If you are coming from outside Payne Co please meet us at the Shidler elementary school parking lot (336 1st St, Shidler, OK 74652) at 6:30 am. From there we will carpool to minimize cars at the lek. After the lek we plan to bird the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve for Osage county specialties like Henslow's Sparrow, Upland Sandpiper, American Golden Plover. We'll bird until 1pm. Bring a sack lunch. If you plan to come please RSVP to <landon.neumann10...>
Mike Yough PCAS President
-- "Prosperity knits a man to the world. He feels he is 'finding his place in it,' while really it is finding its place in him."
Date: 4/12/25 4:27 pm From: Mark and Mary Peterson <markandmarypeterson...> Subject: Re: Suggestions
I had a Henslow's sparrow yesterday about 3 miles south of the junction to
Pawhuska on the south side of the TallgrassPrairie. 2 years ago, while
doing the breeding bird atlas block north of the Tallgrass Prairie
headquarters, I had 6 singing males in a 1 mile stretch. To get to this
area, go north of the headquarters 2-3 miles and take the road to the NE
for a mile or so. The road dips down to a stream bed and goes north. One
thing about Henslow's sparrows, they are usually not found in the same
place from year to year, because areas where they are are frequently burned
from year to year. They like tall grassy areas with old previous year's
grass. They usually sing from a tall weed. Also, they usually stop singing
shortly after sunrise.
On Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 11:25 AM drhal2 Yocum <drhal2...> wrote:
> Hi Brent,
> I used a slightly different due to my loss of hearing at the higher
> frequencies. I found the Henslow sparrow there at the Tall Grass Prairie
> by driving at 100 yard intervals , stopping for 5 minutes and using
> “Merlin to hear for me”. Then just 1-2 calls brought several right to the
> fence for excellent viewing and photos. That way I could cover more areas.
> No motor noise to compete.
> Hope you succeed.
> Hal A. Yocum , MD
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Apr 11, 2025, at 8:15 AM, Jesse Pline <jessepline...> wrote:
>
>
>
> Hi Brent,
>
> Your best bet for Henslow's Sparrow will be by avoiding driving and
> instead walking the roads and trails. I had the same difficulty when
> working on finding them for my OK Big Year, the easiest way to find them is
> when they're singing and their song is very short and high-pitched,
> something that you'll have a very hard time hearing over a car engine.
>
> When I got mine, I parked at the headquarters and just walked north along
> the 4201 road until I got it around (36.8696013, -96.4190080).
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ebird.org/checklist/S140017177__;!!GNU8KkXDZlD12Q!4XlGQBVxy70MrfSwR2mzHn0i5NDQcYeNlpwpynQWbzzGwrH6JWszSeyVADph3b_aeJzB4oIRV8V8KT797kap38DDdAyx7g$ [ebird[.]org]
> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ebird.org/checklist/S140017177__;!!GNU8KkXDZlD12Q!7xUmgWeE7m6di3KDpie5c_v7pVBYUuKkjMBV26WII2LoQqyrysHkkJu9h8NC-FpTHYW9rIQTREssdOpw79P9vQ$> >
> Best of luck,
> ~Jesse Pline, CWR
> Eugene, OR
>
> On Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 1:02 AM Brent Barnes <
> <00000113f4c02191-dmarc-request...> wrote:
>
>> Hello birders of Oklahoma!
>>
>> I have finally broken down this year and am reaching out to the many
>> Oklahoma birding experts on this list serve for suggestions on finding and
>> photographing a bird that has become a real nemesis of mine - the Henslow's
>> Sparrow. Obviously, the best place to find this species in Oklahoma is the
>> Tall Grass Prairie Preserve, but after six half-day trips in April and May
>> during the past two years, I have continued to strike out.
>>
>> I know Henslow's Sparrow is a secretive bird of the sparse grassland, but
>> reportedly males can be seen perched and singing during breeding season. I
>> have slowly driven many miles at the Tall Grass preserve looking along
>> grass areas and have walked the trails many times. I have found many great
>> birds such as Upland Sandpiper, American Golden Plover, roosting Common
>> Nighthawk in the mid-day, American Pipit and can usually find Savannah
>> Sparrow and Field Sparrow and in May can easily find dozens of Dickissels,
>> but no Henslow's Sparrows.
>>
>> Do any of you have suggestions for finding and photographing this species
>> at the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve? For those who have seen this species
>> there, is it usually by slowly driving the grassy areas and searching the
>> grassland or by walking the trails or headquarter areas? Is there an area
>> of the large preserve where you have had better luck finding this species?
>>
>> Thanks for any tips, I will likely try and get up there in the next two
>> weeks and was hoping for suggestions.
>>
>> Brent Barnes
>>
>
“If you do not take an interest in the affairs of your government then you are doomed to live under the rules of fools. Plato“You can ignore reality, but you cannot ignore the consequences of reality.”
Don & Shirley MaasThe Maas’s have migrated to the Valley of the Sun in Mesa, AZ from Choctaw, Ok for the winter.
On Friday, April 11, 2025, 3:23 PM, Brent Barnes <00000113f4c02191-dmarc-request...> wrote:
Thanks Hal and Jesse! I will employ both techniques when I head up there in a couple of weeks.
Brent Barnes
On Friday, April 11, 2025, 11:25:21 AM CDT, drhal2 Yocum <drhal2...> wrote:
Hi Brent, I used a slightly different due to my loss of hearing at the higher frequencies. I found the Henslow sparrow there at the Tall Grass Prairie by driving at 100 yard intervals , stopping for 5 minutes and using “Merlin to hear for me”. Then just 1-2 calls brought several right to the fence for excellent viewing and photos. That way I could cover more areas. No motor noise to compete.Hope you succeed.Hal A. Yocum , MD
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 11, 2025, at 8:15 AM, Jesse Pline <jessepline...> wrote:
Hi Brent,
Your best bet for Henslow's Sparrow will be by avoiding driving and instead walking the roads and trails. I had the same difficulty when working on finding them for my OK Big Year, the easiest way to find them is when they're singing and their song is very short and high-pitched, something that you'll have a very hard time hearing over a car engine.
On Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 1:02 AM Brent Barnes <00000113f4c02191-dmarc-request...> wrote:
Hello birders of Oklahoma!
I have finally broken down this year and am reaching out to the many Oklahoma birding experts on this list serve for suggestions on finding and photographing a bird that has become a real nemesis of mine - the Henslow's Sparrow. Obviously, the best place to find this species in Oklahoma is the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve, but after six half-day trips in April and May during the past two years, I have continued to strike out.
I know Henslow's Sparrow is a secretive bird of the sparse grassland, but reportedly males can be seen perched and singing during breeding season. I have slowly driven many miles at the Tall Grass preserve looking along grass areas and have walked the trails many times. I have found many great birds such as Upland Sandpiper, American Golden Plover, roosting Common Nighthawk in the mid-day, American Pipit and can usually find Savannah Sparrow and Field Sparrow and in May can easily find dozens of Dickissels, but no Henslow's Sparrows.
Do any of you have suggestions for finding and photographing this species at the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve? For those who have seen this species there, is it usually by slowly driving the grassy areas and searching the grassland or by walking the trails or headquarter areas? Is there an area of the large preserve where you have had better luck finding this species?
Thanks for any tips, I will likely try and get up there in the next two weeks and was hoping for suggestions.
Brent Barnes
Thanks Hal and Jesse! I will employ both techniques when I head up there in a couple of weeks.
Brent Barnes
On Friday, April 11, 2025, 11:25:21 AM CDT, drhal2 Yocum <drhal2...> wrote:
Hi Brent, I used a slightly different due to my loss of hearing at the higher frequencies. I found the Henslow sparrow there at the Tall Grass Prairie by driving at 100 yard intervals , stopping for 5 minutes and using “Merlin to hear for me”. Then just 1-2 calls brought several right to the fence for excellent viewing and photos. That way I could cover more areas. No motor noise to compete.Hope you succeed.Hal A. Yocum , MD
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 11, 2025, at 8:15 AM, Jesse Pline <jessepline...> wrote:
Hi Brent,
Your best bet for Henslow's Sparrow will be by avoiding driving and instead walking the roads and trails. I had the same difficulty when working on finding them for my OK Big Year, the easiest way to find them is when they're singing and their song is very short and high-pitched, something that you'll have a very hard time hearing over a car engine.
On Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 1:02 AM Brent Barnes <00000113f4c02191-dmarc-request...> wrote:
Hello birders of Oklahoma!
I have finally broken down this year and am reaching out to the many Oklahoma birding experts on this list serve for suggestions on finding and photographing a bird that has become a real nemesis of mine - the Henslow's Sparrow. Obviously, the best place to find this species in Oklahoma is the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve, but after six half-day trips in April and May during the past two years, I have continued to strike out.
I know Henslow's Sparrow is a secretive bird of the sparse grassland, but reportedly males can be seen perched and singing during breeding season. I have slowly driven many miles at the Tall Grass preserve looking along grass areas and have walked the trails many times. I have found many great birds such as Upland Sandpiper, American Golden Plover, roosting Common Nighthawk in the mid-day, American Pipit and can usually find Savannah Sparrow and Field Sparrow and in May can easily find dozens of Dickissels, but no Henslow's Sparrows.
Do any of you have suggestions for finding and photographing this species at the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve? For those who have seen this species there, is it usually by slowly driving the grassy areas and searching the grassland or by walking the trails or headquarter areas? Is there an area of the large preserve where you have had better luck finding this species?
Thanks for any tips, I will likely try and get up there in the next two weeks and was hoping for suggestions.
Brent Barnes
We've had the yellow throated warbler for a couple weeks, wood ducks have returned and this morning, parulas and great crested flycatchers showed but the coolest thing, and know it ain't birds, is large assembly of breeding gar (short nosed I think). They swim up the outlet creek from the river to its source and then perform this massive breeding ritual with the larger females tread water ( not easy, it's flowing fast) and are attended any number of smaller males. It is beautiful sinuous dance and worth the walk back a half mile or so to the west off Jenkins. The numbers conservatively 300, probably more. They full the creek bank to bank just below the bubbler for about 100 feet or more. The water is extremely well treated and has almost no odor and the fish seem to revel in it. It's been going on at a low level for a couple weeks, but it's just reached its peak. D.
Date: 4/11/25 8:16 am From: Mike Ludewig <fishinorbirding...> Subject: Oxley Nature Center Sherry Lake and Marsh Pond
For those who don't know yet, Sherry Lake at Oxley is at best only 50% full (by surface area). The earthen dam has broken and the lake is totally dry from the shore near the observation platform well past the island. Assuming you wouldn't sink in wet mud and muck, you could walk on dry land to the island and well beyond. Besides that, the Marsh pond is extremely low and also is at least 50% dry by surface water area. As a result, neither of these two favorite areas of mine are very "birdy". In fact, during my visit yesterday, I only saw some chicadees and blue-grey gnatcatchers! Also, Lake Yahola had no "water/shore bird" activity!
I talked with the Oxley folks about the situation and was told that after work with agencies such as the EPA, Corp of Engineers, etc that a plan had been developed for repair/ replacement but would not be totally completed "during our lifetime". I'm hoping this statement meant that although a complete reconstruction/replacement of the dam (which dates back to the Roosevelt WPA program of 1933-1939) could take a very long time, perhaps the dam hole could be "patched" to allow the lake to fill again while reconstruction takes place. Who knows?
Your best bet for Henslow's Sparrow will be by avoiding driving and instead
walking the roads and trails. I had the same difficulty when working on
finding them for my OK Big Year, the easiest way to find them is when
they're singing and their song is very short and high-pitched, something
that you'll have a very hard time hearing over a car engine.
On Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 1:02 AM Brent Barnes <
<00000113f4c02191-dmarc-request...> wrote:
> Hello birders of Oklahoma!
>
> I have finally broken down this year and am reaching out to the many
> Oklahoma birding experts on this list serve for suggestions on finding and
> photographing a bird that has become a real nemesis of mine - the Henslow's
> Sparrow. Obviously, the best place to find this species in Oklahoma is the
> Tall Grass Prairie Preserve, but after six half-day trips in April and May
> during the past two years, I have continued to strike out.
>
> I know Henslow's Sparrow is a secretive bird of the sparse grassland, but
> reportedly males can be seen perched and singing during breeding season. I
> have slowly driven many miles at the Tall Grass preserve looking along
> grass areas and have walked the trails many times. I have found many great
> birds such as Upland Sandpiper, American Golden Plover, roosting Common
> Nighthawk in the mid-day, American Pipit and can usually find Savannah
> Sparrow and Field Sparrow and in May can easily find dozens of Dickissels,
> but no Henslow's Sparrows.
>
> Do any of you have suggestions for finding and photographing this species
> at the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve? For those who have seen this species
> there, is it usually by slowly driving the grassy areas and searching the
> grassland or by walking the trails or headquarter areas? Is there an area
> of the large preserve where you have had better luck finding this species?
>
> Thanks for any tips, I will likely try and get up there in the next two
> weeks and was hoping for suggestions.
>
> Brent Barnes
>
Hello birders of Oklahoma!
I have finally broken down this year and am reaching out to the many Oklahoma birding experts on this list serve for suggestions on finding and photographing a bird that has become a real nemesis of mine - the Henslow's Sparrow. Obviously, the best place to find this species in Oklahoma is the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve, but after six half-day trips in April and May during the past two years, I have continued to strike out.
I know Henslow's Sparrow is a secretive bird of the sparse grassland, but reportedly males can be seen perched and singing during breeding season. I have slowly driven many miles at the Tall Grass preserve looking along grass areas and have walked the trails many times. I have found many great birds such as Upland Sandpiper, American Golden Plover, roosting Common Nighthawk in the mid-day, American Pipit and can usually find Savannah Sparrow and Field Sparrow and in May can easily find dozens of Dickissels, but no Henslow's Sparrows.
Do any of you have suggestions for finding and photographing this species at the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve? For those who have seen this species there, is it usually by slowly driving the grassy areas and searching the grassland or by walking the trails or headquarter areas? Is there an area of the large preserve where you have had better luck finding this species?
Thanks for any tips, I will likely try and get up there in the next two weeks and was hoping for suggestions.
Brent Barnes
Date: 4/10/25 6:06 pm From: <arbour...> <arbour...> Subject: Red Slough Bird Survey - April 10
It was partly cloudy and warm, with a light wind on the bird survey today. 75 species were found. Its been two weeks since I did a bird survey and things have really changed. Most of our winter ducks have departed and a lot of our summer breeders have arrived. Notable recent arrivals include Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Purple Gallinules, Green Herons, Red-eyed Vireos, Prothonotary Warblers, Orchard Oriole, etc. Also of note, Little-blue Herons and Anhingas are already starting to nest on Pintail Lake. Here is my list for today:
