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Recorders Report While rare birds are interesting and fun, the important information is the population increases or decreases over time of the common residents and the arrival, numbers, activities, and departure of migrating birds. Every year is different, which is the fascination of bird recording. But significant changes in bird populations have to be studied over long periods of time which, is why keeping records is so important. What causes the changes is the next question. Thus, information on disturbances, whether natural or human, is also important to understanding the changes. And change is inevitable as a part of the landscape’s natural ecological cycle of plant birth, growth and death of individuals as well as patches of similar plants within the landscape mosaic. These natural changes will directly affect bird species, causing some to leave and others to move in. The weather in January 2006 was unusually warm, dry and windy throughout the state and has led to some unusual bird sightings. On the morning of January 23 Nancy Vicars and Max Fuller found one Lark Sparrow and one House Wren in far northwest Kingfisher County. They are both two months early according the date guide. Thursday, January 5, along a creek at Surrey Hills golf course, John Key heard a bird singing wichity, witchity, witchity; probably a Common Yellowthroat. There are several reports of out of season Great Egrets: Jimmy Woodward saw one at Stitchcomb on January 9th, Dora Webb saw two at Lake Hefner on the 14th and Chis Butler’s class saw two at Lake Hefner on the 24th. Alicia Riddle had in her Edmond backyard what she thought was an Eastern Phoebe back in early December 2005 and again on January 10 and 11, 2006. Dora Webb, from Edmond near Bryant and Memorial, reports on January 14th that for several weeks they have had an Eastern Phoebe hanging out in their back yard. It sits on their deck railing and then goes to drinks from the heated birdbath by the railing. They have also had an Orange-crowned Warbler coming to their suet feeder for several weeks. Dora later reported that these two birds have been coming all month. While traveling through Mustang on January 6, Esther Key saw a Loggerhead Shrike, a species of concern. On the 15th Lou and Mary Truex saw a Lesser Black-backed Gull at Lake Hefner about 11am off the south side of Prairie Dog point. All sightings of these should be reported. Jimmy Woodard reports he spent January 9, his birthday, birding all day. He found water was being released into Lake Overholser, and was flowing over the Rollover Dam flooding the cattails on the north end of the lake. Gull activity was high. Water was also being released through the dam. The best birds include a Glaucous Gull (first winter) at the Overholser Dam who was harassing the Ring-bill and Herring Gulls for easy meals. He also saw Common and Red-breasted Merganser and American White Pelican. At Lake Hefner he found over 30 Horned Grebes, 5 Common Loons, over 20 Bonaparte’s Gulls and a Forester’s Tern. At Twin Lakes there was a Mute Swan, possible introduced. Jimmy continued to Fort Reno and reports a single Barn Owl inside the horse barn. Nearby was another cool sighting of a red fox sleeping on a hay bale. He saw over 20 Brewer’s Blackbirds, two Great Horned Owls and 4 Vesper Sparrows. Another pair of Barn Owls was in an old barn west of the Fort and a Ferruginous Hawk was in the area. At a farm pond west of Fort Reno he found 4 Yellowlegs, a Long-billed Dowitcher, and a Wilson’s Snipe. At another pond east of Fort Reno he found 4 Ross’ Geese, over 2,000 Canada Geese, and over 20 Snow Geese. About 3-4 inches of snow fell on Tuesday, January 10, and most was melted by noon. By Sunday the temperatures were in the 70° F while Esther planted the tulips and a Red-shafted Northern Flicker fought with another Flicker in the front yard. On January 10th , 27th, and 31st in the evening, about 30 Wild Turkeys were seen in a wheat field west of Piedmont creek. Feodora Stewart reports an immature Red-headed Woodpecker in Eldon Lion Park. Chris Butler went birding at Lake Hefner on Sunday, January 22nd and took his ornithology class on Tuesday morning, January 24th, with a total of 53 different species. Chris found a Least Sandpiper on Sunday, and the class found 2 Great Egrets on Tuesday. Bonaparte’s Gulls continue to be found on the Lake, as well as, a dozen different duck species, all three Merganser species, American White Pelicans, Common Loons, Pied-billed and Horned Grebes, a Red-shouldered Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Savannah Sparrows, and American Goldfinches. On January 31st water from Canton Lake continues to fill in Lake Hefner making the shoreline close to full. A couple of small, scattered showers fell in central Oklahoma, which didn’t stop the fires from continuing to break out. It is estimated that the fire danger will remain high until there is new green growth and moisture, sometime in April or May. With the drought, water is desperately needed and in the backyard it may attract species that don’t come to feeders. Please don’t forget to provide water for birds and other wildlife this winter. A total of 84 species have been reported for the Central Oklahoma area for the month of January 2006. Several important species are missing from the list including: Eastern Bluebird, Brown Creeper, Carolina Wren, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and others. It is not too late to turn in your January sightings, date and location !!!! I appreciate those who help provide the history of central Oklahoma birds by turning in their reports of bird species seen at home and in the field. I can be contacted by email at, emkok@earthlink.net , leave a message at 405-373-2738 or mail to PO Box 291, Piedmont, OK 73078. Monthly backyard reports are welcome. Esther M. Key
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