Recorders Report – December 2006

In Stillwater during the November ice storm, Robert Freeman swapped his summer birdbath for a winter (heated) one.  Later he checked it and found the water wasn’t frozen but there was an accumulation of snow and ice around the rim about ½ - ¾ inches thick and 3-4 inches thick.  It looked like frosting on a cake!  On December 1 the usual birds were in the backyard – northern cardinals, sparrows, Carolina chickadees, northern juncos, northern mockingbirds, downy woodpecker, etc. He was taking pictures of them when he realized there was something different at the water bath – a brown thrasher.  Although they are thought of as summer birds, usually a few hang around during the winter but are hard to find.   

In Noble Carol Berry has a very small back yard in a mobile home park, but during the ice storm six Eastern Bluebirds visited their backyard fountain.  This was a first time sighting in their yard and made their day much nicer. 

On December 2^nd John Shackford found a female ring-necked pheasant about ½ mile west of Lake Overholser on NW 23^rd Street. John hasn’t seen a pheasant for many years in the Metro area.  While it could have been a released bird, there is no known activity in our area. Perhaps the weather brought it south.  Also on the west side of Lake Overholser on some ice in the lake, John found a nice flock of about 180 Canada Geese, at least 34 Snow Geese including 8 blue morphs and about 8 White-fronted Geese. He also saw one Pine Siskin. 

On December 3^rd I stopped briefly at Lake Hefner and saw 4 Great Egrets, about 30 American White Pelicans and 1 Great Blue Heron.  Jane Cunningham found an American Wigeon along with some other ducks on the 3^rd and on the 10^th she found 3 Common Loons.   

Shortly after the ice storm, the weather once again turned sunny, dry and warm (for winter). Christmas Bird Count recorded over 115 species.  A full report will be made later when it has been completed. 

On the 16^th Jane Cunningham and Dave Elmendorf, along with about 10 other persons found several species on the southeastern end of Lake Arcadia.  They included 6 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 1 Fox Sparrow, 2 American Crows, 350 Double-breasted Cormorants, an American White Pelican, 2 Field Sparrows, 1 Northern Harrier, 15 Gadwalls, 2 Eastern Bluebirds and 1 Bald Eagle.  

Michael Patton saw a Swainson’s Hawk circling the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History in Norman around the 19^th  as reported by Jeff Kelly. 

On the 25^th Joe Grzybowski was relaxing at home tossing some seed in the yard when he noticed a male Pine Warbler poking around among the old seed hulls.  He thinks it is peculiar that he hasn’t had the normal group of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets or any Red-breasted Nuthatches this December.  He has had an Inca Dove hanging around since the end of October. 

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 emok@earthlink.net, leave a message at 405-373-2738 or mail to PO Box 291, Piedmont, OK 73078.  Esther M. Key 

P.S.  Editor’s addition:  The Muzny party (with Jimmy Woodard)  doing the CBC at Lake Thunderbird located one Rough-legged Hawk, one Turkey Vulture and eight Eastern Phoebes on New Year’s Eve..