Date: 6/25/25 5:50 pm From: <arbour...> <arbour...> Subject: Red Slough Bird Survey - June 25
It was partly cloudy and warm, with a light wind, on the bird survey today. 64 species were found. Nothing out of the ordinary except for a singing Wood Thrush which are rare in Summer at Red Slough. Several fledged Neotropic Cormorants were seen making short distance flights chasing their parents and begging to be fed. Anhingas were very busy today making flights in and out of the heronry feeding their young of which some are close to fledging also. Lots of gallinule broods and as I scanned the lakes I noted several Common Gallinules sitting on floating nests. Green Herons were really busy feeding young today too. Concerning the Ring-necked Ducks I have been reporting, not only this summer and basically every Summer; they are hold overs from duck season. They probably have some steel shot in them that makes them unable to migrate north even though they seem fine otherwise. Was really cool to see a couple Minks following each other today. They were near the photo blind on Pintail Lake. Lots of Swamp Rabbits hanging out on the Pintail Lake levee road this year too. Been seeing some good photo ops for them. Here is my list for today:
While I still can rely on my ears, I know the day will come when I will not
be able to. My mentor is 87 and he’s the one who helped teach me the calls.
He now uses Merlin to help him hear bird songs. I walked with him through
his property the other day and we compared what Merlin “heard” to what I
heard. It was interesting. I’m thankful for Merlin in the fact that it can
be used thus. Whatever it takes to keep birding I’m all for.
Sandy
On Fri, Jun 20, 2025 at 10:18 PM drhal2 Yocum <drhal2...> wrote:
> Enjoyed Sandy’s report. I do wish that I could hear them as well as Sandy.
> I use Merlin daily due to my loss of high range hearing. I hear and see
> about 70% of the current species in Mitch Park Edmond. Merlin helps me
> “know what else is the
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> Enjoyed Sandy’s report. I do wish that I could hear them as well as Sandy.
> I use Merlin daily due to my loss of high range hearing. I hear and see
> about 70% of the current species in Mitch Park Edmond. Merlin helps me
> “know what else is the there” and usually I can find those birds as they
> move about in the tree and shrubs.
> Since moving to Edmond 27 years ago my hearing loss continues slowly. Back
> around 2000 I could easily hear both Painted and Indigo bunting at least
> 75-100 yards away. Today I need to be 20-30 feet from the tree they are
> perched on.
> Sadly there are a few birds I have NEVER heard ( Brown Creeper and most
> warblers)! I did hear a Blue-gray this year at about 5 feet!
> Merlin is a great help to my birding now at age 83! Still my best hobby! I
> started at age 15 in the central PA woodlands and fields.
> Hal Yocum
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Jun 20, 2025, at 6:19 PM, Sandy Berger <sndbrgr...> wrote:
>
>
> I spent a few hours at the refuge this morning. It was terribly humid.
> They’ve had a lot of rain and there are lots of wet fields and the areas
> they usually drain have not been. The Arkansas River is extremely high and
> it may get higher because
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> I spent a few hours at the refuge this morning. It was terribly humid.
> They’ve had a lot of rain and there are lots of wet fields and the areas
> they usually drain have not been. The Arkansas River is extremely high and
> it may get higher because of the heavy rain that has caused flooding in
> Kansas and northern Oklahoma. It all drains into the Arkansas River
> eventually.
> But the refuge was quite birdy. I had 57 species on the refuge plus two
> more at the Stony Point fishing access. There were a pair of Least Terns at
> the sand barat Stony Point. Years ago the Army Corps of Engineers built a
> huge sand bar by dredging the river bottom. Hopefully the terns will have a
> successful nesting season.
> Most of my birding was done by ear (not Merlin). Birds mostly stay hidden,
> singing from the shadow of the trees. But they were quite vocal. Of course
> there were cardinals and indigos at every stop, as well as quite a number
> of Red-headed Woodpeckers throughout the refuge. Since the 2019 flood most
> of the cottonwood trees have died and fallen. The woodpeckers love those
> dead trees.
>
> Sandy B.
> Sequoyah County
>
>
Enjoyed Sandy’s report. I do wish that I could hear them as well as Sandy. I use Merlin daily due to my loss of high range hearing. I hear and see about 70% of the current species in Mitch Park Edmond. Merlin helps me “know what else is the there” and usually I can find those birds as they move about in the tree and shrubs.
Since moving to Edmond 27 years ago my hearing loss continues slowly. Back around 2000 I could easily hear both Painted and Indigo bunting at least 75-100 yards away. Today I need to be 20-30 feet from the tree they are perched on.
Sadly there are a few birds I have NEVER heard ( Brown Creeper and most warblers)! I did hear a Blue-gray this year at about 5 feet!
Merlin is a great help to my birding now at age 83! Still my best hobby! I started at age 15 in the central PA woodlands and fields.
Hal Yocum
Sent from my iPhone
> On Jun 20, 2025, at 6:19 PM, Sandy Berger <sndbrgr...> wrote:
>
>
> External Email
> I spent a few hours at the refuge this morning. It was terribly humid. They’ve had a lot of rain and there are lots of wet fields and the areas they usually drain have not been. The Arkansas River is extremely high and it may get higher because of the heavy rain that has caused flooding in Kansas and northern Oklahoma. It all drains into the Arkansas River eventually.
> But the refuge was quite birdy. I had 57 species on the refuge plus two more at the Stony Point fishing access. There were a pair of Least Terns at the sand barat Stony Point. Years ago the Army Corps of Engineers built a huge sand bar by dredging the river bottom. Hopefully the terns will have a successful nesting season.
> Most of my birding was done by ear (not Merlin). Birds mostly stay hidden, singing from the shadow of the trees. But they were quite vocal. Of course there were cardinals and indigos at every stop, as well as quite a number of Red-headed Woodpeckers throughout the refuge. Since the 2019 flood most of the cottonwood trees have died and fallen. The woodpeckers love those dead trees.
>
> Sandy B.
> Sequoyah County
I spent a few hours at the refuge this morning. It was terribly humid.
They’ve had a lot of rain and there are lots of wet fields and the areas
they usually drain have not been. The Arkansas River is extremely high and
it may get higher because of the heavy rain that has caused flooding in
Kansas and northern Oklahoma. It all drains into the Arkansas River
eventually.
But the refuge was quite birdy. I had 57 species on the refuge plus two
more at the Stony Point fishing access. There were a pair of Least Terns at
the sand barat Stony Point. Years ago the Army Corps of Engineers built a
huge sand bar by dredging the river bottom. Hopefully the terns will have a
successful nesting season.
Most of my birding was done by ear (not Merlin). Birds mostly stay hidden,
singing from the shadow of the trees. But they were quite vocal. Of course
there were cardinals and indigos at every stop, as well as quite a number
of Red-headed Woodpeckers throughout the refuge. Since the 2019 flood most
of the cottonwood trees have died and fallen. The woodpeckers love those
dead trees.
Date: 6/18/25 5:07 pm From: <arbour...> <arbour...> Subject: Red Slough Bird Survey - June 18
The bird survey started off overcast, mild, and windy, with a couple rain showers, then turned partly cloudy, warm, and calm around noon. 65 species were found. Lots of nesting activity going on in the heronries on Pintail and Otter Lakes and gallinule chicks everywhere. Here is my list for today:
Date: 6/11/25 5:25 pm From: <arbour...> <arbour...> Subject: Red Slough Bird Survey - June 11
The bird survey started off partly cloudy, calm, and warm. Halfway through the survey, rain set in and after about 3.5 hours of pour-downs and moderate rain it finally let up enough for me to finish the survey, although it still sprinkled the whole time. 62 species were found. Some Purple Gallinule broods are hatched out now, joining the numerous Common Gallinule broods that have been out at least two weeks. The Anhinga and Neotropic Cormorant young are large enough now that they can easily be seen in the nests. Some of the anhinga young have even climbed up out of their nests and onto nearby higher limbs in an effort to be the first to meet their parents when they return with food. I was run off by lightning as I was starting to count gallinules on Lotus Lake and never made it back there so gallinule numbers are lower than they would have been. Here is my list for today:
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks - 17
Canada Geese - 4
Wood Duck - 17
Ring-necked Duck - 8 males
Pied-billed Grebe – 3
Neotropic Cormorant - 21 (at least 14 nests with birds on them.)
How can I post a bird sighting on okbirds?
Thanks.
Cathy chernausek
405-406-8433
On Wed, Jun 4, 2025 at 7:39 PM Louis Truex <ml2x1954...> wrote:
> Hello Everyone, Went to HF looking for nesting activity. Interesting
> results. Lou Truex Tillman - Hackberry Flat Survey, Tillman, Oklahoma,
> US Jun 4, 2025 11: 14 AM - 3: 26 PM Protocol: Traveling 17. 221 mile(s) 47
> species (+2 other taxa)
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> Hello Everyone,
>
> Went to HF looking for nesting activity. Interesting results.
>
> Lou Truex
>
> Tillman - Hackberry Flat Survey, Tillman, Oklahoma, US
> Jun 4, 2025 11:14 AM - 3:26 PM
> Protocol: Traveling
> 17.221 mile(s)
> 47 species (+2 other taxa)
>
> Blue-winged Teal 160 1 On nest. 95% of the BWTE seen were males.
> Northern Shoveler 44 2 On nest. Don't remember having this
> species nest at HF before.
> Gadwall 2
> Mallard 9
> Northern Pintail 4
> Green-winged Teal 3 Pic tba Cont birds
> Redhead 4
> Ruddy Duck 38 3 on nest
> Northern Bobwhite 2
> Mourning Dove 33
> Common Nighthawk 8
> King Rail 1
> Common Gallinule 1
> American Coot 56 23 on nest
> Black-necked Stilt 78 27 on nest
> American Avocet 59 14 on nests
> Killdeer 36
> Long-billed Dowitcher 1 Barring down flanks and on neck.
> Wilson's Phalarope 5
> Stilt Sandpiper 2 D-curved bills, yellow-green legs with no belly
> spots or blacking unlike Dunlins. The blacking was in the form of barring
> on the flanks and across the belly.
> White-rumped Sandpiper 54
> Semipalmated Sandpiper 2
> shorebird sp. 25
> Black Tern 2
> Pied-billed Grebe 12 5 on nest
> Eared Grebe 27 18 On nest
> Glossy Ibis 1 Continuing bird. Correct leg coloration pattern of
> gray-red-gray with blue facial outline and gray facial skin
> White-faced Ibis 265 26 On nest. One berm about 100 yards long
> was shoulder to shoulder WFIB. It seemed they were trying to start a
> nesting process but I've not seen them as open as they were on that berm.
> Last time they nested at HF, it was in tall grass.
> Snowy Egret 3
> Western Cattle-Egret 8
> Great Egret 12
> Great Blue Heron 1
> Turkey Vulture 1
> Bald Eagle 2 Pics TBA
> Swainson's Hawk 1
> Red-tailed Hawk 1
> Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2
> Loggerhead Shrike 1
> Horned Lark 2
> Barn Swallow 4
> Cliff Swallow 2
> Northern Mockingbird 2
> Lark Sparrow 2
> Eastern Meadowlark 13
> Western/Eastern Meadowlark 10
> Red-winged Blackbird 96 Nesting in every wet unit.
> Common Grackle 13
> Great-tailed Grackle 2
> Dickcissel 46
>
Went to HF looking for nesting activity. Interesting results.
Lou Truex
Tillman - Hackberry Flat Survey, Tillman, Oklahoma, US Jun 4, 2025 11:14 AM - 3:26 PM Protocol: Traveling 17.221 mile(s) 47 species (+2 other taxa)
Blue-winged Teal 160 1 On nest. 95% of the BWTE seen were males. Northern Shoveler 44 2 On nest. Don't remember having this species nest at HF before. Gadwall 2 Mallard 9 Northern Pintail 4 Green-winged Teal 3 Pic tba Cont birds Redhead 4 Ruddy Duck 38 3 on nest Northern Bobwhite 2 Mourning Dove 33 Common Nighthawk 8 King Rail 1 Common Gallinule 1 American Coot 56 23 on nest Black-necked Stilt 78 27 on nest American Avocet 59 14 on nests Killdeer 36 Long-billed Dowitcher 1 Barring down flanks and on neck. Wilson's Phalarope 5 Stilt Sandpiper 2 D-curved bills, yellow-green legs with no belly spots or blacking unlike Dunlins. The blacking was in the form of barring on the flanks and across the belly. White-rumped Sandpiper 54 Semipalmated Sandpiper 2 shorebird sp. 25 Black Tern 2 Pied-billed Grebe 12 5 on nest Eared Grebe 27 18 On nest Glossy Ibis 1 Continuing bird. Correct leg coloration pattern of gray-red-gray with blue facial outline and gray facial skin White-faced Ibis 265 26 On nest. One berm about 100 yards long was shoulder to shoulder WFIB. It seemed they were trying to start a nesting process but I've not seen them as open as they were on that berm. Last time they nested at HF, it was in tall grass. Snowy Egret 3 Western Cattle-Egret 8 Great Egret 12 Great Blue Heron 1 Turkey Vulture 1 Bald Eagle 2 Pics TBA Swainson's Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2 Loggerhead Shrike 1 Horned Lark 2 Barn Swallow 4 Cliff Swallow 2 Northern Mockingbird 2 Lark Sparrow 2 Eastern Meadowlark 13 Western/Eastern Meadowlark 10 Red-winged Blackbird 96 Nesting in every wet unit. Common Grackle 13 Great-tailed Grackle 2 Dickcissel 46
Date: 6/3/25 4:34 am From: Louis Truex <ml2x1954...> Subject: Hackberry Flat 6-2-2025
Hello Everyone,
The nesting waterfowl numbers is amazing right now. Always amazes me what the place is like when there is a ton of water there. 52 species is a good day for a noon start and not getting at the North side.
Tillman - Hackberry Flat Survey, Tillman, Oklahoma, US Jun 2, 2025 11:37 AM - 3:13 PM Protocol: Traveling 15.828 mile(s) 52 species (+4 other taxa)
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 1 Orange bill, tawny head, large white wing bars Blue-winged Teal 270 Blocked in 5's Cinnamon Teal 2 Cont birds Northern Shoveler 77 Actual count Gadwall 2 Mallard 28 Northern Pintail 16 Green-winged Teal 3 Cont birds Redhead 14 Ruddy Duck 46 Mourning Dove 21 Common Nighthawk 8 King Rail 1 Sora 1 Whinny call Common Gallinule 2 American Coot 140 Black-necked Stilt 98 American Avocet 72 American Golden-Plover 4 Killdeer 52 Wilson's Phalarope 7 Lesser/Greater Yellowlegs 1 Stilt Sandpiper 14 White-rumped Sandpiper 46 Pectoral Sandpiper 2 peep sp. 30 Black Tern 13 Pied-billed Grebe 14 Eared Grebe 27 Nesting birds in the Crawdad unit Double-crested Cormorant 1 Glossy Ibis 2 Cont birds White-faced Ibis 290 Glossy/White-faced Ibis 3 Black-crowned Night Heron 4 Little Blue Heron 2 Snowy Egret 13 Western Cattle-Egret 12 Great Egret 12 Great Blue Heron 1 Turkey Vulture 1 Swainson's Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Western Kingbird 1 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2 Loggerhead Shrike 1 Barn Swallow 4 Northern Mockingbird 1 American Robin 1 Lark Sparrow 2 Eastern Meadowlark 4 Western/Eastern Meadowlark 12 Red-winged Blackbird 47 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Common Grackle 22 Great-tailed Grackle 8 Dickcissel 43
Date: 5/29/25 5:02 am From: Resa Pace <resagrpace...> Subject: Nesting Catbirds
There's a pair of Catbirds gathering nesting material in my backyard in West Edmond. I've seen them numerous times in the past three days. This morning, one spent about five minutes sitting atop an empty bird feeder. And he's back! Resa Pace
Date: 5/27/25 4:47 pm From: <arbour...> <arbour...> Subject: Red Slough Bird Survey - May 27
It was overcast, mostly calm, and mild on the bird survey today. 67 species were found. The only migrants seen today were Black Terns, Alder Flycatcher, and a flock of about 30 Red-winged Blackbirds. Saw the first brood of the year: A pair of Common Gallinules with 7 tiny chicks. Also saw an Anhinga's nest with young in it; and the frequency of Neotropic Cormorants flying to and from their nesting colony suggests they are feeding young. Saw several Common Gallinules sitting on nests, one Purple Gallinule's nest, and a Pied-billed Grebe sitting on a nest. Several hundred Cattle Egrets have moved into the heronry on Otter Lake now and appear to be nesting along side the already present Anhingas and Green Herons. Here is my list for today:
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks - 11
Canada Geese - 2 (with 2 young.)
Wood Duck - 6
Ring-necked Duck - 3 males
Hooded Merganser - 1
Pied-billed Grebe – 9
Neotropic Cormorant - 15 (at least 7 nests with birds on them.)
Anhinga - 89
Least Bittern - 1
Great-blue Heron - 3
Great Egret - 10
Snowy Egret - 15
Little-blue Heron - 141
Cattle Egret - 940
Green Heron - 23
Black-crowned Night Heron - 1
Yellow-crowned Night Heron - 1
White Ibis - 314
Black Vulture - 4
Turkey Vulture – 15
Mississippi Kite - 1
King Rail - 1
Purple Gallinule - 210 (New high count on adults!)
