DIRECTIONS TO GOOD BIRDING AREAS IN PAYNE COUNTY
AND SURROUNDING AREAS
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Click on a birding hotspot below to read more about it:
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Lake McMurtry can be approached from the east side, from Hwy 177 on north edge of Stillwater. Turn west on
McMurtry road which will lead you directly into the park and to shoreline. Often one may see clouds of Cedar
Waxwings in the red cedars in winter, grasslands birds and hawks on east approach. Sightings of ducks, geese,
and swans reported in winter.
This approach to the lake does not offer as much forested shoreline as does the west side of McMurtry. To
approach the west side of the Lake, travel west of Stillwater on Hwy 51 (6th street) to Redlands Road. (Sign for
McMurtry). Proceed north to T (Airport) and turn west (left) on Airport. The entrance to the park is on the right
after a mile or so--look for the entrance sign. The best birding is off in the woods near campsites on the water.
Good warbler habitat in spring, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, wrens, phoebes, flycatchers, painted and indigo
buntings, lots of woodpeckers, titmice, chickadees, hummingbirds. Look for belted kingfishers, egrets and herons
along the water. There are lots of snags, not much shoreline for wading birds. Large flocks of wild turkeys have
been seen in the grassland before entrance to park, and hawks above the cultivated fields and pastures. (Map)
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Travel west of Stillwater on Hwy 51 (6th Street) to 51 C, which is clearly marked for Lake Carl Blackwell. Travel
north on 51 C. The first bridge you come to has a parking area on the right, east, and if you park there, you can
walk south and east on paths through the cedar and pines. This is good warbler habitat in spring, with
grasslands birds to the east. If you proceed further north on 51 C, you will come to a right turn just before the Y,
which takes you back south along the edge of the lake. In February we have seen very large flocks of wild
turkeys, wintering ducks on this bay, and all the way at the end, past the RVs, we have seen pileated
woodpeckers in gully trees several times. Red winged blackbirds nest in backwater estuary.
From the Y, if you proceed around the east side of the lake, note the backwater to your right, wood ducks may be
observed in that little area. Northern orioles in poplar on the north side of this estuary, Little Green Herons and
Great Blue Herons on the lake, as well as Canada Geese, Killdeer, swallows, and flycatchers. Proceed around lake
to the east along the shoreline, which is the swimming area. Bobwhite Quail may be seen in the parking lots on
the west side, as well as Eastern and Western Kingbirds, both Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Eastern Phoebes,
flycatchers, Carolina Wrens, crows and grackles, flycatchers, swallows, hummingbirds, cardinals, jays, and in
spring and fall, a variety of wading shorebirds. From January to March, the lake hosts many migrating and
wintering duck species. (Map)
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Boomer Lake, City of Stillwater
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Located at intersection of north Washington Street (Boomer Road) and Lakeview Road on the west, or at
Lakeview Road and Husband Street on the east. Airport Road follows the north end of Boomer from Washington
to Husband. On this small lake can be seen migrating ducks and geese in the fall. Many Canada geese nest in the
area and on the island in summer. Also in summer, scissortails roost in the lakeside trees. One may also see
cormorants, great blue herons, great egrets, snowy egrets, an occasional little blue heron and little green heron,
coots and various species of ducks. At the north end, there's a bridge on Airport Road over a little estuary which
extends north into a heavily wooded area. Chances are good of seeing belted kingfishers, little green herons,
wooducks, even a bobcat, in that area. There are Barn Swallows under the bridge and a lot of woodpeckers in
the timber. Below the dam at Boomer Lake, a concrete path follows the creek through woods to Franklin St. just
north of the high school. (Map)
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Sanborn Lake (Isaac Walton League)
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From the National Guard Armory on Airport, take a gravel road south between the Armory and the ball fields.
There is a parking lot at lake. Walk the 3/4-mile path around the lake through timber and cedar grasslands on
periphery. Below the dam is a seasonal wetland with interesting plants. One can see migrating waterfowl, lots of
warblers in spring, both Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Summer and Scarlet Tanagers occasionally, interesting
sparrows along field edges in spring and fall, catbirds, mockingbirds, flycatchers, wrens, chickadees, titmice,
cardinals, blue jays, crows, grackles and hawks. Kingfishers, herons and egrets along shallows and in snags.
(Map)
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Sooner Lake (Noble and Pawnee Counties)
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Travel north from Stillwater on 177 past Hwy 64, mile past the Cimarron Turnpike entrance, to the huge OG&E
power plant, that uses Sooner Lake. This is a large lake and probably has the most interesting history of
wintering and migrating waterfowl, has a nesting pair of resident bald eagles, many shorebird sightings, swifts,
nighthawks, swallows, crows, grackles, bluebirds along fencelines, scissortails and other flycatchers, bobwhite
quail, short eared owls. and in winter thousands of blackbirds which roost on the island. John Couch is very
familiar with this area and has reported of burrowing owls to the northeast of the lake, and for several summers
a visiting snowy owl in the grasslands near the lake. (Map)
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Teal Ridge is a developing urban wetland at 19th and Walnut, in Stillwater, one half mile east of Western and
south to Teal Ridge Housing Development. This area, being managed for migrating water fowl, has a dike one can
walk around, a concrete sidewalk through the middle of it, and outdoor classroom gazebo, a photo blind, and
informative signs and information. The large shoreline area is visited by many wading birds, and many species of
ducks may be seen intermittently or as winter residents, with fall arrivals beginning in October. There was a pair
of Northern Harriers there one winter, and a family of Mississippi Kites through the summer, a family of little green
herons, and year round visits from great blue herons, great egrets and snowy egrets, occasionally little blue
herons, a belted kingfisher, white faced ibis for several days in the spring, always Canada geese and killdeer,
clouds of red winged blackbirds in fall, migrating sparrows in surrounding grasslands, nighthawks and swifts at
sunset, and a very interesting array of frogs, turtles and other critters. Wonderful butterflies in the smartweed
and sunflowers in August. Many of the "day" birds actually live on Stillwater Creek just to the north, and the
herons, egrets kingfishers and wood ducks disappear to the creek if disturbed. (Map)
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Find this lake just off Hwy. 33 between Perkins and Cushing on the north side of Hwy 33. An inconspicuous
gravel road leads to the lake, with some picnic tables. Other gravel road access is from the north side. Just try
roads to find one that approaches the lake. Lot of migrating waterfowl, and surrounded by brush and
cedar/hardwood woods. Fishing boats are allowed, and the best way to see the lake might be by canoe. It's not
really mature forest, and not the best warbler habitat, but there's a lot of edge for buntings, bobwhite, many
other songbirds in the spring in this area. (Map)
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Cushing Water Treatment ponds
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Just beyond the east edge of Cushing on Hwy 33, turn south on Harmony Road, pass the Harmony Elementary
School, and take first section line south of the school, E-W 73 to your left, east, and the treatment plant is on
your right, with conspicuous signs. It's open to the public during the week, 8AM to 4PM, and involves three
ponds, good size open water area which has a reputation for welcoming lots of migrating waterfowl. Since there
are shell casings on the shoreline, and the staff says people duck hunt, be careful about sneaking up on the birds
during duck season. Surrounding grasslands and brush are habitat for many songbirds, no mature forest in
immediate vicinity. This is a very well maintained facility, no parking problem. It is fenced, with no access on
weekends. (Map)
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Has many wooded areas with public access. Couch Park East of Perkins Road on 12th offers a long trail beside
Boomer Creek and mature trees, good warbler habitat and songbirds all summer. Has picnic and restroom
facilities, no parking problem. The north side of Babcock Park (ball fields at 19th and Western) allows easy
access to a wooded area along Stillwater Creek, songbirds all summer, good warbler habitat in spring migrations,
excellent woodpecker and owl habitat. The creek winds northwest across Hwy 51, and can be encountered again
at the intersection of McElroy and Range Road, where it crosses under two bridges and is surrounded by some
mature forest as well as cultivated fields. Lots of woodpeckers, warblers, phoebes, flycatchers, wrens, buntings,
great blue heron and occasional wading birds in spring. Have seen a pileated there twice, and last spring, an
albino red breasted woodpecker three times in one week, not since. South of Stillwater, Stillwater Creek crosses
private property and you'd need permission to explore. As Stillwater creek proceeds to the northwest from Range
and McElroy, it crosses farmland where there are huge trees occasionally near the creek, many hawks and hawk
nests in this area adjacent to fields.
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The vast sand flats on the Cimarron invite huge flocks of migrating white pelicans and sand hill cranes in the fall.
Watch for pelicans from 10-15 through November. Many wading shorebirds frequent the sand flats, and you'll see
a zillion sandpipers from time to time, herons, egrets, waterfowl, cormorants, and wooducks in the wooded
stream tributaries. There are many places to access the river, but one excellent location is: East of Stillwater on
Hwy. 51 to 108 south, toward Ripley. When you get to the Cimarron River bridge, turn right off 1138 down to the
river, and left under the bridge. This gravel road follows the river both east and west, but if you turn east, it will
eventually turn north again through some very old timber, Ghost Hollow Road, excellent spring warbler habitat,
and watch for wood ducks on the creek paralleling the road. Emerges on Mehan Road, turn left to 108.
Yellow Brick Road pond on Western, just south of Sangre Ridge School, is reportedly an excellent place to watch
for migrating and wintering waterfowl. There's a path through the woods from the school to the lake which is
songbird territory. This is a private lake and private, posted, property, but there is a small parking area at the
west end of the bridge over lake on Yellow Brick Road, and no one seems to object to birders if you park
appropriately. (Map)
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At Sangre Bend and McElroy. Small pond with some forested areas nearby, have seen great horned owls and
pileated woodpeckers several times in this small area. Staff at the OSU research station just to the north does
not object to people climbing through the fence and birding, be aware of cattle in the area.
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Has several habitats with public access, grasslands, edges, with an interesting variety of native and ornamental
trees around the main campus and particularly around the Theta pond on University just east of Monroe and at
the animal barns (yellow-headed blackbirds and waterbirds on the ponds) west on McElroy.
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Many grass seed feeders and insect feeding birds, including Horned Lark,s can be found on the grasslands and
fence rows along western through the airport. This is just west of Sanborn Lake many hawks, lots of flycatchers,
kestrels, meadowlarks and horned larks, buntings. (Map)
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COPYRIGHT 2007 PAYNE COUNTY AUDUBON SOCIETY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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