PCAS BIRDATHON 2008
by Susan S. Walker
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Grab your binoculars and call some birding (or non-birding) buddies! BIRDATHON 2008 is just around the
corner, beginning April 1 and ending at midnight May 31. This is a great way to spend a day birding while
competing for prizes and raising money for the Payne County Audubon Society.
Now is the time to:
- People your BIRDATHON team with avid “Thoners” and give it a prize winning name.
- Case out the areas you will bird.
- Begin to enlist your sponsors—the more the better! Don’t be shy. Ask your doctors and dentist, ask your
co-workers, ask your friends and relatives, ask businesses that you frequent, ask your hairdresser. Ask
your boss if your company will match the funds you raise. And/or... spon sor yourself!
- Be sure to give prospective sponsors an idea of the number of species you are likely to see. Explain
that all donations are tax deductible and that sponsors may donate a flat amount or an amount per
species.
- Be sure to keep a list of addresses, phone numbers, and amounts pledged and collected. [Form
supplied on Web.]
We’ve several innovations this year: Online printable Team Sign-up, Team Report Forms, Pledge Forms,
potluck awards picnic following the event, free BIRDATHON tees to all who raise $200 or more in sponsorship,
and new prize categories:
- Golden Eagle Award (most money raised by an individual)
- Feathered Flock Award (most money raised by a team)
- Sitting Duck Award (most money raised/species counted at a backyard feeder)
- Fledgling Award (most money raised by a beginning birder)
- Wild Goose Award (most remote BIRDATHON locale)
- Pterodactyl Award (oldest participant)
- Speckled Egg Award (youngest participant)
- Sapsucker Award (best team name)
- Green-backed Heron Award (most money donated by a sponsor)
Our primary objective is to raise money to support PCAS’s Nature Camp and Nature Day educational programs.
Funds raised are also used for PCAS scholarships, to maintain our web site, and publish Feathers.
Last year we raised $5,000 for these causes. With your help, we can reach a goal of $7,000 this year!
P.S. I need Team names, team leaders, and a list of team members by April 1. Please e-mail to bzzyb03@
yahoo.com.
Go to the PCAS web site for team and tracking forms and for more information.
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Remember when you were a child, free as the wind to explore the wonders of nature? Climbing trees, building
tree forts, catching crawdads in the bar ditch, gazing in wonder at the color of a robin’s blue eggs . . . While
today’s children do not have the freedom many of us had as children, with your help, a child can still
experience the wonders of nature this June at Payne County Audubon Nature Camp.
This year, due to overwhelming popular response, the day camp will be expanded to accept 50 children the
week of June 2-6.
All campers must have a sponsor who pays their full or partial tuition, so please give a scholarship for full
tuition ($65) or partial tuition ($35), but only if you were once a kid yourself.
Send your scholarship tuition to:
PCAS Nature Camp,
c/o Les Imboden, Treasurer,
Payne County Audubon, P.O. Box 82,
Stillwater, OK, 74076.
Do it today so that no camper is turned away!
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Each year PCAS project chairs gather materials and supplies for their particular projects. Below is a short list of
some of the items you could contribute to help defray costs. We are also looking for an all terrain wheelchair
and for free, dry, accessible storage space for the many items and materials we now have squirreled away in
our homes.
KEY [B] = Birdathon (Apr & May); [D] = Nature Day (Oct); and [C] =Nature Camp (June)
- Picnic supplies (napkins, paper plates, plastic utensils, food & drink coolers) [B]
- Nature related stickers and prizes; Birdathon tees (the tees themselves or the cost of customizing) [B]
- Display tables (and delivery)[D]
- Fall plants, hay bales, pumpkins, gourds, scarecrows, etc. for decoration [D]
- Popcorn, fry bread, funnel cake, sandwich concession [D]
- Wholesome snack foods: Fruits, juice, natural & faux peanut butter, wholegrain bread, nuts, fig bars,
oatmeal cookies, etc. [C]
- Hot chocolate, coffee, industrial coffee pot, bagels, fruit, homemade cookies veggie tray, pizzas (for
volunteers) [D&C]
- Binoculars (these may be loaned for the day) [D & C]
- Photo processor; Camp tees (the tees themselves or the cost/materials for customizing) [C]
- Butterfly & aquatic sampling nets; Magnifying lenses [D&C]
- Yarn, nylon rope, duct tape, poster board, construction paper, photo paper, name tags, index cards,
crayons, felt-tipped pens, poster paints, name tags [D&C]
- Children’s field guides (birds, butterflies, insects, aquatic life, trees, fish, animals etc.) [D&C]
- Clothesline and pins (for hanging wet clothes and finished artwork etc.) [C]
- Wild Birdseed, pinecones, peanut butter (for birds—may contain trans fats) [D&C]
- Plastic specimen containers (cottage cheese, yogurt, margarine containers)
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From The President's Desk
by Jerry Wilhm
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Last Chance is an engrossing new book that describes the adventures of George Bird Grinnell, a 19th century
scientist, journalist, hunter, and conservation giant. Michael Punke wrote this fascinating story of Grinnell’s
adventures (Harper Collins; IBSN 978-0-06-089782-6; 2007).
Grinnell is widely recognized for leading the effort to save the buffalo from extinction. He fought his battles in
magazines, in Yellowstone National Park, and with the federal government. Alan Simpson, former U.S. Senator
from Wyoming, stated that “The politics of it make our own era seem a bit tame.” Theodore Roosevelt was
Grinnell’s friend and ally.
I especially enjoyed reading about Grinnell’s conservation efforts to save bird populations. When Grinnell was
seven, his father moved the family to a tract of land in a part of Manhattan known as Audubon Park. The
entire area was once owned by John Jacob Audubon. Although Audubon had been dead for six years when
the Grinnells moved to the park, much of the artists’ family still resided there. The park with its great groves of
trees, small game, songbirds, birds of prey, and brooks provided an outstanding playground for young Grinnell
and shaped his view of nature. Lucy, the widow of John Jacob, ran a school. In addition to teaching the
traditional subjects, Lucy passed on experiences that she shared with her husband. She had a large influence
on the development of Grinnell’s thinking.
Grinnell became concerned with the plight of many populations of birds. He pointed out that in some flyways,
hunters were using canon-sized shotguns to kill entire flocks of ducks and geese. Passenger pigeons were
killed in such numbers that they became extinct. Songbirds of many varieties were killed to provide feathers
for adorning hats.
Grinnell wrote in 1886, “The land which produced the painter-naturalist, John Jacob Audubon, will not willingly
see the beautiful forms he loved so well exterminated.” He continued, “We propose the formation of an
association for the protection of wild birds and their eggs, which shall be called the Audubon Society.” He
encouraged interested individuals to form local societies. In February, 1887, Grinnell launched Audubon
Magazine. The first issue announced 20,000 members of the Audubon Society.
Michael Punkie states: “In Grinnell’s legacy is the birth of the conservation movement as a potent political
force.” You will appreciate George Bird Grinnell’s significant effort in conservation after reading this remarkable
adventure.
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In My Yard
by Joyce Konigmacher
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Nothing of great import in my yard this quarter so thought I’d share with you the humorous “Laws of Birding”
that Bob Fisher (Independence, MO) forwarded through the OKBIRDS listserv in January. Bob found the list at
www.dvoc.org/BirdingHumor/Laws.htm
LAWS OF BIRDING
LAWS CONCERNING RARE BIRDS
#1 - Rare birds reported on Wednesday are usually gone by Saturday.
#2 - During spring and fall, all major flights will occur on a weekday.
#3 - The further you travel to see a particular bird, the less likely you are to find it.
#4 - If you don't see a bird within a certain amount of tries, it becomes insulted and deliberately avoids you
from then on.
#5 - A bird will be seen by others only after you, as the sacrificial lamb, leave. Sometimes you can trick the
bird into coming out by loudly announcing that you are leaving and starting to move in that direction.
#6 - A bird will be seen by others only after you have sneaked into the woods to take care of biological
responsibilities.
#7 - Good birds appear when you have a bagel with cream cheese in your hand.
LAWS CONCERNING FIELD MARKS·
#1 - Whenever you are out birding without a field guide and see a new bird, the field mark you think is the
important one is never the important one.
#2 - A bird will always fly before you can look at the important field mark.
LAWS CONCERNING LIFE BIRDS·
#1 - You may look for a particular bird for 20 years without finding it, but once you DO find it you find them
everywhere. They turn up in your driveway, on your porch, EVERYWHERE. They suddenly become robin-like in
their numbers.
#2 - The bird that you struggle through difficult terrain, endure multiple injuries and screw up your schedule
for, will be waiting above your car in the parking lot.
LAWS OF IDENTIFICATION ·
#1 - It’s a Redstart.
#2 - If a small brown bird flies across the road, it's a Song Sparrow.
#3 - If the bird sits there all day and lets you look at all its field marks, it is not a rare bird.
#4 - If there are two or more birds in a tree and one is a rarity; the only one you can't see is the rarity.
#5 - Dull birds with difficult plumage are always seen on overcast days.
#6 - Woodpeckers and creepers spend more time on the far side of the trunk.
#7 - A bird is most visible when you look in your field guide and least visible when you go back to look for the
next field mark.
#8 - Birds are most visible when your binoculars are down.
#9 - The rarer the duck or goose, the further from shore it will be.
#10 - Birds that need to be distinguished by voice sing
only when aircraft are overhead.
#11 - Seabirds always appear in pairs - one flying left to right, the other flying right to left. Of the two,
only one is ultimately identifiable. It is the one you choose not to follow.
#12 - If you have seen the bird before, it is an escapee. If it’s a lifer, it's wild.
LAWS OF PHOTOGRAPHING BIRDS
#1 - Your best photographic opportunities will occur when you do not have a camera
#2 - The lens you have with you is never long enough.
#3 - If the lens is long enough, the bird will be too close to focus on.
#4 - If you see a bird you do not recognize and photograph it for later identification, all the key characteristics
will be obscure.
LAW OF SCOPES
#1 - If you need the scope, it is in your trunk. If you do not need it, it is on your shoulder.
NUMBER ONE LAW OF BIRDING
#1 - Common species are more common than rare species.
And here are 10 ways to know you’re a birder forwarded to the OKBIRDS listserv by John Kennington, Tulsa
Audubon. These were composed by Ellie Womack, Hummingbird Bander, Grove, OK. Ellie lists 15 ways but I
could fit in only 10.
You know you’re a birder if . . .
- You travel to a foreign country and the only words you learn to speak are names of birds.
- Your idea of a great vacation is to travel to Brownsville to spend a day at the dump.
- You have ten big bird photos on your wall at work and one small photo of your spouse.
- The Rare Bird Hot Line is #1 on your speed dial.
- All the magazine subscriptions you receive have the word 'bird' on them.
- Your New Year’s resolution is to start a new millennium list.
- When you talk about the World Series you're not talking sports.
- You own more optics than a college observatory.
- You know how to pronounce Pyrrhuloxia and Phainopepla.
- Your idea of an exotic dancer is a Japanese Crane.
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A Sampling of this Quarter's Bird Hikes
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Boomer Lake
by Les Imboden
Despite nasty weather that kept all but the intrepid home, Tim O’Connell, Kat Sever, Noah Jurkiewicz, and
Lynn Malley met me (Les Imboden) at Boomer Lake on Saturday. There were ducks and geese on the lake,
but only a couple species of ducks (lesser scaup and mallards), and not huge numbers. It was very windy, so
we did not tarry long at the lake. The one bird we did not see, and really wanted to, was the Western Grebe
that had been reported there.
Next we moved on up to the inlet north of the lake and birded the woods. Birds were plentiful there, and Tim
waxed professorial as always. He is just a walking bird encyclopedia. The woods north of Airport Road were an
area where neither Tim nor I had birded, but turned out to be a regular haunt of Noah's, so Tim interpreted
and Noah led, on that part of the outing.
Sanborn Lake
by Paul van Els
On December 8, at 8 AM, I (Paul van Els) met Les Imboden, Noah Jurkiewicz and Susan Walker at Sanborn
Lake for the scheduled bird hike. It was drizzling and the temperature was only 34°F . . . not very welcoming
for either us birders or the birds. For the first three-quarters of the walk, we heard several species but saw
few birds. They were all tucked into the cedars and underbrush keeping warm and dry. But, at the three-
quarter mark, where the bank slopes to a swampy waterlogged area, we found many species in the open. We
observed them for quite awhile before a sharp-shinned hawk scared them off.
Highlights were Smith’s longspur (I saw these near the airport on my way to the lake), red-headed ducks,
belted kingfisher, and Lincoln’s and white-throated sparrows.
After Sanborn, we went to Boomer Lake to see if the western grebe was there. It wasn’t, but we saw ring-
billed gulls, lesser scaup, mallards, Canada and cackling geese before the weather made us call it quits.
Couch Park
by Susan Walker
It was 20°F Sat. morning, Dec., 29th, when I (Susan Walker) pulled into Couch Park at 7:45 AM to lead the
day’s bird hike. Nary a soul in sight. Darn. This is going to be a bust, I thought. Then a car pulled in. I strolled
over and introduced myself to Mika Matzen, a photographer from the NewsPress. Another car arrived . . . Sean
Hubbard, a reporter from the NewsPress. How embarrassing. Just me and two newspapermen. No story there.
Then Tim O’Connell pulled in, followed closely by Les Imboden. And that’s where it stood. Three PCAS and
two newspapermen.
We explored the pine forest and pecan grove northeast of the creek and playing field. Les and I had scouted
this area the day after Christmas and had found several promising species. This day, with the photographer
and reporter in tow, we saw little—a winter wren, two cedar waxwings, ruby-crowned kinglet, brown
creepers, and yellow-bellied sapsuckers.
The NewsPress duo got their pix and story and were freezing (as were we), so after a bit we walked them
back to the playing field where we parted—they to their cars and we to more brrrr-ding.
Turned out we should have gone west first. There were many birds under the pecans and pines on the
northwest side: eastern bluebirds, juncos, yellow-rumped warblers, nuthatches, red-bellied woodpecker,
goldfinches, cardinals, blue jays, and . . . Tim found Red Crossbills! This sighting stirred up a flurry of visits from
birders around the state. (See Gallery for photos.)
Couch Park
by Paul van Els
During our Saturday morning bird walk in Couch Park in Stillwater, the group of Red Crossbills was present
again at the very same spot they have been seen before, north of 12th Street, in pine and pecan trees and
bathing in a small stream.
Also present were good numbers of house-, purple-, & goldfinches, 5 species of woodpecker, both nuthatches,
and a red-shouldered hawk. And, a nice surprise upon leaving the park was a large flock (about 50) of rusty
blackbirds, with a few red-wings and some starlings mixed in.
Those on the walk included me (Paul Van Els), Tim, Katie, & James O’Connell, and Jason Heinen.
Couch Park
Les Imboden
Our group included me (Les Imboden)and wife Patty Imboden, Noah Jurkiewicz, Jack Lipkin, and Susan
Walker. Dwayne & Leslie Elmore and his wife were also birding the area. We missed the red crossbills but
spotted 22 species. Not bad for a morning walk, but oddly missing several common species.
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Stillwater Christmas Bird Count
by Susan S. Walker
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PLANNING (Dec 6)
Jim Ownby was in France and couldn’t attend the Dec. 6 organizational meeting for the Stillwater CBC, so Tim
O’Connell stepped in and addressed a group of 30 individuals eager to team up and learn about the Count:
Kent Andersson, Vince Cavaliere, Pam Clower, John Couch, Damona Doye, Duayne & Leslie Elmore, Andy
George, Jen Grindstaff, Susan Hovis, Les Imboden, Helen Jordan, Noah Jurkiewicz, Joyce Konigmacher,
Dave Latham, Lynn Malley, Iris McPherson, Freddy Miller, Keenan Murray, Mai Onoue, Kat Sever, Nikki
Skeleton, Marla Steele, Jon & Julie Thomas, Susan Walker, Jerry Wilhm, and Steve Winter.
Tim spoke briefly about irruptive species we might look for on the Count—Red-breasted Nuthatch, Purple Finch,
Bohemian Waxwing, Pine Siskin, Red Crossbill, White-winged Crossbill, Mountain Bluebird, Townsend’s
Solitaire, Toucan Barbet. [Just kidding.]
After Tim had introduced these irruptive species and explained the purposes of the Christmas bird census, we
teamed up and made plans for covering each sector within the 15-mile diameter count circle.
IN THE FIELD (Dec 15)
Back from France, Jim & Charlotte Ownby met CBC-ers at Mom’s Place early in the morning on December
15th—count day. Those who had been unable to attend the Dec 6 planning session joined or formed teams,
some ate hearty breakfasts to sustain them for a long day in the field, and then all who were not already
owling or in the field, left for their count sectors by 7AM.
Temps in the 20s, driving snow, and a north wind did not deter members and friends of Payne County
Audubon Society from participating in this the 108th NAS Christmas Bird Count. Thirty-six birders tallied 101
species and almost 25,000 birds, over twice as many birds as recorded last year. Although the numbers for
birds of prey were low, PCAS birders enjoyed large flocks of American Robins, Cedar Waxwings, and Dark-eyed
Juncos, as well as rarities such as Western Grebe, Pine Warbler, and Greater White-fronted Goose.
PARTICIPANTS
Participants included Kent Andersson, Dominic Barrett, Kayla Barrett, Erik Bartholomew, Vince Cavalieri, Pam
Clower, Damona Doye, Dwayne Elmore, Leslie Elmore, Jennifer Grindstaff, Les Imboden, Pat Imboden, Pat
Jaynes, Helen Jordan, Dave Latham, Will Lowery, Lynn Malley, Bob McCormick, Peggy McCormick, Iris
McPherson, Freddy Miller, Keenan Murray, Tim O'Connell, Mai Onue, Charlotte Ownby, James Ownby, Joyce
Roberts, Russell Roberts, Kat Sever, Nikki Smith, Elaine Stebler, Marla Steele, Cassondra Walker, Susan
Walker, Jerry Wilhm, and Steve Winter. (Those in boldface were team leaders.)
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Puerto Rico for Birders
by Les Imboden
I have ever talked to you about birding vacations, I have surely told you how we have liked Elderhostel’s
offerings. Well, no one is perfect. We just went on an initial offering that had “first time” written all over it.
In spite of a disorganized tour, though, Puerto Rico as a destination proved to be much better than we had
heard. It is large for a Caribbean island, of course, but it is clean, prosperous and warm. If you will just
overlook San Juan, it is a delightful place to take a vacation. And no passport hassle. It’s a commonwealth of
the U.S.
By their nature, tropical islands have fewer total birds than the mainland. Everyone’s quest on Puerto Rico is
their 16 endemics, and with a couple of exceptions they are not terribly hard to locate. Alas, we did not see
the Puerto Rican Parrot. Every island has its last-gasp parrot, and they are typically in remote areas. True
there, too.
Still, we did manage to find 103 species among us in just 6 days of birding, including 14 of the endemics. If you
know that one of those is called the Elfin Woods Warbler, then you just know it is everyone’s favorite. In truth
it doesn’t look like much, but isn’t that just the neatest name?
There were a few that did look like something, though. In my mind the Nutmeg Mannikin (right)took the cake.
It has a reticulated pattern along its side below the wing unlike anything I had ever seen on a bird. Just a little
lacework pattern from breast to rump.
If the Elfin Woods Warbler was not the crowd favorite, then certainly the Puerto Rican Tody (above) had to be.
Imagine a perching bird scarcely bigger than a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, with the same vivid green back
and red throat. But, it is a perching bird. They are unbelievably cute!
A word of caution about birding Puerto Rico in the winter. It is more like bottom fishing for catfish than spin
casting for bass. Even though we were in so-called birding hotspots, we commonly went 15 to 30 minutes
without seeing a single bird. True, that was balanced by seeing some pretty colorful birds when they showed,
but it is no birding spot for one who needs to be constantly diverted.
Peru with Earthwatch
by Susan Walker
I participated in another Earthwatch Expedition this year from Feb 4-17. This one was “Macaws of the
Peruvian Amazon” and took place at Tambopata Research Center 7 hrs up the Tambopata River in the Amazon
basin’s pristine Tambopata National Reserve.
Dean Bloodgood signed on too, and the two of us had a fantastic experience working as research assistants
to Donald Brightsmith, Texas A & M, and Alan Lee, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.
Our main duties were monitoring and inputting data for three different scarlet macaw nests, and monitoring
and counting the different species of macaws, parrots, parakeets, and other birds that came to a nearby clay
lick or colpa.
Donald and Alan were developing techniques for increasing the reproductive output of wild macaws while
expanding knowledge of macaw nesting behavior. We were also helping them estimate the numbers for each
of the 20 species of parrot found in the area.
We alternated morning (4:15AM to 11:30AM) or afternoon (11:30AM to 5:30PM) duty, so had half a day each
day to bird and botanize with our three naturalist guides. We took night hikes also, and on one even saw an
ocelot!
A wonderful experience!
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QUARTERLY QUIZ TO MAKE YOU A WIZ
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Puzzle by Jerry Wilhm
Many bird names define something other than the animal (e.g. eagle, coot). Identify the following birds from
the definition given in Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (10th ed). (Answers at bottom of page.)
Have Fun!!!
1. A high official of the Catholic church
2. Supporter of a war or a warlike policy
3. Capable of moving with great speed
4. Something done solely for fun or amusement
5. A silly person; a crackpot
6. To talk in an informal manner
7. Theatrical production that has failed
8. A wavering light
9. A person who echoes others’ words
10. To brag blatantly
11. Complain
12. To accept without question, protest, or resentment
13. A one-piece garment for a child of crawling age
14. Scold in harsh or abusive language
15. A lightweight loosely worn fabric used chiefly for flags or banners
16. A light framework covered with cloth, plastic, or paper, designed to be flown in the wind at the end of a
long string
ANSWERS:
1. Cardinal, 2. Hawk, 3. Swift, 4. Lark, 5. Cuckoo, 6. Chat, 7. Turkey, 8. Flicker, 9. Parrot, 10. Crow, 11. Grouse, 12. Swallow,
13. Creeper, 14. Rail, 15. Bunting, 16. Kite
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My CBC Experiences
by Susan Walker
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Stillwater Christmas Bird Count
It was a dark and stormy morning December 15, when at 6AM Les & Patty Imboden and I began our Christmas
Bird Count. The temperature at 6 was 38°F. My carport sensor light showed very light snain (snow + rain)
seeking the ground— most of it unsuccessfully. An hour later the snain turned to rain, then to snow. Temps
dropped to 28°F, and the snow was blown against trees and grasses (and our faces) by strong winds.
We started out by hustling to the west side of McMurtry Lake, stopping several times along the way but within
our sector to try to call in owls. We had one barred owl fly low across the road in our headlights but we were
unsuccessful until we reached the road to McM. Here Les played his repertoire of owl calls, and snagged a
dialogue between two eastern screech owls.
I was dressed in so many layers that I resembled Randy, Ralph’s brother in A Christmas Story. These multiple
layers also offered a confusing number of pockets—14 in all, so things kept disappearing. I spent many
annoying minutes zipping and unzipping pockets. Now let’s see. . . which pocket did I put the pen in? Where is
my chapstick? The Count map?
I was also wearing my Magic Pishing Pants. Really. My waterproof pull-ons are nylon, so when I walk, the cold,
stiff fabric automatically pishes as it brushes against itself. These pishing pants pulled in some neat species . .
. brown creeper, ruby-crowned kinglet, horned larks . . . (Just kidding.)
When we walked through the woods and tall grass to Lake Carl Blackwell from Camp Redlands, Patty got her
feet and legs wet. Thereafter, she had a difficult time keeping warm, even when in the car, so finally threw in
the towel about 1 PM. She had parked her car behind the Conoco on the corner of Country Club and Hwy 51,
so after dropping her there, Les and I used the facilities, bought munchies to keep our energy up, and then
returned to cover the rest of our sector.
Now Dean & Valerie Bloodgood live off east Lake McMurtry Road in our sector, so I called Dean
and asked if we could bird his 80-acre property. An Audubon member and birder himself, Dean gladly agreed
and even put on a pot of coffee.
When we got to Dean’s, I replenished my coffee andwe thawed a bit while Dean got ready, and then the
three of us walked the trails on the Bloodgood’s property.
The 17 ring-necked ducks that had been on Dean’s pond the day before had left . . . all but a female, who left
just as we got out of the car. Phooey!
The afternoon was much slower than the morning. We didn’t see an awful lot, but the trail was beautiful and a
good change from the car. Coming back across the dam, we looked up and spotted two sand-hill cranes
winging south. What a treat.
We started in the dark and ended in the dark—6AM to 6:15PM.
Thank you Freddy Miller for the delicious hot soup, homemade bread, spinach/fruit salad, and yummy dessert
post count. It was very good to get indoors out of the cold and to share our sightings with those who had
already gotten in—Jim Ownby, Iris McPherson, Pat Jaynes, Helen Jordan, Julia Hale, and Elaine Stebler.
Sooner Christmas Bird Count
Tuesday, December 18 rolled around three days later. Time for another CBC, this one at Sooner Lake and
coordinated by John Couch. In addition to John, birders included Paul Bjornen, Vince Cavalieri, Andy George,
Les Imboden, Scott Robertson, Susan Walker, Steve Winter, and Gene Young.
Les and I were assigned the extreme northeastern corner of the count circle.This time I drove and Les
recorded. I picked up Les at 7:30 AM, on this very sunny pleasant morning, and we headed north up Hwy 108.
The count circle’s southern edge is only a couple of miles from Bill’s Corners, but our sector was nearly 100
percent dirt roads further north and east of the Five Clans C store.
We wished for a 4WD. Many of the side dirt roads were too rutted and muddy to drive. But, we did brave a
few we probably shouldn’t have. (It took two car washes and one hand wash to get all the mud out of the
wheel wells and off the undercarriage of the Prius.)
We counted only 52 species, but some of those no one else had seen (Killdeer, Wood Duck, Blue-winged Teal,
Common Merganser), so we added to the species total. We ate lunch in a café in Ralston, and then worked
that part of the circle that fell over into Pawnee County before calling it quits, having covered our sector.
Paul and Gene had been assigned the southeastern portion of the circle. They reported 90 species with ex-
cellent waterbird representation, including hundreds of coots. Gene said, “Our best bird was a Greater
Roadrunner that we were able to watch for about 10 minutes as it went from one side of the road to the
other. Even dusted itself several times.”
John Couch reported: “I always try for a Short-eared Owl before dark. This year I decided to go to the parking
lot for fisherman just south of the plant. On a hill where Scott and I saw them two years ago, I looked and
looked. I could see about 4 or 5 harriers over on the tall hill to the east, but no SE owls. I thought it was going
to be futile, so I walked back to the parking lot. It was almost dark, but I told Gene that this was where we
usually saw short-eared owls. Suddenly, voilà!, one was flying along the tall hill to the east. I always feel much
better if we get short-eared owls.”
Total species sighted: 110 a new high for this count!
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A Little Birdie Told Me
by Susan S. Walker
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A patty of cowbirds? A killing of killdeer?
On their way to Enid in late October, Les & Patty Imboden saw two flocks of birds that they had never seen in
flocks before. The first, which was actually two flocks, one on each side of the road, turned out to be killdeer.
None of us had ever seen a flock of killdeer before though my reading says that they do flock together in
groups of up to 100 when migrating. The second, not five miles down the road, was a large flock (maybe 300)
of brown-headed cowbirds. Les & Patty had never seen a homogenous flock of brown-headed cowbirds before
either—usually cowbirds fly in mixed flocks of blackbirds.
Seeing the light?
When asked what took him to France in early December, Jim Ownby said that he and Charlotte wanted to
take in the holiday festivities and the lights along the Champs Elysees. Unfortunately this light getaway was
dimmed a bit by a week of drizzling rain.
Flamingos Flock Again
How about the Stillwater PD and the OSUPD replenishing Teresa McColley’s flock of lawn flamingos after
many of them were stolen before Christmas? Each PD donated a box of 12 flamingos, the thieves returned
some of the stolen flamingos, and McColley was able to adorn her yard with a Santa flamingo in a sled pulled
by eight pink flamingos before Christmas. Thank you Helen Jordan for bringing this story to my attention.
Eagle Cam Shows Four Eggs!
The Sutton Avian Research Center’s eagle cam, set up on a new nest at Keystone, shows an incredible four
eggs laid in February. The photo (right) was taken by a camera mounted at the nest before egg laying. SARC
had hoped to show us close-up video from this camera this year, but it was struck by lightning and no longer
functions. Now that the birds are nesting, personnel cannot climb to the nest for repairs until after the young
have fledged. SARC has installed a live video camera farther away from the nest, however, and it can be
viewed at www.suttoncenter.org/eaglecam. html.
P.S. Both Avery Dr BE nests have been abandoned, but there is another pair of nesting bald eagles on the
north side of the Arkansas River in a tree on the south side of the road above a trailer home 2.6 miles east of
the stop sign on Wekiwa Rd at Keystone Dam.
Six Degrees of Separation?
Remember Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research Center in Delaware, where Erica Miller, Freddy Miller’s
daughter works as a vet? Well, one of the women on my Peru Earthwatch expedition was Joan Chatterton, a
silver medalist sculler from Delaware and a volunteer at Tri-State. She owns two scarlet macaws and has
worked with Erica.
Miller Meets Emperor Akihito
A different Miller, this one Mike Miller, Rudy & Helen Miller’s son, is a marine biologist at the Univ. of Tokyo’s
Ocean Research Institute. (Dad must have passed along this interest in fish.) On Mon. Mar 3, Mike brushed
shoulders with Japan’s Emperor Akihito, a keen ichthyologist and recognized expert on gobioid fishes who has
even had a goby named after him, the Exyrias Akihito. The Emperor was attending the 130th anniversary
celebration of Tokyo’s Museum of Natural Science and stopped at a booth where Mike and his colleagues were
exhibiting.
We’re the Best!
Jerry Wilhm reports that Stillwater once again submitted the most Great Backyard Bird Count checklists and
saw the greatest number of species of all cities in Oklahoma. We reported 78 species (OKC and Ponca City
tied for second with 72) on 87 checklists (OKC was second with 59). Members of PCAS did a great job! It is
interesting to read the results on www.birdsource.org/gbbc. Jerry’s still scratching his head in wonder about
the one checklist submitted by a person in Duncan who reported 1 species (3 house sparrows)? I might add
that it is fun to check out all the submitted photos, also. Some are very good.
Send in Your BIRDATHON Pledge.
It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3. First, go to the PCAS website. Once there, click on the “Projects” button, and then click
on “Birdathon.” You will find a place to access a Pledge Form. Print the Pledge Form, fill in your pledge (and
the team you are supporting if one), and then simply mail to the PCAS address at the bottom of the form. We
thank you in advance for your generosity
Netherlands Visitor
Hear that Paul Van Els has a birding friend from the Netherlands coming in early March on a first visit to the U.
S. Paul can’t wait to show him prairie chickens, roadrunners, and other OK and US birds he’s not seen before.
The two are also planning a birding trip to Mexico. What larks!
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Jim Ownby's Bhutan Program
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What a treat it is to view Jim Ownby’s superb photos of the birds and wildlife he’s aims his camera at on his
world travels.
Jim’s March PCAS program took us to Bhutan where he and Charlotte were taken under the wing (so to speak)
of their own, private Bhutanese guides, who made it possible for Jim to get photos of colorful sunbirds, a Blood
Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan, Rufous-necked Hornbills, Ibisbill, White-capped Water Redstart, Red-billed Cough,
Himalayan Monal, and other Himalayan avian jewels.
Attending were Linda & John Bryant, Sonja Hannon, Iris McPherson, Helen Miller, Dan Moore, Thea Pratt,
Jane Remn-snider, Carolyn Simank, Lu Skillern, Paul van Els, Susan & Jeff Walker, and Jerry Wilhm.
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COPYRIGHT 2007 PAYNE COUNTY AUDUBON SOCIETY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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