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I don’t know who gave this little bird the nickname “butter butt” but it certainly fits! The name refers to the Yellow-rumped Warbler and today I was excited to see not only my first butter butt of the season but the first one I’ve ever spotted in my backyard. I’d noticed a small bird flitting […] There was a hint of magic in the air on this beautiful October day. An incredibly clear, blue sky and a sense that the mystical bird was really going to appear. How exciting it was, just as we were about to give up… there he sat… a beautiful white hawk. This is a partial albino […] A House Finch sat at one of the backyard feeders on Sunday and didn’t spook when the Blue Jays came through sounding an alarm. I knew there must be something wrong… and my concerns were confirmed when I saw the bird’s eye (pictured right). This House Finch was a victim of House Finch Disease, also […] If you saw Winged Migration you know the incredible journeys birds take, driven by unseen forces and traveling along ancient, unmarked routes. Some of the most remarkable birds in North America (like the Whooping Crane) pass through Oklahoma — some of them stay during the summer months to breed and raise young, others spend the […] We may be well known for it… but it’s sure been a long time since the wind came sweeping down the Plains like it did today! A wonderful cold front arrived this afternoon and dropped temperatures more than 15 degrees in a very short time. I headed to Lake Hefner to see what birds might […] A marvelous cold front moved through last week, bringing with it not only mild temperatures and rain but also an influx of fall migrants. Last Wednesday, I found a group of warblers and vireos in an area of Lake Hefner that’s usually pretty empty of birds. I photographed four new species for my Photo Gallery […] “Bird envy” happens, it seems, even among the best of friends. And I’ve had a good case of it since hearing from Terri Underhill on Saturday that she’s had an Ovenbird in yard. But thanks to her generous spirit, this little bird’s unbashful ways, and a break in my schedule, I was able to endure […] I’ve spent a lot of time cruising Prairie Dog Point on Lake Hefner… and I’ve seen a lot of things that (trust me!) I didn’t want to see. On Friday I saw something new: a wedding! Yes, this couple was married in a very, very small ceremony at 6:00 p.m. Friday at a rather unattractive […] In between an eye exam this afternoon and rollerblading at the Lake Hefner dam, I did a quick trip to a few favorite birding spots along the south side of the lake. I was rewarded with the sight of two very small yellowish warblers and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird sitting in a cottonwood tree along the […] She came in silently but her presence was quickly detected. The sparrows started screaming (yes, birds can indeed scream) and blue jays called a noisy alarm. In one very sudden turn, the peaceful afternoon at the backyard feeders turned to mayhem when the backyard hawk returned!!! I was painting the walls in the kitchen when […] |