Life at Boomer Lake with Deb, Wednesday March 26, 2014

Glue Traps

This is a horrible thing for a bird, let alone a mouse. It is a slow death, if the mouse doesn’t chew off its poor little paws in order to escape. Not all birds are found like this one was. Let’s do our best to boycott these glue traps, and if you can all send a letter to the editors of your respective newspapers to reach other people, I would be very grateful. Thanks, everyone.

Nandina is beautiful, but it will kill birds, as well as other animals. Either get rid of it, or prune the berries off the bushes.

A large number of birds hit windows and die a startling number of times each day. ABC tape provides a great solution, as do suncatchers, CDs and a host of other things. If you’re having a problem with this, or know someone that is, please give them of these suggestions. It really works.

Here is what you all have been waiting for, a movie about birders. People just like us, but to make it even more delightful, these are young people—like me. Let’s go get ‘em and prove that extinct species still exists!

I know that it has been an extended and rough winter for most of the country. Yes, the groundhog lied, but let’s face it folks, he was under duress. He wanted spring just as much as we do, so he was trying to buy a little extra time, but please, let’s not kill the messenger. He would have delivered if he could have done so.

However, good things have been happening here, and we are gearing up. It is officially spring. Trees are budding and flowering, and some of our spring birds are already here.

Mallards and Canada Geese are coming to the area for breeding purposes. If you recall my column last year, we had a fine crop of youngsters, and this year we will still have a good, strong batch of goslings and ducklings. Animals that can brave harsh winters generally beget a tougher group of young ones that can make it through nearly anything. We’ll unquestionably be looking forward to that, too.

There have been a couple of Great Blue Herons that spent the entire winter with us, bless their little hearts. They had hardships, but they survived them all by themselves. When the lake was frozen, they ate mice and anything else that they could get their bills around. Granted, they got a little thin, and I would have intervened had it been necessary, but I didn’t. They all came through with flying colors. Oklahoma birds can handle the cold as well as the heat, and I consider them all exemplary creatures for what nature has to offer.

There are more Northern Cardinals than usual that spent the winter with us. Not only did they cheer me on during those icy cold days with wind chills at zero and 25-30 mph winds, but they cheered on other winter birds, and even got the Blue Jays out by the lake. Even though they spent very little time with us, they were still in motion. Let’s hear it for our beautiful and gracious cardinals!

We were even visited by the Horned Grebes this winter, as well as the more common Pied-billed Grebes. The Horned Grebes actually spent a few days on Boomer Lake and got plenty to eat here in Stillwater.

The Buffleheads are still with us, and it is always wishful thinking, but I’d certainly love to tell you that we have youngsters, too. Maybe one of these days we will.

The Eastern Meadowlark was here all by his lonesome, too, hanging with the American Robins, who have really come in full force. This is the largest crop that I have seen, and when I heard that meadowlark singing in the midst of that group, I readily found him. He gave me several good clicks, and it made that cold morning well worth it for me.

The Song Sparrow has been out steadily for the past few weeks, too. Even though this little guy has been somewhat shy and retiring, I still managed to get a good shot of him. He has been eating weed seeds and has ben a very bright spot here for me.

Some of the male Ruddy Ducks are getting their breeding plumage, and that classic blue bill. I spied one of them today, and he was more than happy to provide a photographic opportunity. Well, to be honest, this one loves to be noticed.

To top off an utterly perfect Wednesday, this Bald Eagle was looking for breakfast and happened to be right in my vicinity. At first, I didn’t see it, but a Canada Goose pair told me all about his arrival. Sadly, my quick shot of the Red-shouldered Hawk didn’t pan out, but it will happen. This one has been around for a good two weeks now.

It’s nice to see my kith and kin coming home for the season. Keep your eyes to the ground and your head in the clouds. Happy birding, and I hope to see you at Boomer Lake. Ciao until next time!