Satellite Map:
http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&ll=36.105168,-96.51633&spn=0.008478,0.021887&t=h&z=16
ODW WDU Map:
http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/buckeyecreek.htm
Buckeye Creek is a small tributary of the Cimarron River located directly west of the small community of Silver City. The creek has several large bends which often form small sloughs, perfect for wading birds. The east section of the WMA is a non-ambulatory (off-road area) with a wide, maintained trail winding through a series of fields. The west section includes the WDU as well as a number of small trails created by hunters.
April 5th Excursion:
I arrived at the parking area of the WDU at 8:00 am. As I exited my car I could hear the metallic squawks of several Blue Jays coming from some trees on the hill to the north. Several American Crows were observed loitering about around a trailer and the surrounding land just to the east of the parking area.
I followed the path to the west, toward Buckeye Creek and the WDU, during which I could hear several Field Sparrows singing from the tall grasses found along the trail. South of the trail was a small slough where several Great Blue Herons stood motionless, waiting for passing prey. I counted 2 Double-Crested Cormorants drying their wings while perched along the water's edge. Throughout the excursion I would see around 30 DC Corms, some in Buckeye Creek, others in various sloughs, and several groups flew overhead.
The main trail curved to the south, but I continued west to a position that offered a good view of a small slough. From my position I could see 15~ Great Egrets, 2 Snowy Egrets, and 4 Great Blue Herons congregated around the slough, presumably looking for food. The group was startled by my approach and they quickly lifted into flight, honking in warning to others nearby.
This is the first occasion I have seen Snowy Egrets this season; they are easy to differentiate from Great Egrets by observing their feeding behavior. Great Egrets, like Great Blue Herons, use the statue method, whereas Snowy Egrets are very active, scaring up prey with splashing and quick movements.
I crossed the small stream that fed the slough and found a trail that followed Buckeye Creek. I heard several nasal squeaks and looked above me to catch a glimpse of 2 Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers hopping about the branches in search of some insects to eat. As I moved along the trail I began to hear a group of calls slowly growing louder. I scanned the trees to the north and discovered a group of 20 or so American Goldfinches feeding on the blossoming buds. I should research the migratory habits of American Goldfinches to make more sense of the large congregations of them I have seen. I saw an identical grouping last week at the Skiatook WMA.
On several occasions while near Buckeye Creek I stumbled across a group of 12 Blue-winged Teal, both in the creek and on some of the small adjacent sloughs. The recent rainfall had provided numerous locations for dabbling ducks to forage upon. Much of the land around the creek probably floods on a regular basis, the line of debris (organic and inorganic) along the hillside acts as a marker of the highest tide.
I was eventually able to see the actual WDU on the other side of Buckeye Creek, the construction of the levy had similar equipment to Cottonwood Creek (most likely because they are both WDUs). There was a small bluff overlooking the WDU which might be a good spot for observing the wading birds. One can access the WDU by a parking area found on the west side of the creek, so far I have found no (dry) way of crossing the creek. I stopped following the creek and turned back to the east, the weather was less than ideal and the northern section of the WMA was a natural windtunnel (read as: COLD).
As I made my way back I happened across a pair of Yellow-rumped Warblers foraging in some of the trees along the creek. Several Turkey Vultures could be observed floating overhead in search of carrion. Along highway 51 I had noticed several large groups of Turkey Vultures, one group gathered over a deer carcass that had been hit by a car. I still have not seen any Black Vultures this season.
I found a good position near the slough where the egrets and herons had been, the thin shrubbery provided good cover. I watched a small group of Great Egrets that had returned to forage, but they caught wind of my presence and gathered to perch on a large snag in the middle of the slough. I was able to sneak closer and take a couple of photos of the perched egrets, yet a dark object on a lower branch caught my attention. Lo and Behold, the first Little Blue Heron of the season! The Little Blue and a Great Egret remained perched on the snag long enough for me to snap a couple of photos. So by the first week of April I have already seen most of the summer wading bird, hopefully I will see some bitterns and a Green Heron soon.
While watching the LBH and GE, I heard the cry of a Red-tailed Hawk, then spotted the raptor soaring over the area. I spotted another raptor, then, using my scope, I identified it to be an adult Bald Eagle. Ebird considered the Bald Eagle sighting to be unusual for April, from what I understand most Bald Eagles are in the area for the winter (lakes tend not to freeze). The eagle I spotted most likely hunts around the nearby Cimarron River and Lake Keystone.
The cold weather eventually convinced me to call it a day early. However, despite the weather, the excursion was a great success; I was able to observe some interesting birds and explore the Buckeye Creek area more thoroughly.
Bird Count:
Location: Keystone WMA - Cimarron (Buckeye Creek) - Oilton, OK
Observation date: 4/5/09 Number of species: 19
Blue-winged Teal - Anas discors 12
Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus 26
Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias 3
Great Egret - Ardea alba 13
Snowy Egret - Egretta thula 2
Little Blue Heron - Egretta caerulea 1
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura 2
Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus 1
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus 1
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata 2
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos 4
Carolina Chickadee - Poecile carolinensis 4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea 5
Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata 2
Field Sparrow - Spizella pusilla 1
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia 2
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis 2
American Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis 25
Photos:
Top: A shot of the flood plain around Buckeye Creek
-SPQ 4/7/2009
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