Life at Boomer Lake with Deb: Sharing the Northern Reaches 2013

Today was the day to visit the Northern Reaches, as it has been too long. The weather was partly cloudy and slightly on the cool side. Many birds hide in this particular oasis, which is devoid of most people, all the better to haunt it for a while. There are even deep woods plants and flowers hidden within, all for the beauty of the surroundings. Life is beautiful, eventful for the birds, and takes me within its bosom to allow me to recharge my battery after a long week at the salt mines.

Greenery now is teeming in the area, from ivy high in the tree to beautiful leaves sharing the heights. On the ground are remarkable flowers, some sharing their life with honeybees, a welcome sight. For a while, these beautiful bees were on the downslide, but I can vouch for this: their lives appear to be well in the great state of Oklahoma.

The air was filled with the calls of birds, for it is mating, as well as nesting season. Everywhere one looks, there is either a water bird or songbirds in trees that want to be seen. For those that do not, it is an endless chore to try to listen, decipher the tune, and put a face to it. It isn’t always easy. Some remain silent, so it is a special surprise when they are found.

Speaking of surprises, I startled a Turkey Vulture from his meal. He was working on the unwanted carcass of a channel catfish that a fisherman tossed on shore. It was fairly fresh. I set myself up with my camera in a hidden area, in hopes that the vulture would return. Sadly, he didn’t, which I took in stride. I wandered around the shore while I was waiting, in hopes that I would be able to spot a few special things within the comforting depths of the cool, semi-darkness.

Pleasantly, I didn’t have to wait long. There was a vireo in front of me, but the Carolina Chickadee was too quick on the move, as usual. One of these days, my friend, one of these days. Maybe. I smiled to myself after that thought, because I have been trying to get a photo of one of those elusive little buggers for a year.

Looking across the water to the other shoreline was a Great Egret sunning himself. Usually the first of the group don’t want to be on the lake proper until the others arrive. It seems to be something about dealing with humans in numbers, I think.

Now I know where the Black-crowned Night Heron has been keeping himself. He was silently sitting on a log, dozing on and off. I have not heard this bird make a sound yet, but then again, I have only seen it twice.

An Eastern Bluebird availed himself, as well, sitting temporarily on a dead branch. Following me all around were Cliff Swallows, many of which reside under the nearby bridge. They rarely stop, most always on the move, but that’s the way that nature intended them.

A few stray American Coots were out, as was a family of Canada Geese and their goslings. Crows were also in the vicinity, the watchers and guardians of everything. They consider everything their domain, which is quite all right. Safety is in numbers, and they provide as much help as possible for the rest of the avian world.

It took some doing, but I saw my first Orchard Oriole, capturing a couple of nice shots of the bird, eating bugs. After this find, it was certainly worth the trip to the area. The Baltimore Oriole was also in the same area, so that was another good find, even though I had seen one at the lake proper earlier in the morning. Even though the vulture didn’t return to his carrion, it was all right. I left after a few hours with a happy heart, and the intentions that I would return in the near future to find something new.