Exploring

Today was the first day of just exploring areas of Oklahoma to see what I might find. I started at Elmore City where Trumpeter Swans had been reported on the lake there. Although I no longer "need" these swans for the year (a good thing as it turned out since I did not find them at Elmore City), I thought the lake might yield a few new ducks, and it did. I saw about 25 Hooded Mergansers and two Ruddy Ducks, in addition to ducks I'd already seen in OK. There were flocks of Field Sparrows, a few Savannah Sparrows and a Lincoln's Sparrow, plus a Belted Kingfisher, and very vocal Yellow-rumped Warblers flitting about. I decided to go next to explore Lake Murray State Park, which was even birdier than I'd hoped. In addition to numerous Pied-billed Grebes, I saw a Horned Grebe and a couple of Common Loons diving, two perched Bald Eagles, two White-breasted Nuthatches and a Tufted Titmouse at a feeding station at a camp-site. Robins and Cedar Waxwings were plentiful (no Bohemians though). I did a little exploring of various Lake Texoma sites before heading home to Fort Worth where I expect to be for the next week or so. I was delighted to find that our Rufous Hummingbird was still around our yard when I returned, actively feeding, probably tanking up for the forecast very cold temperatures that will be arriving soon.