Lake Hefner
Oklahoma
County
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From the 1986 edition of A Guide to Birding in
Oklahoma published by the Tulsa Audubon Society, supplemented in
2007 with material from the OKC Audubon Society.
Lake Hefner reservoir with
over 3,000 acres of water, adjoining golf course, plus some partially
wooded grasslands and recreational facilities can be reached from the
east on Hefner, Britton, and Wilshire roads, and from the south on
Portland and Meridian. This is a gathering place for grebes, ducks and
gulls from fall through winter and during early spring migrations. Most
species of ducks common to Oklahoma are found here during migration.
Unusual ones have been Oldsquaw, White-winged Scoter, and Surf Scoter.
Common Loons, Red-throated Loons several times, Horned, Eared, and
Pied-billed grebes, the rarely noted Western Grebe, and multitudes of
coots arrive with the ducks.
In early fall and again in
spring, Franklin's Gulls may number in the thousands. In early fall and
sometimes remaining into cold winter, Bonaparte's Gulls may reach one
hundred or more. Hundreds to a thousand or more Ring-billed Gulls divide
their day between the garbage dumps and the lake. Surprises have been
Sabine's Gull and the Lesser Black-backed Gull. By mid-winter there are
hundreds of Common Mergansers, usually accompanied by a few Red-breasted
and Hooded mergansers. These fish eaters are under constant harassment
from dozens of Herring Gulls and occasional Glaucous Gulls. If lake
levels are low and mud flats extensive from March through early May, or
from late July through September, shorebirds by the hundreds stop to
feed or rest at Lake Hefner. Of these, the less common and rare include
the Piping, Golden, and Black-bellied plovers, Black-necked Stilt,
Long-billed Curlew, Hudsonian and Marbled godwits, Ruddy Turnstone, Red
Knot, Dunlin, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Red-necked and Red phalaropes.
Black Terns, Forster's, Common, and Caspian terns join the shorebirds on
the mud flats. Parasitic and Pomarine jaegers, Ospreys and even Bald
Eagles are rare visitors. Nearly every spring and fall White Pelicans in
flocks of 200 stop by.
The following is excerpted
from the
OKC Audubon Society Lake Hefner Page. Please visit their page their
page for a complete account:
Birding around Stars & Stripes Park Directions: From I-40 proceed north
on I-240/OK74 that becomes Hefner Parkway north of 39th Street. Exit
west at NW Highway, west to Portland and north to the lake for access to
the south side. Portland ends where it intersects with S. Lake Hefner
Drive, the location of Stars & Stripes Park. The park offers walking
trails, playgrounds and good shoreline for gulls and terns. The hiking
trails in the immediate area of the park offer interesting birding with
a mix of grass, woods, shrubs and shoreline.
From Stars & Stripes Park there are hiking trails that access all sides
of the lake. There is also a quasi creek the ends south of the road.
Water birds in this area are primarily dabbling ducks, geese, and
waders. The south side of Lake Hefner offers a great diversity of
habitat as there are many trees, mowed areas, undisturbed habitat, and
cedar plantings. The lake in this area has many fingers or small coves
that are easily accessed by the path. There is only a small amount of
marshland. When the lake level is low there are extensive flats at "Hobie
Point" or the YMCA Sailing Center that is well marked on the Lake Road a
few hundred yards west of Portland Ave. (Download/print map of Lake
Hefner)
Prairie Dog Point: Of special interest to birders is Prairie Dog Point,
located at the southwest corner of the lake. Birders
from across Oklahoma visit this location during spring and fall
migration, as well as during the winter months when sightings of rare
birds are often reported. A special Birding Hot Spot report on Prairie
Dog Point is being written that will detail the area, however, we do not
want birders to miss the opportunity to visit the area! Recent sightings
at Prairie Dog Point include Whimbrel, Piping Plover, Long-billed
Curlew, Dunlin, Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone, Short-billed Dowitchers,
White-faced Ibis, Snowy Plover, and Western Sandpiper. California Gull,
Least Tern, Common Tern, and Lesser Black-backed Gull were also sighted.
Please see the excellent
OKC Audubon Society Lake Hefner Page for complete details on
birding this area and for a bird list. |
