We took Lou Truex's suggestion and turned south from Highway 5 at Hamm's Ville to look for birds. We found many Dickcissels along the county roads.

There were also lots of wildflowers blooming.

Eastern Meadowlark, on a power line

Eastern Meadowlark, singing

Lark Sparrow

Wild verbena

Close-up of the verbena flower

This looks like some kind of nightshade.

We may have gone a mile farther south than we meant to, but we came to a barn that held a Barn Owl. The owl flew to a tree north of the barn and then flew back at an angle that allowed me to get a few photos.

First-of-year Barn Owl

Barn Owl, in flight

Barn Owl, south of Hamm's Ville, OK

Barn Owl

Barn Owl

More wild verbena

Sulphur butterfly, on wild verbena

We followed GPS directions, which took us along gravel roads S of Highway 5 as we made our way to Hackberry Flat WMA, so we saw several bird species we might not have seen had we gone back to the main highway, for example, this Common Nighthawk next to a Lark Sparrow, on a hay frame.

Common Nighthawk

In a nearby tree, there was a large group of Mourning Doves.

The GPS directed us to turn N and we found 3-4 Lark Buntings on the fence and flying across the road.

Lark Bunting

Lark Bunting

Lark Bunting
Another FOY bird for us

A little farther down the same county road, we spied this bright male Bulluck's Oriole.
Another FOY bird

The Bullock's Oriole was enjoying the thistles along the road.

Bullock's Oriole, on thistle in SW OK

Bullock's Oriole

Bullock's Oriole

Acrobatic Bullock's Oriole, on thistle

Bullock's Oriole

Bullock's Oriole

Bullock's Oriole

Lark Sparrow

Lark Sparrow

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Lark Sparrows

Swallowtail butterfly, on thistle

Grasshopper Sparrow
Another FOY bird

Common Nighthawk, on a short snag at the side of the road

Common Nighthawk

Common Nighthawk

Common Nighthawk

Grasshopper Sparrow

Grasshopper Sparrow

Back view of Grasshopper Sparrow

The GPS finally got us into the E side of the wildlife management area and we stopped at a flooded field to get closer to birds on the water, including this Black-necked Stilt.

There were several groups of Wilson's Phalaropes in the water.

Wilson's Phalaropes

Black-necked Stilt

Male (plainer, grayer) and female (more colorful) Wilson's Phalaropes

A large group of dark ibis flew into the nearby field.

Wilting pink wildflowers

We stopped near one of the observation towers and walked out onto a dike to get a closer look at the birds.

Steve, trying to get that closer look

Dark ibis--all the ones we got close enough ID were White-faced Ibis

Dark ibis and other birds in a flooded field

Savannah Sparrow

Red-winged Blackbird

Dickcissel

Another one of those nightshade-looking flowers

Purple flower on the dike

The WMA manager and another fellow were plowing fields and probably stirring up lots of rodents, because there were several Swainson's Hawks, young and adult, in and over the fields.

Swainson's Hawk

Long-billed Dowitchers

Killdeer

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Wilson's Phalaropes, Long-billed Dowitchers, and a Hudsonian Godwit (white rump, up-turned, two-toned bill), in flight

Snowy Egret

Long-billed Dowitchers

Northern Shoveler

Shore birds in flight

Shore birds

American Avocets

Black-necked Stilts

Snowy Egret

Least Sandpipers

Eastern Kingbird

As we were approaching the turn into the Visitor Center, we noticed this Common Nighthawk on a horizontal pipe fence rail at the side of the road.

While we were having our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at the pavilion at the Visitor Center, we watched Barn Swallows swooping around the fields and landing on the fence.

Two Barn Swallows found a resting perch on the fire alarm at the Visitor Center.

Long-billed Dowitchers

American Avocets

Dickcissel

Eared Grebe in breeding plumage

American Avocets

Female Blue-winged Teal and Long-billed Dowitchers

There were several species of birds in this one flooded area east of the Visitor Center.

At the north end of the water was a male American Wigeon.

Female and male Blue-winged Teal

We drove over to the abandoned cotton gin and the Great Horned Owl flew away from the building to a snag to the north; after looking at the photo, we noticed a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in the same tree.

Great Horned Owl and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

We drove W on Hwy 70 to look for woodpeckers, but found another Common Nighthawk.

We stopped at these silos and quonset hut barn (out of scene to R) to look for owls.

Silos and storage barn W of the WMA

A Great Horned Owl flew out of the E end of the building as we approached and flew out into the field.

We drove S on sandy roads from Hwy 70 and found this young Swainson's Hawk perched on a fence post.

Juvenile Swainson's Hawk

Swainson's Hawk

A little farther south, we saw this Red-headed Woodpecker fly to the top of a pole.

Red-headed Woodpecker, SW of Hackberry Flat WMA

Swainson's Hawk, in flight

Swainson's Hawk

As we drove back E, we saw Clay-colored Sparrows along the side of the road.

Clay-colored Sparrow, watching a grasshopper fly within range

Heading back toward Highway 70, we crossed a small stream with an interesting spider web in a tree hanging over the water.

We drove to the N side of the refuge by the reservoir, where we saw a couple of Stilt Sandpipers and a Greater Yellowlegs.

Stilt Sandpipers

Back view of Greater Yellowlegs

Long-billed Dowitcher

Long-billed Dowitcher

Long-billed Dowitcher

American Coots

White-faced Ibis

White-faced Ibis

White-faced Ibis

Another Dickcissel

White-crowned Sparrow

Greater Yellowlegs

Greater Yellowlegs

Common Nighthawk, in flight

Common Nighthawk, in flight

Common Nighthawk, in flight

Common Nighthawk, in flight

Great Blue Heron, heading W at the end of the day

Savannah Sparrow, on the road as we drove toward the E boundary of the WMA

Savannah Sparrow

Pectoral Sandpiper, along the edge of a WMA canal

Pectoral Sandpiper

Black-necked Stilt

Black-necked Stilt

Wilson's Phalarope

Female and male Northern Shovelers

Blue-winged Teal male

Shore birds

Dark ibis

American Avocet

American Wigeon

As we drove out of the WMA and headed home, the big sky of SW OK provided us an ever-changing view.

SW OK evening sky

Sunset in SW OK

Sunset

SW OK sunset

Sunset

Last view of the SW sky on our Hackberry Flat WMA visit