[From Nature Notes (the journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society), Vol. 72, No. 5, May, 2000]

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MARCH BIRD REPORT

Starting this month, the most common areas will be abbreviated: Busch = BCA, Horseshoe Lake = HL, Riverlands = REDA, Carlyle Lake = CL, Castlewood State Park = CSP, Lost Valley Trail = LVT, Tower Grove Park = TGP, Forest Park = FP, Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge = MTNWR, Marais Temps Clair = MTC, Rockwoods Reservation = RKWD.

Dan Kassebaum hotlined a Red-Throated Loon from CL on 3/25. The first Common Loon was seen at HL on 3/12 (D Bz); the Barkers reported a Common Loon there on 3/14. An Eared Grebe was hotlined from HL on 3/12 (DB and T Be). Ten Horned Grebes were found at HL (111 side) on 3/4 (JM), 8 were seen on Bend Road on 3/19 (D Bz), and 2 were spotted at Creve Coeur Lake, one in almost full breeding plumage, on 3/27 (JS). An American Bittern was hotlined from Little Creve Coeur Marsh on 3/31 (WK et al.). Early Heron and Egret arrivals included Black-crowned Night Heron at HL on 3/4 (G&TB), Yellow-crowned Night Heron on 3/23 in Granite City (FH), Little Blue Heron on 3/19 at HL (JZ), and Cattle Egrets mixed in with Franklin Gulls on 3/23 at HL (Thursday Group). The Thursday Group also located the first Great Egrets on 3/16 at HL. Many more were found that weekend. On 3/5, 100+ White-fronted Geese were seen at CL (MB). Six Ross’s Geese were observed at REDA/Heron Pond on 3/2 (KL). Paul & Barbara Johnson also located a Ross’s Goose with Bonaparte’s and Blue-winged Teal at Little Creve Coeur Marsh (3/10). Hundreds of Snow Geese were seen at MTNWR on 3/2 (KL, HW). Kent Lannert estimated 1,000 Ruddy Ducks there that same day. More than 700 Ruddy Ducks were seen at HL on 3/6 (T Be). About 700 Scaup were observed at REDA on 3/2 (KL) and 2 Greater Scaup were observed there on 3/5 (J Mo). A male Oldsquaw was present for about a week at HL (BK, m. ob.). A dead Sora was found at HL (Bend Road) on 3/8 (JZ). Turkey Vultures were observed at RKWD on 3/1 (P&BJ) and at Busch on 3/8 (D Bz). On 3/26, the year’s first Osprey was sighted at HL (FH). Bald Eagles were displaying nesting behavior at CL on 3/5 (MB). A Sharp-shinned Hawk flew over the Gaddy Bird Garden at TGP on 3/8 (JZ). Red-shouldered Hawks were observed in Robertsville State Park on 3/2 (J Mo), at the home of Torrey Berger on 3/8, and at the home of Dick Coles on 3/12. Harlan’s Hawks were still present, with 1 at HL on 3/19 (FH) and 1 on the South Levee Road on 3/6 (JZ). A Rough-legged Hawk was observed near Collinsville on 3/12 (MT et al.). Several people noted Wild Turkeys in the vicinity of the Borrow Pit at HL (RAB).

Tim Leach reported 8 Bonaparte’s Gulls at BCA on 3/10. Twenty-five American Golden Plover were seen on the South Levee Roads on 3/11 (T Be) and others were seen at HL on 3/12 (FH et al.). Lesser Yellowlegs were found at CL on 3/5 (MB) and there were several sightings on 3/12. Good counts of Pectoral Sandpipers included 17 at HL on 3/19 (FH) and 150 at Moredock Lake with 6 Greater Yellowlegs on 3/18 (J&CM). Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs were also found at HL on 3/19 (J Mo). About 50 to 60 Snipe were estimated at MTC on 3/12 (T Bo). On 3/4, Yvonne Homeyer & Jim Ziebol watched several Woodcocks call and display at dusk in BCA. Torrey Berger found 4 Woodcocks and 6 N. Bobwhite (and the first chigger of the year) at BCA on 3/6. Dennis Bozzay also located Woodcocks at BCA on 3/21. Lou Hanes reported a population of Eurasian Collared Doves at a feedstore on Pearl Street in Jerseyville, Ill. A Barred Owl was seen at CSP on 3/16 (T Be)and 3 were heard calling at LVT on 3/25 (G&TB). On 3/4, Cheryl & Don Delashmit located a Great Horned Owl and young in a nest in Route 66 State Park. Great Horned Owls were also observed feeding chicks at Waterworks Rd. on 3/15 (P&BJ). A rufous phase E. Screech Owl was observed in the usual hole in TGP on 3/26 (RAB, JC). The Thursday Group reported a Pileated Woodpecker on 3/2 at RKWD. The Saturday group had a close look at Pileated Woodpecker feeding on the ground at CSP on 3/25 (RAB). Two Hairy Woodpeckers were also observed there. Early dates and high counts of Tree Swallows included: 1 at REDA on 3/6 (Edna Alexander), 45 at Baldwin Lake on 3/10 (T Be), and 150-200 at HL (Causeway) on 3/10 (FH). Purple Martins were seen at MTNWR on 3/21 (CM), at LVT on 3/21 (G&TB) and at HL on 3/22 (B Ru). Rough-winged Swallow was first seen at HL on 3/20 (FH) and a Barn Swallow was found at the Collinsville Golf Course on 3/21 (FH). On 3/2, Dottie Herwig found Golden-crowned Kinglets at RKWD. A Brown Thrasher was found at LVT on 3/25 (G&TB) and Viola Buchholtz heard one at her home. On 3/19, 8 American Pipits were seen along Bruns Road (D Bz, J Mo). An American Pipit was observed at the Borrow Pit of HL on 3/26 (BR, JS). An early House Wren made an appearance at the home of Torrey Berger on 3/8. On 3/25, a Bewick’s Wren returned to the Delashmits’ property in Franklin County, where they have nested for several years. On 3/9 there was a Winter Wren at RKWD (J Mo). Yvonne Homeyer had good looks at a Marsh Wren at Little Creve Coeur Marsh on 3/5. The Johnsons found a Loggerhead Shrike at MTC on 3/18. Shrikes are up in number in the last several months. A good species count was made on 3/6 at CSP including Hermit Thrush, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren and Swamp Sparrow (P&BJ).

Pine Warblers were found at RKWD on 3/2 (Dottie Herwig, m. ob.). An immature male was also observed that same day in TGP (JZ). A Black-and-White Warbler was found at CSP on 3/27 (MB). The year’s first Yellow-throated Warbler was reported at the Arboretum on 3/24 (CA). Louisiana Waterthrush sightings included 1 in Ladue on 3/6 (Linda Yust), 1 at his home on 3/23 (DC), 1 at RKWD on 3/24 (CM), 1 at LVT on 3/25 (G&TB) and 6 at RKWD on 3/26 (J&CM). Am. Tree Sparrows were found at RKWD on 3/25 (J&CM). Vesper Sparrows were located at HL on 3/19 (D Bz) and on Bischoff Road. Bob Kleiger reported 20+ Fox Sparrows in TGP on 3/1. Sixteen Song Sparrows and 2 Swamp Sparrows were at the Lily Pond/TGP on 3/21 (T Be). Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Towhee and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker wre numerous in TGP by the beginning of the month. Dick Coles found an adult Harris’s Sparrow on Bend Road/HL on 3/11. It was relocated on 3/12 (FH) and on 3/19 (T Bo, CA). At BCA on 3/25, Jeannie Moe had a Harris’s Sparrow and many Towhees. A LeConte’s Sparrow was seen at the Arboretum on 3/8 (MB) and another was found on 3/19 at Little Creve Coeur Marsh (P&BJ). On 3/9, Mary Regan reported a Dickcissel at her feeder in Belleville. Jim Jackson found a Spotted Towhee at the Arboretum on 3/23. Wilma Kennell found a Towhee at BCA on 3/9. Connie Alwood located a male Rusty Blackbird on TGP on 3/4. Five years ago, Rusties were fairly common migrants in TGP but are hardly ever seen there now. By 3/18, a few Rusties and Brewer’s Blackbirds were reported at HL, CL and in St. Charles County (m. ob.).

Carlyle Lake (Dan Kassebaum): Many Bonaparte’s and 1 Franklin’s Gull, 3/5; 42 Ross’s Geese, 2000 Green-winged Teal, 500 Blue-winged Teal, 500 Wigeons, many Fox Sparrows, 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk, 3 Loggerhead Shrikes, 500 Am. Pipits, and 2 Eurasian Collared Doves on 3/12.

Comments: On 3/19, Dennis Bozzay observed 2 Red-tailed Hawks mantling in an effort to keep the rain off. An Ammodramus Sparrow observed by Dan Kassebaum on 3/12 at CL was a possible Henslow’s Sparrow. Also that day, he observed a leucistic Horned Lark and a Rufous-morph adult Red-tailed Hawk. Cooper’s Hawks are moving into residential areas, with 1 pair nesting in FP last year, 1 pair returning to its nest again this year in a Belleville park, and 1 pair in TGP this year. This is part of a national trend, as noted by Bill Rudden and by an article in the current issue of North American Birds magazine. Torrey Berger found an apparent hybrid duck, Eurasion Wigeon x American Wigeon, on 3/21 at the Collinsville Road Golf Course. Frank Holmes photographed this duck; he also photographed a partial albino Ring-necked Duck. On 3/23, a Hummingbird was noted at the Tyson feeders by Joyce Duncan. A Hummingbird this early should definitely be checked closely to see if it is a Western species, which start migrating in February. Early in March, Mike Thelen and the Johnsons noted possible calling Pewees; however, the birds were not seen. Good backyard birds for March included Field Sparrow, Hairy Woodpecker and the ever-present Catbird at Wilma Kennell’s home. Bruce Wetterau located both Brewers and Rusties in TGP near the cattails. Mike Thelen also found a Coyote at Little Creve Coeur Marsh on 3/5. Early butterflies included a Mourning Cloak on 3/9 (J Mo), Spring Azures on 3/23 (J Mo), Zebra Swallowtail at RKWD on 3/25 (CM), a Comma and a Grapevine Epimenis (a diurnal moth) on 3/25 (J Mo), and 2 Spring Azures, a Red Admiral, and a Gray Hairstreak at Busch on 3/25 (YH).

CONTRIBUTORS: Connie Alwood, George & Terry Barker, Paul Bauer, David Becher, Torrey Berger, Rose Ann Bodman, Tom Borman, Dennis Bozzay, Mike Brady, Jackie Chain, Dick Coles, Frank Holmes, Yvonne Homeyer, Paul & Barbara Johnson, Dan Kassebaum, Wilma Kennell, Bob Kleiger, Randy Korotev, Kent Lannert, Jim & Charlene Malone, Jeannie Moe, Mark Peters, Bill Rowe, Bill Rudden, John Solodar, Mike Thelen, Helen Wuestenfeld, Jim Ziebol, many observers. An asterisk means "documented".

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