[From Nature Notes (the journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society), Vol. 72, No. 7, Sep., 2000]

back to Bird Report index

Abbreviations: Busch = BCA, Horseshoe Lake = HL, Riverlands = REDA, Carondelet Park = CP, 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.

Pied-billed Grebes bred at HL, with 3 present at the boat launch on 6/11 (FH). Eighty White Pelicans were reported from MTNWR on 6/5 (WK, HW) and 135 were observed at REDA on 6/17 (T Be). An American Bittern was a good find at REDA on 6/8 (G&TB). Least Bittern was reported on 6/11 at HL (FH), on 6/11 at MTNWR (HW, m. ob.), and on 6/22 at HL (DK). Twenty-five Green Herons were observed at various lakes in BCA on 6/17 (T Bo). A roosting Black-crowned Night Heron was found in Des Peres Park on 6/20 (BE). On 6/26, a Yellow-crowned Night Heron was found at the Sauget Marsh (T Be). A Glossy Ibis was reported from MTNWR on 6/10 (HW*). In June, the following northern breeding ducks were found at REDA: 2 Lesser Scaup & 1 Goldeneye male on 6/18 (FH, m. ob.), 2 Ruddy Ducks on 6/27 (CA), N. Shovelers on 6/5 (WK, CM), 1 Goldeneye female with an injured wing (DH). Frank Holmes also found a Redhead at HL on 6/18. Two Mississippi Kites were seen flying over Webster Groves on 6/22 (Scott Marshall) and 2 were found at their traditional site at Fort Kaskaskia on 6/29 (G&TB). Two Broad-winged Hawks were seen at Powder Valley on 6/26 (BE). On 6/22, 2 immature Red-tailed Hawks were found at BCA (J Mo). On 6/28, 4 Kestrels, including 2 fledglings, were observed at Bend Road/HL (JZ). Torrey Berger found a Turkey hen with 5 "turklets" on 6/27 near HL.

The Barkers reported 2 King Rails at REDA on 6/10 and the Thursday group heard one at Clarence Cannon on 6/15. A Lesser Golden Plover was observed at REDA on 6/24 (BK, m. ob.). A very early Black-bellied Plover was seen in Illinois near REDA on 6/20 (FH). On 6/21, Lesser Yellowlegs were reported from REDA (CM) and one was seen on Schoolhouse Road on 6/28 (FH). Dan Kassebaum found a Willet at CL on 6/30 and on 6/13, he had a 2nd year Laughing Gull. The Thursday group saw 80+ Ring-billed Gulls at REDA on 6/15. Two Common Terns were early arrivals at REDA on 6/22 (Steve Daly). Caspian Terns were located at REDA on 6/15 by the Thursday group. Torrey Berger found 2 Least Terns on 6/19 at the Causeway/HL and Charlene Malone located Least Terns at Ellis Bay/REDA the same day; on 6/20 a pair was seen mating (PB, CM). The Least Terns were seen by the Barkers on 6/21 and by many birders on 6/24. Three Black Terns returned to MTNWR on 6/17 (HW) and 5 Black Terns were seen at REDA that day (CM). On 6/21, Kent Lannert had Common, Caspian and Black Terns at REDA.

A Great Horned Owl was seen in BCA on 6/3 (YH, JZ). A Barred Owl was heard and 2 Turkeys were seen in Kennedy Forest/FP on 6/27 (Dianne Benjamin). Frank Holmes found Chuck-will's-widow near Alton on 6/11. A late spring migrating Yellow-belled Flycatcher was in BCA on 6/4 (JZ, YH, J Mo). On 6/11, Sedge Wrens were found at REDA (CM) and a Marsh Wren was seen on 6/17 at MTNWR (HW). On 6/3, a Yellow-throated Vireo was found in BCA (YH). A Black-and-white Warbler was found at BCA on 6/4 (D Bz) and he also had Hooded Warbler at Lake 34 that day. On 6/17, Torrey Berger observed 2 Hooded Warblers on the Fallen Oak Trail at BCA. Hooded Warblers have been observed there the last 3 summers by Marc Lund and Sandy Walters. On 6/3, 3 Scarlet Tanagers and 2 Summer Tanagers were seen at BCA (JZ, YH) and Jeannie Moe had a molting male Scarlet Tanager at BCA on 6/29. Bruce Wetteroth found a Summer Tanager in TGP on 6/7. Scarlet Tanager was seen in BCA on 6/28 and 6/30 (J&CM). A Blue Grosbeak found near Hampton Lake/BCA on 6/25 (LV) and one at the Henslow's Sparrow site near Lakes 34/35 on 6/27 (CM) were rare occurrences for Busch. A Blue Grosbeak was observed near HL on 6/20 (T Be). While doing his bird survey at Busch on 6/11, Dennis Bozzay had 6 Henslow's Sparrows at the Lakes 34/35 site (photo). Charlene Malone, who found the birds in May (see May Report), monitored this site throughout the summer and the Henslow's Sparrows were seen and heard by many. There is no previous record for breeding Henslow's Sparrows in St. Charles County. The species is classified as a "species of conservation concern" by the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service and by the Missouri Department of Conservation.

COMMENTS: A pair of Prothonotary Warblers was seen with a fledgling on 6/30 and a Yellow Warbler was also seen feeding a Cowbird that day at BCA (J Mo). On 6/6, Victoria Glade yielded Red-shouldered and Broad-winged Hawks, 2 Chats, Blue-winged Warbler, 2 Kentucky Warblers, N. Parula and White-eyed Vireo (D Bz). Dennis Bozzay also saw a Broad-winged Hawk carrying prey and several warbler species at Hilda Young CA on 6/13. Bruce Wetteroth was still seeing the pair of first year Cooper's Hawks in TGP the first week of June. Jeannie Moe saw an Eastern Kingbird mobbing 2 Red-tailed Hawks at BCA on 6/22.

CONTRIBUTORS: Connie Alwood, George & Terry Barker, Paul Bauer, Torrey Berger, Tom Borman, Dennis Bozzay, Barbara Estill, Dottie Herwig, Frank Holmes, Yvonne Homeyer, Dan Kassebaum, Wilma Kennell, Bob Kleiger, Kent Lannert, Jim & Charlene Malone, Jeannie Moe, Linda Virga, Bruce Wettheroth, Helen Wuestenfeld, Jim Ziebol, many observers. An asterisk means "documented".

back to WGNSS homepage