[From Nature Notes (the journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society), Vol. 73, No. 4, April, 2001] FEBRUARY BIRD REPORTBy: Jim Ziebol and Yvonne HomeyerTwo Horned Grebes appeared at CL on 2/10 (JM). On 2/24, a Black-crowned Night Heron was spotted near HL (G&TB). Eighty White Pelicans were found at HL on 2/4 (FH). That number was topped on 2/25, when Rose Ann Bodman observed 1200+ White Pelicans at REDA. On 2/4, Dennis Bozzay counted 30+ Trumpeter Swans at REDA. The Johnsons found a Mute Swan at Silver Lake, IL on 2/11. On 2/14, 70 Snow Geese and 4 Greater White-fronted Geese were found on Bischoff Rd. (T Be). There were 105 Greater White-fronted Geese at HL on 2/25 (DB, FH, m. ob.). That same day, there were 850 Snow Geese at Mastodon State Park (RAB). Kevin Richmond located a female Barrow's Goldeneye at REDA on 2/10. The Smew was seen again on 2/23 at REDA (T Be). Charlene Malone observed a Black Scoter at REDA on 2/5. A female Oldsquaw was reported at HL on 2/24 (CA, T Be, KL, J&CM, P&BJ). On 2/24, Dan Kassebaum had 24 duck species at CL and counted 20,000 Pintails in the fields. The earliest Woodcocks reported were from BCA on 2/6 (J Mo). Killdeer were being seen in the area by 2/4. On 2/17, the Johnsons found 60 Snipe along Hwy. 111. A Parasitic Jaeger was observed near the Brussel's Ferry on 2/24 (Irene Mondhink, Edna Alexander) and that same day, a Laughing Gull was reported there (DK). Kevin Richmond spotted a Laughing Gull at REDA on 2/10. At HL on 2/3, Jim Ziebol found a first-year Great Black-backed Gull and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. Two other Lesser Black-backed Gulls were seen at REDA on 2/25 (CA). Charlene Malone reported 2 Glaucous Gulls at REDA on 2/14. There were two sightings of Iceland Gull: one at REDA on 2/10 (G&TB) and a first-year individual at Lincoln Shields on 2/17 (MT). Jeannie Moe found a Thayer's Gull at REDA on 2/4 and 2/11. Fifteen Turkey Vultures were reported in Jefferson County on 2/20 (JL). On 2/4, Joe Eades found 2 Black Vultures at Hawn State Park. At REDA on 2/5, 75 Bald Eagles were present. (CM). Dennis Bozzay saw a male Harrier at Eagle Park on 2/25. More male Harriers than usual were reported this winter in our area. On 2/25, a Cooper's Hawk was spotted at Mastodon State Park (RAB). Two Red-shouldered Hawks were reported at Castlewood on 2/20 (JC); the Johnsons also found 2 Red-shouldered Hawks there on 2/23. On 2/22, there was an adult Krider's Red-tailed Hawk at HL (JZ). A Western Red-tailed Hawk was seen on Collinsville Rd. on 2/12 (T Be) and on 2/24 (DB). A Rough-legged Hawk was observed at Alta Villa on 2/3 (J Mo). About 50 Turkeys were found along Gravois Creek on 2/1 (JH). On 2/3, 2 Long-eared Owls and a Saw-whet Owl were observed at Hawn Access (G&TB). Long-eared Owls were also seen at MTNWR on 2/11 (P&BJ). Mike Thelen heard 2 Barred Owls calling back and forth in a duet on 2/3 near Eureka. A Barred Owl was found at Pere Marquette on 2/19 (WK). On 2/3, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was seen near Eureka (MT). Fish Crows were reported at Castlewood on 2/23 (P&BJ). Hermit Thrush appeared in two locations: on 2/18 at Lost Valley Trail (P&BJ) and on 2/22 at Babler SP (SG). There were several sightings of Loggerhead Shrike: on 2/3 along Hwy. 50 (T Bo), on 2/10 at CL (JM), and 2 on 2/19 at Baldwin Lake (DB). On 2/6, a Red-breasted Nuthatch was seen at CA (J Mo). Frank Holmes observed 7 migrating E. Bluebirds at HL on 2/1. On 2/25, a Brown Thrasher was observed on Collinsville Rd. (D Bz). Twenty Yellow-rumped Warblers were found at HL on 2/6 (D Bz). An early Pine Warbler was found at Mastodon State Park on 2/25 (RAB). Harris' Sparrows were seen twice: the Johnsons found one at MTNWR on 2/11 and Frank Holmes and Jeannie Moe found one at HL on 2/25. On 2/18, the Johnsons found an E. Towhee at BCA/Lake 3. Two Rusty Blackbirds were seen on 2/19 at Baldwin Lake (DB) and one was seen on 2/25 at HL (FH). A Snow Bunting in breeding plumage was reported at Mastodon State Park on 2/20 (JL). Charlene Malone saw 12 Red Crossbills at Rockwoods on 2/15. COMMENTS: Wilma Kennell had a Screech Owl at her Univ. City home on 2/13 and Sue Gustafson has continued to see a Great Horned Owl in Webster Groves. In spite of December's bad weather, several Carolina Wrens were reported in February. Charlene Malone saw a hybrid Common Goldeneye x Hooded Merganser on 2/24. On October 31, 2000, the National Audubon Society and 26 other organizations petitioned the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the Cerulean Warlber as "Threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. The Cerulean is disappearing quickly in the eastern U.S. They are reliable in only two places in the immediate St. Louis area. In three of the last five years, they haven't been detected in migration in either Forest Park or Tower Grove Park. They nest in the open in tall trees and are very vulnerable to Cowbirds. They are long-distance migrants, wintering in northern South America. Without help, these lovely birds could completely disappear in a short period of time. Please report ALL Cerulean sightings to Jim Ziebol or Yvonne Homeyer. ABBREVIATIONS: Busch Conservation Area = BCA; Carlyle Lake = CL; Horseshoe Lake = HL; Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge = MTNWR; Marais Temps Clair = MTC; Riverlands = REDA; Tower Grove Park = TGP. CONTRIBUTORS: Connie Alwood, George & Terry Barker, Paul Bauer, David Becher, Torrey Berger, Rose Ann Bodman, Tom Bormann, Dennis Bozzay, Jackie Chain, Sue Gustafson, Jack Harris, Frank Holmes, Paul & Barbara Johnson, Dan Kassebaum, Wilma Kennell, Kent Lannert, John Loomis, Jim & Charlene Malone, Jeannie Moe, Mike Thelen, Jim Ziebol, many observers. An asterisk means "documented". |