[From Nature Notes (the journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society), Vol. 73, No. 9, Nov., 2001] SEPTEMBER BIRD REPORTBy: Jim Ziebol and Yvonne HomeyerINTRODUCTION: The fall migration was very slow. The expected numbers of gulls, ducks and landbirds were not encountered. The one exception of note were the 4 Black-throated Blue Warblers seen in the area, arriving earlier than usual. SIGHTINGS: Aug. 2001 (late report): On 8/28, Ian Hunt observed a Piping Plover (federally Endangered), Western Sandpiper, other shorebirds and a Bonaparte's Gull at CL. Sept. 2001: A Horned Grebe was found on 9/15 at CL (T Bo) and 40 Pied-billed Grebes were seen at HL on 9/23 (FH). Two thousand White Pelicans and 2 Ospreys were observed at Swan Lake, 2Rivers NWR, on 9/27 (Thursday Group). Torrey Berger found 110 Double-crested Cormorants at REDA on 9/22. Frank Holmes reported 40 Snowy Egrets at HL on 9/2 and 100 Great Egrets near Mel Price Dam on 9/24. There were 1500+ assorted herons and egrets of six species on the Levee Road on 9/8 (JZ). Two Snow Geese were observed near HL on 9/20 (T Be). The 4 Avocets at REDA hotlined by Torrey Berger on 9/20 were seen by many observers. Two Willets were found at Ill. Hwy. 143 near I-255 on 9/8 (PB, G&TB, m. ob.). On 9/2, at Parking Lot #3 of CL, there were 18 species of shorebirds, including Wilson's Phalarope, Ruddy Turnstone, and Sanderling (T Bo). Dan Kassebaum found 20 shorebird species there on 9/8, including 4 Sanderlings, Wilson's Phalarope, Ruddy Turnstone, Marbled Godwit, and 26 Buff-breasted Sandpipers (formerly a Candidate listing for Endangered). Keith McMullen reported Ruddy Turnstone and White-rumped Sandpiper from Hazlet State Park, CL, on 9/8. On 9/15, Tom Bormann found 12 Am. Golden Plovers, 100 Pectorals, and 5 Sanderlings at CL. Buff-breasted Sandpipers and Sanderlings were still present at CL, Parking Lot #3, on 9/23 (JM, m. ob.). Sightings on 9/29 at CL included 2 Hudsonian Godwits, White-rumped Sandpiper, Dunlin, and other shorebirds (DK). Jaeger sightings at CL included a Jaeger species on 9/5 (KM) and an adult Long-tailed Jaeger on 9/21 (DK). There was an adult Laughing Gull at CL on 9/9 (DK) and a first-year bird at Mel Price Dam on 9/21 (FH). Six Herring Gulls, a Franklin's Gull and 1 Bonaparte's were found at CL on 9/29 (Mary Regan). Leroy Henderson found Sabine's Gull and 2 Red Phalaropes at CL on 9/14. Northern Harriers were reported from HL on 9/2 (FH) and REDA on 9/16 (MT). On 9/12, a Cooper's Hawk was observed flying over Brentwood Blvd. (YH). The earliest reported dates for Broad-winged Hawks were 9/9, St. Louis County (JZ) and 9/14 over her home in Des Peres (Barbara Estill). Osprey sightings included 1 near Brussel's Ferry on 9/1 (J&CM), 3 at CL on 9/9 (DK), 3 at CL on 9/15 (T Bo), 1 at HL on 9/15 (G&TB), 3 at Busch C.A. on 9/22 (YH), and 10 at CL on 9/23 (DK). Vivian Liddell reported Red-shouldered Hawk, Scarlet Tanager and Rose-breasted Grosbeak at Busch C.A. on 9/20. A Northern Goshawk was a good find in Ballwin on 9/20 (T Be). Twelve Broad-winged Hawks, an immature Red-shouldered, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, and an adult Bald Eagle were seen at Tyson on 9/19 (Jane Walker). Sept. 20 was a good day for raptors and Mark Peters reported 600+ Broad-wingeds at his home in Jefferson County that day. Nighthawk sightings included 25 in Brentwood on 9/2 (YH), 24 in U. City on 9/10 (MT), and 50 near HL on 9/10 (FH). David Rabenau and others observed a Yellow-billed Cuckoo in TGP on 9/8. Yellow-billed Cuckoos were also observed at Hilda Young C.A. on 9/1 and 9/16 (D Bz). Dan Kassebaum found a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher at CL on 9/9. Olive-sided Flycatchers were reported from TGP on 9/8 (PB) and on 9/16 (MT). Sharon Bunch briefly observed a male Rufous Hummingbird at her home in Fenton on 9/13. Red-breasted Nuthatch and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker were first observed in TGP on 9/23 (DB, m. ob.). Two Red-breasted Nuthatches were seen at the home of Margie Richardson on 9/25, along with a resident Carolina Wren. Thrush sightings at TGP included a Veery on 9/9 (JZ), by 9/5 many Swainson's Thrush (m. ob.), on 9/15 a Gray-cheeked Thrush (IH), and on 9/17, Chris Brown found a Wood Thrush. Torrey Berger found 16 Brown Thrashers in TGP on 9/20. The Malones located a Loggerhead Shrike on Cora Island Rd. on 9/1; this is always a good find in the fall. Mike Thelen reported Am. Pipit, Indigo Bunting, and Ruby-throated Hummingbird at CL on 9/22. Red-eyed, White-eyed, Yellow-throated and Warbling Vireos were all found singing at Busch C.A. on 9/11 (DB). Black-throated Blue sightings included a male at TGP on 9/9 (Sherry McCowan, J&CM, G&TB), a female at TGP on 9/11 (George & Linda Wilson), a male on the campus of St. Louis Univ. on 9/13 (NB), and a female at TGP on 9/23 (IH). On 9/13, the Thursday Group found Golden-winged, N. Parula, Blackburnian, and Sharp-shinned Hawk in TGP and FP. By 9/15, Canada, Magnolia, Redstart, Black-and-White, Nashville, Wilson's Warblers, and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers were being reported in fair numbers at TGP (J Co, Chris Brown, Josh Uffman). The Saturday Group found Cape May Warbler and Mourning Warbler on 9/29 at TGP. During a weekend field trip to HL by the Illinois Audubon Society, they and other birders found Lincoln's Sparrow (JZ), Bobolink (JZ, FH), and Ruby-crowned Kinglet (JM). Dan Kassebaum found Clay-colored Sparrow at CL on 9/15. White-crowned Sparrow was seen at Busch C.A. on 9/30 (JZ). Sept. 17 was a good day in TGP, with Black-throated Green, 2 Magnolia Warblers, 1 Canada, Blackburnian, 6 Redstarts, 3 Ovenbirds, 2 Red-eyed Vireos, and 2 Swainson's Thrush (T Be). Dennis Bozzay found Wood Duck, Pintail, Shoveler, Yellow-rumped, Tennessee, Orange-crowned, Nashville, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Sharp-shinned Hawk at HL on 9/30. COMMENTS: At their home in Webster Groves, Sue Gustafson and David Rabenau observed a Screech Owl throughout the month, and Vicki Flier had a Great Horned Owl visiting her home in Webster Groves. A resident Great Horned Owl in Dennis Bozzay's Crestwood subdivision is leaving decapitated squirrels around the neighborhood. Wilma Kennell's backyard yielded Screech Owl, 2 Catbirds on 9/3 and a Redstart on 8/26. Bruce Schuette reported three territorial male Cerulean Warblers at Cuivre River S.P. this year, all likely breeding individuals. NEW MISSOURI GUIDE AVAILABLE: The Missouri Audubon Society has revised its bird-finding guide in an all-new format. Contributors include Paul Bauer, Jim Jackson, Randy Korotev and Bill Rowe. Jim Ziebol illustrated the book. This updated edition includes 32 new birding locations, new maps, and bar graphs. Paul Bauer is also selling the books locally. CONTRIBUTORS: Connie Alwood, Nick Barber, George & Terry Barker, Paul Bauer, David Becher, Torrey Berger, Tom Bormann, Dennis Bozzay, Jean Cook, Dennis Bozzay, Sue Gustafson, Frank Holmes, Yvonne Homeyer, Ian Hunt, Dan Kassebaum, Wilma Kennell, Kent Lannert, Jim & Charlene Malone, Keith McMullen, David Rabenau, Mike Thelen, Jim Ziebol, many observers. An asterisk means "documented". To submit a report email Yvonne at homeyer@earthlink.net by the last day of the month. ABBREVIATIONS: Busch Conservation Area = BCA; Carlyle Lake = CL; Forest Park = FP; Horseshoe Lake = HL; Lost Valley Trail = LVT; Marais Temps Clair = MTC; Riverlands = REDA; Tower Grove Park = TGP; Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge = 2Rivers. |