[From Nature Notes (the journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society), Vol. 74, No. 1, Jan., 2002] NOVEMBER BIRD REPORTBy: Jim Ziebol and Yvonne HomeyerSIGHTINGS: A late report from October was a N. Goshawk seen by Bill Rowe on 10/6 in St. Louis County. A Red-throated Loon and a Lesser Black-backed Gull were sighted at CL on 11/10 (BR). The sighting of 37 Common Loons seen at HL on 11/1 was highly unusual (FH). The Johnsons found 11 Common Loons at REDA on 11/11. On 11/4, there were 11 Horned Grebes and 5 White Pelicans at HL (FH) and by 11/10, Tom Bormann found 100 Pelicans there. An American Bittern seen on 11/17 at Teal Pond/REDA was a very good find (Joe Eades). Tom Bormann found 10 Trumpeter Swans at REDA on 11/10 and Mike Thelen counted 21 Trumpeters there on 11/25. Edna Alexander reported 150 White-fronted Geese at 2Rivers on 11/17 and the Johnsons found 3 at BCA on 11/24. By 11/18, Snow Geese had arrived area-wide in good numbers; a Ross's Goose was spotted in a flock at BCA on 11/18 (SW, MP). About 200 Lesser Scaup and 150 Coots were located at REDA on 11/11 (J Mo). A large flock of about 1,000 Coots was present at HL on 11/25 (MT). On 11/9, the Malones found Black Scoter and Surf Scoter at REDA (m. ob.) and a Black Scoter was seen there again on 11/17 (MT). By 11/10, Canvasbacks and Goldeneyes had arrived at REDA (CM). Dan Kassebaum reported 100,000 ducks at CL on 11/18, including Red-breasted Merganser and many Common Loons and Horned Grebes. About 70 Killdeer were reported at Hwy. 94 & D on 11/23 (P&BJ). Wilma Kennell found 6 Snipe at BCA on 11/6. Frank Holmes observed 2 Least Sandpipers near HL on 11/23. There were 650+ Bonaparte's Gulls, a Lesser Black-backed Gull and 11 Common Loons at CL on 11/23 (RK). A Turkey Vulture was seen at Lake Springfield, Ill. on 11/22 (MT). Three Harriers were seen along the Levee Road on 11/25 (JZ, YH) and 1 was seen at REDA on the same day (MT). A Cooper's Hawk was reported at HL on 11/25 (MT). The third N. Goshawk spotted this fall was seen at HL on 11/25 (G&TB). Red-shouldered Hawk, Hairy Woodpecker, and Pileated Woodpecker were found at Castlewood SP on 11/8 (Jean Cook & Th. Group). Red-shouldered Hawk was also seen at BCA on 11/14, along with Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Red-breasted Nuthatch (SW, MP). On 11/25, a Red-tailed Hawk carrying a large, wriggling Black Snake was observed in flight along Bluff Road; a dark-phased Western Red-tail was seen on Levee Road that same day (JZ, YH). [About 150 butterflies of 6 species were observed along the Levee Road on this warm, 64 degree day.] The first Krider's Red-tail was located at REDA on 11/12 (SW, MP) and another was seen there on 11/25 (J Mo, KP). A Merlin carrying a blackbird was observed at HL on 11/1; a Red-tailed Hawk flew over and the Merlin dropped the blackbird and flew off (FH). A Peregrine Falcon was reported at REDA on 11/17 (DC, MT). On 11/22, a Eurasian Collared Dove was seen near Edwardsville (FH). Sandy Walters & Myrna Prenger found 2 Short-eared Owls near REDA on 11/12. A Kingfisher was seen near Steinberg Rink in FP on 11/23 (WK). Fifty Horned Larks were spotted on Weidy Road, St. Charles Co., on 11/11 (J Mo). A Hermit Thrush seen in TGP on 11/5 was somewhat late (PB). An out-of-town birder reported finding a Varied Thrush in TGP on 11/15 but the bird was not refound. Dave Ziolowski found 4 Snow Buntings at REDA on 11/19. An estimated 1,000 Lapland Longspurs were seen in fields near CL on 11/10 (DK) and 100 Brewer's Blackbirds were found there on 11/18 (DK). Rusty Blackbird sightings included several at HL on 11/11 (JZ, YH, video), over 100 on the Levee Road on 11/14 (JZ), 1 at MTC on 11/17 (DC, MT), and several at BCA on 11/18 (JZ, YH). Pine Siskins were found area-wide from 10/31 through November (VL, JC, DK, K Mc, JW, DC). Purple Finch sightings included 100 at BCA on 11/23 (the Johnsons), 1 on 11/24 at BCA (YH), and many Purple Finch mixed with Fox Sparrows and Brown Creepers at Steve Vogel's feeder in Hillsboro. COMMENTS: WGNSS Member Anne McCormack has established a new State Record. When the Rufous Hummingbird that has been visiting her feeder in Kirkwood was netted, it was discovered that the bird had been previously banded in Louisiana in the Fall of 2000. It is confirmed as an adult female, which makes it a record for Missouri because all prior Rufous Hummingbird sightings have been immatures. Good backyard birds at Vicki Flier's included a flock of 50-60 Eurasian Tree Sparrows, a Red-breasted Nuthatch, and an infrequent Cooper's Hawk. Barbara Estill & Jeannie Moe also reported Red-breasted Nuthatches in their yards. On 11/18, the Barkers reported 2 Pine Siskins at their home. CONTRIBUTORS: Connie Alwood, George & Terry Barker, Paul Bauer, David Becher, Torrey Berger, Tom Bormann, Dick Coles, Jean Cook, Frank Holmes, Yvonne Homeyer, Paul & Barbara Johnson, Dan Kassebaum, Wilma Kennell, Randy Korotev, Vivian Liddell, Jim & Charlene Malone, Keith McMullen, Jeannie Moe, Kraig Paradise, Myrna Prenger, Bill Rowe, Mike Thelen, Jane Walker, Sandy Walters, Jim Ziebol, many observers. An asterisk means "documented". 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. |