[From Nature Notes (the journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society), Vol. 74, No. 2, February, 2002]

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John Molyneaux was a good friend of WGNSS and a true gentleman. He will be greatly missed. In addition, we want to thank Ken Cohen and Sue Gustafson who led the efforts to get the lights on the Gateway Arch turned off during peak migration periods in the spring and fall.

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT REMARKS (highlights mentioned individually): Pere Marquette, 12/15, about 100 species, Winter Wren; Principia College, Elsah, Ill., 12/15, 2 Palm Warblers (very good birds); Carlyle Lake, 12/17, 103 species, 6 owl species, Merlin, Lapland Longspurs, Am. Pipits, Pine Siskins, Brewer's Blackbirds; Cuivre River S.P., 12/20, 1 Winter Wren, 6 Purple Finch; Collinsville Circle, 12/22, about 80 species, Fish Crow, 5 Common Loons, Krider's Red-tailed Hawk, Screech Owl; Busch C.A., 12/29, Lincoln's Sparrow, Hermit Thrush, Brown Thrasher, numerous Red-tailed Hawk variants; Clarence Cannon, 12/30, about 80 species, 67,825 Mallards, 200 Greater White-fronted Geese.

SIGHTINGS: At CL, a Red-throated Loon was observed on 12/15 (G&TB) and Common Loon continued to be seen throughout the month. On 12/23, 5 Great Egrets were seen at HL (FH). Up to 40 Trumpeter Swans were found in December at REDA (P&BJ, CA, m. ob.). White-fronted Goose sightings included 60 at REDA on 12/1 (CM) and 200 at CL on 12/9 (DK). On 12/7, a Ross's Goose was sighted with many Snow Geese, along with several Loggerhead Shrikes at Baldwin Lake (Th. Group). Over 1500 Gadwalls were seen near the railroad tracks at HL on 12/16 (FH). Charlene Malone counted 60 Buffleheads and a Common Loon at Little Creve Coeur Marsh on 12/1. Four Surf Scoters were seen at REDA on 12/8 (BR) and 3 were seen at HL on 12/9 (KL). Dan Kassebaum counted 23 species of ducks at CL on 12/8 and 12/9. Kathy Thiele counted 30 Turkey Vultures, a very high number, in Ste. Genevieve County on 12/28. Dick Coles observed an adult Golden Eagle along I-44 at Tyson on 12/5. Sharp-shinned Hawks were seen at CL on 12/2 (MT) and at HL on 12/9 (FH). The Johnsons observed 2 Rough-legged Hawks in Clinton & Bond Counties, Ill. on 12/18. A Peregrine Falcon was seen near Orton Road on 12/8 (G&TB). The first Great Black-backed Gull (an adult) of the season was found at HL on 12/30 (FH, photo). Frank Holmes also had a Lesser Black-backed Gull near HL on 12/23 (photo). On the weekend of 12/1-2, Mike Thelen found 100 Bonaparte's Gulls at HL and 450 at CL.

A Long-eared Owl was seen at Hazlet S.P. on 12/9 (DK). An Eastern Phoebe was reported on 12/7 at Cuivre River S.P. (BS). A really good winter find was a singing Bewick's Wren near their home in Franklin County on 12/21 (Cheryl & Don Delashmit). Peter Hoell reported a Winter Wren at his home in Eureka on 12/25 and 2 Red-shouldered Hawks from West Tyson Park on 12/27. Another really good winter bird was a Barn Swallow, observed at CL on 12/26 (DK et al.). A Brown Thrasher was seen at HL on 12/30 (FH). Brewer's Blackbirds were found in Bond County, Ill. on 12/18 (P&BJ).

Mike Thelen reported the following sightings from CL on 12/1, a typical day for this time of year: 11 species of ducks, 1 Turkey Vulture, 1 Bald Eagle, 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk (juvenile), 1 Red-shouldered Hawk, 21 Red-tailed Hawks, including 1 vocalizing and 1 apparent juvenile western, 5 Kestrels, 1 Killdeer, 450 Bonaparte's Gulls, and 4 Kingfishers.

COMMENTS: A partial albino Grackle (white-headed) was seen in Wilma Kennell's yard. Two Red-breasted Nuthatches were present in December in the yard of Zoe Geist. Jack Harris found both a Cooper's Hawk and a Red-breasted Nuthatch in his yard. Dennis Bozzay reported a Cooper's Hawk stalking Juncoes on foot in his yard. A Hermit Thrush visited Irene Mondhink's feeder in Jersey Co., Ill. on 12/20. Anne McCormack's female Rufous Hummingbird was last seen on 12/24. On 12/30, Frank Holmes observed a Bald Eagle land by a listless domestic goose on the ice at HL. After a few minutes, the eagle climbed onto the goose's back and began plucking the live bird. The goose died shortly thereafter and the eagle enjoyed its meal. Also on 12/30, a Kestrel took a long bath in a heated birdbath and fed at the suet feeder at the Affton home of Judy Boeser.

CONTRIBUTORS: Connie Alwood, George & Terry Barker, Paul Bauer, David Becher, Torrey Berger, Tom Bormann, Dick Coles, Cheryl & Don Delashmit, Peter Hoell, Frank Holmes, Paul & Barbara Johnson, Dan Kassebaum, Wilma Kennell, Kent Lannert, Randy Korotev, Vivian Liddell, Jim & Charlene Malone, Anne McCormack, Jeannie Moe, Irene Mondhink, Bill Rowe, Bruce Schuette, Mike Thelen, Kathy Thiele, 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.

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