[From Nature Notes (the journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society), Vol. 75, No. 7, Sep., 2002] MAY 2002 BIRD REPORTBy: Jim Ziebol and Yvonne HomeyerAccording to Bruce Wetteroth, a veteran local birder who has kept records since the 1960s, there were a few decent migratory days this year but nothing like in past years. First Observation Dates: 4/30 5/2 5/4 5/5 5/6 Canada Warbler, TGP, MB 5/7 5/11 5/18 5/19 A breeding-plumaged Common Loon, an Osprey and a Red-shouldered Hawk were seen at the Watershed on 5/31 (J Mo). Joe Smentowski found 15 immature White Pelicans and 50 Cormorants at the Winfield Dam, IL, on 5/1. A Least Bittern and Willow Flycatchers were found at HL on 5/19 (FH) and 2 Least Bitterns and Willow Flycatchers were found at MTC on 5/26 (MB, T Be). Yellow-crowned Night Herons were observed at FP on 5/11 (MAA) and at Little Creve Coeur Marsh on 5/23 (P&BJ). On 5/25, Josh Uffman found Yellow-crowned Night Heron and Am. Bittern at the Shorebird Area, BCA. Tina Weyman found 4 male Wood Ducks at TGP. Several sightings of Virginia Rails were made at Little Creve Coeur Lake during May (P&BJ, G&TB, MG). A Black-necked Stilt, along with 100 Semipalmated Sandpipers and other shorebirds, were seen at Hwy. 61 at Covington Rd., IL, on 5/24 (DK). Two Piping Plovers were observed at REDA on 5/4 (RW, CA). Twenty-eight to 30 Willets seen at HL on 5/2 were exceptional numbers (Th. Group, DB, SC, P&BJ). On 5/4, an Upland Sandpiper was found in St. Charles County (DB, Sat. Group). David Becher also reported Hudsonian Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, and Stilt Sandpiper at REDA on 5/7. On 5/16, Torrey Berger found Stilt, White-rumped, Least & Pectoral Sandpipers, plus 4 Lesser Yellowlegs and Dunlin, at Schoolhouse Rd. near HL. On 5/11, the Barkers found a Glaucous Gull at REDA. Sherry McCowan saw 2 Laughing Gulls on Ellis Island, REDA, on 5/29. On 5/13 & 5/14, up to 200 Black Terns and 13 Common Terns were seen at HL (T Be, FH). On 5/26, there were 3 adult Bald Eagles and an immature at the Levee Road, Monroe County, IL (JZ, video). Mississippi Kites were reported in very good numbers, including 5/8 in TGP (SM, P&BJ), 2 over Manchester Rd. on 5/10 (Bob Healy), on 5/11-5/12 in TGP (DB, YH), on 5/13 in FP (SW), on 5/16 in Ballwin (D Bz), on 5/19 at Tyson (NABA Group, video), on 5/27 in Clayton (MAA). On 5/9, a Red-shouldered Hawk was found at the Green Center (D Bn, CS) and on 5/22, one was seen catching a frog at the BCA Shorebird Area (D Bz). There are Monk Parakeets nesting in Carlyle, IL near the grain elevator by the Dairy Queen (CM). Prior records indicate that there have been multiple sightings in the past from TGP and an attempted nesting at HL. On 5/11, the Johnsons counted 55 species at Lost Valley Trail, including a singing Whip-poor-Will. Lost Valley Trail continues to excellent habitat for songbirds. Black-billed Cuckoos were reported in very good numbers area-wide. Many Olive-sided Flycatchers were seen: several were in TGP on 5/9 (m. ob.) and a late individual was reported there on 5/30 (DD, DW). A Sedge Wren was seen at the Watershed on 5/7 (J Mo). Several Red-breasted Nuthatches were seen in TGP the weekend of 5/11 (CA). On 5/9, the Barkers had a Veery in TGP. Doug Willis, of Farmington, MO, recorded all the vireos, including Bell's, in TGP on 5/7. Other Bell's sightings included Sauget on 5/1 (T Be), E. St. Louis Frontage Rd. on 5/13 (SM), Blue Grosbeak Trail (m. ob.) and Walker's Island/ HL (BW). Prairie Warblers were found on 5/5 at Victoria Glade (J&NS) and at Valley View Glade (YH), on 5/22 at Shaw Nature Reserve (J Mo), and on 5/22 at BCA (RAB, VL, JC). On 5/6, Frank Holmes found 10 species of warblers in Wilson Park in Granite City, including Canada and Mourning. Mourning and Connecticut Warblers were found in exceptional numbers area-wide. The first Connecticut was sighted on 5/7 in Edwardsville (J Mo). Late warbler sightings included 2 Mourning and 1 Connecticut female at TGP on 5/22 (YH), Bay-breasted and Mourning on 5/24 in FP (RK), and a singing Connecticut in TGP on 5/25 (CA). On 5/9, the Thursday Group found 100 Bobolinks at HL. Mike Farm found Clay-colored Sparrow at TGP on 5/10, and another was seen there on 5/16 by 3 visiting British birders. The only Sharp-tailed Sparrow reported was from BCA on 5/7, along with Marsh Wren and Virginia Rail (Donald Hays). Grasshopper Sparrow was heard at Horseshoe Lake on 5/4 (YH, FH, Diane Tecic) and others were seen in Chesterfield Valley in the latter part of the month (MAA, m. ob.). Lark Sparrows were reported at Blue Grosbeak Trail on 5/25 (JU) and at BCA on 5/30 (MT). A Painted Bunting returned to E. St. Louis by 5/7 (DK) and was re-found on 5/11 (SM). On 5/12, 18 warbler species were found in FP, plus Black-billed Cuckoo (JM, RW) and 17 species in TGP including good numbers of Mourning, Cape May, Veery, and Mississippi Kite (YH, JZ, m. ob.). Sherry McCowan reported late dates for Dark-eyed Junco (5/9, TGP), White-crowned Sparrow (5/15 in Soulard), and White-throated Sparrow (5/15, TGP). A typical day at REDA on 5/6 included 2 Caspian Terns, 7 Forster's Terns, Franklin's Gull, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Willet, 3 Dunlin, and Black-crowned Night Heron (J Mo). A typical shorebird day at REDA on 5/3, before the flood, included 2 Black-bellied Plovers, 8 Semipalmated Plovers, 2 Piping Plovers (endangered), 5 Greater Yellowlegs, 100+ Lesser Yellowlegs, 4 Solitary Sandpipesr, 2 Marbled Godwits, 1000+ peeps, 1 White-rumped, 1 Baird's, 25 Pecs, 15 Dowitcher species, and 4 Wilson's Phalaropes; this was Torrey Berger's best shorebird day ever at REDA. Comments: The N. American Migratory Bird Count in Madison County, IL produced 144 species. The City of St. Louis Count (TGP, FP, and Carondelet Park) recorded 72 species, including Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Mississippi Kite, and Cooper's Hawk. On 5/11, Randy Korotev had 1 Blackburnian and 2 Golden-wingeds at his home. Scott Marshall and John Karel both had Yellow Warblers at their homes in 5/15. Margy Terpstra's high count was 50 species on 5/10, including 15 warbler species and a Marsh Wren. Linda Yust found Hooded and Golden-winged Warblers in her yard on 5/9. Josh Uffman observed a Screech Owlet and a Mourning Warbler at his home. Jane Walker reported Blackburnian and Wilson's in her yard. Kraig Paradise had a Mourning Warbler in his yard. A Barred Owl has been a regular visitor at John Loomis's home. WGNSS members who searched downtown streets early in the morning during migration turned up a Virginia Rail walking around and, predictably, a few dead birds. According to Bill Evans, a member of the federal Bird Strike Task Force, the number of fatalities due to collisions with lighted buildings and towers have decreased along with the overall decline in migratory bird populations. Contributors: Connie Alwood, Mary Ann Auer, George & Terry Barker, David Becher, Dianne Benjamin, Torrey Berger, Rose Ann Bodman, Tom Bormann, Dennis Bozzay, Mike Brady, Jackie Chain, Jean Cook, Shawn Clubb, Dale & Nancy Delaney, Derick Driemeyer, Mike Grant, Bob Healy, Frank Holmes, Yvonne Homeyer, Paul & Barbara Johnson, Dan Kassebaum, Randy Korotev, Kent Lannert, Vivian Liddell, Betty Lobos, Jim & Charlene Malone, Sherry McCowan, Jeannie Moe, Joe Smentowski, John & Nancy Solodar, Claudia Spener, Mike Thelen, Josh Uffman, Bruce Wetteroth, Tina Weyman, Rad Widmer, Doug Willis, Jim Ziebol. |