[From Nature Notes (the journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society), Vol. 76, No. 1, Jan., 2002] NOVEMBER 2002 BIRD REPORTBy: Jim Ziebol and Yvonne HomeyerSightings: A Common Loon and a Red-throated Loon were seen at REDA on 11/2 (DB, Saturday Group) and a Common Loon was also seen there on 11/24 (MAA, Sunday Group). Western Grebes were observed at REDA on 11/9 (DR) and one was seen on Creve Coeur Lake on 11/11 (Leslie Koller). Eared Grebes were reported at the O'Fallon (IL) Sewage Lagoon on 11/9 (DK), at REDA on 11/17 (P&BJ), and at Creve Coeur Lake on 11/19 (IH). By 11/5, 1000+ Pelicans were present at HL. Torrey Berger found 33 Great Blue Herons, 18 Buffleheads, and 700 Crows at HL on 11/25. On 11/2, Mike Thelen observed a late Great Egret and 2 E. Phoebes at REDA. Early on 11/29, a Sandhill Crane was observed flying at REDA (JU). Two Tundra Swans were found in a flock of up to 28 Trumpeters at REDA starting on 11/10 (DR, MAA). Charlene Malone located a Ross' Goose at REDA on 11/4. Scoter sightings included a Black Scoter at the O'Fallon Sewage Lagoon on 11/9 (DK), 10+ Surf Scoters at REDA (m. ob.), a White-winged Scoter at Creve Coeur Lake on 11/2 (CM, MG), on 11/3 (G&TB), and on 11/15 (IH), and a Black Scoter at Fountain Lakes City Park in St. Charles Co. on 11/30 (DR). Jeannie Moe counted 39 Buffleheads at REDA on 11/14. Torrey Berger reported 500+ Ruddy Ducks, 24 Am. Wigeons, and other ducks at HL on 11/11. The high count for Hooded Merganser was 70 at REDA on 11/15 (FH). On 11/2, Charlene Malone found a Lesser Yellowlegs and 6 Snipe on Hwy. H in St. Charles County. Another Lesser Yellowlegs was found on the Levee Road (Monroe Co., IL) on 11/8 (JZ). On 11/17, 7 Snipe were still present at BCA (YH). Josh Uffman counted 23 peeps, 3 of which were Least Sandpipers, at Winfield Dam on 11/29. The Little Gull at CL, first seen in October, was re-located on 11/9 (DK) and on 11/30 (CM). David Becher reported thousands of Bonaparte's Gulls at CL on 11/29. A Turkey Vulture was seen on 11/27 near Alton (FH). Golden Eagles were
observed on the Levee Road on 11/8 (JZ), near the Brussels Ferry on 11/18
(CM), at Stump Lake on 11/19 (DC), and at Clarence Cannon on 11/24 (SS).
On 11/16, 9 Bald Eagles and 4 Red-tailed Hawks were seen in active migration
at LCCL (JZ, YH). The Malones saw a dark morph Western Red-tailed Hawk
on I-64 on 11/10 and Charlene reported a Harlan's Hawk on Portage Road
on 11/14. Dave Rogles observed a dark morph Rough-legged Hawk on Hwy.
V in St. Charles Co. on 11/5. Another Rough-legged Hawk was seen perched
at Clarence Cannon on 11/29 (JU). On 11/17, a Harlan's Hawk, a dark morph
Western Red-tail, 2 partial lbino Red-tailed Hawks, and 2 Cooper's Hawks
were found on the Levee Road (YH, JZ). Falcon sightings included a Merlin
at REDA on 11/9 (DC), a Merlin at Winfield Dam on 11/24 (SS), and a Peregrine
Falcon at REDA on 11/21 (Thursday Group). The Saturday Group found 3
Short-eared Owls at REDA on 11/2. Lanny Chambers banded a Ruby-throated
Hummingbird at the St. Louis County home of Patty & Bob Murray on
11/21. A group of 15+ Eurasian Collared present on Payne Road, St. Charles
Co. was seen by several people (CM, Thursday Group, G&TB). A very
late Yellow-billed Cuckoo was found at Castlewood S.P. on 11/2 (MM).
Late swallow sightings included Tree Swallows at REDA and HL on 11/15
(FH) and 1 Tree and 1 Barn Swallow at REDA on 11/18 (J&CM). Two Palm
Warblers were a good find at LCCL on 11/11 (Leslie Koller). On 11/3 at
LCCL, the Sunday Group, led by Torrey Berger, found 11 sparrow species,
including Harris'. Rusty Blackbirds were found in small numbers at REDA
on 11/9 (MT), on Pleasant Union Road on 11/10 (DB, Saturday Group) and
on 11/24 at REDA (YH). A large flock of Lapland Longspurs was present
at CL on 11/29 north of Tamalco (DB). Comments: A Savannah Sparrow was a very unusual backyard bird at the home of Jim Ziebol on 11/17. A Barred Owl was seen at Mike Brady's home on 11/6. Jane Zatta photographed a Sharp-shinned Hawk in her backyard. On 11/23, another Sharp-shin flew over Mike Thelen's home. Mary Anne Auer has been hearing Screech Owls in her neighborhood and Mike Thelen has heard dueting Great Horned Owls near his home. Margy Terpstra had a Cooper's Hawk mantling over its kill at her home on 11/26; to date, she has seen it eating 2 Cardinals, a chipmunk and a Flicker. A Winter Wren was seen at Mike Brady's suet feeder on 11/27. There have been several partial albinos or leucistic birds seen recently. A leucistic Ruddy Duck was seen at HL in October. Two beautiful partial albino Red-tails have been seen on the Levee Road; one is about 75% white and the other is over 90% white. An albino Turkey was seen at REDA (FH) and Jack Harris found a leucistic Mourning Dove at his feeder. Jack also reported a partial albino Chickadee at his home in the winter of 1994-95. Albinism is very rare in Chickadees. Contributors: Mary Anne Auer, George & Terry Barker, David Becher, Torrey Berger, Mike Brady, Dick Coles, Mike Grant, Frank Holmes, Yvonne Homeyer, Ian Hunt, Dan Kassebaum, Jim & Charlene Malone, Sherry McCowan, Mark Mittleman, Jeannie Moe, David Rogles, Scott Schuette, Margy Terpstra, Mike Thelen, Josh Uffman, Jim Ziebol. An asterisk means "documented". Please submit sightings by the last day of the month to Jim Ziebol or Yvonne Homeyer (homeyer@earthlink.net). Abbreviations: Busch Conservation/Wildlife Area, BCA; Carlyle Lake, CL; Forest Park, FP; Horseshoe Lake, HL; Little Creve Coeur Lake, LCCL, Lost Valley Trail, LVT; Marais Temps Clair, MTC; Riverlands, REDA, Tower Grove Park, TGP. |