[From Nature Notes (the journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society), Vol. 76, No. 4, April, 2003] FEBRUARY 2003 BIRD REPORTBy: Jim Ziebol and Yvonne HomeyerSightings: David Becher reporter a Horned Grebe and a Redhead at CL on 2/23. The Thursday Group’s visit to Creve Coeur Lake on 2/27 produced a Horned Grebe, Common and Hooded Mergansers, and several other duck species (JC et al.). White Pelicans were seen at REDA on 2/20 (FH). There were hundreds of Pelicans at REDA on 2/22 (DB & Sat. Group). On 2/22, 2 Great Egrets were seen at Dresser Island (J&CM). The Malones observed 7 Sandhill Cranes in Ste. Genevieve County on 2/2. Also on 2/2, the WGNSS group counted 31 Trumpeter Swans, 1 Tundra Swan, 1 Glaucous Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 66 Bald Eagles, and a few Green-winged Teal (MT et al.). On 2/2, Frank Holmes had a Trumpeter Swan at HL (neck band was from Iowa). The WGNSS Group visiting Baldwin Lake on Feb. 8 counted 12,000 (est.) Snow Geese, 25 Greater White-fronted Geese, and 1 Ross’s Goose (DB, MT et al.). Greater White-fronted Geese were also reported at HL during the last half of February (FH). The Barkers observed a Wood Duck on 2/11 on Hwy. 143 and a Wigeon at REDA on 2/13. Connie Alwood found a Long-tailed Duck at HL on 22 and 2 Long-tailed Ducks at REDA on 2/10; the REDA Long-tailed Ducks were seen again on 2/22 (G&TB) and 2/28 (CM). High counts of ducks included 150 Pintails on 2/18 at HL (FH), 750 Canvasbacks on 2/23 at HL (FH), 400 Pintails at 2Rivers NWR (CA), and 350 Ring-necked Ducks on 2/2 at HL (FH). Several 1st winter Thayers, 3 adult Lesser Black-backed, 1 1st winter & 1 adult Glaucous Gull were seen in the area by many observers. Bill Rowe and David Rogles found a Franklin’s Gull (a very good find). On 2/23, Joe Eades observed 2 immature Great Black-backed & and 1st winter Iceland Gull at REDA. Charlene Malone found a 1st winter Great Black-backed Gull, a 1st winter Iceland Gull, an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, three 1st winter and one adult Thayer’s Gulls, a Glaucous Gull, and a Peregrine Falcon on the bridge, at REDA on 2/28. The Malones were the first to report Woodcocks, on 2/21 at BCA. A Turkey
Vulture was seen in Madison Co., IL on 2/3 (FH). On 2/3 and again on
2/9, Frank Holmes saw a N. Goshawk on Bend Rd. at HL; also on 2/9, he
observed a Cooper’s and a Sharpie. Jurek Majka reported that the female
Merlin was seen again at Lakewood Park Cemetery on 2/28. Three Eurasian
Collared Doves were seen in Ste. Genevieve County on 2/2 (J&CM).
At BCA on 2/9, a Barred Owl, 2 Great Horned Owls and a Sharpie were found
(JU). Several Golden-crowned Kinglets and 1 Brown Creeper were reported
at HL on 2/1 (FH). Connie Alwood found a Loggerhead Shrike off IL-Hwy.
140 on 2/1. On 2/9, Mike Brady observed an “Audubon’s” Yellow-rumped
Warbler and a Brown Thrasher on the Katy Trail. On 2/26, there was a
Field Sparrow at HL and several Lapland Longspurs on School House Road
near HL (FH). Sherry McCowan found a flock of about 100 Juncoes at TGP
in mid-February. Comments: Good back yard birds for the month: Margy Terpstra saw 23 species on 2/16 & 2/17, including a female Purple Finch and Great Horned Owl; on 2/25, she had a Hermit Thrush and saw an adult Cooper’s Hawk dining on a Mourning Dove. Kathy Thiele reported a “yellow-orange” variant of House Finch on 2/17. A flock of approximately 300 Robins was seen near Mike Thelen’s home in University City at the end of the month. Josh Uffman saw Barred and Screech Owls in his yard. Dennis Bozzay reported a few Pine Siskins and a Purple Finch. Near Union, MO, Cheryl and Don Delashmit had a Harris’s Sparrow and a Brown Thrasher for most of the month. The Barkers saw a Hairy Woodpecker at their home. Lastly, a very late but interesting report – on 12/25/01, a White-winged Crossbill* visited the feeder of Jurek Majka, who lives adjacent to Lakewood Park Cemetery (where the Merlin hung out this winter – see above). Contributors: Connie Alwood, George & Terry Barker, David Becher, Mike Brady, Jackie Chain, Cheryl & Don Delashmit, Joe Eades, Frank Holmes, Jurek Majka, Jim & Charlene Malone, Sherry McCowan, David Rogles, Bill Rowe, Margy Terpstra, Mike Thelen, Josh Uffman. An asterisk means “documented”. 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. |