[From Nature Notes (the journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society), Vol. 76, No. 10, Dec., 2003] OCTOBER 2003 BIRD REPORTBy: Jim Ziebol and Yvonne HomeyerIntroduction: WGNSS is proud to claim the distinction of having as members not only the number1 bird lister in the world (Phoebe Snetsinger) but also the number 2 birder in the world - Pete Winter. Mr. Winter has seen a Harpy Eagle and a Philippine Monkey-eating Eagle carrying monkeys to its nestlings. These are two of his 7700+ bird species. Mr. Winter has noticed a marked decline in Ovenbirds, other warblers, vireos and Bobwhites at his farm in Franklin County. His new book, Dawn Chorus: the Adventures of a Birdwatcher, covers his birdwatching experiences from his World War II years in the Pacific to his present-day Bluebird conservation program at his farm. This book is a very good read and nicely complements Phoebe Snetsingers’ posthumous memoirs, Birding on Borrowed Time. Sightings: Two Common Loons were found at HL on 10/27 and a third joined them on 10/30 (FH). The Saturday Group found an Am. Bittern at REDA on 10/18 (RAB, J Ch, DB). Five Black-crowned Night Herons were seen at REDA on 10/5 (MT, DR). Snowy Egrets were last recorded at HL on 10/9 (FH) and 6 were at REDA on 10/11 (BR). Thirty-seven Great Egrets were still present on 10/26 off of Hwy. 3 (FH). Numbers of Pelicans in the area included 2,000+ at HL on 10/2 (T Be), 3500 at HL on 10/8 (FH), and 1000 at REDA on 10/10 (JM). On 10/18, 600+ Gadwalls and a few Wigeons were seen at HL (J Ch). Paul & Barbara Johnson located an Am. Black Duck at Gilbert Lake on 10/12. Many observers reported 8 to 10 Sora at the Causeway of HL on 10/11 (RAB, DB). The Thursday Group flushed a Sora at LCCL on 10/16 (J Ch). Six species of shorebirds were still in the area on 10/11 including 30 Stilt Sandpipers and 18 Long-billed Dowitchers at Gilbert Lake (MT, BR). David Becher reported Bonapartes, a few Franklin’s, and one Herring Gull at CL on 10/5. Other sightings of Franklin’s Gulls included 3 at REDA on 10/18 (J Ch, DB) and 35 near HL on 10/19 (BR). The Thursday Group found 3 N. Harriers at LCCL on 10/16 (J Ch). The Thursday Group also observed a Bald Eagle at the Katy Trail Access on 10/30 (J Ch). Bill Rowe’s class trip to B.K. Leach C.A. on 10/26 produced a total of 13 Bald Eagles and 12 N. Harriers. On 10/4, the Saturday Group found Sharp-shinned Hawk, Blue-headed Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo and Bay-breasted Warbler at TGP (DB). Two Cooper’s Hawks and a N. Harrier were seen at REDA on 10/5 (MT). Connie Alwood scoped an adult Cooper’s Hawk and located 2 Osprey at BCA on 10/9. Jane Walker was still seeing single Broad-winged Hawks migrating over Tyson on 10/1. On 10/23, Osprey and Sharp-shinned Hawk were seen at BCA (J Ch, Th. Group). There were 3 sightings of Merlin at HL – on 10/1 (FH), Borrow Pit on 10/18 (G&TB), and 10/24 (T Be). At Clarence Cannon on 10/12, Jim Ziebol and Yvonne Homeyer saw a first-year Bald Eagle, Osprey, 2 N. Harriers, and 1 Broad-winged Hawk. David Becher and Bob Kleiger reported 2 Peregrine Falcons pursuing a flock of Dowitchers at REDA on 10/11. Four Eurasian Collared Doves were seen by Bill Rowe’s birding class on 10/26 in Elsberry, MO (MT, BR). Mike Thelen found 4 Nighthawks at Powder Valley on 10/1. Two hundred-fifty Chimney Swifts were reported over Granite City on 10/10 (MP). High counts of Tree Swallows included 5,000+ at HL on 10/5 (SM, FH), 2,000+ at REDA on 10/5 (BR, MT), 3,500 on the wires along Bischoff Road on 10/6 (JZ) and 300+ at BCA on 10/27 (YH, JZ). Red-headed Woodpeckers were reported from BCA on 10/16 (CA) and on 10/18 (P&BJ). A Say’s Phoebe was a first for CL and probably the second for the St. Louis area; it was seen on 10/31 (DK, AS CM). Marsh and Sedge Wrens were at LCCL on 10/6 (DB, RAB); they were numerous and well-reported throughout the St. Louis area all month. A male Black-throated Blue was located on 10/2 at TGP (JU). Bob McFall found several Yellow-rumped Warblers, an Orange-crowned Warbler, both Kinglets, and 2 Sapsuckers at TGP on 10/10. Fifty Yellow-rumps were seen at the Shorebird Area of BCA on 10/9 (CA). On 10/16, the Thursday Group found Black-throated Green, Brown Creeper and 2 Hermit Thrush in TGP (J Ch). Sherry McCowan reported a Henslow’s Sparrow at HL on 10/5. Sightings of LeConte’s Sparrow included 5 at HL on 10/5 (FH, SM), 20+ at LCCL, along with a Sharp-tailed, on 10/10 (J&NS), 1 at LCCL on 10/16 (J Ch & Th. Group), 20+ at LCCL, along with 300 Swamp Sparrows, on 10/18 (CA), and 4 at HL on 10/19 (FH, Sunday Group). Josh Uffman located 4 Sharp-tailed Sparrows, 2 Bobolinks, and a Virginia Rail at LCCL on 10/2. On 10/26, Bill Rowe and his birding class found 5 LeConte’s, 1 Nelson’s Sharp-tailed, and 2 Grasshopper Sparrows at B.K. Leach CA in Lincoln County. Two Clay-colored Sparrows were also seen there on 10/4 (JM, J Cowan). One Clay-colored and 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows were reported from the SLU campus on 10/6 (NB). Junco and Dickcissel were seen at REDA on 10/5 (MT). A Harris’s Sparrow was a good find at HL on 10/12 (SM, FH). The first report of Vesper Sparrow came on 10/19 at Jefferson Barracks County Park (M Treffert). Paul & Barbara Johnson found a Fox Sparrow at Missouri Botanical Garden on 10/4. On 10/12, David Rogles and Mike Thelen found 10 species of sparrows at LCCL, including Henslow’s and Clay-colored. In early October, Mary Anne Auer saw many LeConte’s, a few Sharp-tailed, and a vocalizing Clay-colored Sparrow at LCCL. A male Purple Finch was seen at Weldon Springs C.A. on 10/16 (CA). A Rusty Blackbird and 20 Bobolinks were found at REDA on 10/25 (G&TB). A typical day at HL on 10/5 included 8 Pied-billed Grebes, 150 Cormorants, 2,000+ Pelicans, 23 Pintails, 100+ Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, 5 Wood Ducks, 4 Ring-necked Ducks, Ruddy Duck, 250 Coots, 10 Sora, 500 Ring-billed Gulls, Osprey, Cooper’s Hawk, Kestrel, Flicker, House Wren, 8 Sedge Wrens, 2 Marsh Wrens, Kingfisher, 5,000+ Tree Swallows, Barn Swallow, Bank Swallow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, 3 Common Yellowthroats, Palm Warbler, Henslow’s Sparrow, 5 LeConte’s, 20 Savannah, 3 Song, White-crowned, 3 Lincoln’s, 8 Swamps, 20 Goldfinch, 10 Indigo Buntings (SM, FH, JZ). A typical day at TGP on 10/2 included Ovenbird, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green, Redstart, 6 Nashville, 2 Winter Wrens, 2 Hermit Thrush, 1 Swainson’s Thrush, Blue-headed Vireo, both Kinglets, Lincoln’s Sparrow, numerous White-throated Sparrows, 1 male Towhee, several Pewees, Empid sp. (?),Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Brown Creeper, Hermit Thrush 2 Summer Tanagers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Catbird and a Bluejay (J Ch, MR, Th. Group). Comments: On 10/15, Jeannie Moe identified a large number of Decurrent False Aster, Boltonia decurrens, near HL in Madison County. This plant is endangered in both Illinois and Missouri. A partial albino Tree Swallow, about 85% white, was seen at HL on 10/9 (FH, photo). On 10/9, Dennis Bozzay found 2 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, 2 Nighthawks and a Catbird in his yard. On 10/11, Connie Alwood observed a Sharp-shinned Hawk being pursued and harassed by 6 Flickers and 2 Bluejays. Trace Vaux saw a flock of Cedar Waxwings at her home in Wildwood on 10/12. Pat Lueders saw an Osprey flying over her home on 10/15. On 10/2, Margy Terpstra heard 2 Barred Owls calling at her Kirkwood yard, and then observed one being harassed the next day. Sherry McCowan found a Swamp Sparrow at her Soulard home on 10/21. Contributors: Connie Alwood, Mary Anne Auer, Nick Barber, George & Terry Barker, David Becher, Torrey Berger, Rose Ann Bodman, Dennis Bozzay, Mike Brady, Jack Cowan, Jackie Chain, Jean Cook, Frank Holmes, Yvonne Homeyer, Paul & Barbara Johnson, Dan Kassebaum, Bob Kleiger, Sherry McCowan, Bob McFall, Jim & Charlene Malone, Jeannie Moe, Kraig Paradise, Mark Peters, Margie Richardson, David Rogles, Bill Rowe, Al Seppi, John & Nancy Solodar, Mike Treffert, Josh Uffman, Jane Walker, Jim Ziebol. Abbreviations: Busch Conservation/Wildlife Area, BCA; Carlyle Lake, CL; Clarence Cannon, CC; Forest Park, FP; Horseshoe Lake, HL; Little Creve Coeur Lake, LCCL, Lost Valley Trail, LVT; Marais Temps Clair, MTC; Riverlands, REDA; Shaw Nature Reserve, SNR; Tower Grove Park, TGP. |