[From Nature Notes (the journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society), Vol. 77, No. 7, Sept., 2004] JUNE 2004 BIRD REPORTBy: Jim Ziebol and Yvonne HomeyerIntroduction: A Yellow Rail, seen along the Chubb Trail on 4/16, was a late report received from Ian Hunt. He saw the bird in flight and observed the white secondaries and the legs hanging down. Sightings: On 6/18, Frank Holmes counted 115 Pied-billed Grebes along with a Common Moorhen at HL, and on 6/25, he found 40 more Grebes at Eagle Park. Many observers reported nesting behavior of American Bittern, Least Bittern and Common Moorhen at LCCL (DB, J&CM, IH). Frank Holmes counted 102 Pelicans at HL on 6/15. On 6/20, 87 Cattle Egrets were found along Bend and Layton Roads at HL (JZ) and on 6/25, Frank Holmes found 220 there. A Blue-winged Teal with 6 young was reported at LCCL on 6/20. On 6/11 at REDA, Dave Rogles found a Wood Duck with 13 half-grown young. On 6/26, the Barkers saw a King Rail at LCCL. Summering ducks included a Lesser Scaup at Eagle Park on 6/9 (FH), 2 male Canvasbacks all month at REDA (CM), and 2 Shovelers at REDA on 6/11 (J Ch). An Avocet had returned to REDA by 6/22 (T Be). Two Semipalmated Plovers and 3 White-rumped Sandpipers seen at REDA on 6/12 were late migrants (CM); only one White-rumped Sandpipes was found on 6/13 (P&BJ). An apparent Wilson’s Plover was viewed through a Questar at REDA on 6/17 (Kevin Richmond); however, no other observers found the bird. A sub-adult Laughing Gull was first found at REDA on 6/11 (D Ro). Tern sightings included 2 Common Terns at HL on 6/28 (FH), a Least Tern at HL on 6/9 (FH), 2 Least Terns at REDA on 6/11 (CM), 4 Least Terns at REDA on 6/13 (JU), 12 Black Terns at HL on 6/3 (T Be), and 3 Black Terns at REDA on 6/13 and 2 Caspian Terns at REDA on 6/24 (CM). Ian Hunt found several Mississippi Kites in Fenton. Black Vultures in Ste. Genevieve County, originally found by Joe Eades, were relocated on 6/14 (DB) and on 6/26 (CA, T Bo). Mike Thelen reported a Sharp-shinned Hawk from south county on 6/4. Mike also heard dueting Barred Owls at BCA on 6/12. Chuck-will’s-widow was heard at SNR on 6/9 (P&BJ). Dennis Bozzay heard a Black-billed Cuckoo on 6/27 at BCA. A pair of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers was first located near Lenzburg, IL on 6/6 (Tim Dever) and the birds were re-found by Bill Ford and the Thursday Group on 6/24. On 6/26, two Loggerhead Shrikes were observed at Peabody Coal (CA, T Bo). Mike Thelen heard an Alder Flycatcher calling at LCCL on 6/12; this species is often reported in migration well into June. Mike Grant reported hundreds of Cliff Swallows at the Page Ave. bridge on 6/19. A Black-and-white Warbler was a good find at BCA on 6/12 (M Th). On
6/11, Kevin Renick and Anne McCormack found a Prairie Warbler at Lake
26, BCA, and this bird was seen again on 6/12 (YH, JZ). Mike Brady found
a Hooded Warbler at CSP on 6/12. On 6/21 at the Katy Trail access, Painted
Bunting, Lark Sparrow and Blue Grosbeak were observed by Margy Terpstra
and Tina Weyman. On 6/11, Jim Hickner found Grasshopper Sparrow at Columbia
Bottoms and Prairie Warbler at the Blue Grosbeak Trail. Two Lark Sparrows
were seen at the Katy Trail access on 6/4 (J&NS). The Thursday Group
visited Robertsville S.P. on 6/4 and found Blue-winged and Prairie Warblers
there. On 6/26 at Front Street in E. St. Louis, Mike Brady counted 3 Painted
Buntings, 6 Bell’s Vireos, 2 Blue Grosbeaks and 7 Western Kingbirds. 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. |