[From Nature Notes (the journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society), Vol. 77, No. 7, Sept., 2004] JULY 2004 BIRD REPORTBy: Jim Ziebol and Yvonne HomeyerSightings: This year in Wilson Park, Granite City, IL, 3 Yellow-crowned Night Heron nests produced 10 young and a Cooper’s Hawk nest produced 2 young (FH). Josh Uffman found an immature Yellow-crowned Night Heron at REDA on 7/1. About 200 Great Egrets were present at REDA on 7/1 (m. ob.). George & Terry Barker found a Piping Plover at Chain of Rocks on 7/31. On 7/4, Mike Brady reported Semipalmated Plover, Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpipers and peeps at REDA. Four Least Sandpipers and 6 Spotted Sandpipers were found at REDA on 7/3 (CM). On 7/10, 4 Semipalmated Sandpipers were also seen there (D Ro). On 7/23 at Confluence S.P., Torrey Berger reported 4 Stilt, many Killdeer, 6 Greater Yellowlegs, 5 Lesser Yellowlegs, 4 Spotted Sandpipers, 2 Solitary Sandpipers, 1 Western, good numbers of Least and Semipalmated, 4 Short-billed Dowitchers and 2 Semipalmated Plovers. Fourteen species of shorebirds, including Black-bellied Plover, 2 Wilson’s Phalaropes, and Western Sandpiper, were found at Lot 3, CL (DK). A second apparent Wilson’s Plover (see June report) was seen at Columbia Bottoms on 7/25 (MM). Josh Uffman and Kristi Mayo found several King Rails at Clarence Cannon on 7/17. A male Cinnamon Teal was a very good find at REDA on 7/5 (CM). Breeding Ruddy Ducks have been confirmed at Eagle Park on 7/31, where Frank Holmes observed 2 pairs of Ruddy Ducks, one with 5 half-grown young and the other with 6. Tern sightings included 2 Forster’s at HL on 7/11 (JZ), 6 Least Terns at REDA on 7/6 (CM), a few Black Terns at HL on 7/28 (FH), and Caspian Terns at Winfield Dam on 7/17 (JU). A Barred Owl was found at Clarence Cannon on 7/26 (G&TB). Jackie Chain and the Thursday Group found a Mississippi Kite and an immature Red-shouldered Hawk at Clarence Cannon on 7/22. Mississippi Kite sightings included 2 adults and 2 immatures at Howell Island on 7/3 (MAA), 3 soaring over Webster Groves on 7/9 (JZ), and one flying in Rock Hill on 7/23 (D Bz, YH). Josh Uffman observed a N. Harrier and a Peregrine Falcon at REDA on 7/24. Another Peregrine Falcon was sighted that day at Clarence Cannon (DB). A remarkable 14 Eurasian-collared Doves were seen in the Granite City area on 7/24 (FH). A male Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was found on Mo. Bottoms Road on 7/9 (CC, CA). On 7/10, a male and a female were found there (J&CM). Since May there have been at least 5 different reports of Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in the St. Louis area. An Acadian Flycatcher was seen feeding 3 young at Young C.A. on 7/10 (YH, JZ). Clarence Zacher found a perched Bank Swallow at Elm & Watson in mid-July. On 7/3, Mary Anne Auer found a Redstart and 10 Red-headed Woodpeckers on Howell Island. On 7/26, Jim & Charlene Malone found a Painted Bunting and 2 male Blue Grosbeaks at the Katy Trail Access. Jim Ziebol predicted that Great-tailed Grackle would be found in the St. Louis area this summer, and Bob Lewis found one at REDA on 7/19. A typical day on 7/8 – Red-headed Woodpecker at Hideaway Harbor Park; a number of Purple Martins, Turkey Vultures, 2 Eurasian-collared Doves at Machens Farm; 2 Least Terns, Caspian Tern, a few Ring-billed Gulls, many Pelicans, 2 Snowy Egrets, many Great Egrets, Cliff Swallows, Black-crowned Night Heron, 2 Bald Eagles at REDA; Dickcissel, Sedge Wren, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Yellowthroat, several Pied-billed Grebes with stripe-headed juveniles at HL (Thursday Group). Comments: Regarding his University City neighborhood
and yard, Mike Thelen stated, “We’ve had Red-tailed Hawks on neighborhood
roofs and screeching in our University Place subdivision throughout the
month of July. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have returned to our yards and
feeds and we also had a fly-by Green Heron and a fly-over of 14 Little
Blue Herons.” 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. |