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[From Nature Notes (the journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society), Vol. 78, No. 7, Sept., 2005] JULY 2005 BIRD REPORTBy: Jim Ziebol and Yvonne HomeyerIntroduction: Recently, Bruce Wetteroth passed away. To those who knew him, he was a dedicated and accomplished birder as well as a good friend, and we will miss him. Sightings: (Late report from June: On 6/5, Clarence Zacher saw a pair of Woodcocks in FP). Eleven Green Herons were observed from the Boat Launch at HL on 7/4 (YH, JZ). On 7/28, Scott Schuette found a Wilson’s Phalarope at Winfield Dam. Throughout the last week of July, Charlene Malone reported juvenile Western Sandpipers and Stilt Sandpipers at Winfield Dam and a Stilt at REDA. Four hundred Ring-billed Gulls were seen at HL on 7/14 (FH). Late in July, Charlene Malone found 7 Common Terns at REDA. On 7/20, the Thursday Group saw a flock of Black Terns from the Hazlet Pavilion at CL (DK). A Sooty Tern was a hurricane-assisted bird seen at CL from 7/16 to 7/22 (DK, G&TB). Mississippi Kites were reported as follows: 2 at the Chubb Trail on 7/3 (SE), 1 soaring over Brentwood Forest on 7/4 (YH), 2 in Brentwood on 7/10 (YH), 1 over Warson Woods on 7/14 (YH), and 1 at Mike Thelen’s home in University City on 7/25. On 7/2, an apparent melanistic Broad-winged Hawk was videotaped at Cuivre River State Park (YH). This unusual bird was light brown underneath, with some white and some brown flight feathers, and 2 white flashes on the upper wing in flapping flight. Jean Cook found 2 Great Horned Owls in TGP on a Thursday Group walk on 7/29. The Western Kingbirds at the Boeing site on Hwy. 94 were life birds for Jane Allen on 7/3 (J Ch). On 7/2, Connie Alwood found 8 Western Kingbirds and about 20 Kestrels near Lock and Dam 27 on Hwy. 3. On 7/7, the Thursday Group observed 3 Western Kingbird nestlings on Hwy. 94/Boeing, along with Dickcissel and Bobwhite (VL). On 7/8, Sherry McCowan observed Purple Martins, Barn Swallows, Indigo Buntings and a Black-crowned Night Heron in FP. On 7/27, Connie Alwood reported Sedge Wrens at REDA, and on the same day at CL, Dan Kassebaum reported 100 Sedge Wrens at Parking Lot 3. On 7/9 at the Katy Trail/Greensbottom Road, Jeannie Moe observed White-eyed, Warbling, and Red-eyed Vireos, Carolina Wren, Turkey Vulture, Yellow-breasted Chat, Kingfisher and Prairie Warbler. On 7/24, Mike Brady found 2 fledgling Black-and-white Warblers at the Chubb Trail and Sherry McCowan saw an adult in TGP. On 7/3, a singing Cerulean Warbler was noted on the Chubb Trail, CSP (SE). Ten Henslow’s Sparrows were observed on the Chubb Trail on 7/4 (CA, T Bo). An apparent hatch-year Painted Bunting and a juvenile Wood Thrush were seen at LVT on 7/3. At the Olin Nature Preserve on 7/3, Frank Holmes found Scarlet Tanager, Acadian Flycatcher, and Wood Thrush. Backyard Birds: Eurasian Tree Sparrows have again successfully nested in Mike Thelen’s yard in University City. During July, Connie Alwood had 2-3 Mississippi Kites at his Ferguson home. On 7/18, a pair of Cooper’s Hawks watched over Jeannie Moe’s backyard birds from a power line. Contributors: Jane Allen, Connie Alwood, George & Terry Barker, Mike Brady, Jackie Chain, Steve Ewer, Frank Holmes, Yvonne Homeyer, Dan Kassebaum, Vivian Liddell, Jim & Charlene Malone, Sherry McCowan, and 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; 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. |