[From Nature Notes (the journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society), Vol. 78, No. 8, Oct., 2005]

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AUGUST 2005 BIRD REPORT

By: Jim Ziebol and Yvonne Homeyer

Introduction: Compared with a fall migration 15 years or so ago, the 2005 fall migration is an incredibly slow year for passerines.

Sightings: On 8/21, a first year Yellow-crowned Night Heron and 9 Common Moorhens were seen at HL (JZ, YH, SM). During August in Forest Park, Clarence Zacher found Green and Little Blue Herons, Great Egret, Kingfisher, and the occasional Black-crowned Night Heron flyover. On 8/3, 6 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks were seen at the St. Louis Zoo by Michael Macek, the bird curator. A large homogenous flock of several hundred Mallards were seen around and on a blind at Dabbs Road on 8/25 (J Ch, Thursday Group). Mike Thelen reported as many as 1000 Blue-winged Teal at Two River NWR on 8/28. On 8/14, David Rogles observed Ruddy Turnstone and Wilson’s Phalarope in Lincoln County. The Thursday Group found Semi-palmated Plover, Spotted Sandpiper, and a Dowitcher with a very long bill at CC NWR on 8/18. Red-necked Phalarope, Stilt Sandpipers, and Bairds were reported from Winfield Dam on 8/14 (SS). Charlene Malone reported 30-40 Buff-breasted Sandpipers at Old Monroe Sod Farm near Winfield Dam on 8/5. The Barkers refound the Buff-breasted on 8/6. During August, Frank Holmes found shorebirds at a pool on Chouteau Island, including 2 Buff-breasted. On 8/13 Upland Sandpiper, Buff-breasted, and American Golden Plover were seen at REDA (MT). The Thursday Group found several Least Sandpipers and 7 Black Terns at REDA on 8/20 (J Ch). Caspian Tern sightings included 1 at REDA on 8/18 (RAB), 2 at REDA on 8/24, with a Common Tern (SM, JZ), and 1 at BCA on 8/28 (SM, JZ). On 8/4, 6 Forster’s Terns and 4 Common Moorhens were seen from the Causeway at HL (FH). On 8/18, at HL, 12-13 Common Moorhens were reported (JZ, JE). This number of Common Moorhens is probably the largest single flock ever reported in our area.

Two Ospreys were seen at REDA (RAB, DR) and one was present at BCA on 8/27 (Brian Hartwig). The Thursday Group visiting CC NWR on 8/11 found 6 Mississippi Kites and a Sedge Wren (J Ch). Two Mississippi Kites were found at LCCL on 8/20 (J Moe, D Bz, T Be) and by the end of the month, they were being seen daily soaring over West County. On 8/13, 3 Broad-winged Hawks, a Blue Grosbeak and a Painted Bunting were seen at Katy Access (MT). An adult Red-shouldered Hawk was videotaped at HL on 8/21 (YH, SM). The first migrants reported from TGP were flycatchers, including an Acadian on 8/6, a Yellow-bellied on 8/14, and an Olive-sided on 8/16 (JZ). Another Olive-sided was found there on 8/30 (JU, m. ob.). Swallows were down somewhat in numbers this fall, but on 8/17, Jackie Chain stated, “Hundreds of swallows were frolicking in the spray of the waterworks at Old Monroe Sod Farm.” Sedge Wrens were seen at CC NWR on 8/6 (J Ch) and at Two Rivers NWR on 8/7 (D Bz, YH). On 8/5, 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were feeding in a mixed-species flock in FP (SM). Swainson’s Thrush are particularly scarce this fall but one was seen, with 2 Red-eyed Vireos, in TGP on 8/31 (Jim Hickner). Two Bell’s Vireos and a Warbling Vireo were still singing at BCA on 8/28 (SM). On 8/19, a Blue-winged Warbler and a Pewee were found at the Bird Garden of TGP (JZ). Also on 8/19, Mick Richardson located a Black-and-white Warbler there. Tom Bormann and David Rogles found a N. Parula, an E. Kingbird and a hummingbird at TGP on 8/13. The first Black-throated Green reported at TGP was found by Gail Ahumada on 8/24. A Wilson’s Warbler was a good find at Lafayette Park on 8/27 (SM). On 8/22, a male Canada Warbler, an Ovenbird, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and a Pewee were seen at the bubbler in TGP (JZ). Jean Cook observed several Black-and-whites, a Black-throated Green and a Prothonotary Warbler in TGP on 8/26. The Thursday Group went to TGP on 8/25 and found Blackburnian, Black-and-white, a very early Yellow-rumped Warbler, and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo (J Ch). Later that day, they found 2 Sedge Wrens near Stump Lake. August 30 was possibly the best day of the month to be in TGP, with sightings of Black-and-white, Golden-winged, Magnolia, Redstart, Ovenbird, Wilson’s, and Mourning Warbler (NB, MR).

A typical day at Two Rivers NWR on 8/28 included 1,000 Blue-winged Teal, 3 Shovelers, 40 Pelicans, 8 Little Blue Herons, 2 Black-crowned Night Herons, 12+ Sora, 2 Caspian Terns, 10 Black Terns, 5 Warbling Vireos, and 1 Philadelphia Vireo (MT).

Contributors: Gail Ahumada, Nick Barber, George & Terry Barker, Torrey Berger, Rose Ann Bodman, Tom Bormann, Dennis Bozzay, Mike Brady, Jackie Chain, Jean Cook, Joe Eades, Frank Holmes, Yvonne Homeyer, Jim & Charlene Malone, Sherry McCowan, Mick Richardson, David Rogles, Scott Schuette, Mike Thelen, Josh Uffman, 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).

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