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[From Nature Notes (the journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society), Vol. 79, No. 6, June, 2007] APRIL 2007 BIRD REPORTBy: Jim Ziebol and Yvonne HomeyerIntroduction: April was not a good month for migrating birds, because of cold weather and adverse winds. The best movement occurred between the 19th and 23rd. Freezing temperatures injured or retarded the spring growth of flowering trees and shrubs, causing new leaves to emerge much later than usual. Early Arrival Dates: 3/30/07 Marbled Godwit, Carlyle Lake, DK Sightings: The only Common Loon seen in April was in breeding plumage at HL on 4/8 (JZ). Common Loons are long-lived and they have not been replacing themselves for many years. An impressive 14 American Bitterns were seen at CC on 4/19 (DR) and Rose Ann Bodman found one at BCA on 4/30. A Cinnamon Teal was a good find at Winfield Dam on 4/7 (JE, JM). Allen Smith observed 3 Sora at St. Stanislaus Park on 4/20. Twelve Avocets were present at RMBS on 4/12 (JU). On 4/15, Mike Thelen reported Black-bellied Plover at LCCL. Two Marbled Godwits were found at CB on 4/12 (PB). Charlene Malone observed the following at RMBS on 4/11: 7 Hudsonian Godwits, 3 Whimbrels, 1 Franklin’s Gull, 2 Baird’s Sandpipers, 2 Am. Golden Plovers, and 4 Avocets. The Thursday Group found 8 Hudsonian Godwits, 2 Whimbrels, several Bonaparte’s, Blue-winged Teal and Green-winged Teal at RMBS on 4/12. Seven Willets and 2 Dunlin were observed at RMBS on 4/27 (CA). Bill Rowe found 2 Wilson’s Phalaropes at CB on 4/29. Bonaparte Gull sightings at RMBS included 12 on 4/7 (MT) and several on 4/14 (J Moe). A Caspian Tern was found at RMBS on 4/15 (RW). On 4/26, Frank Holmes located 2 Forster’s Terns at HL. Mick Richardson watched an Osprey soar over Mo. Botanical Garden on 4/7. A nesting pair of Red-shouldered Hawks was found in University City (JS). Jim Malone found a Short-eared Owl at RMBS on 4/12. A Long-eared Owl was being harassed by crows at the east end of TGP on 4/26 (Peggy Zimmerman). Pairs of Great Horned Owls were found in FP on 4/10 (SC) and at McNair Park on 4/15 (J Moe). Several people reported a single Great Horned Owl in TGP (VL, CS). Mike Thelen visited SNR on 4/2 and found 6 Brown Creepers and Bewick Wrens. On 4/21, 10+ Winter Wrens, House Wren, Solitary Vireo, and Summer Tanager were seen in TGP (TK). A Brown Thrasher and 2 Chipping Sparrows were seen in Resurrection Cemetery on 4/15 (CZ). A very early Yellow-throated Vireo was found on 4/2 in northern Franklin County (DC) and one occurred in TGP on 4/21 (JL). On 4/28, a Yellow-throated Warbler and Red-headed Woodpecker were seen in TGP (J Moe). Randy Korotev spent 4 hours at SNR on 4/22 and found 8 Henslow’s Sparrows and 20 N. Parulas. During a NABA butterfly count at BCA on 4/15, counters observed 3 N. Parulas, an Osprey, and heard Yellow-throated Warbler (JZ, J Moe). David Rabenau visited CSP on 4/22 and saw 2 Cerulean Warblers. Three Cerulean Warblers, one very low, were found at LVT on 4/24 (J Chain). Claudia Spener and others viewed a Hooded Warbler in TGP on 4/26. Black-throated Green, Kentucky and White-eyed Vireo were good birds in TGP on 4/23 (SM). The eastern race of Palm Warbler, Dendroica palmarum hypochrysea, was seen at Fults Hill Prairie on 4/28 (YH, SM) and at BCA on 4/29 (JZ). A male and female Scarlet Tanager were viewed at Fults Hill Prairie on 4/28 (SM, YH). Several singing Henslow’s Sparrows were reported at SNR on 4/21 (WG). A Lark Sparrow found at TGP on 4/20 was only the second one ever seen in the park (JZ). Another Lark Sparrow was seen at SNR on 4/23 (DH). A male Yellow-headed Blackbird was seen at RMBS on 4/27 (D Rogles). Because of a shortage of natural weedy habitat, birds like Rose-breasted Grosbeak and sparrows are coming to feeders this year. David Scheu reported a Clay-colored Sparrow at his home on 4/27, and on 4/28, Sherry McCowan found one in her Soulard garden, which was the fourth Spizella species for the year. Due to the current conditions, it is important to put out seeds and fruit for the birds all year long, and manage your yards to encourage insects. The Thursday Group went to LVT and BCA on 4/26, where they found Broad-winged Hawk, Orchard Oriole, and 13 species of warblers, including Cerulean at LVT. On 4/29, Frank Holmes found the following at HL: Horned Grebe, Grasshopper Sparrow, Indigo Bunting, Blue Grosbeak, Bell’s Vireo, Chat, and 18 Palm Warblers. Bill Rowe also reported 18 Palm Warblers at Columbia Bottoms that same day. Connie Alwood found the following at CB on 4/29: Willet, Sora, 50 Snipe and 60+ Yellowleg species. A Sunday WGNSS group, led by Margy Terpstra and Linda Yust, observed N. Parula, Nashville, Common Yellowthroat, Blue-winged, Golden-winged, and Cerulean Warblers at CSP on 4/22. A typical day at FP on 4/22 included 30 Yellow-rumps, 6 N. Parulas, 2 Palms, 2 Nashvilles, Tennessee, Black-throated Green, and Blue-headed Vireo (RK). Back Yard Birds: At Linda Virga’s garden, a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak visited her feeder and a Tufted Titmouse was feeding babies. A Baltimore Oriole was seen at Wally George’s house in Cedar Hill from Jan. 19 to March 21 of this year. By 4/1, a Bewick’s Wren had taken up residence at Don & Cheryl Delashmit’s house in Franklin County, and a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks were nesting on their property. Cheryl stated that House Wrens had ejected Bewick’s Wrens from their nest boxes in the past. Connie Alwood had 3 species of owls at his Ferguson home: Great Horned, Barred and Screech. A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is a very good yard bird and was seen at CZ’s home on 4/3. Sherry McCowan had several visits from a Brown Thrasher in April, and on 4/19, she found a Chipping Sparrow. Good birds in Tom Kennedy’s yard included Phoebe, Towhee, White-eyed Vireo, Summer Tanager, and Cedar Waxwing. Other animals reported by WGNSS members were: an Otter at BCA (Margaret Johnson) and a Coal Skink at Bee Tree Park (SC). Contributors: Gail Ahumada, Connie Alwood, Loy Barber, Nick Barber, Paul Bauer, David Becher, Rose Ann Bodman, Torrey Berger, Tom Bormann, Mike Brady, Jackie Chain, Shawn Clubb, Dick Coles, Jean Cook, Jack Cowan, Dick Coles, Joe Eades, Steve Ewer, David Garcia, Wally George, Chris Hagenlocher, Jack Harris, Donald Hays, Frank Holmes, Yvonne Homeyer, Bill Hoss, Brad Jacobs, Eric Jeltes, Dan Kassebaum, Tom Kennedy, Randy Korotev, Vivian Liddell, Jennifer Lowe, Pat Lueders, Jurik Majka, Jim & Charlene Malone, Sherry McCowan, Jeannie Moe, Kraig Paradise, Mark Paradise, Mark Peters, Mick Richardson, David Rogles, Bill Rowe, David Scheu, John Solodar, Claudia Spener, Mike Thelen, Josh Uffman, Lorrie Vit, Rad Widmer, Clarence Zacher, Jim Ziebol. Abbreviations: BCA, Busch Conservation Area; CC, Clarence Cannon NWR; CL, Carlyle Lake; CSP, Castlewood State Park; CB, Columbia Bottoms; FP, Forest Park; HL, Horseshoe Lake; LP, Lafayette Park; LCCL, Little Creve Coeur Lake; MTC, Marais Temps Clair; RMBS, Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, SNR, Shaw Nature Reserve, TGP, Tower Grove Park. |