SEPTEMBER BIRD REPORT
By: Jim Ziebol and Yvonne Homeyer
About 2500 White Pelicans and 2 Franklin’s Gulls appeared at Mark Twain NWR on 9/18 (HW). An American Bittern was found at Carlyle Lake on 9/18 (J&CM). A Least Bittern was a good find at Little Creve Coeur on 9/12 (T Be). About 480 Great Egrets were seen near Jefferson Barracks Bridge on 9/12 (JZ, YH). On 9/12, there were150 Great Egrets and 75 Snowy Egrets at the Mel Price Dam (FH). A somewhat early blue-phased Snow Goose was found at the JB Bridge on 9/12 (P&BJ). On 9/16 at Horseshoe Lake, there were 12 Green-winged Teal, 45 Blue-winged Teal and a Ruddy Duck (FH). Eight Turkey Vultures were eating stranded fish near the JB Bridge on 9/12 (T Be). Three migrating Bald Eagles and 7 Osprey were counted at Tyson on 9/21 (MP, DR). A Cooper’s Hawk was seen at Busch CA on 9/4 (J Mo) and 2 were seen on the South Levee Road on 9/16 (JZ). Many Broad-winged Hawks were observed on 9/21 in the Kirkwood/Webster Groves area (MR, MH) and 182 were counted at Tyson (MP, DR). Two Red-shouldered Hawks, both juveniles, were observed along the South Levee Road on 9/16 (JZ). On 9/16 an immature Merlin was seen perched on a wire on the South Levee Road (JZ) and one was closely observed at Busch/Shorebird Area on 9/29 (J Mo). Two local immature Peregrine Falcons were seen at Riverlands in late September (CA et al.).
On 9/12, 2 King Rails and Sora were seen at Watershed Park in Edwardsville (Irene Mondhink). The week of 9/12 Soras were seen area-wide. An immature Common Moorhen was observed at Little Creve Coeur on 9/25 (JM) and 3 were observed the next day (PJ). Black-bellied Plover, Semi-palmated Plover, 4 Am. Golden Plover,1 juvenile Ruddy Turnstone, and 10+ Baird’s Sandpipers were present near the JB Bridge on 9/11 (BK, T Bo, CA). Four Sanderlings were present at the Vocano/Mark Twain NWR on 9/19 (CM). Bill Ford located 2 Buff-breasted Sandpipers on a mudflat near the JB Bridge on 9/13 and 1 was seen at the Volcano/Mark Twain NWR on 9/25 (P&BJ). Also on 9/25 there were 6 Long-billed Dowitchers at Riverlands (G&TB) and 1 was seen at Little Creve Coeur (MT). After Hurricane Floyd, 2 Jaegers appeared within days of each other at Carlyle Lake: a PARASITIC JAEGER was found on 9/18 (J&CM, m. ob.) and a LONG-TAILED JAEGER was found on 9/22 (DK, m. ob.). These are remarkable finds for our area. A Franklin’s Gull was seen at the Borrow Pit/Horseshoe Lake on 9/20 (T Be) and 8 Forster’s Terns were observed at Horseshoe Lake on 9/6 (FH). A Barred Owl was observed by many in Tower Grove Park on 9/11 (T Bo et al.). Paul & Barbara Johnson had the high count for Nighthawks - 1,000 on 9/18 at Hwy. 40 and Mason Road.
There was a report of 3 Yellow-belled Cuckoos at Busch CA on 9/14 (CD, YH). Wilma Kennell reported a Hairy Woodpecker in University City on 9/6. Twenty-five + Flickers were observed in Tower Grove Park on 9/29 (T Be). The earliest report of a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was from Carlyle Lake on 9/23 (J Mo). Reports of Empid Flycatchers were scarce. A Willow Flycatcher was seen in Tower Grove Park on 9/9 (T Be) and a Least Flycatcher and 2 Yellow-bellied Flycatchers were seen there on the same day (JZ). Dan Kassebaum reported that he had no Empids this fall. Three hundred Tree Swallows were a good number on Red School Road on 9/8 (J Mo).
This is an irruption year for Red-breasted Nuthatch, with numerous sightings throughout the area. Torrey Berger found Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets on 9/29 in Tower Grove Park and Wilma Kennell also had them in her yard that day. Winter Wrens were first reported on 9/26 at Horseshoe Lake (FH) and many were observed in Tower Grove Park on 9/30 (JC, BK). Thirty Catbirds were seen in Tower Grove Park on 9/29 (T Be). The thrush migration was very slow, with just a scattering of reports for Swainson’s Thrush throughout September. A Wood Thrush was reported on 9/15 in Tower Grove Park (BK) and 2 were seen there on 9/27 (T Be). Vireos were also scarce this fall, with 2 Blue-headed Solitary Vireos in Tower Grove Park on 9/21 (DR) and 2 Philadelphia Vireos in Jefferson County on 9/26 (MP). Two male Black-throated Blue Warblers were seen in the area: one on 9/9 at Tower Grove Park (JZ, JC, Mary Ann Auer) and the other on 9/29 in Eureka (PH). A somewhat late Prairie Warbler was found on 9/1 in Tower Grove Park and a Kentucky Warbler was found in Tower Grove Park on 9/10 (T Be). There was a Canada Warbler in DuSable Park on 9/2 (J Mo) and one in University City on 9/4 (RK). A Hooded Warbler was a very good find at his home on 9/17 (PH). Ovenbirds were steady throughout the month, but Black-and-whites were slow. On 9/10 a good species count included Blackburnian, Yellow-throated, Tennessee, Orange-crowned, Black-throated Green, Cape May and others at the Stump Lake Access Road (CM). Two Palm Warblers were seen at Parking Lot 3/Carlyle Lake on 9/18 (T Bo). On 9/25, Mike Thelen got a good look at a Connecticut Warbler at Little Creve Coeur - this warbler is rarely seen here in fall migration. The week on 9/12 several Scarlet Tanagers were seen across the area. On 9/29, 25 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were observed in Tower Grove Park (T Be). A Vesper Sparrow, somewhat early, was found at Carlyle Lake/Parking Lot 3 on 9/18 (T Bo). On 9/24, Kent Lannert flushed a Sharp-tailed Sparrow at the same location.
CARLYLE LAKE (Dan Kassebaum): 15 species of warblers, Hazlet SP, on 9/12; Black-throated Blue Warbler (female) seen by Keith McMullen around 9/12; Dickcissel, Indigo Buntings and a few sparrows on 9/18; Yellow Warbler on 9/18; 2 Red Phalaropes at the Pavilion on 9/18; 5 Red-necked Phalaropes on 9/25 seen by Myrna Deaton; 15 Ruddy Turnstones, a flyover, on 9/18; a tundrius Peregrine Falcon on 9/18 (m. ob.); Merlin, Am. Pipit, and Savannah Sparrow on 9/18 seen by Leroy Harris; and a possible immature Mourning Warbler on 9/25.
COMMENTS: This fall’s migration of landbirds has been exceptionally slow in most of the area. Many species were underrepresented or absent. Red-breasted Nuthatch is having a banner year. Eurasian Collared Doves are showing up in our area; according to Ken Kaufmann, they interbreed with Ringed Turtle Doves to produce hybrids. Very large Ringed Turtle Doves with darker primary feathers singing atypical songs have been reported. Jim Moorman had a Woodcock in his backyard for one and a half weeks in mid-September. Margie Richardson observed hummingbirds mating in her backyard in early September; it is unusual for any bird to mate out of season. Please report any albino hawks or unusual hawks to this column; also please report any warblers, vireos, tanagers, etc. seen after Oct. 15 (except Yellow-rumps).
"Lastly, while strays may be interesting, what is really important is resident breeding populations and their conservation." Dr. Jeffrey Glassberg, referring to butterflies, but his comment is equally relevant to birds.
CONTRIBUTORS: Connie Alwood, George & Terry Barker, Torrey Berger, Tom Borman, Jean Cook, Cheryl & Don Delashmit, Peter Hoell, Frank Holmes, Margot Holsen, Yvonne Homeyer, Paul & Barbara Johnson, Dan Kassebaum, Bob Kleiger, Randy Korotev, Jim & Charlene Malone, Jeannie Moe, Mark Peters, David Rabenau, Margie Richardson, Mike Thelen, Helen Wuestenfeld, Jim Ziebol, many observers.