THE BLUEBIRD

The Audubon Society of Missouri

Vol. 36, No. 4 November 1 1969

WE WELCOME THE RuFous HUMMINGBIRD To Missouri's AviFauna

es

swifts \ ....SR, Perhaps the most obliging rarity in years was a Ru ous Hummingbird first reported on September 6 by Jim Haw, Charleston. Not only does it add a new bird to the next revision of the state checklist (and one not even on the hypo• thetical list before), but it stayed around and let many other birders from hundreds of miles around come to see it, and posed for many photos (one from Haw is above), Jim wrote on Sept. 6, "I studied the bird, a beautiful male, for over an hour and noted all field marks carefully at distances as close as 30 feet. The head, entire back and tail were bright reddish brown; the wings darker, showing a very dark dull green coloration when at rest. In most lights the gorget appeared reddish brown to dark red, but at one angle of the sun seemed to be an iridescent light olive green, Breast and belly were gray, with a strong wash of reddish brown along the flanks. I obtained four pictures through a 400 mm lens at 30 ft, which when developed should be adequate to substantiate the record. Our neighbor claims the bird has been present in her yard next doDr to us for at least a month! Despite her familiarity with the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, she mistook the quite differently colored Rufous for a large insect. I might add that the Rufous apparently had no difficulty establishing his precedence over our resident Ruby-throats when they tried to approach his favorite patch of blooming scarlet sage, The visitor from the west promptly sent his local cousins packing." A later letter accompanying the photo on October 8 (the picture is in color, but we can't afford a color publication!) said, "The last word I received from Charleston is that the bird was still present on Oct. 4, having been seen daily for a month now. It has been seen by 14 observers from St. Louis and Cape Girardeau during that period. " So if you've wondered whether a state record can be substantiated without a dead specimen, there's the answer. I wonder how many others have been around without ever being reported, when this was next-door to a top-notch birder for a month before he saw it? Don't neglect your neighborhood?

Hold WEEKEND oF May 9-IO For Spring Field MEETING IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI. Nathan Fay, Bob Bright are chairmen COPY FOR NEXT BLUEBIRD to EDITOR by END OF JANUARY All contribtions invited-please send something! Seasonreports Hamilton THE BLUEBIBD Audubon Society of Missouri p. 2 November , 1969' RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AT FALL MEETING Can you affordtosenda postcardor two aboutCAN you A afford NOT TO ? DDT: Whereas, DDT pollution of the planetary environment is doing harm to much of - the fauna, and is even threatening some species with extinction, and Whereas, the unforeseen results and ramifications up through food chains and throughout food webs can be spectacularly disastrous, and Whereas, DDT is apparently not-a long term solution since insects develop' a resistance to its toxic effects, Now, Be it Therefore Resolved, that the Audubon Society of Missouri in Annual convention assembled this fourth day of October, 1969, at Camp Rising Sun, Lake of the Ozarks State Park, Missouri, proposes the banning of the manufacture, sale and use of DDT on the planet Earth. (copies to World Health Organization, President, Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture, Missouri delegation in Congress, Governor Hearnes, Speaker of the Missouri House , President Pro-tem of the Missouri Senate). ... SCENIC RIVERS: Whereas, Missouri has as fine- a set of wild and scenic rivers as any other state in the United States, and, Whereas, bills to establish a scenic river system in Missouri have failed to even clear committee in the last two sessions of the Missouri Legislature, and Whereas, Time is a crucial factor in saving our streams from the general deterior- ation that seems to accompany civilization in this society, Now be it resolved •••• does most urgently call on the Governor and the Legislature of the Stateof Missouri to provide abundant funds for the scenic rivers interim committee so that understandings can be reached through a series of local meetings that will enable a scenic river system to finallybe established in Missouri. (copies to governor, speaker of house, president pro-tem) ... POPULATION: Whereas, -the population- of the State of Missouri continues to increase, and, Whereas, Wilderness is becoming increasingly rare in Missouri, and Whereas, one of the inalienable rights of every human being is the solitude of the wilderness experience, and Wheeeas, the environment is under the double threat of expanding population and shrinking time for saving what wilderness is left, Now therefore be it resolved ask the governor to appoint a committee of Ecologists to study and recommend areas for inclusion in a Missouri Wildnerness system, and, Be it further resolved that the legislature fund this venture abundantly, and Be is further resolved that the Governor appoint a committee to investigate population in Missouri and find the optimum population for the State of Missouri. To be included on this committee would be representatives from the fields of ecology, agriculture, transportation, education, urban planning, recreation, psychology, sociology, and what other fields are deemed appropriate. (copies to Governor, speaker, president pro-tem)

DO you ever write TO YOUR STATE. REPRESENTATIVE ? Did youevenknowyou you haveme? Does your city use DDT ? THE BLUEBIRD Audubon Society of Missouri p.3 November, 1969

ARCTIC ECOLOGY: Whereas, the single most immediately desperate problem facing conservation today is the possible destruction of the extremely fragile Arctic wilderness of the North Slope of the Brooks Range in Alaska for the purpose of extraction of petroleum resources, and Whereas, the possibilities for ecological disaster in this pristine area are immense, Now Therefore be it Resolved •••• implore that the President of the United States, the Secretary of the Interior, and representatives of the involved petroleum companies come together in a new spirit of good faith and genuine cooperation tor the purpose of setting up a program of controls and regulations to prevent one single ecological accident in the extraction, transportation, or processing of petroleum and to hold the impact of these activities on the wilderness to a complete and absolute minimum, and Be it further resolved that two items to be considered by this group will be (1) a moratorium on extraction activities while the problem is being studied, since no loss will be sustained in quantity, quality, or economics, and (2) the concept of voluntary posting of bond, i.e,, 25%of estimated value of reserve, by extractors in a renaissance of good faith and good will as an incentive to avoid accidents, and Be it further resolved that we believe the establishment of these policies to be thoroughly fair and reasonable requests since the extraction of resources from public land tor private profit is a privilege and in no sense a right. (copies to President, Secretaries of Interior and HEW, Missouri delegation in Congress, Humble Oil Company) - RESOURCE Plan For NATION'S Next200 YEARS: Whereas, the Natural resources of the United States have sustained and nurtured the growth of this nation to its present state of health, wealth, and world leadership, and Whereas, there is some in the minds of many competent ecologists as to the possibilities of successfully duplicating this accomplishment in the next 200 years, Now, Be it Therefore Resolved that the Audubon Society of Missouri does recommend to the President of the United States, his cabinet, and the legislature that a blue ribbon commission be selected to study the resources of the United States and make recommendations no later than 1976 in the form of a 200 year plan designed to enable the United States to pass through the next 200 years and reach the year 2176 in a s good a condition, resource-wise, as she reaches 1976, and, Be it further resolved that Governor Hearnes of Missouri and the legislature should be encouraged to lend encouragement and cooperation in formulating this 200 year plan. (copies to President, all cabinet members, Missouri delegation, Governor, speaker, president pro-tem) BOUNTIES: Whereas, it is abundantly-- clear that--- the bounty system is ecologically a farce,& Whereas, among biologically aware people Missouri is the laughing stock of the nation, since we lead the nation in bounty payments at nearly $100,000 per year, and Whereas, this $100,000 per year should be channeled into beneficial environmental programs, and Whereas, the Missouri Department of Conservation has a model predator control program which is very effective, Now, therefore be it resolved,,,.does urge the Governor and members of the legislature to check the objective evidence tor themselves and having done this we are confident that the bounty system will be done away with in the State of THE BLUEBIRD Audubon Society of Missouri November, 1969

Resolution on BOUNTIES (continued) : Missouri, and Be it further resolved that the Audubon Society of Missouri stands ready to help bring about the passage of legislation to end the bounty system in Missouri. (copies to Director of Mo. Dept. of Conservation, and Prof. Charles Lsun of Bounty Information service,- with note that Audubon is ready to help).

CONSERVATION EDUCATION: Whereas, Education is basic to every worthy cause, and Whereas, There are no ecology or environmental education requirements for teacher qualification in the Stateof Missouri, and Whereas, there is no ecological or environmental education requirement for graduation from Missouri high schools, Now Therefore be it Resolved •••• recommend that no later than the fall of 1976 every elementary teacher in the state of Missouri have a minimum of 2,5 semester hours in ecology or environmental education, and Be it further resolved that beginning no later than the graduating class of 1977 one requirement for graduation from a Missouri high school be at least one course in ecology or environmental education. ECOLOGY COURSE Bf KANSAS CITY MISSOURI:-- Whereas,-- - the Kansas City, Missouri, Public School District is now in the pilot phase of an ecology program, and Whereas, this program is being developed in the face of a $3,000,000 cut in the budget due to voter failure to psss a sufficient levy, and Whereas, the bargaining agent for the teachers in the Kansas City, Missouri, Public School District, the Kansas City Federation of Teachers, has encouraged the district to develop this program, and Whereas, this ecology program is as immediately relevant as any course in the entire curriculum, Now Be it Therefore Resolved •••• does highly commend the Kansas City, Missouri, Public School District and the Kansas City Federation of Teachers, Local 691, A F ofT., for their. efforts in establishing an ecology program in their district ECOLOGY PROGRAMS INSHAWNEE MISSION, KANSAS:----- whereas the Shawnee Mission, Kansas, Public Schools are in the pilot phase of establishing the Shawnee Mission Environ- mental Science Laboratory and the course Science and Survival, and Whereas, these programs are as immediately relevant as any course in the entire curriculum, Now be it therefore resolved that the Audubon Society of Missouri does highly commend the Shawnee Mission, Kansas, Public School District for their efforts in establishing an environmental science laboratory and the course Science and Survival. Whatyourschooldistrict doing??Haveyou said anythingto your board anything teachers J THE BLUEBIRD Audubon Society of Missouri November, 1969

National Wildlife Federation THE BLUEBIBD Audubon Society of Missouri November, 1969

" ••• this American SST will be an exeiting plane. Everything about it is unusual. Its size -- as long as a football field. Its speed -- 1800 miles per hour. Some people say that's too fast. They want to know if it's really necessary. I'd like to put than in perspective right now. The fact is, right at this very moment, every person and everything in this room is traveling eastward at about 700 miles per hour. Also, at this very moment, every person and everything in this room is roaring about the sun through space at a speed of 66,000 miles per hour. And my words -- they're coming to you at 760 miles per hour and the light here is traveling at 186,000 miles per second. So all we're trying to do is just build an airplane that will assist man in moving a little more in harmony with his environment •• ," --Transportation secretary John A. Volpe --remarks to the American Chamber of Commerce, October 6, 1969

AGAHHHHH:

Rep. Craig Hosmer, R-Calif., a prominent member of the joint Committee on Atomic Energy, has become aroused by a new trend he sees in the nation today of concern for man's environment. The congressman scorn- fully calls it "ecologyomania, " and says it is a sort of craze for nature's original pristine condition. --Burlington Free Press

T!IE 9lst CONGRESS' BOX SCORE ON MAJOR LEGISLATION ON NATURAL RESOURCES, COMPLILED BY NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION, AS OF OCTOBER 20 SHOWS THREE HAVE BECOME LAW: Florissant Fossil Beds national monument, and Ventana and Desolation Wilderness Areas in California. And the Administration is not asking for money for conservation projects or anything else much that really matters. Support the President's (and anyone else's) program to get us out of Vietnam--but REMEMBER THAT THE MILITARY BUDGET MUST BE CUT, TOO, GETTING THE COMBAT FORCES OUT OF VIETNAM WILL RELIEVE THE PRESIDENT OF THE TREMENDOUS CRITICISM THE WHITE HOUSE HAS BEEN GETTING FOR YEARS WITH REGARD TO OUR MORAL AND ETHICAL POSITION IN THE WORLD--BUT IT WON"T RELEASE MONEY FOR IMPORTANT DOMESTIC PROGRAMS, WILDERNESS, POLLUTION CONTROL, EDUCATION, ETC,, IF THE ARMED FORCES SUCCEED IN KEEPING THEIR LION'S SHARE OF OUR TAX DOLLARS, WHAT ARE OUR REAL PRIORITIES? LET YOUR LEGISLATORS AND THE PRESIDENT KNOW YOUR FEELINas.--LETNIXON KNOW THAT THE "SILENTS" WHO ARE IGNORANT AND WANT OUR GOVERNMENT TO GIVE THEM CUSTODIAL CARE ARE. NOT THE MAJORITY ....THE MAJORITY ARE

CONQERNED ABOUT THE QUALITY OF HUMI\N LIFE ON THIS PLANET 1 AND PROTECTING AND FOSTERING THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT IN CITY, COUNTRY, AND WILDNERNESS OF THIS SMALL SECTION OF LAND WE HAVE HAD THE ACCIDENTAL GOOD FORTUNE TO BE BORN UPON, Make a list of what is really needed in your town, your state, your nation, and the world. . How much will it cost? Where will the money come from? ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY MORE TAXES? IF NOT, THEN FIGHT FOR A MORE SANE DISTRIBUTION OF THE TAXES YOU ARE PAYING, ACCORDING TO THE PRIORITIES FOR OUR FUTURE SURVIVAL ON THE PLANET. THE THREAT TO MAN'S SPIRITUAL AND SOCIAL FUTURE IS NOT IN ~OF fLAYING WAR-GAMES--THE DANGER IS IN THINKING WAR-GAMES ARE REALITY INSTEAD OF A PRODUCT OF THE SECOND CHILDHOOD OF THE NATIONALISTIC LEADERS OF BLOBS OF SILENT MAJORITIES OF CITIZENS OF THE EARTH. --rgd THE BLUEBIRD Audubon Society of Missouri P· 7 November, 1969

A CHECKLIST OF THE MAMMALS OF ADAIR COUNTY 1 MISSOURI --Richard D. Crawford, Northeast Missouri State College - Illustration by Mrs. Glinda Crawford - This is a part ot a Master's thesis presented to the Northeast Missouri State College, Kirksville. The study was conducted from March 1,1968 to Sept. 30, 1968 • . In all, 847 specimens were collected with the main concentration being on rodents. Representatives of 7 orders, 14 families, 32 genera, and 40 species were found in every conceivable habitat ranging from dense forest to marshland. Many methods of capture were employed due to the diverse habits of the animals. Since this is not in the scope of this article, the interested reader is referred to the thesis for a complete digest of the methods employed. Table 1, the frequency of occurrence of the mammals of Adair County, is designed to give the reader some idea of the abundance of the species discovered. Table 2 is a checklist designed to give the reader ready reference to.the species that are believed to possibly inhabit Adair County. For simplicity, Latin names are used as little as possible. From this investigation it has been established that a minimum of 40 species inhabit the county. According to table 2, one more species has definitely been discovered bringing the total to 41. Due to the changes in the environment, it may be possible that some of these animals are no longer able to survive while others are extending their range to include this county. This study has extended the known range of the Indiana Bat although this species has now been found as far northwest as the Maryville area of Missouri by David Easterla. Several first records for this county were also found. Among these were the Evening Bat, Indiana Bat, Franklin's Ground Squirrel, and the Pine Mouse.· The Pine Mouse was identified from a skull found in a Great Horned pellet collected near the central part of the county (Crawford, 1968).

Table 1: Frequency of Occurrence------of the Mammals Recorded During This Study

Species Number of Number of Times Recorded Locations Opossum (Didelphis msrsupialis) 16 13 Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda) 2 1 Least Shrew (Cryptotis parva) 4 1 Eastern Mole (Scalopus aquaticus) 10 7 Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis) 3 1 Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus) 1 1 Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis) 2 1 Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) 46 4 Keen's Bat (Myotis Keeni) 1 1 Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) 1 1 Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalis) 1 1 Eastern Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus) 1 1 Beaver (Castor canadensis) 8 4 Plains Pocket Gopher (Geomys bursarius) 1 1 13-lined Ground Squirrel (s. tridecemlineatus) 3 3 Franklin's Ground Squirrel (Spermophilis franklini) 1 1 Southern FlyingSquirrel (Glaucomys volans) 2 2 Woodchuck (Marmota monax) 5 5 THE BLUEBIRD Audubon Society of Missouri November, 1969

Table 1 (continued) Species Number of Number of Times Recorded Locations

Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) 13 10 Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) 42 29 Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) 4 2 Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) 8 7 Prairie Meadow Mouse (Microtus ochrogaster) 236 32 Southern Bog Lemming (Synaptomys cooper!) 76 23 Pine Mouse (Pitimys pinetorum) 1 l Western Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis) 25 17 Deer Mouse Peromyscus maniculatus) 108 21 White•footed Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) 170 24 House Mouse (Mus musculus) 13 5 Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus) 4 3 Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) 31 22 Raccoon (Procyon lotor) 11 9 Mink (Mustela vison) 1 l Long-tailed Weasel (Mustela frenata) 1 l Badger (Taxidea taxus) 2 2 Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) 6 6 Spotted Skunk (Spilogale putorius) 7 6 (Canis lantrans) l 1 Red Fox (Vuipes fulva) 3 3 White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) 13 9

see drawing on first page of this paper

Table 2: A Checklist of the Mammals of Adair County, Missouri opossum 13-lined Ground Squirrel Norway Rat Short-tailed Shrew Franklin's Ground Squirrel Eastern Cottontail Least Shrew Southern Flying Squirrel *River Otter Eastern Mole Woodchuck Raccoon Red Bat Eastern Fox Squirrel Mink Hosry Bat Eastern Gray Squirrel Long-tailed Weasel Evening Bat Eastern Chipmunk *Least Weasel Big Brown Bat Muskrat Badger Keen's Bat Prairie Meadow Mouse Striped Skunk Little Brown Bat *Pennsylvania Meadow Mouse Spotted Skunk Indiana Bat Southern Bog Lemming *Mountain Lion *Least Bat Pine Mouse *Bobcat *Gray Bat *Meadow Jumping Mouse -Coyote **Silver-haired Bat Western Harvest Mouse Red Fox Eastern Pipistrelle Deer Mouse *Gray Fox Beaver White-footed Mouse White•tailed Deer Plains Pocket Gopher House Mouse *mammals possibly occurring in Adair County, but were not discovered during this study (mainly from Schwartz & Schwartz, 1959, The Wild Mammals of Missouri, The University of Missouri Press, Columbia, Mo.) - ** The Silver-haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) was collected after this study was completed by Robert M. Luker, Zionsville, Indiana,. OTHER LITERATURE CITED: Crawford, Richard D., "Some Foods of the Great Horned Owl in Northeastern Missouri.'' Iowa Bird Life, 38(4): 119-120. Dec., 1968 Crawford, Richard D., "The Distributionand Abundance of the Mammals of Adair County, Missouri.'' Unpublished Master's Thesis. N.E. Mo. State College, Kirksville, 1969 THE BLUEBIRD AUDUBON SOCIETY OF MISSOURI NOVEMBER, 1969 .. FALL MEETING FINDS BEAUTIFUL WEATHER, FOR A CHANGE About 90 members attended the fall meeting at Camp Rising Sun, Lake Ozark State Park, on October 4-5· Saturday night's program featured the Missouri Conservation Department's new Schwartz movie, "Downstream", presented by Glenn Chambers of the department staff who has recently completed his first major film for the department, on the wild turkey. The turkey movie will get its world premiere at the Wild Turkey symposium in Columbia ia late winter, and we hope to see it next fall. With Charles Schwartz as teacher, we are sure Glenn will be welcomed into the ranks of the world's outstanding wildlife photographers when the turkey film is released, In addition to the Schwartz film which emphasized the non-consumptive recreation of canoeing our Ozark streams, Bob Bright of Baxter Boat Dock at Table Rock showed slides of birds he has taken around the lake and elsewhere--we'll see more of Bob at the spring field trip meeting down there. The total bird list for the weekend was 88: myrtle warbler Ciconiiformes: Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Common Egret Anseriformes: Blue-winged Teal, Wood Duck Falconiformes: Turkey , Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Osprey, Peregrine, Sparrow Hawk. Galliformes: Bob-white Gruiformes: American Coot Charadriiformes: Common Snipe, Black Tern Columbiformes: Mourning Dove Cuculiformes: Yellow-billed Cuckoo Strigiformes: Screech Owl, Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl Caprimulgiformes: Common Nighthawk Apodiformes: Chimney Swift Coraciiformes: Belted Kingfisher Piciformes: Yellow-shafted Flicker; Pileated, Red-bellied, Red-headed, Hairy, and Downy Woodpeckers; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Passeriformes: Eastern Kingbird; Great DAVID Crested and Acadian Flycatchers, PLANk Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Wood Pewee. 1969 Horned Lark; Blue Jay, Common Crow; Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse; White• breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches; Brown Creeper; House, Bewick's, Carolina, and Long-billed Marsh Wrens; Mockingbird, Catbird, Brown Thrasher; Robin and Bluebird; Ruby-crowned Kinglet; Cedar Waxwing; Loggerhead Shrike; Starling; White-eyed, Yellow-throated, and Soltary Vireos; Black-and-white, Tennessee, Orange-crowned, Nashville, Yellow, Magnolia, Myrtle, Black-thraoted Green, Blackburnian, Bay-breasted Warblers, Yellowthroat, Norththern Waterthrush; House Sparrow; Eastern Meadowlark, Redwing, Baltimore Oriole, Common Grackle; Summer Tanagaer; Cardinal, -breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, American Goldfinch, Tree Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Field Sparrow White-throated Sparrow, Gashawks--small flock landing and taking off from the governor's new jetport in the middle of the state park. Membership in the Audubon Society of Missouri stands at 3ll. DID YOU PAY YOUR DUES THIS YEAR? The cost of printing the Bluebird this past year was $1,179.69; postage was an additonal $130.12. Dues and contributions to the general fund amounted to $1,104. In other words, we need more members and more willing to contribute additbnal funds, if we are to take the role that other Audubon Societies are accepting across the country. The National Audubon Society is in the forefront of Conservation and Environmental Education·. What are you doing for Missouri Audubon? THE BLUEBIRD AUDUBON SOCIETY OF MISSOURI NOVEMBER, 1969 .. POPULATION CONGRESS SET-- FOR CHICAGO IN 1970 Dedicated leaders of our society committed to the well-being of all mankind have organized the First National Congress on Optimum Population and Environment, to convene at the Pick-Congress Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, from June 7 to 11, 1970. The congress is headed by Rev. Don Shaw, 65 East Huron St., Chicago, a member of the Izaak Walton Laague and of the Illinois Audubon Society. Among other conservation leaders active in the conference planning are Alexander Adams of the Nature Conservancy, Victor Cahalane of the Defenders of Wildlife, Raymond Haik of the Izaak Walton League, Elvis Stahr of the National Audubon Society, Warren Dewalt of the Sierra Club, Dr. George Woodruff of the Natural Resources Council of Illinois, Gunnar Peterson of the Open Lands Project, and numerous other known conservationists. The Congress is being called because of massive over-population and environmental problems and threats to man's survival.

NORTH AMERICAN NEST-RECORD CARD PROGRAM SEEKS MISSOURI REGIONAL CENTER A letter to president Easterla in October, from Mrs. Edith Edgerton at the Cornell Laboratory ofOrnithology, asked if we could set up a regional center to distribute and collect the neat-record cards for which Missouri is one of five states now having no organized group. The program began in 1965, and now has over Bo,ooo cards. These are being transferred to IBM cards for computer analysis. All data are freely available to any serious worker without further consultation with the original observers. The year 1968 was the biggest year to late with over 20,000 completed nest-record cards returned from 878 individual contributors. Two national magazines have carried information on the program recently--the April 21 issue of National Observer, and the May issue of Audubon Magazine. If you would be willing to distribute and collect cards for the laboratory, please contact Dave Easterla at Northwest Missouri State College, Maryville, 64468. VACANCIES FOR OFFICERS COMING UP THIS YEAR The offices of President, Vice-President, Secretary are vacant for next year. The nominating committee appointed by the president consists of Lisle Jeffrey as chairman (1845 Cliff Drive, Columbia, Mo., 65201), with Alberta Bolinger and Rilla Hammat. If you have persons you would like to have considered--or if you would like to be considered yourself (we often don't know who would be willing to take on this kind of job--especially that of secretary) write to Lisle.

NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY CONVENTION WILL BE HELD AT THE BENJAMIN FRANKLIN HOTEL, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, MAY 15-19, 1970 DON'T PUT GLYCERINE IN THE BATHWATER--AT LEAST NOT FOR BIRDS! The frequently recommended practice of adding glycerine to water may keep your birdbath unfrozen this winter--but not the birds that use it. Cold water was thrown on the glycerine theory by Mrs. Walter R. Spofford, research associate at Cornell University's Laboratory of Ornithology, in reply to several queries received from bird lovers. "Several bird lovers," she said, "have asked about.adding glycerine to the water in bird baths in winter. My advice to them is don't. This practice results in the death of many small birds." The glycerine in the water, she explained, is harmless if the birds drink it, but if they bathe, their natural insulation against the cold is destroyed. "The feathers of birds are remarkably adapted for forming an insulating layer," Mr. Spofford said. "The barbs of birds feathers interlock and in the winter the feathers are fluffed out, trapping warm air against the body. Anything added to the water, especially something oily like glycerine--makes it impossible for the feathers to function normally. As soon as the bird is exposed to extreme cold or heavy snow or rain, he will dreeze." It's far better, Mrs. Spofford said, to aid birds by adding warm water several times s day or to use little electric water heaters commonly used to open water for chickens. THE BLUEBIRD Audubon Society of Missouri December, 1969

FALL SURVEY: September through November, 1968 by Dick Anderson Weather for this period was generally normal with a good mixture of rain and fair weather. November remained fair and warm in Eastern and Southern Missouri, while it was cooler in the North and westt. After two years without a northern winter invasion, one was indicated this fall. The tip-off was in August when Red-breasted Nuthatches arrived. By November Pine Siskins and Purple Finches were much in evidence. By late November large numbers of Evening Grosbeaks had invaded St. Louis. Rarities included in this report are Red-necked Grebe, American Brant, and Jaeger. Loons thru Herons - Common Loons were reported from Creve Coeur Lake at St. Louis Nov. 14 (E. C.), one at Lake Springfield on Nov. 10 (I. F.), three at Browning Lake Nov. 2 (F. L.) and six. at Lake of the Ozarks on Nov. 29 (D. E.). An accidental Red-necked Grebe was found at Lake of the Ozarks Nov. 29 and 30 (D. E.). Horned Grebes were reported from Browning Lake (2) Nov. 2 (F. L. ), two at Squaw Creek from Sept. 22 to Oct. 12 (H. B.), six at Fellow Lake Nov. 30 (I. F.) and the incredible number of 45 at Lake of the Ozarks Nov. 29 (D. E.). Three Eared Grebes were seen at Squaw Creek Sept. 8 (J. H.) and two were at Swan Lake on Sept. 2 (L. K. ). White Pelicans peaked at 5000 birds at Squaw Creek Sept. 7-15. A peak of 500 at Swan Lake was well below the normal peak of 2000 (L. K. ). Only five double-crested cormorants were seen at Squaw Creek in early Sept., the normal 35 to 45 at St. Louis I D. A.), while Swan Lake had a high of 82 (L. K.) Herons from all reporters were down. Only four Common Egrets were reported from Squaw Creek (F. L. ). Six Yellow=crowned Night Hdrons were at Squaw Creek Sept. 1-15 (H. B.) and one late bird was reported at Swan Lake on Oct. 29 (L. K. ) Waterfowl and Hawks - Almost 200, 000 geese visited Squaw Creek from Nov. 18-24. This was the highest fall peak ever noted there. The lateness of the peak was attributed to high temperatures in the Hudson - James Bay and other northern areas during Sept. and Oct. This figure may be misleading since production on the breeding grounds was very poor (H. B.). Other Squaw Creek figures show 168, 000 Mallards Nov. 18, 10, 000 American Widgeons Oct. 28, 50, 000 Pi;ntails Oct. 28, 30,000 Green-winged Teal Oct. 28, 14,000 Blue-winged Teal Sept. 16-29, 5, 000 Shovelers Nov. 17. Unusual for Squaw Creek was 2100 Lesser Scaup in mid-Nov. (H. B.) An American Brant, accidental in Missouri, was found in Atchison Co., in Northwest Mo., on Nov. 27 (D. E.). Three White-fronted Geese spent most of Nov. at Busch Wildlife Area near St. Louis (D. A.). Ducks were reported as quite low in the Springfield area (I. F.). A re cord late Mississippi Kite was spotted south of St. Louis by Mary Wiese on Sept. 28. Another late Kite was seen near Springfield Oct. 27 (I. F.). Sharp-shinned and Cooper''s Hawks were seen more often in the St. Joseph area (F. L. ), but were rare at Springfield (I. F.). Red-tailed Hawks were generally down. Broad-winged Hawks were down at St. Joseph (F. L. ), but flights of up to 600 were seen in the St. Louis area (E. C.) A Peregrine was seen Sept. 1 at Sugar Creek (F. L.) and one was also seen at the State Meeting Oct.t 6. There wereno reports of Harlan's Hawks, very unusual.' A Swainson's Hawk was at squawCreek Sept. 1 and two near St. Joseph Sept. 22 (F. L., ) An early Rough-legged Hawk was seen east of Kansas City Oct. 4(J. H. ) Shoreb,irds and Gulls - The peak of the shorebird flight occurred prior to the time of this report, so we will mention only unusually late dates and species. At St. Louis there was little habitat. A Knot and Buff-breasted Sandpiper in mid-Sept. was note- owrthy (D. A.). One Avocet was seen at Creve Coeur Lake in Sept. , another in St. THE BLUEBIRD The Audubon Society of Missouri p.12 December, 1969

Charles on Oct. 24. Late Dates from Squaw Creek include 4 Golden Plovers Nov. 30 (J. H.), Lesser Yellowlegs Nov. 24 (F. L.). Baird's Sandpiper Nov. 30 ( J. H.), Least Sandpiper Nov. 28 (J. H., F. L. ), American Avocet one on Sept. 8, 12 on Sept. 24, six on Nov. 10 (H. B.), Wilson's Phalarope Nov. 17 IF. L. ), Northern Phalarope Nov. 3 (J. H.); 40 Sanderlings turned up at Swan Lake, Mo., Sept. ll (L. K. ). Also at Swan Lake, Mo., were three Avocets Oct. 28 and two on Nov. 14 (L. K. ). A Jaeger was reported from Swan Lake, Mo., by John Hamilton and group on Nov. 3. The species was not determined, but was thought to be a Parasitic. A good fall for Franklin's Gulls. Over 1500 used Squaw Creek in mid-Sept. However, the incredible number of 150,000 Franklin's at Swan Lake on Oct. 23 (L. K. sounds more like a migrating flock in Kansas or Oklahoma. A late Franklin's was at Lake of the Ozarks Dec. 1 (D. E.). 100 Bonaparte's Gulls (very high) were counted at Lake of the Ozarks Nov. 29 (D. E.). Other gulls and all terns were reported in normal numbers. Roadrunners thru Woodpeckers No roadrunners were reported by Irving Fay, but John Hamilton reports a population (no numbers) near Forsyth, Mo. (Taney Co. Common Nighthawks departed early from St. Joseph, none being seen after Sept. 23. The first Red-shafted Flicker at St. Joseph was Sept. 20 and reported as common after than (F. L. ). An obvious Yellow-shafted- Red-shafted Flicker was seen at John Hamilton's home Nov. 8-16. Perching Birds -Western Kingbirds were last seen at St. Joseph Sept. 19 (F. L. ). A late Wood Pewee was at Lake of the Ozarks Oct. 5 (J. H.). An Olive -sided Flycatcher was at Maryville Sept. 14 (M. R.) and were reported as common at St. Joseph until Sept. 15 (F. L. ). Swallows at Squaw Creek were 1000 Tree Swallows Sept. 15, 2500 Barn Sept. 22, 5000 Cliff Sept. 1 (F. L. ). The first Red-breasted Nuthatch at St. Louis was Aug. 23 (D. A.). One was seen at Maryville Sept. 1 (M. R. ). They were reported as common by early Oct. by most reporters. Both Marsh Wrens were noted at Squaw Creek Sept. 1 (F. L. ). Water Pipits were at Creve Coeur Lake Oct. 25 (K. Arhos). A Blue-headed Vireo was seen at Maryville Sept. 14 and Sept. 28 (M. R. ). Fall warblers as usual were spotty and inconclusive. Of note a Cape May at Maryville Sept. 15 (M. R.) and one at St. Louis Oct. 5 (K. Arhos). A very late Yellow Warbler was seen at Maryville Nov. 8 (D. E.) and two Blackburnians at Maryville Sept. 2 (M. R. ). All beginning birders are told that we seerl Bobolinks in Spring, but not in fall. Then how do we explain 500 Bobolinks at Squaw Creek on Sept. 2? (F. L. ). The last yellow-headed Blackbird at Squaw Creek was Sept. 21 (F. L. ). A Brewer's Blackbird at Squaw Creek Nov. 17 and on at St. Joseph Nov. 28 (F. L. ). Fringillidae - An Evening Grosbeak flight came to St. Louis early. A group of 50 was counted at Webster Groves by Nov. 30 (E. C., D. A., et all. A late Dickcissel was seen at St. Louis Nov. 4 (E. C.). Purple Finches were generally common by the end of Nov. LeConte's Sparrow was early at St. Louis as several were seen Sept. 28 (E. C.). A late Chipping Sparrow was found at St. Louis Nov. 19 (E. C.). A Henslow and Clay-colored were found near Swan Lake, Ill., on Sept. 29 {D. A.). Harris Sparrows were numerous at St. Joseph and very common at Busch Wildlife Area with up to six being found at one time. Note: all locations are in Missouri unless otherwise specified\. D. A. -Dick Anderson I. F. -Irving Fay H. B. -Harold Burgess J. H. -John Hamilton E. C. - Earl Comfort L. K. - Lawrence Kline D. E. -Dave Easterla F. L. -Floyd Lawhon M. R. - Mark Robbins

BE SURE TO SEND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND DATES TO JOHN HAMILTON. WE HOPE TO CATCH UP THIS YEAR WITH YOUR HELP IN SENDING YOUR INFO WHILE FRESH. SOME PARTS OF STATE ARE NOT REPRESENTED, AND WE NEED YOUR REPORTS--northeast, southeast, mid-central, west-central. ------

THE BLUEBIRD AUDUBON SOCIETY OF MISSOURI f•/3 NOVEMBER, 1969 BLUEBIRD NESTING BOX STUDY by Burrell Pickering An article in The Bluebird spring 1969 issue told the story of Frank and Doris Kime's Bluebird Nesting Survey for the 1968 season at Sunny Ranch Wildlife Refuge and Nature Study Area in Warren County. Frank Kime, an Englishman with the Royal Air Force, was in this country for a limited stay doing liaison work with McDonald Aircraft Corporation and left last March for his home in England. His work on the Bluebird Project for 1969 was carried on by the Webster Groves Nature Study Society as an organization project. The participation was on a family or teacher-and-students basis with the group dividing into two teams each weekend to check the bluebird traiS. Those who participated during the season were William Brush and students, Jeanine Delgman and Sondra Dexter with students, the Bauer Family, Sharon Miller with students, the Barker Family, the Anderson Family, the.Haller Family, and the Jackson family. The first inspection was April 2oth and the last August 3rd1 with seven young bluebirds having left the nests during that past week and all boxes were now empty. A summary of the final 1969 results compild from the weekly Data Chart showed: 36 nesting boxes available; 24 used by Bluebirds, 67~ Bluebirds -- eggs, 150; eggs infertile or lost, 63. Young lost, 8. Young fledged, 79J 53%success, 3.25 per nest box used. Chickees-- eggs, 15; eggs infertile, 7; young fledged, 8 Total of 8 Desirable Song Birds Added to the Po ulation (1968 results: 2 Bluebirds fledged from 9 eggs in 23 nests, 63%success} HOuse sparrows were a big problem occupying five boxes continually during the season and eleven boxes part of the time. The nests and eggs were removed weekly so that no young house sparrows were fledged, The weekly Data Chart shows that nests or partial nests were removed 45 times and a total of 133 eggs, which shows how prolific this species is, In some instances, the occupancy of boxes was a long distance from any buildings. The house sparrow activity probably reduced somewhat the occupancy of the boxes by Bluebirds, The number of bluebird eggs that failed to hatch was large, 42%, possibly due to predators and desertion, but the causes are not definitely known. However, when the percentage of unhatched eggs is compared with similar surveys by other groups, the results are comparable. Eight young were lost, two disappeared, two almost fully feathered died in the nests, and four died from starvation since it was evident that the parent had been killed by some predator. Most bluebird articles mention loss of young by larvaeof parasitic blowfly (Apaulina sialia) but none were found in the nests. At the beginning of the season, dusting sulphur had been put in the boxes which may have been of some value. Loss by predators was not determined since the boxes were only observed and checked on weekends. In addition to the checking of the nesting boxes, the participants in the WGNSS Bluebird Nesting Box Study recorded behavior pattern of the birds and made other observations. Several mentioned that the female was reluctant to leave the nest and often would not do so until the door had been opened. There were a number of instances of dive-bombing by the adult birds when an attempt was made to inspect the boxes and there were young in them. Other comments were to watch out for spiders or wasps. It was noted that egg laying usually started soon after the nest was completed with one egg laid each day until the clutch was completed. Usually there. were four or five eggs in the nest with one case of three and one of six. All were pale blue with no deviation in color, Incubation started as soon as the last egg was laid and requi·red about fourteen days. As soon as the eggs hatched, the shells were removed and dropped some distance from the nest. Likewise, the nest was kept clean by carrying away the droppings, THE BLUEBIRD AUDUBON SOCIETY OF MISSOURI

BLUEBIRD NESTING BOX STUDY (continued) The young grew rapidly and were fully feathered and ready to leave the nest in fifteen or sixteen days. It was noticed on several occasions when a box was checked with young in it that one would leave the nest at that time and unlike most young birds were able to fly some distance on their first attempt. Authorities who have studied the Bluebirds report the family remains intact throughout the season and that few if any other birds have a home life so exquisite and appealing to human observers. Ornithologists stress the severely depleted Eastern Bluebird population and give sa one important cause the lack of acceptable breeding places. Natural cavities that they would use see often occupied during the nesting season by starlings or house sparrows against which the bluebirds can rarely successfully compete. With nesting boxes provided for them, today bluebirds are a common sight at Sunny Ranch and you can often observe a dozen or more sitting on the utility wires.

THERE WEllE NO APPLICANTS FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP OFFERED BY THE AUDUBON SOCIETY OF MISSOURI TO SEND A YOUTH TO AN AUDUBON CAMP THIS PAST SUMMER. THIS WOULD BE ESPECIALLY VALUABLE FOR TEACHERS WHO HAVE NOT HAD MUCH FIELD WORK. THE AUDUBON SOCIETY OF MISSOURI SELECTS ONE YOUTH LEADER FROM THOSE NOMINATED 1 PAYING THE FULL TUITION (ABOUT $150); THE APPLICANT MUST PAY TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM THE CAMP, WE ARE ESPECIALLY LOOKING FOR UPPER ELEMENTARY TEACHERS WHO WOULD BENEFIT BY WORKING WITH THE TOP OUTDOOR EDUCATION TEACHERS IN THE COUNTRY; THE AUDUBON CAMPS SET THE STYLE AND PACE FOR ALL SUCH PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE NATION, IF YOU KNOW A TEACHER WHO IS INTERESTED, CONTACT ALICE JEFFREY, 1845 CLIFF DRIVE, COLUMBIA, MO., 65201/ AudUbon camps are conducted at Greenwich, Connecticut; Medomak, Maine; Sarona, Wisconsin; and Dubois, Wyoming. All stress ecological understanding. Camps are two-week sessions. The recipient need not be a member of the AudUbon Society of Missouri, but you as a member are responsible for letting your favorite nature teacher or youth leader know about this opportunity. AudubonCampScholarships THERE WERE FIVE BREEDING BIRD SURVEYS ADDED TO THE STATE'S LISTTHIS YEAR, BUT WE ALSO LOST FIVE. REMEMBER THAT THE GREATEST VALUE COMES FROM THOSE THAT CAN BE CONTINUED YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR. For information, contact Dick Anderson, 1147 Gre shaw Drive, St, Louis, Mo., 63137• POCKET CHECK-LIST OF GEORGIA BIRDS If planning to be in the southeast, you might be interested in the newly published Pocket Check-List of Georgia Birds, 60 pages, 4 x 6 inches, published by the Georgia Ornithological Society, writted by J. Fred Denton and Milton Hopkins. It gives complete and current discussion of the status of every bird in Georgia, and has space for the observer to make notes, Postpaid price is 75 cents, from Louis C. Fink, 620 Peachtree St, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia, 30308 --~----" ------·-~·~-·------AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION BACKS CITIZENS' POLLUTION FIGRr Federal suit to stop oil drilling in the Santa Barbara Channel until opponents are given a public hearing was filed this summer by the ACLU of Southern California, contending area residents were being deprived of personal rights without due process of law. The CLU argues the government is relying on secret information regarding oil contamination supplied by the very parties who have been responsible for the contamination. In June, the government announced, based on this information, that 50 more oil wells would be allowed in the channel, allegedly to reduce oil pressure, but citizenshave no way of knowing if the solution is sound. Long known as our major protection against infringement of our conttitutional rights of privacy and due process in the courts, it is heartening to' see that the ACLU recognizes that our rights extend to a livable environment as well as a just society. THE BLUEBIRD AUDUBON SOCIETY OF MISSOURI p.15 NOVEMBER ,1969

COMMENTS ON LATE DEPARTURE OF EVENING GROSBEAKS ·-David Eaaterla I feel compelled to comment on the Evening Grosbeak article on P• 6 of the last Bluebird, as I'mafraid it could be misleading to some of our readers. If one takes the time to review the literature on this subject, I think other more logical and biologically sound factors should be suggested for the Evening Grosbeak's late departure in Missouri and its non-breeding condition (with little fat accumulation) besides those suggested (such as the birds migrating so far south they lost the desire to return north, or the spring environment of SEMO. Mo. may be unsuitable for such northern birds and the task of migrating was too much trouble, and despite the abundant food the environment worked against them and they gradually died, henle the reason for their gradual decline, etc.) It should be pointed out that the evening grosbeak is not an annual migrant tbit builds up a fat reserve before the predicted migration as is so characteristic of many species. It is a cyclic, irruptive species from the north and west whose movements seem to. be triggered more by available food rather than photoperiodism. From this standpoint it has much in common with the crossbills. These birds (Red Crossbilla) have even been recorded breeding in the dead of winter if there is abundant food. A quick check of the recent literature shows that during invasion years, Evening Grosbeaks sometimes move farther south than Missouri and once our state has been invaded, a few grosbeaks almost always linger until May. This spring St. Louis recorlled them up until May lOth, and David Plank tells me that Evening Grosbeaks stayed at Salem, Missouri, up into May. Experienced Missouri birders certainly will remember the last big invasion year of this species into Missouri. We found them lingering at Columbia, Missouri, until May 2 1 1962, By this time of the year they had begun feeding on the buds of elm and box elder and were not frequenting the feeders as much. Bo die-off because of an extreme southward migration has been recorded for this species, and one dead specimen at a feeder doesn't provide evidence. The factors suggested in the article certainly are not impossible, but seem more improbable and unlikely that the ones not mentioned and suggested above,

GET INTO THE SPORT OF BIRD•LISTING A new group has been organized nationally with primary emphasis on competitive listing, according to Dick Anderson. You may obtain full information on the group, including a copy of their bi-monthly publication, "Birding"1 by writing to "American Birding Association," 2912 West Avenue 1 Austin, Texas, 78705. Portions of their magazine include such items as detailed information (maps, directions, contacts) about locations of rare birds nationwide, top area life lists, top world life lists, lists of percentage of possible birds seen in each state, discussion of status of introduced birds and subspecies. The organizatinn is new, with those joining in 1969 being considered ·charter members. THE BLUEBIRD Audubon societyof Missouri November , 1969 OFFlCERS OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETY OF MISSOURI President David Easterla, Northwest Missouri State College, Maryville, 64468 Viae~President••••• Duane Kelly, 2501 Van Brunt, Kansas City, Missouri, 64127 Secretary ••••••••••Alberta Bolinger, 40 Plaza Square - ·pt. llo6, St. Louis, Mo., 63103 Treasurer ,.,,,.,,Homer R. Bolen, 1400 New Madrid St., Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63701 REGIONAL DlRECTORS..N. Irving Fay, Ozark, Missouri, 65721 Bonnie Mae Dunlap, llo6 Vineyard Square, Jefferson City, 65101 James F. Comfort, 27 North lola Drive, St, Louis, Mo., 63119 Paul L. Heye, 1651 Perryville Rd., Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63701 Josephine Isenberger, 645 w. 6lst Terr., Kansas City, Mo., 64113 A. Dean Cole, 5535 Renner Rd., Shawnee Mission, Kansas, 66217 Richard Anderson, 1147 Grenshaw Drive, St, Louis, Mo., 63137 Floyd Lawhon, 3327 Burnside Road , St. Joseph, Mo., 64505 Alice Jeffrey, 1845 Cliff Drive, Columbia, Mo., 65201 · THE BLUEBIRD Editor Richard Dawson, 5600 E. Gregory, Kansas City, Mo., 64132 Seasonal Bird Survey Editor John L. Hamilton, R.R.2, Huntoon Road, St, Joseph, 64505 Staff Artiets David Plank(Salem, Mo.); Glinda Crawford (Cameron, Mo.)

WHY STUDY ORNITHOLOGY? by Roger Rowlett, Maryville If you are the average person you think that a bird- (ornithologist) is a "kook" who goes out and watches little things with wings aDd then if they find something rare they "fly" to a telephone to make their report. Pretty soon there is a migration among the bird-watchers and the place is filled to capacity. Meanwhile, the bird is trying to figure out what is going on and flies farther out of its range to figure it out. If you think of yourself as being a psychiatrist you might analyze the bird- watcher as a person who is tired of trying to deal with humans and will go out to match wits with a bird. Of course, if you are a bird-watcher you prefer to be called an ornithologist because it makes you sound important and you realize that the study of birds is an interesting hobby or profession, although it can get rather expensive, The whole human race could depend upon orrtthologistsl This statement may seem rather rash but if you think about it, it may mean more than you care to admit. So far, man has been going all out to destroy himself in ways other than war. He destroys his land, pollutes his water, and poisons his air. Because man thinks that he is hardy he does not notice the drastic changes going on around him. Birds must adapt to their surroundings, move on, or become extinct. Nobody would notice that there is a change if it were not for these "kooky" bird-watchers. Sometimes it takes shocking figures to make a person realize that he can't continue on a certain way of doing things and ornithologists have come up with these. For instance several birds are known to be extinct and several may be on their way if their environment isn't saved. Birds are unable to reproduce because of lack of calcium in their egg shells which make them weak, which is caused by DDT and o.ther pesticides; because this could have implications on human bones many states have banned .certain 'pesticides, To save species wildlife preserves have been set up which noe only saves wildlife but gives humans peace of mind to know that there are still some open spaces left, It also preserves plants which are vital in changing carbon dioxide back to oxygen which we need to breathe, Many people are starting to watch birds, in fact percentage-wise the bird-watchers are increasing faster than the hunters! With this increase in bird-watchers more informa- tion may be obtained on birds, More area will be covered and as a result a more accurate sample will be taken. However ,if you do not record your findings what you see will be in vain because nobody will ever know if you have found something. ro IN' JAN. ------

THE WESTWOOD VIEW Oll'l'OOOR SCHOOL, CAMP ALlENDALE-BY-JINGO by Mrs. Betty Strand Allendale-by-Jingo provides a challenging and varied environment for a week's classroom "on-th-" study. The abins are adequate for the time spent in them, with heat and flush facilities softening the first camping experience of some of the students. The environmental potential of the area is so varied -- climax woods, fields, small stream, pond, larger stream -~ that I inevitably finish the week's outing with a frustrated feeling of having barely scratched the surface of possible outdoor exposures for the children. The purpose of an outdoor school is to enrich the school curriculum through a program of learning by doing. Students in grade five spend five days of their school year in the outdoor school. The emphasis during this period of outdoor living and studying is placed on the natural sciences, personal health, democratic living, and the observance of religious principles in daily living. This is a resident school program and takes place on the 160 acres of Camp Allendale-by•Jirigo, which is fifteen miles south of Louisburg, Kansas. Westwood View is an elementary school of the Shawnee Mission Public Schools, located in a Kansas bedroom community for Kansas City, Missouri. After several years with different age groups, I find the spring 5th grade and fall 6th grade the easiest to work with from the standpoint of the student's being able to adjust to the outdoor situation, take care of himself with a minimum of supervision, and being able to grasp the environmental concept -- all this with a minimum boy-girl interaction. The usual program at Allendale covers nature, weather, fossils, math, map-hiking, stargazing, and when time permits some outdoor sketching or nature-related craft. The students are divided into groups of about 10 per class with a 2 1/2 hour classroom period in both morning and afternoon, and related evening programming. The weather unit uses both wet and dry bulb thermometers, sets up a wind vane, and discusses what causes weather change. Blanks are provided for daily use in recording the weather instrument readings. The entire group usually is lectured at once on fossils and area geology, then each group has one class period for a fosail hunt, and it's not uncommon to hear "brachiopod" and "crinoid" in common usage among the students. Their new awareness of fossils extends to other class sessions and the map hike rosy be slowed somewhat if a particularly well-fossiled formation is in the compass line. The map hike may well be the only exposure ever, at least for some of the group, to a contour map. A geological survey map is examined and compass bearings used to travel between two points on the map. Tramping up and down the hills certainly puts reality into those wavey lines on the map! The math unit involves actually measuring an acre, determining the height of a tree by shadow length, and other measurements and conversions to miles. Daily banking activity at the camp store. gives further math experience in check writing and bank balancing.

After several different lesson plans through the years, I've decided the most important thing is flexibility. Muddy water eliminates good pond study, but the same rain starts the lichens fruiting and fungi sprouting -- a bird flock migrating presents still another opportunity, the same wtth deer tracks. MY main objective is on-the-spot exposure to the relationship of earth, plants and animal, and man's control and responsibility to the same. The presentation is much easier done if the students have done pre-outdoor-school work on vocabulary list and a simple chart of the pyramid of life, Usually the regular teacher is willing to help in this way. It is so much easier for the class to see and understand conservation on the site than ------

in the city classroom. Several live animals that may be handled by the students are brought alone, and all animals caught during the week are released after study and observation. A gallon jar terrarium or aquarium may be prepared to return with the class. While weather, fossils, map, and nature are presented as separate units, they are all tied together by the outdoor classroom and most of the students easily inter- relate the class content. Evening programs of star-gazing, without competition from city lights, and of nature films, augment the classroom material, as do field trips to a dairy, sheep shearing, or blue heron nesting ground.

Besides the obvious advantage of studying nature and related topics in a natural setting, outdoor school provides opportunity for the regular teacher to see her students in a different environment with more time to work out individual problems. The 10 and 11 year olds profit from group living by learning to better cooperate with each other. They are exposed to opportunities for both leading and following, developing independence and self organization. The insight provided by the individual child's reaction to the group and week away from home is a valuable help to the teacher with the student back in class.

One morning of the outdoor school is also spent visiting a small town newspaper. Students meet with the owner-editor of the paper and discuss with him the various steps involved in gathering information, the printing process, and the distribution of the paper. They are shown the similarities and the differences in the production of a small town paper and the Kansas City Star. This year, the program began with meeting at the school at 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 12, and ended with the closing of the final program for parents at 3 p.m., on Friday, October 17. The facilities and total organization and operation are under the direction of Bob Allen, owner of the camp. If you live around Kansas City and are interested in making use of this program for your own school at the Allendale site, or in finding out any details for helping organize such a program at a different camp, you may write Bob at Camp Allendale-by-Jingo, Route 1, LaCygne, Kansas. DOES YOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAVE A RESIDENT OUTDOOR PROGRAM AVAILABLE TO ALL OFITS STtiDENTS? ISN'T IS TIME THAT IT CONSIDERED THE OPPORTUNITIES AND ADVANTAGES ITS STliDENTS COULD GAIN THROUGH SUCH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION? (Kansas City Star photog!' a by Dave Redmon). THE BLUEBIRD The Audubon Society of Missouri p.19 December, 1969

PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORDS TO DOCUMENT RARE BIRDS

Many birders do not like the idea of killing a rare individual in order to "prove" that the bird was really seen. They feel that killing it may mean it will not reappear, while leaving it alive may mean that it and more will return in future years. Especially, things like collecting breeding p air and all young of a first nesting record tend to repel some amateurs--and even sbme professionals. There is a way to verify a sighting and still leave the bird alive, if ;you have a good camera and patience. Dave Easterla is presently compiling a ·photographic file on bird records for Missouri. He already has photos of such accidentals as Lewis' Woodpecker, Rufous Hummingbird (see 1st page of this issue}, Sage Thrasher, Flamingo, Ross' Goose, etc. Only with everyone's coop- eration can this project be successful and lead to updated publication of Birds of Missouri or even more. Any members or others who take photos of accidental birds in Missouri, please send to Dave at Northwest Missouri State College, Maryville; he will be glad to provide extra black and white prints from such photos, or duplicate slides, whatever the owner prefers. And the originals would always be returned. Also any photo that represents a state record would automatically be sent to the editor for publicat;on in The Bluebird with full credit to the photographer. ·Bird photography is a hobby that any non-professional birder can take up, and possibly make a valuable contribution to Missouri's ornithology.

We present below the first recent confirmed record of a Northern Shrike, an adult captured and banded on the Fitzhugh Diggs farm in Missouri, south of Hamburg, Iowa, on December 6, 1969. The photo clearly shows the barring of the chest and other features necessary for positive identification. And the bird was released unharmed and banded to bring additiinal information in the future if caught again.

The editor will be happy to consider other photos, as well--even if not rarities, if good black and white glossy prints. If you have a slide and think it would make a good photo for the Bluebird, it would be best if you could have a b & w glossy made (same size as it would appear in print} to see if it comes across in b & w--colors do a lot for clarity, and sometimes the color slide will not show what you want when changed over--and we can't afford color prints in the newsletter unless you want to pay your own cost! THE BLUEBIRD The Audubon Society of Missouri p.20 December, 1969

WELL-PHRASED PROTESTS NEEDED All those who have the Sears Roebuck catalogues please turn to page 265 for an ad for a leopard skin, complete with head and claws, $700. As the catalogue says, "Hung on the wall or casually tossed on the floor, this safari trophy brings you part of the wild world. 11 Unfortunately, more and more of the wild world ends up tossed casually away. This was the fate of a beluga wh;tle, killed in Hudson Bay for a thrill by a woman writer, who proudly bore home its jawbone. The rest of the animal was chopped up as food for ranch=grown mink. The story of this marvelous ad re appeared recently in Contrails, the passenger giveaway magazine of Northwest Orient airlines. Our advice about these and other objectionable ads and stories: Start at the top. Send your protest letter to the president of each company--Sears and Northwest Orient. (ALCG)

THREAT TO VITAL WATERFOWL AREA JUST NORTH ON MISSISSIPPI A pool near Keokuk, Iowa, that provides a feeding and rest area for as many as 90% of the diving ducks that migrate through the Mississippi Flyway is in danger of being destroyed. If a "harbor development" project being pushed by the Corps of Engineers and industry in the area goes through, the resultant turbidity and sedimentation would wipe out the ducks' food supply. The word "pool" doesn't indicate the size of this body of water. The Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wlldl ife this fall estimated as many as 368,000 diving ducks congregated there at one time. The pool extends for 40 mjl.es above the Corps' Lock and Dam No. 19, between Fort Madison and Keokuck. In its 60 years of e,.-.istence, it has become a prime fish and wildlife habitat. The Corps proposes to dredge a 9-foot channel a long the edge of the pool to give water access to a Fort Madison industrial site. (ALCG)

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