The Bluebird December 1998 Vol.65, No.4 Ft

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The Bluebird December 1998 Vol.65, No.4 ft.

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The Audubon Society of Missouri Founded 1901 The Audubon Society of Missouri

Officers* Directors*

Mike Beck, President (2000) Dave Be dan (2000) 1001 s. 19th Columbia (573) 455-9834 Blue Springs, MO 64015 (816) 229-6811 Dennis Wheeler (2000) Jackson (573) 243-3167 Susan Hazelwood,Vice President (2000) 3005 Chapel Hill Road Steve Kinder (2000) Columbia, MO 65203 Chillicothe (660) 646-6516 (573) 445-4925 David Easterla (1999) Jean Graebner, Treasurer (1998) Maryville (660) 582-8468 1800 S. Roby Farm Rd Rocheport, MO 65279 Bill Reeves (1999) (573) 698-2855 Farmington (573) 756-4160

Susan Dornfield, Secretary (1998) Bill Clark (2000) 700 S. Weller Columbia (573) 474-4510 Springfield, MO 65208 (417) 831-9702 Paul Bauer (2000) Florissant (314) 921-3972 Edge & Jerry Wade, Hotline (1998) 1221 Bradshaw-Ave. Larry Herbert (2000) Columbia, MO 65203 Joplin (417) 624-3065 (573) 445-6697 Honorary Directors BiltClark, Historian 3906 GraceEllen Dr. Richard A. Anderson, St. Louis** Columbia, MO 65202 Sydney Wade, Jefferson City (573) 474-4510 John Wylie, Jefferson City Lisle Jeffrey, Columbia** Floyd Lawhon, St. Joseph** *(Year Term Expires) Leo Galloway, St. Joseph **(Deceased) Patrick.Mahnkey, Forsyth Rebecca Matthews, Springfield Dave Witten, Columbia

Cover photo - immature White Ibis photographed in Springfield by Kay Johnson The Bluebird Quarterly Magazine of the Audubon Society ofMissouri Editors: Seasonal Survey Editors: Bill & Kay Palmer Fall'98: Chris Hobbs 15100 S. Clinkenbeard Road 13121 Swarz Rd. Ashland, MO 65010 Bonner Springs, KS 66012 (573) 657-1076 (913)441-2473 [email protected] [email protected]

Christmas Bird Count Editor: Winter: Brad Jacobs David A. Easterla P.O. Box 180 Dept. of Biol. NWMSU Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180 Maryville, MO 64468-6001 (573) 751-4115 Office (660) 562-1813 [email protected] Home (660) 582-8468 [email protected] Spring: Randy Korotev 800 Oakbrook Lane MO Bird Records Committee: St. Louis, MO 63123 Paul M. McKenzie-Chair (314) 993-0055 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 608 E. Cherry Street Summer: Jim D. Wilson Columbia, MO 65201 P.O. Box 180 Office (573) 876-1911 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180 Home (573) 445-3019 (573)751-4115 [email protected]

Bill Rowe-Secretary Conservation Issues Editor: 9033 Big Bend Road Anita Randolph St. Louis, MO 63119 619 Norris Drive (314) 962-0544 Jefferson City, MO 65109 [email protected] (573) 635-6018

Deadlines for submission of material for publication in The Bluebird

Manuscripts for The Bluebird - to the editors by: Feb. 1 for March issue; May 1 for June issue Aug. 1 for Sept. issue; Nov. 1 for Dec. issue

Seasonal Surveys: Winter-to Brad Jacobs by March 10 Spring-to Randy Korotev by June 10 Summer-to Jim D. Wilson by Aug. 10 Fall-to Chris Hobbs by Dec. 10

1 .. Table of Contents . . December 1998 Volume 65, No.4 THE BLUEBIRD

ARTICLES

5 ASM Fall Meeting, Mike Beck 8 Birds of the ASM Fall Meeting 9 Minutes of the ASM Board Meeting, Susan Dornfeld 14 Potential Show Me Tours, Paul McKenzie 16 Timeless Scenes along a Midwestern River Thomas V. Lerczak 24 Waxing for Waxwings, DebarahArnett 26 The MOFEP Birds, James P. Jackson 29 The White Fairy Princess, Bill Palmer 31 If You Don't See the Bird-You Can't Buy the Shirt Myrna Carlton 35 On Assignment-Duck Banding in Canada Bridget Olson 39 Upcoming Christmas Bird Counts Center Insert-MBRC Review List

DEPARTMENTS

3 President's Comer 41 Season Survey- Summer 21 Announcements

2 PRESIDENT'S CORNER Steve Dilks

liant white meteor changing to blue came over from the southwest. Dawn saw me in eastern Oklahoma. It wa..s great to see fields of green grass, lots of trees, and rain again. At 12:30 p.m.l arrived in St. Louis. After going through a large box of mail, unpacking, visiting my Greetings to all ASM mem- mother who had back surgery bers! while I was gone, and packing, I For those of you who were at left Monday morning at four to the fall ASM meeting, you saw take my daughter to Disney that I had returned from my long world. I needed a real vacation stint in Needles, CA. I spent after my Needles vacation. nineteen days there with one Back at the ASM fall meet- delay after another until my en- ing, a lot of things have gotten gine was repaired and I was told started which are things to get it was ready. I left quickly at six excited about! Mike Beck, your in the evening on July 22nd, new president, will continue drove to Flagstaff and spent the with these and I know he will do night. Early the next morning, I an excellent job. Two new direc- left for Missouri, but I had to tors are Dennis Wheeler and make a few stops along the way. David Bedan. I visited Sunset Crater National Dave Witten was made an Monument and drove through honorary director. Many thanks PetrifiedForestNationalPark.In to him for the many times he New Mexico I picked up some jumped in as editor of The big chunks of aa (lava) for rock Bluebird to keep those issues gardening. As I entered Amarillo coming and for his willingness a little after ten that night, a bril-

3 to be on hand for its production. things during his two years. I Very shortly the Christmas hope all of you have an enjoy- Bird Counts will be here. Last able and safe year. Maybe I'll be year two counts broke the 100 seeing some of ya' s when those species record, and some un- rare birds show up within usual winter species were found Missouri's borders. Otherwise, throughout the counts! What Good Birding! will it be this year; El Nino isn't here to help? I hope to see some of you at the counts. Well, my term has finally come to an end. It's been a fast two years as president At the fall meetings I especially en- joyed being able to visit with people. I know your new president, Mike Beck, will do very well, and I wouldn't put it past him to initiate some interesting

Update on Missouri's 1997-1998 Christmas Bird Counts David A. Easterla, Editor

In the last issue of The Bluebird (Easterla, D. A. 1998, Missouri's Christmas Bird Counts. The Bluebird, The Audubon Society of Missouri. 65(3):30-44), I stated that the Mingo and Horton (Four Rivers) counts tied by recording 101 species which broke the high state record held previously by Mingo. Also stated was that finalizatio'n of all unusual species rests with the Missouri Bird Records Committee (MBRC). ~ For the record, the Brewer's Blackbird (25) on the Mingo count was not accepted by the MBRC, hence, Mingo's final count is 100 rather than 101.

4 ASM Fall Meeting Mike Beck

either heat nor cold nor evening. The evening program rain can put a damper on the Toronto Springs Conser- on theN enthusiastic attendees of vation Area by Dennis Rhodes the Audubon Society of Mis- proved to be both educational souri fall meetings. and interesting. This year's slide Ninety degree temperatures presentation by the membership and high humidity greeted rated an A+ with excellent slides everyone this year at the Lake of of birds and butterflies. the Ozarks State Park on Friday afternoon. This was indicative of Saturday was a slightly an unusually warm weekend. Es- cooler day with less humidity. tell Snow, a long-standing mem- After breakfast birders departed ber of ASM who has been to on field trips to Toronto Springs, forty-nine fall meetings, said, "I Brumley, Bagnel Dam, and cannot remember another fall camp Pin Oak. The best birding meeting as warm." She com- was on the trips that got an early mented that, "At almost all of the start. After ten o'clock in the meetings I have attended it has morning the birding took a nose rained at least one day of the dive. The warm afternoon weekend and was always much presented several diversions. cooler." Some people attended an excel- The gathering of the atten- lent workshop presented by the dees, the renewing of old Missouri Bird Records Commit- friendships, and the details of tee. Others took a siesta, persist- getting settled in were the focal ed in their birding efforts, or point of Friday afternoon. A few attended meetings. good bird sightings, a good meal Saturday evening Dr. Jane and anticipation of a great Fitzgerald presented a program weekend had everyone clamor- on the process of selection of ing with excitement on Friday bird species which are targeted

5 in Missouri by the Partners in seen at Hi Lonesome Prairie in Flight Program. She noted the Barton County. Just a little bit collaborative efforts between too far away from the meeting National Audubon, Audubon area to be counted on the official members, MDC, and the fall meeting record. Partners in Flight program. It was encouraging to hear the role The special moments of this that these organizations are fall meeting were, as always, the playing in working together to joy of meeting new and old benefit birds. friends, experiencing nature, ex- Field trips went Pin Oak and ploring the world around us, and the traditional hawk watch site sharing knowledge with others. on Sunday morning. The birding Becky Matthews eloquently ex- was the bestoftheweekend. The pressed this sentiment in the fol- Sunday hawk watch, conducted lowing excerpt from her by the Hazel wood field trip reflections of a Saturday morn- party, lasted about 1.5 hours in ing field trip and of past fall two locations-the end of the meetings. airport runway and the tradition- "It was so strange as we were al glade area. The birds seen returning from wherever we'd were: 21 Broad-winged Hawks, been Saturday morning to wake 6 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 2 up from my nap in the back seat Cooper's Hawks, 1 Red-tailed of the car and find us in a strange Hawk, 1 adult Bald Eagle, 2 parking lot. I was so out of it, I Red-shouldered Hawks, and 1 had no idea where we were. And Merlin. The Merlin was a life then to follow that little wood bird for two members of the chipped trail and come upon a party. It sat facing the birding giant rock out in the middle of party, about 80 yards away, in a the woods seemed so strange. It leafless tree for nearly two was a sort of magic. I am minutes. The Pin Oak party delighted we went there. I went reported many good sightings of back twice before the weekend warblers. was over. All of us from One hundred species were Springfield were delighted, not seen over the weekend plus four only with the rock outcropping, additional species which were but with all the little flora grow-

6 ing around it. Bob Lewis told me "camping." Most of those ladies that he grew up near Elephant are gone now, but I remember Rocks State Park, (although it them and their stories. Now, I wasn't a park then), and had guess, I speak for them. I love climbed over all. the rocks and birds, and I am delighted when I found all the caves and knew it can see a new one, or get a good well. look at an old one. But I also love the fresh air, the stars (which I When I stopped with him never see at home, and in fact not there again, I wandered around often through theyear), the to be back of the rock. When I flowers, the unexpectedness, the came back I found him looking uniqueness of each weekend, down on us from the top of the and old friends. I cherish mo- i rock. A mountain goat type. ments I have had when I was Anyhow, we wondered where able to sneak off to a pretty quiet the path behind the rock leads. spot with an old frrend for a few We wondered too, iftherockhas minutes before supper and solve a name. If not, we think it the problems of the world-and should. Someone suggested Audubon." Birders' Rock and someone else Little Elephant Rock. A place of that much interest deserves a name.

I think of the first years that I came to the Lake of the Ozarks for the fall meeting. Getting ac- quainted with a group of interesting and knowledgeable older women who were sold on nature. Some excellent birders who were making significant contributions to Audubon. For them this weekend may have been the closest opportunity they had during the year to go Becky Matthews enjoying "the rock"

7 Birds of the Fall ASM Meeting September 25-27, 1998

Pied-billed Grebe Willow Flycatcher Tennessee Warbler Double-crested Cormorant Least Flycatcher Nashville Warbler Great Blue Heron Eastern Phoebe Northern Parula Canada Goose Eastern Kingbird Chestnut-sided Warbler Wood Duck *Homed lark Magnolia Warbler Mallard Tree Swallow Black -throated Green Northern Pintail Noorthem Rough-winged Warbler Blue-winged Teal Swallow Blackbumian Warbler Northern Shoveler Bam Swallow Palm Warbler Gadwall Blue Jay Black-and-white Warbler Turkey Vulture American Crow American Redstart Osprey Carolina Chickadee Ovenbird Bald Eagle Tufted Titmouse Summer Tanager *Northern Harrier White-breasted Nuthatch Scarlet Tanager Sharp-shinned Hawk Brown Creeper NorthernCardinal Cooper's Hawk Carolina Wren Rose-breasted Grosbeak Red-shouldered Hawk House Wren Indigo Buinting Broad-winged Hawk Ruby-crowned Kinglet Eastern Towhee Red-tailed Hawk Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Chipping Sparrow American Kestrel Eastern Bluebird Field Sparrow Merlin Wood Thrush Savannah Sparrow *Greater Prairie-Chicken American Robin Red-winged Blackbird Wild Turkey Gray Catbird *Eastern Meadowlark Northern Bobwhite Brown Thrasher Common Grackle American Coot Cedar Waxwing Brown -headed Cowbird' Killdeer European Starling House Finch Spotted Sandpiper White-eyed Vireo American Goldfinch Franklin's Gull Solitary vireo House Sparrow Ring-billed Gull Yellow-throated Vireo Rock Dove Warbling Vireo *Benton County-Hi Mourning Dove Philadelphia Vireo Lonesome Prairie Yellow-billed Cuckoo Red-eyed Vireo Eastern Screech-Owl Great Homed Owl Barred Owl Chimney Swift Ruby-throated Hummingbird Belted Kingfisher Red-headed Woodpecker Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Northern Flicker PileatedWoodpecker Eastern Wood-Pewee Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empid. sp.

8 Minutes of ASM Board Meeting, September 26, 1998 at Camp Clover Point Susan Dornfeld, Secretary

Present: Steve Dilks, Mike CPA if necessary, to find out Beck, Jean Graebner, Susan whether ASM needs to file in- Dornfeld, Susan Hazelwood, come tax returns because of sell- Steve Kinder, Doris Fitchett, ing A Guide to the Birding Areas i David Easterla, Bill Clark, Kay of Missouri for profit. The mo- Palmer, Edge Wade, Jerry tion was seconded and passed. Wade. Missouri Bird Alert Service: The meeting was called to Susan Hazelwood presented a order at 3:10 p.m. by President report covering 9/30/97 through Steve Dilks. The minutes of the 9/25/98. It states, in part: Susan meeting of September 27, 1997 Hazelwood and Jerry Wade con- were approved as published in tinued as compiler and Internet The Bluebird. transcriber, respectively, until approximately July 1, 1998. Treasurer: Jean Graebner Then Edge and Jerry Wade took reported a balance of $6,856.73 over as compilers and in the checking account before transcribers for several weeks. paying expenses of this Charlene and Jim Malone, back- weekend's meeting, plus up compiler and transcriber, $6,043.03 in certificates of took over in mid-July when the deposit, plus $300.95 in a Wades left for two months in savings account that is desig- South Africa. It is anticipated nated for scholarships. Bill that the Wades will resume this Reeves has audited and ap- workload in October 1998. proved the treasurers records for Compared to the '96-'97 report- January 1, 1996 through Decem- ing period, the numbers of ber 31, 1997. Susan Hazelwood callers remained stable, the num- moved that Jean consult a CPA ber of messages received via and pay for the services of the answering machine dropped

9 from 300 to 284, and the number members. The Missouri check- of messages received via E-mail list has been revised and is ready increased from 183 to 508. Jerry to be printed. Rush Printing in Wade mentioned that a policy is Maryville has bid $181. 12 for needed concerning how to hand- 1,000 and $275.23 for 2,000; a le electronic bird sites and list bid from a printer in Columbia serves. Mike Beck moved that more than doubled those figures. Jerry form and chair a committee Bill Clark moved that ASM ap- that will draft a proposal for han- prove printing 2,000 revised dling electronic birding com- checklists by Rush Printing, so munications and present it at the long as the cost does not exceed next board meeting. Bill Clark $300.00. Paul Bauer seconded seconded and the motion carried. and the motion carried. Mike Beck moved to reimburse $101.68 to Susan Hazelwood for New Officers: The slate of her long distance expenses; Bill nominees for officers was Clark seconded and the motion presented by Mike Beck: presi- passed. dent, Mike Beck; vice-president, Susan Hazelwood; treasurer, Missouri Bird Records Com- Jean Graebner/ secretary, Susan mittee: David Easterla reported Dornfeld. Paul Bauer moved that that for 1997 the MBRC the nominations be accepted; evaluated seventy-seven bird Bill Clark seconded and the mo- reports: forty-nine were action carried. cepted, fourteen were not accepted, and fourteen are pending. The Bluebird: Kay Palmer has It was moved, seconded, and agreed to edit The Bluebird for passed to reimburse expenses of December, 1998, and for as long $77.35 to Chris Hobbs and less thereafter as she resides in Mis- than six dollars to Paul Mc- souri. Welcome back, Kay and Kenzie, who shall submit his Bill. precise amount to Jean Graebner. Chris Hobbs has resigned from Liability lnsurance:The sub- MBRC, Bill Rowe succeeds him ject of purchasing liability in- as secretary, Bill Goodge and surance for ASM was revisited Brad Jacobs are new committee and discussed. Paul Bauer

10 moved that ASM purchase at of attending ASM meetings is a least $500,000 of liability problem for some of his stu- coverage and seek legal advice dents. Following discussion concerning whether it would be about discounts and/or partial advisable to incorporate. Bill scholarships, Jerry Wade moved Clark seconded and the motion that a task force com posed of carried. David Easterla and Bill Edelman draft a proposal, to be presented Centennial Plans: A brain- to the board at the meeting in storming session generated ideas spring of 1999, of how ASM for ASM's l00th anniversary, could help students financially which will be held in spring of to attend ASM meetings. The 2001 in St. Louis. Please notify motion was seconded and car- co-chair Paul Bauer or Bill Clark ried. if you will serve on the planning committee. Letters to MDC and CFM: Turkey hunting season was ex- Bird Finding Guide Revision: tended in 1997 to include North Plans were discussed for American Migration Count day, publishing a revised edition of A which closed some hunting areas Guide to the Birding Areas of to birders. It was moved, Missouri. More readable maps seconded and passed that ASM and a spiral binding were sug- write to Jerry Conley, Director gested. Edge Wade volunteered of the Department of Conserva- to organize birders to check tion, and the board of directors mileages and directions to cur- of the Conservation Federation rent sites and to get together with of Missouri, requesting that the Kay to write a letter to all con- dates for turkey hunting season tributers to the present guide to be shifted to avoid conflict with inform them of plans for the the NAMC. It was moved, revision. Approximately 180 seconded and passed that ASM copies of the original guide are send a separate letter to Jerry still available for sale. Conley and the board of directors of the Conservation Federa- Fall Meeting Cost: Dave tion of Missouri, in opposition to Easterla expressed that the cost the existing hunting season on

11 Brant, and in support of increas- an appropriate static cling win- ing the bag limit on Snow Geese. dow patch that will identify a vehicles occupants as birders, Spring Meeting: The ASM with a maximum expense of spring meeting of 1999 will be $600.00 for 500 patches. held April23 through 25 in Cape Girardeau. Other Business: Mike Beck nominated David Witten as Fund Raiser: Discussion was honorary director, and he was u- held concerning selling some nanimously approved. Our ac- type of birding decal as a fund colades, Dave! raiser. Edge Wade suggested a Jean Graebner announced design that attaches to the inside that Ozark Gateways Audubon of a car window by static cling, Society in Joplin spontaneously so that it can be removed and donated $100.00 to ASM. It is reapplied as needed. It was greatly appreciated. moved, seconded, and passed Each chapter is requested to that Edge form and chair a com- send the names and addresses of mittee that will design and order its president and newsletter

Susan Hazelwood leading a birding trip at the fall meeting

12 editor to Mike Beck. Each chap- at 5:55p.m. ter is reminded to place notices Evening of September 26, iin its chapter newsletter about 1998: ASM members elected the ASM meetings, identification slate of officers as nominated. workshops, and other activities. Susan Hazelwood was awarded David Easterla said there has a plaque for outstanding service been great improvement in during many years of graciously Christmas Bird Count reports. connecting birders with birds via The meeting was adjourned the ASM bird alert hotline.

Revised St. Louis Area Bird Book Now Available Paul Bauer Birds the St. Louis Area: where and when to find them, has been revised and reprinted. Copies are now available in the St. Louis area from all local Wild Bird Centers, Wild Bird Un- limited, Wildbird Marketplace stores, the Missouri Botanical Garden Bookstore, and Shaw Arboretum Shop. To order by

' mail call 800/634-7736. You may charge it to a credit card. The new book has 80 revisions to text and maps; that is how much has changed in our birding world in just 4 years since the original records were closed! Four new birding locations and revised directions and instructions for several others have been added. The total birding locations described now exceeds 125 places. Numerous revisions were necessary to the 17 colored maps to fit the revised directions. The book now has 202 pages. The Appendix includes the changes in AOU species names, significant new bird records, general lodging information for visitors, and a checklist of357 species of birds seen in the St. Louis area since 1940. Individual specie reviews now total 380. Nine new species were added in this revision. If you have questions, call Paul Bauer at (314) 921-3972.

13 Potential Upcoming Show Me Tours Paul M. McKenzie

wo tentative Show Me Black-backed Woodpecker, and TTours Trips are planned N. Three-toed Woodpecker. for 1999: another jaunt north to All lodging (obviously!) will be Minnesota over the Martin in hotels. Anyone interested in . Luther King Holiday weekend this trip should let me know by (i.e., Jan. 14-18), and a trip to December 13. Colorado either June 18-27 or June 27- July 4. The focus of the The Colorado trip will in- Minnesota trip will be to look for clude visits to the Pawnee Na- the following species: Snow tional Grassland, Rocky Bunting, Boreal Chickadee, Red Mountain National Park, and Crossbill, White-winged elsewhere. Target species and Crossbill, Barrow's Goldeneye ones we may see on this trip (assuming the adult male returns include: Brewer's Blackbird, to the same water treatment plant Yellow-headed Blackbird, as it has the last 3-years), Pine Mountain Bluebird, Western Grosbeak, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Bluebird, Lark Bunting, Lazuli Spruce Grouse (probably a Bunting, Mountain Chickadee, definite this year since Susan Chukar, Red Crossbill, Hazelwoodcan'tmake the trip!), Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull, Thayer's Gull, Gyrfalcon, Gray Jay, Black-billed Magpie, i' Boreal Owl, Great Gray Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, Snowy Owl, Common Raven, Common Redpoll, Hoary Redpoll, North- ern Shrike, and Bohemian Waxwing (probably won't be seen because I will be going!);

14 American Dipper, Golden Green-tailed Towhee, Gray Eagle, Prairie Falcon, Ash- Vireo, Plumbeous Vireo, Black- throated Flycatcher, Cordilleran throated Gray Warbler, Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, MacGillivray's Warbler, Vir- Gray Flycatcher, Hammond's ginias Warbler, Lewis' Wood- Flycatcher, Lesser Goldfinch, pecker, N. Three-toed Black-headed Grosbeak, Eve- Woodpecker, Western W ood- ning Grosbeak, Pine Grosbeak, Pewee, Canyon Wren, and Rock Blue Grouse, Sage Grouse, Fer- Wren. ruginous Hawk, Swainson's l Hawk, Black-chinned Hum- If you are interested in par- mingbird, Broad-tailed Hum- ticipating in either tour please mingbird, Cassin's Kingbird, call me at 573-445-3019 (H); Western Kingbird, Gray Jay, 573-876-1911, ext. 107 (W) or Pinyon Jay, Scrub Jay, Steller's by E-mail (paul_mcken- Jay, Chestnut-collared and [email protected]). For the McCown's longspurs, Western Colorado trip, I need to find out Meadowlark, Clark's Nutcrack- how many people are interested er, Pygmy Nuthatch, Band- in two types of lodging: 1) all tailed Pigeon, American Pipit, hotels, or 2) a combination of Mountain Plover, Lesser Prairie camping and hotels. Although Chicken, Bullock's Oriole, Bur- the latter would be the least ex- rowing Owl, N. Pygmy Owl, W. pensive for the participants, it Screech Owl, Say's Phoebe, also would greatly increase the White-tailed Ptarmigan, Scaled amount of gear and equipment Quail, Chihuahuan Raven, that would be needed. Common Raven, Brown-capped Rosy Finch, Cassin's Finch, Red-naped and Williamson's sapsuckers, Townsend's Solitaire, Brewer's Sparrow, .. Cassin's Sparrow, Violet-green Swallow, Black Swift, White- throated Swift, Western Tanager, Sage Thrasher, Juniper Titmouse, Canyon Towhee,

15 Timeless Scenes along a Midwestern River Thomas V. Lerczak

ith much of the Mid- to stimulate an appreciation of W west being devoted to wild nature, unconstrained by agriculture, an increasingly ex- human influences. pansive interstate highway in- frastructure, and the expanding During most interactions be- sprawl of urban areas, it is easy tween Bald Eagles and water- to think of the landscape, in fowl, the eagles appear to be general, as being tamed and testing the flocks for weak or dominated by human desires and injured individuals. At Swan manipulations. The flood of Lake, a backwater near the Il- 1993 on the Mississippi River linois Rivers confluence with the system has shown us otherwise, Mississippi, for example, I ob- at least for areas on the served several eagles that stood floodplain; in fact, between the on the ice near a large flock of big river bluffs, an ancient play Snow Geese. It seemed that the of nature continues, in its fun- eagles were closely scanning the damentals, most likely un- geese. Every now and then an changed for countless and eagle would fly over the geese unknown millennia. The play in- causing the entire flock of volves Bald Eagles, which are several hundred to simul- top predators in the system, and their prey, mostly fish and to a lesser extent ducks. In Illinois, the large number of Bald Eagles that overwinter along the Illinois River (a tributary of the upper Mississippi River) each year from about late October to March provides an opportunity for observers to learn much about animal behavior or at least

16 taneously take flight The geese flew. as a large ill-defined mass , circled the area, then landed close to their original place, near the watching eagles. At Goose Lake along the lllinoi's River north of Peoria, I saw a similar sequence of events one winter between an immature eagle and a densely packed flock of several hundred Mallards Like the Snow Geese, the ducks were en- around the periphery of the gaging in an anti-predator be- ducks a short distance away. My havior. One of the functions of spotting scope was trained on an flocking, it seems, is to present a adult eagle that was soaring so predator with a confusion of high it was almost beyond sight. moving bodies, making it dif- Suddenly, the eagle went into a ficult to pick out a single in- steep dive. I kept the spotting dividuaL Schooling fish use the scope trained on the bird, and so, same tactic. This interpretation was not looking ahead as to what seems to make logical sense, and might have been the cause for was supported by an observation the dive. In a rather ungainly I made at Lake Chautauqua, a fashion, the eagle attempted to backwater of the illinois River come straight down onto a pair located about 40 miles south- of Mallards that were separated west of Peoria. from the main flock by several hundred met.ers. The Mallards On Chautauqua's frozen sur- scattered by running in two dif- face there was a large group of ferent directions; shortly there- Bald Eagles, American Crows, after the female took flight, a Ring-billed Gulls, and ducks. fatal mistake. The eagle caught Most of the ducks were Mallards up to the female Mallard and that were standing on the ice in attempted a mid-air catch, forc- a close flock or floating in a ing the duck to the frozen surface dense pack within a patch of of the lake. There was a short open water. Several eagles stood scurry between the two birds

17 before the eagle, with little ef- During winter, Bald Eagles, fort, completed the kill. Immedi- it seems, are probably as likely ately, an immature eagle was on to steal food from other birds as the scene, but the adult eagle they are to catch their own, even jumped away with the duck in its though food may be very abun- talons and proceeded to feed, dant. Another example of food sending feathers flying in all stealing occurred with an directions. Meanwhile, the male American Crow that was strug- Mallard continued to stand alone gling to swallow a fish, and was in an exposed position on the repeatedly pursued by an eagle open ice. Just as I retrained my standing nearby. The crow scope on the male Mallard, a dif- hopped away from the eagle a ferent adult eagle came at the few feet carrying its fish, but the drake from the side with a terrific eagle always followed. Even- force, killing it instantly. tually the crow flew away, with Another adult eagle then arrived the fish in its beak. Much of the on the scene and was able to steal time, however, especially' when the duck carcass. Then an imma- feeding on small Gizzard Shad, ture eagle arrived and attempted little stealing or squabbling for to steal the carcass, which food among the eagles occurs, caused the adult to fly away with and they more or less hunt in a the duck in its talons. solitary manner, foraging on whatever is available.

18 On another occasion, (probably aBigmouth Buffalo or though, at Lake Chautauqua a Common Carp) was on the ice during a sub-freezing winter near the open water. Several day, when a patch of water was eagles stood nearby. After a kept open by a flow through a short time, an adult claimed the broken levee, food must have fish; while facing the other been readily available; most of eagles, the adult threw its head the birds were seen feeding on back and called. No sooner had small Gizzard Shad. (Gizzard it begun to feed when, from a Shad, members of the Herring distant location, an immature family, sometimes die in large eagle aggressively flew at the numbers during winter, provid- adult, forcing it from the fish. ing a superabundance of easily The fish changed possession obtainable food for fish-eating among several immature eagles birds.) for the next hour or so; at one point, two of them were simul- An adult eagle flew over the taneously driven away from the ducks, mostly Common Mer- fish by another eagle. Far from gansers, many of which were this activity, other eagles stood feeding on the abundant shad. on the ice with no apparent rela- The mergansers curiously ap- tion to or interest in ducks or peared unconcerned at having open water. One would think such a formidable predator they would be drawn to where within easy reach, while the the action was, near the ducks or eagle effortlessly picked a open water where dead shad medium-sized (15-25 cen- might be easily seen floating on timeters) shad from the water, the surface. Perhaps they were ignoring the ducks. The eagle closely watching the other birds, flew to the nearby ice to feed. In waiting for a chance to obtain a few seconds, an immature another birds catch. eagle was after the adult. An aerial chase occurred for several These interpretations of minutes until the immature eagle eagle and duck behavior invite gave up, and the adult flew out many questions. Were the of sight, still holding its fish. watching eagles really assessing Nearby, a large dead fish the ducks forweaknesses or is

19 some other interpretation more traits generally can be expected plausible? Why did the Snow to produce less offspring. With Geese and Mallards take flight this perspective, stealing food is when an eagle passed low over- merely a survival tactic, reflect- head but the mergansers did not? ing an opportunistic foraging strategy that has been shaped by The answer may possibly be natural selection. that because mergansers are diving ducks, they can quickly Yet unequivocal answers to go below water should an eagle questions concerning animal be- show signs of attempting an at- havior may ultimately prove tack; Mallards are dabblers and elusive. All we have is our inter- more buoyant, less able to seek pretations of their behavior. Per- the underwater as a refuge. Per- haps, though, it is enough to haps the eagles and ducks both simply ask the questions, to ac- knew this. knowledge that despite the apparent tameness of the In our society, stealing is landscape, the character of wild- considered wrong and bad. ness endures, wherever the Should eagle behavior be habitat remains. And for the judged by our standards or not habitat to remain is, of course, a judged at all? In our evaluation most important point. we must avoid rank anthropomorphism. It is known that successful survival through the winter is directly related to successful breeding the following season. And passing favorable traits (e.g., the Bald Eagles propensity to steal food) onto successive generations is, after all, the basis for the most powerful and all pervasive force in nature, natural selection. In the overall population, individuals lacking the favorable

20 ANNOUNCEMENTS

News from the Missouri Bird Records Committee Bill Rowe

Membership: The Missouri mittee is charged with choosing Bird Records Committee held and rank -ordering the top ten its annual meeting on September bird records in the state each 26, 1998, at Lake of the Ozarks, year. The observers are in conjuntion with the fall meet- presented with certificates at the ing of the ASM. The outgoing fall meeting (or receive them in Secretary, Chris Hobbss, com- the mail), and the list is publish- pleted his most recent term and ed in The Bluebird. This time, resigned from the Committee the distinction of number one in with the good wishes of all the Missouri for 1997 went to the other members, and their regrets Glaucous-winged Gull dis- at his departure. With one other covered by Jack Van Ben- term expiring, there were two thuysen at Riverlands. positions open for election; Fortunately, Jack was able to these were filled by the re-elec- receive his certificate before he tion ofBradJacobs and the elec- passed away in October. He was tion of new member Bill quite proud of this find and of Goodge, both of Columbia. Bill the gulls portrait, painted and i Rowe of St. Louis was elected presented to him by St. Louis Secretary. The remaining mem- artist and birder Jim Ziebol. bers are Paul McKenzie of Columbia (continuing as Chair- New Missouri Checklist: Fol- man), David Esterla of lowing publication this year of Maryville, Bill Eddleman of the new AOU ChecklistofNorth I Cape Girardeau, and Mark Rob- American Birds, 7th edition, the bins of Lawrence, Kansas. MBRC has revised its pocket- sized field checklist of Missouri 1997 Top Ten: As one of its birds to conform to the more enjoyable duties, the Com- taxonomy and sequence of

21 species adopted by the AOU. Missouri (or in some cases just The new checklist has also been certain parts of Missouri). carefully updated to give the Copies of this list are available most current picture of Missouri from the Secretary at any time bird distribution. As in previous for publication or for photocopy- versions, each bird' s status has ing and distribution, but you will been boiled down into a simple also find it stapled in the center shorthand. Smith's Longspur, of this issue ofThe Bluebird. The for instance is T u (w), r (e); WR review list changes from time to ca (w), which means that it is a time as records of certain species migrant, uncommon in western accumulate, making them less Missouri and rare in eastern Mis- unusual, and also as new species souri, and also a casual (very oc- are found in the state. Curlew casional) winter resident in the Sandpiper, for instance, is the western part. The new list con- latest new species on the list, but tains all species known to occur Pacific Loon has been dropped in Missouri through the summer (many records by now). The of 1998, and for historical inter- Committee would also like to est it even contains birds that are receive documentation of very extinct (like Carolina Parakeet) unusual out-of-season records; or extirpated in the state (like for example, even though Con- Red-cockaded Woodpecker). necticut Warbler is not rare The list will be available soon enough as a migrant to be from the ASM Treasurer. reviewed by the Committee, a Connecticut in winter would be Annual report and rare bird more than rare enough! A final review list: The Committee note: as stated on the review list, completed its evaluation of 77 there is a special separate list of unusual bird records in our state species that require documenta- over the past year (September tion for Christmas Bird Counts. 1997-September 1998) and will be publishing its annual report Where to send documenta- for this period in the March issue tion: Birders who observe anyof The Bluebird. It has also put thing that seems unusual for the out a revised list of bird species state or the season are urged to that need to be documented in consult the review list and then

22 submit their documentation to limit to this, of course, but the the Committee by sending it to balance often tends to swing the Secretary, William C. Rowe, toward too little documentation 9033 Big Bend, St. Louis, MO rather than too much. 63119. In all cases documentation should include a written The MBRC on line: Anyone description (whether on MBRC interested may check the web forms printed especially for this page of the Audubon Society of purpose or simply in letter for- Missouri at mo9irds.mig.mis- mat) and may be supplemented souri.edu and click on the and strengthened by sketches, MBRC links to see names and slides, prints, videos, audio addresses of the members, a recordings, feathers, or whole group photo, the full text of specimens. recent annual reports, an on-line Suggestions for those who version of the new checklist are debating whether to submit (next year), a sample documem- documentation: (1) Check the tation form for printing, and per- review list first, but when in haps additional material in the doubt, go ahead and submit. It future (one possibility is good- may tum out that your observa- quality photographs of unusual tion does not need to be circu- birds from around the state). lated among the Committee for a Suggestions .for improvements vote, but in any case it will be and additions to the web site may forwarded to the seasonal-report be offered to any MBRC mem- editor for inclusion there. (2) ber. Our thanks to Dave Witten When a very rare bird is found, for his work on the site. it helps if several people write it up independently. Thus, if you have had the chance to observe a known rarity and have some good field notes on it, please do not assume that someone else has taken care of it. Even if others have indeed written it up, your notes may contain some crucial information. There is a

23 Waxing for Waxwings Debarah Arnett

have longed for a photo of find that nest if it was the last I a Cedar Waxwing for thing I did. I uncovered every about four years. It has been my Robin nest in the neighborhood, elusive bird. I had pretty much an Eastern Kingbird nest down l given up and decided it wasn't by the lake, an Eastern Phoebe going to happen in this lifetime, nest under the bridge, but no until that fateful day in June. I waxwing nest. started observing two adult When leaving for work on Cedar Waxwings in my Monday morning, the Cedar neighbor's pin oak trees. One Waxwing flew from a pin oak adult would bring the other one into a blue spruce tree at the end food and the one receiving the of my driveway. Upon inspec- food would flap its wings as I've tion I found the nest with four seen juvenile birds do. I kept a eggs. close watch on them for the next Thirteen days later all four week. I tried desperately to lo- eggs hatched. From day one a cate their nest but to no avail. On robin appeared on the scene to Sunday I decided I was going to help feed the waxwings. My at-

24 tempts to get a photo of waxw- them worms. One day I needed ings feeding their young were to shoo the young out of my yard thwarted by the robin. The robin so my husband could mow. The stayed on the same branch as the robin was the first one on the nest and would only allow one of scene to scold me for bothering the adult waxwings to bring food the birds. On their second day to the nest. Every time the second out of the nestthey were on our waxwing attempted to get near driveway and the robin was on the nest, the robin would dive ourroof top watching over them. bomb it. This went on for nearly I was amazed at the persistence three hours. The robin finally ap- of the robin in parenting these peared to lose interest. I believe birds. the robin lost its nest the night At last I had my Cedar before in a severe storm. There Waxwing photo. had been many storms during this nesting time. Debarah is from Olathe, The robin continued to come Kansas. She became interested to the nest early every morn- in bird photography four years ing-usually between 5:30-7:00 ago when she won a prize for a a.m. Sometimes I would see it Woodstork photo she had taken around 4:00 p.m. I never ob- on her lake in Olathe in 1985. served the robin being as aggres- She became an avid birder last sive after that first day. The November when her finch feeder Robin came to the nest when the was visited for nine days by a waxwings left to get more food. White-winged Crossbill. This led When the young left the nest her to meet other birders who the robin continued to follow introduced her to the world of them around the yard bringing birding. The MOFEP Birds James P. Jackson

or readers uninformed There are nine study blocks, Fabout MOFEP, it is the each averaging about a thousand acronym for Missouri Ozark acres. Three of them are to Forest Ecosystem Project. The remain undisturbed, three are concerns of MOFEP regarding now being selectively logged on birds have to do with effects of a rotation of 80 years and three logging on forest interior are now being clearcut in small ' species. Overall, MOFEP is a units, also on a rotation of 80 comprehensive, long-term years. Effects of these treat- ecological project initiated by ments on a whole gamut of the Missouri Department of forest life are to be monitored for Conservation and involving at least 50 years and possibly cooperative research by the even a hundred years. MOFEP is University of Missouri and a monumental undertaking! similar institutions elsewhere. No logging was done on any All field studies are conducted blocks the first five years, mean- on MDC forest lands within the ing that five years of baseline Ozarks that have been undis- research has already been com- turbed by tim bering for at least pleted. Regarding the bird 40 years. studies, most of the focus has been on the following five indicator species: Wood Thrush, Acadian Flycatcher, Kentucky Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, and Ovenbird. Why these? Be- cause all five are forest interior species, are territorial vocalists, and because all five are low nesters, which means that researchers need not climb trees or

26 MISSOURI BIRDRECORDS COMMTITEE REVIEW LIST

These species generally occur less than annually, or only in a limited part of Missouri; they are marked "casual" or "accidental" on the Missouri Check-list (1998), or are hypotheticaL Any of these, or any species that is not on the Check-list, is rare enough to warrant review by the Committee. The Committee welcomes evidence of their occurrence in the form of written documentation. photograph, sketch, video, or specimen. For any other species on the Check-list, the Committee will review out-of- season occurrences, first nesting records, etc. Note: For Christmas Bird Counts, a separate, more extensive review list of species requiring documentation has been published in The Bluebird.

Yellow-billed Loon Purple Sandpiper Fish Crow (except Miss. R. and SE) Clark's Grebe Curlew Sandpiper Common Raven Band-rumped Storm-Petrel Ruff Violet-green Swallow Brown Pelican Pomarine Jaeger Carolina Chickadee (N only) Neotropic Cormorant (E only) Parasitic Jaeger Black-capped Chickadee (S only) Anhinga (except SE) Lo ng-tai led Jaeger Rock Wren Magnificent Frigatebird Li ttle Gull Mountain Bluebird Tricolored Heron Black-headed Gull Townsend's Solitaire (except NW) Reddish Egret California Gull Varied Thrush White Ibis Thayer's Gull # Sage Thrasher Roseate Spoonbill Iceland Gull # Sprague's Pipit (E only) Wood Stork Lesser Black-backed Gull # Bohemian Wax wing Black Vulture (N only) Slaty-backed Gull Bachman's Warbler Greater Flamingo Glaucous-winged Gull Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Great Black-backed Gull# Hermit Warbler Fulvous Whistling-Duck Sabine's Gull Ki rtland's Warbler Brant Bl ack-legged Kittiwake# Swainson's Warbler (except extremeS) Barnacle Goose Ross's Gull MacGillivraysWarbler Mute Swan .. Sooty Tern Western Tanager Trumpeter Swan• Band-tailed Pigeon Green-tailed Towhee Eurasian Wigeon Eurasian Collared-Dove Cassin's Sparrow Cinnamon Teal (E only) White-winged Dove Bachman's Sparrow (exceptS Ozarks) Garganey Inca Dove Black-throated Sparrow Common Eider Conunon Ground-Dove Lark Bunting Harlequin Duck Greater Roadrunner Baird's Sparrow Barrow's Goldeneye (except SW) Golden-crowned Sparrow Swallow-tailed Ki te Groove-billed Ani McCown's Longspur White-tai led Kite Burrowing Owl Chestnut-collared Longspur (E only) Harris's Hawk Common Poorwill Snow Bunting (S only) Ferruginous Hawk White-throated Swift Black-headed Grosbeak Gyrfalcon Green Violet-ear Lazuli Bunting Gray Partridge Anna's Hummingbird Painted Bunting (except SW) Black Rail Rufous Hummingbird Great-tailed Grackle (E only) Sandhill Crane (E only) Lewis's Woodpecker Bronzed Cowbird Whooping Crane Black-backed Woodpecker Bullock's Oriole Snowy Plover (except NW) Say's Phoebe Pine Grosbeak Wilson's Plover Vermilion Flycatcher Hoary Redpoll Mountain Plover Northern Shrike (except NW) Lesser Goldfinch Eskimo Curlew Gray Jay Eurasian Tree Sparrow # Whimbrel (E only) Clark's Nutcracker Long-billed Curlew Black-billed Magpie # except vicinity of St. Louis * if known to be of wild origin

Please send documentation to the Secretary: William C. Rowe, 9033 Big Bend, St. Louis, MO 63119. keep records on other local forest birds. Five years of avian studies on all nine blocks, prior to logging on six of them, have provided considerably more data than can be detailed here. Nonetheless, a few facts are worth reporting. For example, despite some variances from lift mirrors on top of long poles year to year, territorial densities to observe egg laying and nest- for the five indicator species ling development. But what have shown that Acadian about the researchers themsel- Flycatchers are the most abun- ves? They have been, and con- dant, that Ovenbirds are next, tinue to be, undergraduate and that Kentucky Warblers are interns chosen by Dr. John the least abundant More inter- Faaborg of the University of esting, perhaps, is that some 25 Missouri, with help from interns who did the research Richard Clawson of the MDC. each year were able, either by Several of them have been accident or dint of effort, to dis- recruited from as far away as cover an average of 300 active Latin America where eco- nests per year. But the best news tourism encourages youthful in- was that among all occupied terests in neotropical birds. Twenty-seven students are chosen each year and given a May crash course in ornithologi- cal sleuthing. Though a few drop out, all the others proceed for that summer to the MOFEP blocks for researching the indicator species by mist-netting, territorial mapping and keeping tabs on whatever nests they can locate. Incidentally, they also

27 not provide any conclusions until after five years-the same span of time allotted for the prelogging studies. Neverthe- less, a few preliminary observation have already been made. On plots already logged, both selectively and by clear cutting, species not present earlier are already showing up. They include the Yellow-breasted Chat, Blue-winged Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Hooded Warbler, and nests observed, less than 4 per- Indigo Bunting. This does not cent showed any cowbird necessarily mean that logging is parasitism. eliminating the five indicator So what might we conclude species of forest interior birds. from this brief report? First, it What it does mean, really, is that appears that at least before log- logging is not proving harmful ging was started on six of the to the Ozark bird life in general; MOFEP blocks, the cowbird it is merely exhibiting a species parasitism problem so typical of trade-off. fragmented woods did not exist and that undisturbed Ozark forests can indeed support viable. populations of the five indicator species. Secondly, I should em- phasize that the MOFEP long- term research efforts are paying off. But regarding the near future, what effects on the birds might we anticipate from the logging that began on six of the MOFEP blocks in 1996? Data on bird populations regarding the logged blocks will

28 The White Fairy Princess A Leucistic Hummingbird Bill Palmer

ast August marty of us bushes, garden phlox, and many Lheard about the white other flowering plants: These Ruby-throated Hummingbird in plants, along with the ten hum- the Hermann area. Word was put mingbird feeders they have out on the Internet by a nearby placed, are a magnet for but- neighbor, Don Schultz. I con- terflies and hummingbirds In tacted Don and arranged a trip. fact, we estimated that there The white bird was visiting were 50-75 hummingbirds and the feeders of Art and Marlene at least that many butterflies Jakoubeck. The Jakoubeks live visiting their yard. just south of Hwy. 100 between Kay and I went to the Hermann and Gasconade, Mis- Jakoubek's home twice to see souri. Their home is perched and try to photograph the hum- atop a hill overlooking the roll- mingbird. The bird was a Ruby- ing valleys of First Creek and the throated Hummingbird and was Gasconade River. Their charm- not a true albino. True albinos ing yard is landscaped with zin- lack any pigment whatsoever nias, trumpet vine, cardinal and are usually characterized by flower, cosmos, butterfly reddish eyes and pinkish feet.

29 This bird actually contained cess. Both Kay and I and all of some pigment-the eyes and the other birders who went to see feet were dark and there was a her were impressed with Art, slight trace of buff on the back Marlene, and Don's hospitality. of the bird, making it leucistic. They opened their yard to us and The bird was first seen at the made us feel right at home. Jakoubek's on July 24 and last Speaking for all who went to see seen on August22. I noticed that the bird, we say thank you very the bird behaved as would a nor- much. mal Ruby-throated Hum- Will the White Fairy Prin- mingbird. It did not seem to be cess return to the Jakoubek's excessively harassed by other yard next April? You can bet Ruby-throats, as unusual or dif- that if it does they will let us ferent individuals of a species know and we'll be there. sometimes are. The bird dis- played normal aggressiveness towards other hummingbirds. The J akoubeks and Schultz named their special hummingbird the White Jewel Prin-

30 If You Don't See the Bird You Can't Buy the Shirt

Myrna Carlton

ccording to Birder's World magazine, Churchill, Manitoba is one of the TOP 10 birding HOTSPOTS in North America.A Doris Fitchett and I read the article, and the flame of desire to go there was ignited! My husband fanned the flame with tales of fishing trips to the area and, with his encouragement, we put together our trip. On May 30, 1998, Doris Fitchett, Billie Fair, Kay Stewart, and I left north Missouri to catch the. train in Winnipeg for a two day trip to Churchill. (Safe parking for eight days in Winnipeg was our only big problem which we solved by renting a "cage" for the tar in a nearby hotel!) The train trip was a story in itself, but it was altogether lovely and afforded us the opportunity to learn about the changing landscape. We had left 90 degree weather in Mo-on June 2. We awoke to see snow covering the hummocks in the tundra. We were encouraged when we saw lots of birds around the pools of brownish, clear water which dot the landscape-LBB' s (little brown birds) at that distance, but BIRDS nevertheless.

Our arrival in Churchill took us back to March at home, tempera- ture 28 degrees, sleet and snow mix with slushy snow underfoot! Not an auspicious beginning, but since I'd been lucky enough to see Willow Ptarmigan from the train, I was feeling optimistic! Hudson Bay was totally white with huge ice floes jammed together making weird sounds. The Churchill River was open, however, and made a ribbon of grayish blue into the bay as the tide went out. Then the ' incoming tide brought the loose ice back with it to jam up the river. There was a lot of bird activity so, later in the day, Doris and Kay braved the stinging sleet and wind and walked to Cape Merry-quite a few species there, including the Parasitic Jaeger. The driving force was, you never know when or where the Ross's Gull will put in an

31 appearance--each day brought rumors about it, causing birders to rush hither and yon trying to see it! We looked the town over, checked out the shops and, yes, they had shirts with birds, polar bear, and · caribou. We made the pledge, "No bird, no shirt!" no matter how pretty the shirt.

We had booked Bonnie Chartier of Churchill Wilderness En- counter to be our guide for three days and I feel it was money well spent. To me, the wonder was how rapidly the species we were seeing changed with so many heading ever northward, even up there! Wednesday, with the clouds and cold, every tundra pool along the road was filled with American Golden and Black-bellied plovers, Short-billed Dowitchers, Hudsonian Godwits, Least, White-rumped and Bairds sandpipers, Dunlins, and Red-necked Phalaropes, all with their breeding plumage unbelievably bright and beautiful. Thursday, when the sun came out, all but the dowitchers were gone or in short supply. The fast changes were demonstrated Wednesday afternoon when we were at the end of "the hydro-road" up the river a few miles. The tide was in and hundreds of birds were taking advantage of the plentiful food supply-the Arctic Terns had just arrived from their long journey. Everything from Pacific and Red-throated loons through all the duck species with Common Eiders and Canada Geese galore were present. As we stood in awe, 52 Tundra Swans gently glided down on the river right in front of us-beautiful! In the bushes beside us were good ole' Yellow-rumped Warblers as well as one Orange-crowned. At this spot we saw two species which went on the Churchill Rare Bird listing that day-Common Loon and Black Tern. It turns out neither are at all common there!

The Whimbrels we saw were r' beside the road in some grass with one standing on a rock displaying American Golden-Plover for us! The Snow Buntings were among the metal parts thrown

32 away on the dock but still fun to see. The Ruddy Tumstones were also along the river's edge at the docks, quite fun to watch as they dashed here and there, their bright. plumage blending with the rocks they busily turned in search of food-of course, all the while keeping our eyes peeled for the elusive Ross's GulL The big flock of Lapland Longspurs we found at the local "trash dump" were eating screenings from grain hauled by ships. By Friday when the Smith's Longspurs had come in to the marshy taiga, the Snow Buntings and Laplands were almost all gone. Our short walk into the forest was interesting, springing from one hummock to another was a feel I'd never experienced-! guess this was the taiga because the trees were interspersed with hummocks of moss and lichen and water pools. The Spruce Grouse and White- winged Crossbills were in what I'd call Boreal forest, drier with grasses underfoot The Northern Hawk-Owl was also there. We found the Common and Hoary redpolls .around the edge of a marsh, or lake, with many Willow Ptarmigan in the general area. Saturday was a beautiful, sunny day which we spent at the

White-winged Crossbill, photo by Debarha Arnett

33 Granary Ponds and docks (rumor had it the Ross's was there) but mostly out at Cape Merry which is at the mouth of the river. The huge black boulders strewn there by some glacier are covered with orange lichen and, tucked between them, are miniature valleys of lichen and moss which are the favorite spots for the American Pipits and Savannah Sparrows. The pipits sang, soared, and danced as they searched for just the right crack in a boulder to build a nest! The Savannahs sang and sang, as did the White Crowns. In fact, one of my best memories is of those species plus the Harris and Fox sparrows singing from the trees and bushes. They all stop over in our yard for weeks at a time, but very few times have I heard them sing!

Saturday evening meant it was time to leave. We all had seen new species. (Kay Stewart went on to spend the summer "out west" and managed to break the 600 mark. Congratulations Kay!) Even though there was some disappointment, we agreed it had been a fun ex- perience. We, of course, made one more trip to the shops. I really like my Canada Goose shirt because of the totally Northern look to the artwork. And the Pacific Loon is nice-until I can find the piece of jewelry someone surely has designed of that elegant and dramatic bird. And the Ross's Gull shirt, with its subtle pink wash? Well- maybe that ornery bird will come to Riverlands again and spend weeks and I'll go there and see it-and maybe they'll have a shirt!

34 On Assignment-Duck Banding in Alberta, Canada Bridget Olson

very year since the early 1960's, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has cooperated in a joint effort with the CanadianE Wildlife Service (CWS) to band waterfowl on their breeding grounds in Canada. USFWS employees are selected and tem- porarily assigned banding duty at anyof the 12 or so banding stations scattered throughout the western Provinces. Station locations range from remote with primitive accommodations (tents), such as Mills Lake and Stagg River in the Northwest Territories, to more rural settings and modern amenities, such as Cochin, Saskatchewan (SK) to suburban Winnipeg, Manitoba. The banding stations are well established with the same sites used year after year for data com- parability and consistency.

Putting all my current projects and surveys on hold here at Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge, this past August I returned to Canada to complete the second season of my two year commitment as a Canadian duck bander. I was the leader of a three-person crew, assigned to Medicine Hat, Alberta for five weeks. My crew consisted of two other women, one from Portland, Oregon and the other from Laurel, Maryland.

Standard duck banding equipment for me includes a sturdy pair of hip-waders, pliers, the right hand of a pair of garden gloves, a sock with the foot cut out over my left forearm, sunglasses, hat, and lunch! \ The hip-waders, hands down are the most essential tool. They keep you foremost dry, and second-most keep duck droppings off your legs! The waders also must be "ankle-fit" so that they are not sucked off by vacuous mud. The right glove and sock are for protection against clawing from the ducks. The ducks don't bite, but they sure know how to use their feet in defense.

35 Medicine Hat (population 42,000) is located in southeastern Alberta, about two hours north of the Montana border. In this naturally arid part of the Province, irrigated crops grow in stark contrast to native prickly pear cactus and sage that dominate the landscape in unirrigated parcels of land. Local crops consist of canola, wheat, and field peas.

Using our motel rooms at the Travelodge as our base station, banding operations were initiated on two large reservoir lakes southwest of Medicine Hat near a small town with the intriguing name of Seven Persons. With permission from the landowners, we set out live traps on Murray and Seven Persons lakes. The first week the crew and I spent building and placing 18 swim-in traps on the lakes. The oval and B-2 traps, as they are called, are made of one-by-two inch welded wire. The B-2 traps are eight-by-eight-by-four foot in size and square in shape. The ovals consist of about a 20-foot by four foot section of wire bent into a kidney shape with soft, nylon net topping. A biologist with the CWS told me his record number of ducks in one oval trap was over 400 teal! Forty to one hundred ducks' per trap is more common.

The author (right) and crew banding Blue-winged Tealon assignment inCanada.

36 The traps are placed in eight to twelve inches of water facing the shoreline. The front of each trap has a funnel-like throat. The throat is baited with grain purchased from a local farmer and may consist of wheat or a mix of small grains. The idea is to encourage ducks into the throats and on into the traps as they forage for the grain. Water- fowl find their way in, but seldom find their way back out the narrow opening. Other non-target critters, such as muskrats and northern pike or jackfish, as the Canadians call them, find their way into the traps also. Two floats are placed in each trap to allow the ducks a place to rest and preen out of the water. The traps are checked and emptied each day. To remove the ducks, a "catch-box" is positioned against a small door cut into the front of the trap. You quietly walk around the outside of the trap and the ducks, avoiding you, will eventually herd into the catch box. A trip-wire closes the catch-box door. The box, equipped with handles, is brought ashore. One-by-one the ducks are removed from the catch box, speciated, aged, sexed, banded, and set free. A practiced bander may have a duck in-hand for only 45 seconds to one minute. Keeping the banding process as stress-free as possible is top priority. Once all the traps at each site are emptied, the gear is reloaded and the process is repeated at the next trap site. Bands are applied by squeezing the ends together around the leg with a pair of pliers. A properly applied band is circular in shape and moves freely up and down the animal's leg. The aluminum bands are stamped with a unique nine digit number that allows for identification of a bird upon recovery. Bands come in many of sizes. Mallards and Canvasbacks, being relatively large-sized waterfowl, are fitted with band size 7, while the diminutive Green-winged Teal wear a size 4. Averaging about 170 ducks banded per day, by the end of our five-week assignment, the crew and I had banded more than 3,700 ducks of 13 species and recorded 290 re-trap birds that had been banded during previous years efforts. Our catch included 2,700 Mallards, 740 Blue-winged Teal, 26 Cinnamon Teal, and 89 Red- head. Through banding, the USFWS has discovered that ducks banded at the Cochin, SK station mostly use the Central and Mississippi

37 flyways and that some teal migrate as far as the Florida Keys. This data helps resource managers determine the relative number of birds which use each flyway as well as their travel routes. Band recoveries also help to detennine the distribution of harvest from specific breeding areas and helps to check the effectiveness of hunting regula- tions by detecting changes in harvest pressure. Band returns are also used to estimate annual and long-term survival rates. If you happen to be luck enough to harvest or find a bird (any species) that is banded, please report the number to the Bird Banding Lab by calling 1-800-327-BAND. Persons reporting bands not only get to keep the band, but are awarded a Certificate of Appreciation that supplies information on where the birds was banded, what kind it was, and who banded it Though working outdoors, all day, seven days a week for five weeks could be taxing at times, I always looked forward to checking the duck traps. I felt privileged to be able to handle these creatures that with their beauty and mystique have inspired so many and sparked conservation efforts that know no social or national bounds.

Bridgett Olson is the staff naturalist at Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

38 Christmas Bird Count Time is Coming!

Time to get up before dawn and bird until you drop! Following are the CBC's that have come to the attention of The Bluebird.

Big Oak Tree State Park-Dec. 19-Bill Eddleman, compiler- (573) 335-1507 (evening) or (573) 651-2364 (day) or . [email protected] Meet at the restaurant at Boomland, at the Charleston exit on I-57 at 6:00a.m. We will decide on area assignments and form parties over the breakfast buffet. Big Springs--Dec. 29-Vic Moss, compiler-(573) 686-3173. Meet at 7:45 at National Scenic Riverways headquarters in Van Buren Columbia- Dec. 19--Susan Hazelwood, compiler-(573) 445- 4925. Dinner gathering for compling and socializing that evening. Planning meeting Thurs., Dec. 3 at Susan's home, 3005 Chapel Hill Road at 7:00 p.m. Dallas County-Dec. 26--David Blevins, compiler- (417) 881- 0732. Organizational meeting Dec. 10, 7:00 p.m. at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center. Grand River-Dec. 19-Terry McNeely, compiler-(660) 828- 4215 or [email protected] Meet at Terry McNeely's residence, 25843 Grate Ave., Jameson, MO 64647 at 7:00a.m. Soup and sandwiches, compiling and socializing afterward. Joplin-Dec. 19-Larry Herbert, compiler-(417) 624-3065 Meet at Hardees, 8th and Rangeline, Joplin, at 7:00 a.m. Kansas City-Dec. 19-Don Arney, compiler-(816) 931-8536 or [email protected] Contact Don ahead to select a party, or meet at 7:00a.m. at the NEW Lakeside Nature Center on Gregory Blvd. in Swope Park near Elmwood. Refreshments and compiling afterward at Steve and Marilyn Koshland's. Maramec Springs-Dec. 19-Linda Frederick, compiler-(573)

39 368-3504. Call Linda ahead or meet at Maramec Springs Park headquarters between 7:00 and 7:30a.m. for assign-. ment. Noon potluck with afternoon birding around the park itself. Mingo- Jan. 2-Bill Reeves and Steve Dilks, compilers-Call Steve at (314) 845-9855. Meet 6:00-6:30 a.m. at Mel's Diner, Hwy PP east ofHwy 51 one block, for breakfast and assignments. North Center Cass County- Dec. 20-Jo Ann Garrett, compiler-(816) 322-1580. Meet at Hardees, south 71 & 58 Bel- ton, Raymore exit, west of Nation's Bank 7:00a.m. Compilation 5:30p.m. at Godfather's Pizza Parlor--same shopping center back of Hardees. Orchard Farm-Jan. 2-Randy Korotev, compiler (314) 935- 5637 or (314) 993-0055 Patterson-tentative date Dec. 22-Vic Moss, compiler-(573) 686-3173 . Poplar Bluff-Dec. 19-Victor Moss, compiler-(573) 686-3173 ' River Bluffs-Dec. 19-Jim D. Wilson, compiler-(573) 751- 4115 ext. 196 (o) or 584-9556 (h). Meet for breakfast and assignments at 6:00 a.m. at Shoney's on Missouri Blvd. in Jefferson City. Dinner and compiling in the evening. Springfield-Dec. 19-David Blevins, compiler- (417) 881- 0732. Organizational meeting Dec. 10 at 7:00p.m. at Springfield Conservation Nation Center. Swan Lake--Dec. 30--Bridgett Olson, compiler-(660) 856- 3323 or [email protected]. Meet at 7:00a.m. at the refuge headquarters. Taney Co.-Jan. 2-Jo Strange, compiler-(417)334-3357. Or- ganizational meeting Dec. 10, 7:00 p.m. at Springfield Con- servation Nature Center. Trimble (Smithville Lake)-Dec. 27-Chris Hobbs, compiler- (913) 441-BIRD (2473) ore-mail [email protected]. Meet at McDonald's on Hwy. 169 one block south ofHwy. 92 at 7:00 a.m. Around noon regroup for lunch at Subway next door.

40 Seasonal Survey

Summer Report Jim Wilson June and July 1998 r he early summer of 1998 was characterized by frequent and heavy rains throughout thestate, but especially in the northern Tand western regions. Some northwestern Missouri rivers, such as the Nishnabota, remained out of their banks through June. High water levels at traditional stop-overs, precluded shorebird use until mid-July. On the positive side, marshes remained well-watered and the plentiful precipitation favored the reproductive success of most birds. Temperatures averaged from a few degrees above normal in the south to a few degrees below normal in the northwest. Two other phenomena occurring during the spring and summer of 1998 may have impacted Missouri's avifauna. One was the heat and drought to the south which resulted in an extended period of 100-degree-plus days in Texas and fires in Florida and Mexico. This weather pattern perhaps resulted in the numerous reports of white ibis that commenced in spring and continued into summer. Second, the simultaneous emergence of 17-year and 15-year cicadas (an event with a 255 year periodicity) occurred throughout most of the state, commencing in mid-May and ended about mid-June. Those bird species that could capitalize on this bounty, undoubtably did well reproductively.Hawking for cicadas was observed in American Robins, Baltimore Orioles, Red-winged Blackbirds and Mississippi Kites. For whatever reasons, the 1998 breeding season was remarkable in many ways. There were a variety of northern breeders that lingered more than normally including loons, ducks, terns and flycatchers. The rediscovery of a mixed heron and egret colony was exciting,

41 especially because of its extraordinary size. Greater Roadrunners and Painted Buntings in eastern Missouri were just two of the extralimital reports received this season. Virginia Rails in the middle of the summer in ideal nesting habitat were an intriguing discovery as were a pair of Short-eared Owls at Taberville Prairie. Most exciting was Missouri's first record of a Curlew Sandpiper. A White-winged Dove was also recorded.

' LOONS THROUGH IBIS

There were an unprecedented number of7 locations for Common Loons; 2 were at Fellows Lake (Greene Co.) on 2 June and one still there on 21 July (CB, KJ, LB). One adult was on the Gasconade River(Maries Co.) on 14June (RickThom*), two were at Table Rock Lake on 18 July (Kathy Lee), and singles were also in Franklin Co. (Larry Wegman), Knox Co. (Anne Downing) and Mercer Co. (JW). Cal Jones reported that a pair spent the summer near the Pomme de Terre Lake dam (Hickory Co.). Pied-billed Grebes bred at SCR where an adult and brood were observed on 9 July (JW) and at Iatan Power Plant (Platte Co.) where an adult with 6 young were seen on 19 June (LR). Other sightings were at SLR (up to 4) through July (BO) and on the Aldrich Arm of Stockton Lake on 4 July (BD). American White Pelicans were more numerous than ever through summer with 75 at Iatan on 19 June (LR), 10 at RDA on 5 July (CM), 16 to a max. of75 (on 28 July) at SLR (BO), 25 on Fellows Lake on 2 June (KJ, CB), about 24 on the Aldrich Arm (JC, ZE) and 15 at EB on 5 July (BG). Two flightless, immature-plumaged Double-crested Cormorants found at the Hayti Borrow (Pemiscot Co.) on 13 August (JW) indicated that they may have bred there. Elsewhere they summered at SCR, S-0 and Mark Twain Lake.

No American Bitterns were reported. Least Bitterns were relatively numerous including 20, 47 and 35 individuals at SCR on 5, 25, and26 June, respectively (JH). Four nests, 3 with eggs and 1 with young, were at C1oe-Lowry Marsh (Mercer Co.) on 25 June (JW, m. ob.) and several nests were still at Mark Twain (Clarence Cannon

42 NWR) (Pike Co.) on 23 July (DE). Elsewhere, 1 to 2 were detected at Little Bean Marsh on 19 June (LR), Prairie Slough (Lincoln Co.) on 18 July (BS & Scott Schuette) and Columbia's sewage treatment marsh on 23 July (BG ). They occurred through the season at Oronogo Bottoms 3 miles north of Joplin with a maximum of 12 on 12 June (LH). The number of Great Blue Heron breeding colonies exceeded 250. Colonies were scattered throughout the state but less numerous in southeastern and northern regions.

After considerable concern and searching, a massive mixed heron and egret nesting colony (similar to the one formerly south of Caruthersville) was found once again in the Bootheel. On the evening of 28 June, John Howland noticed small groups of egrets and herons flying to a particular grove of trees and honed in to find a sizeable nesting colony at the Hayti Borrow located just northeast of the 1-55/Hwy J interchange 3 miles south of Hayti (Pemiscot Co.). By counting birds that were returning to the area plus those already in the trees that surround the water-filled borrow pit, he estimated 8 Great Egrets, 840 Snowy Egrets, 600 Little Blue Herons, 12,000 Cattle Egrets and 105 Black-crowned Night-Herons. If these figures are accurate, the colony is considerably larger than any reponed in recent years. No other nesting of these species was reponed, but 1 to 2 Snowy Egrets appeared at RDA (Ken Thompson), SLR (BO) and Aldrich (JC) and 8 Black-Crowned Night-Herons were at SCR on 25 June (JH). At least 7 nesting Yellow-crowned Night-Herons were found on 6 July in the north part of Springfield (Mike Skinner). There were indications of many more birds and nests within a 1 block area. There were 5 reports of White Ibis; 1 imm. at the Otter Slough CA on 24 June (Neal Young), 1 imm. at the Bushwhacker CA (Vernon Co.) on 7 July (RH* photo), 1 imm. at EB on 7 July (D. Donald), 1 imm. at RDA on 18 July (AI Seppi, T&GB) and 1 at Lake Springfield (Greene Co.) on 23 July through the period (KJ, LB). An adult White-faced Ibis was at Cooley Lake CA (Clay Co.) on 19 June (Mike Bresley).

43 Black Vultures were as far north as southeastern Douglas Co. where 8 were tallied along a 25-mile reach of the North Fork River on 6-7 July (JW).One was reported extremely far afield in nw Linn Co. (DW*).

WATERFOWL THROUGH CRANE

One of the seasons most mysterious discoveries was a pair of Snow Geese with young at Bigelow Marsh (Holt Co.) in early June (Robert Lee). Two others were at SLR (BO) on 21 July. Up to 5 Green-winged Teal were also there on 16 and 21 July as were Blue-winged teal through the period and 5 Northern Shovelers on 21 July (BO). A drake Ring-necked Duck was at SLR on 21 July (BO). Hooded Mergansers nested at the Ted Shanks CA (Pike Co.) and Duck Creek CA (Bollinger Co.) and probably elsewhere although sparsely reported. An Osprey summered on Truman Lake (Hickory Co.) (Cal Jones) and one was at Wakonda SP (Lewis Co.) on 8 July (BS, Dave Gronefeld). Mississippi Kites were poorly reported. There were none reported from traditional sites near Kansas City, perhaps owing to a lack of contributions from that area. On 3 June a group of 8 at MNWR (within their known southeastern range) were observed flying into and about treetops catching cicadas (JW). Two were in St. Louis, at a previously productive nesting territory, on 24 June (RK).

As the number of Bald Eagle nests continues to increase, it becomes increasingly difficult to determine the precise number of nests and young produced. There were at least 45 active nests of which 13 Were newly discovered. These were most numerous in the Truman Lake and southeastern regions. Six of these failed, 3 due to tree falls, resulting in a minimum of39 productive nests that fledged apprqximately 70 young (JW fide). The only Northern Harrier reports were of a pair (probably nesting) at Bushwhacker CA (Vernon Co.) on 1 June (RH, NM) and a pair feeding young at the Taberville CA in early June (NM). Contributors did not happen to report any Sharp-shinned Hawks, a rare breeder, and only 6 Cooper's Hawk

44 sightings were reported, primarily from central Missouri. A Swainson 's Hawk was observed throughout the period at a traditional nesting area near the intersection of Hwy 65 and Chestnut in Springfield (m. ob.). Three Peregrine Falcons fledged from a nest on Commerce Bank Towers in Kansas City in eady July (Laurie Dohm). ParentaJ birds were hacked inKansas City in 1991-92. Five more fledged in the St. Louis area from previously hacked birds (Mike Cooke). Five were hacked on the Southwest Missouri State University campus in 1uly.

An estimated 2,000 Greater Prairie-Chickens are all that remained of the Missouri population, centered primarily in the Nevada area and south of Sedalia. The 1998lek surveys recorded only 370 roosters. This compares to 1,045 in 1993 and 1,400 in 1988. Although winter survival was good, Northern Bobwhite numbers remained low due to inclement weather during the nesting season (Tom Daily). The only site reporting King Rails, Mark Twain (Clarence Can- non) NWR, held an estimated 10 to 12 breeding pairs plus one Sora on 23 July (DE). Three to 4 Virginia Rails, vocalizing and within a few yards of each other, were a shocking discovery at Cloe-Lowry Marsh (Mercer Co.) on 25 June (JW, m.ob.). Sixteen Common Moorhens were at SCR on 5 June (JH) and at Mark Twain NWR on 10 July (DE). Four broods of American Coots were observed at EB (BG). Coots occurred through the period at SLR (BO) and one was found at SCR on 25 June (JH). As during the past 5 years, a pair of Sandhill Cranes occurred through the summer at Grand Pass CA (Rob Leonard) unlike previous years, there was no evidence of their attempted nesting.

SHOREBIRDS THROUGH TERNS

Two American Golden-Plovers were in rice fields in Cape Girardeau Co. on 2 June (JW) and one was at SLR on 23 & 28 July (BO). ASemi-palmatedPlover hadappearedatEB by 17 July (BG). Ten Mile Pond CA (Mississippi Co.) held a Black-necked Stilt on

45 28 June (John Howland) and 2 on 10 July (JR). Thirty were in rice fields south of Baker (Stoddard Co.) on 13 June (BJ). Also at that location was an American Avocet (BJ) and another was at SLR on 23 & 28 July (BO). Six Lesser Yellowlegs were found in St. Charles Co. bottoms on 30 June (CM). Generally, habitat for shorebirds was scarce until about mid-July due to high water levels. As mud-flats emerged, shorebird reports erupted. Solitary, Least, Pectoral and Stilt Sandpipers had arrived in Holt County by 20 July (Ron Bell, Dave Easterla). SLR held 44 Stilt Sandpipers on 21 July (BO). A Willett was in St. Charles Co. on 4 & 14 July (T & GB) and a Marbled Godwit found at SLR on 21 July (BO). Most remarkable for the season was the first state record of a Curlew Sandpiper at EB on 15 July (TC*, BG*, PM*, DW, m.ob.) Normally breeding in northern Siberia and rarely in i Alaska, this stray was in bright breeding plumage and well observed and documented. Adult Wilson's Phalaropes were at EB on 24 July (TC) and at SCR on 28 July (JH).

An Adult Laughing Gull was found at RDA on 6 June (CM), and several Ring-billed Gulls were being sighted at points near the Mississippi River by the periods end. Caspian Terns were on the Mississippi River (New Madrid Co.) on 10 June (JR) and at RDA on 6 June (JVB) and 14 June (JM & CM) along with Common, Black and Least terns. Five Forster's Terns were at SLR on 30 June and 2 on 8 July (BO). Black Terns were sighted there through June with a max. of 28 on 15 June (BO). Five tarried in Stoddard County rice field ti1113 June (BJ). Researcher Rochelle Renken reported 8 80 pairs of Least Terns nesting in 8 colonies on the Mississippi R. between Cairo, Ill. and the Arkansas line. The largest colony, near Portageville (Mississippi Co.), contained 460 nests. Egg layng did not commence until sand bars became exposed after mid-June and reproductive success was variable. Several nests were destroyed by predators.

DOVES THROUGH WOODPECKERS

Motivated by recent reports of Eurasian Collared-Doves, MDC

46 biologists solicited reports through an agency newsletter and the Conservationist magazine. At least three-fourths of the birds reported were determined to be Ringed Turtle-Doves instead, but small populations of Collared-Doves were confirmed in Kennett, Portageville, Braggadocia and Malden in the states three most southeastern counties, and in Fenton, in the St. Louis area. A White- winged Dove on 18 July was an extraordinary report from Springfield (LB*) and likely the first summer record.

Yellow-billed Cuckoos were said to be in higher than average numbers around Rolla (Linda Frederick). Greater Roadrunners were reported from more wide-ranging locations than ever. The one at the Henning CA (Taney Co.) on 6 June (BN) and the 2 there on 25 July (TC) were within the expected range, but the one just north of Doniphan (Ripley Co.) on 17 July (C. Stinitz), and especially the one near Marquand (Madison Co.) on 16 July (D. Roe*- photos), were far to the east of previous locations. At the latter location the bird was observed preying on birds at a feeder. Barn Owls, through perennial in the Bootheel and southwestern prairie region, were represented by only 2 reports, both from within their expected range. A nest in a grain elevator in Bronaugh (Vernon Co.) fledged 3 in July (Rex Winter) and a nest in a tree sw of Dexter (Stoddard Co.) had young (M. Bader). Two Short-eared Owls were observed together at Taberville CA (St. Charles Co.) in early June (NM). f A large dark hummingbird (believed not to be a Ruby-throated) was reported at the Oronogo Bottoms north of Joplin on 12 June (LH*). Red-headed Woodpeckers seemed somewhat more numerous than usual, especially in northern Missouri.

FLYCATCHERS THROUGH WARBLERS

An Olive-sided Flycatcher at the Henning CA on 6 June (BN) was probably a late migrant but one at Aldrich (Polk Co.) on 4 July (BD) was completely out-of-sync. Single Alder Flycatchers were at Shaw Arboretum (Franklin Co.) on 9 June and at Aldrich on 18 July (ZE). Western Kingbirds are erupting in the southwest according to

47 LH where they apparently associate with electric power sub-stations. He found them nesting at 6 of the 10 sub-stations he visited near Joplin, Carthage and Nevada. An eastern location was the August Busch CA (St. Charles Co.) where an individual was found on 14 June (KR, M. Auer). A pair was just north of Columbia in early July (Caleb Putnam). The most northerly Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was at Lexington (Lafayette Co.) in late July (W. Page).

A Tree Swallow nest box trail near Jefferson City fledged 67 young (Julie Lundsted). The Cliff Swallow population seems to .. continually grow with colonies under concrete bridges and culverts throughout the state. Multiple Sedge Wrens were singing at Hi Lonesome Prairie (Benton Co.) on 9 June (JW), Pawnee Prairie (Harris Co.) on 24 June (JW) and at Joplin on 5 July (LH). Late summer migrants arrived about mid-July. Lunsted's Jefferson City Eastern Bluebird boxes fledged 245. Sixty-five boxes located in 6 counties along Hwy 71 in western Missouri fledged 146.

An Ad. M. Black-throated Green Warbler was detected on a Breeding Bird Survey near Madison (Monroe Co.) on 6 June (PM*). A late Blackburn ian Warbler was at Tower Grove Park in St. Louis on 6 June (BW) and a Bay-breasted Warbler was there on 19 June (JZ). An unprecedented number of 114 Cerulean Warblers were found on 19-21 May during MR's systematic census at 31.5 miles of the Current River between Akers Ferry and Jerktail Access. In 1997, 73 were found on the same reach. Almost all were in sycamore trees. Eleven were detected casually during a 25-mile float on the North Fork River in Douglas and Ozark counties on 6-7 June (JW). Two Swainson's Warblers were in a cane stand along the Current River south of Van Buren (Carter Co.) on 2 June (JW) and another near there on 15 June (Cynthia Price) and 18 June (SH*). MR detected two between Round Spring and Jerktail (Shannon Co.) on his 21 May survey. A Mourning Warbler was at Tower Grove Park, St. Louis, on 9 June (BW) and a Canada Warbler in Columbia on 1 June (Wayne Bullard).

48 GROSBEAKS THROUGH OLD WORLD SPARROWS

Painted Bunting reports from within the expected range came from Springfield, Branson and Gainesville. Surprisingly wide-ranging reports came from West Plains where a pair nested (Darryl Billings) and the St. Louis area where a male was sighted in High Ridge on 29 June (H. Boenker). Henslow's Sparrows were in 4 different fields about 5 miles northeast of Moberly from 23 May through 21 July (Sarah Vasse). They were numerous at Hi Lonesome Prairie (Benton Co.) on 9 June and Helton and Pawnee Prairies (Harris Co.) on 24 June (JW). Although poorly reported, they and Bobolinks seemed to be prevalent in northern and western Missouri, perhaps due to wet weather that delayed haying. An unusually late White-throated Sparrow was at Tower Grove Park (St. Louis) on 13 June (JZ).

Great-tailed Grackles continue to breed in farm ponds directly to the south of the Kansas City area and in Newton and Lawrence Cos. in the southwest. Other locations were Shawnee Trail CA (Vernon Co.) (RH), the Columbia sewage treatment marsh, 4 birds on 6 June and 17 July (BG), and at Lake Contrary (Buchanan Co.) where there were 9 birds on 28 July (JH).

OBSERVERS: T&GB- Terry Barker & George Barker, LB- Lisa Berger, CB- Charles Burwick, TC- Tom Curtis, JC- Jeff Cantrell, BD- Betty Dyer, DE- Dave Ellis, ZE- Zelda Ellison, BG- Bill Goodge, RH- Randy Haas, LH- Larry Herbert, JH- Jack Hilsabeck, SH- Stan Hudson, BJ- Brad Jacobs, KJ- Kay Johnson, RK- Randy Korotev, CM- Charlene Malone, JM- Jim Malone, NM- Norman Murray, PM- Paul McKenzie, BN- B. Noble, BO- Bridget Olson, JR- Jim Rathert, KR- Kevin Renick, LR - Larry Rizzo, MR- Mark Robbins, P&JS - Pat Sensenig & Jane Sensenig, JVB- Jack VanBenthuysen, SV- Sarah Vasse, BW -Bill Wetteroth, DW- Dave Witten, JW- Jim Wilson, JZ- Jim Ziebol

49 ABBREVIATIONS: CA = Conservation Area EB =Eagle Bluffs CA (Boone Co.) MNWR =Mingo National Wildlife Refuge (Stoddard Co.) M.ob.= Many Observers NWR =National Wildlife Refuge RDA = Riverlands Demonstration Area (St. Charles Co.) SCR =Squaw Creek NWR (Holt Co.) SLR = Swan Lake NWR (Chariton Co.) SP =State Park SO= Schell Osage CA (St. Clair & Vernon Cos.) * = Documentation Form Filed

Addendum: On February 27, 1998, Mrs. Lawrence Lambert sighted 31 American White Pelicans at S-0. Outside of a few wintering individuals, this is the earliest apparent migration by 2 days according to Robbins and Easterla (Birds of Missouri, 1992).

Bell's Vireo, photo by Debarha Arnett

50 Editor's Page

There are plans to revise A Guide to the Birding Areas of Missouri. Close to 1900 copies of the original publication have been sold since 1993. In the revision we would like to improve the maps and change to a spiral binding. If anyone knows of a good birding area that should be included in the new book, please write up a site guide following the original format If you would like to help with the revision but don't want to write a site guide, volunteers will be needed to drive to areas in the book to check mileages, road name changes, and landmark changes since some of the original contributors no longer live in Missouri or or unable to help. Ryan Peterson has some new drawings that he is going to contribute to the book. If anyone has artwork that they would like to be considered, please submit it. We would like to have all your submissions by November 1999. Although a year sounds like a long time, it is really only one birding season away. If you can help in any way please contact Kay Palmer or Edge Wade.

CORRECTIONS In the September 1998 Bluebird a typographical error was made in one of the e-mail addresses in Dave Bedan's article on using the Internet. The correct address for the Audubon Society of Missouri's site is http://mobirds.mig.missouri.edu/ Corrections and updates to the 1998 North American Migratory count reported by Jim Gast In the September 1998 Bluebird, I erroneously reported that eight American Tree Sparrows were exclusive to Knox County. They were also seen in Clay and Henry counties; however, none of them were accepted by the Missouri Bird Records Committee. The documentation did not sufficiently differentiate between American Tree Sparrows and other sparrows. Other committee decisions included approval of the Brewster's Warbler and Western Sandpiper. The Rose-breasted Black-headed Grosbeak hybrid was not agreed upon by the committee. It will, however, be included in the results as Pheucticus species. The Ringed Turtle-dove will not be counted, since it is an exotic bird. Next year I plan to wait until the MBRC votes before publishing the results. If you would like a copy of this year's final results, please write me at 3009 Lynnwood Dr., Columbia, MO 65203 or e-mail me: [email protected] souri.edu (that's a zero before the one).

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