The Bluebird December 1996 Vol. 63, No.4
The Audubon Society ofMissouri Founded 1901 The Audubon Society of Missouri
Officers* Directors*
Stephen Dilks, President ( 1998) Steve Kinder, (1998) 5298 Sir Bors Dr. Apt. 3 Chillicothe (816) 646-6516 St. Louis, MO 63129 (314) 845-9855 Doris Fitchett (1998) Chillicothe (816) 646-4462 Mike Beck, Vice President (1998) 1001 s. 19th Jim D. Wilson (1998) Blue Springs, MO 64015 Jefferson City (573) 751-4115 (816) 229-6811 David Easterla (1999) Jean Graebner, Treasurer 1996)- Maryville (816) 582-8468 1800 S. Roby Farm Rd. Rocheport, MO 65279 - Phone: Bill Reeves (1999) (314) 698-2855 Farmington (314) 756-4160
Susan Dornfeld, Secretary1996)- Bill Clark (1997) 700 S. Weller Columbia (573) 474-4510 Springfield, MO 65208 Phone: (417) 831-9702. Paul Bauer (1997) Florissant (314) 921-3972 Susan Hazelwood, Hotline(l996) 3005 Chapel Hill Rd. Larry Herbert (1997) Columbia, MO 65203 Joplin (417) 624-3065 Phone: (573) 445-4925.
Bill Clark, Historian 3906 Grace Ellen Dr. Columbia, MO 65202 (573) 474-4510 Richard A. Anderson (Honorary) St. Louis** Leo Galloway (Honorary) St. Joseph Lisle Jeffry (Honorary) Columbia** Floyd Lawhon (Honorary) St. Joseph** *year term expires Patrick Mahnkey (Honorary) Forsyth **deceased Rebecca Matthews (Honorary) Springfield Sydney Wade (Honorary) Jefferson City** John Wylie (Honorary) Jefferson City
Cover by David Plank The Bluebird Quarterly Magazine o(the Audubon Society o(Missouri
Editors: Seasonal Survey Editors:
Dave Witten Fall: Jack Van Benthuysen 601 Covered Bridge Rd 217 Sylvester Columbia, MO 65203 St. Louis, MO 63119 (573) 442-7991 (314) 961-3390 Email:[email protected] Winter: Brad Jacobs Conservation Issues Editor: P.O. Box 180 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180 Anita Randolph (573) 751-4115 619 Norris Dr. Jefferson City, MO Spring: Chris Hobbs - (573) 635-6018 13121 Swartz Rd. Bonner Springs, KS 66012 Christmas Bird Count Editor: (913) 441-2473
David A. Easterla Summer: Jim D. Wilson, Dept. of Biol.NW MO st. U. P. 0. Box 180 Maryville MO 64 8 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180 Office (8i6) 562-1813 (573)751-4115 Home(816)582-8468
MO Bird Records Committee:
Paul M. McKenzie - Chair Chris Hobbs - Secretary U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 13121 Swartz Rd. 608 E. Cherry St. Bonner Springs, KS 66012(913) Columbia, MO 65201 441-2473 Office (573) 876-1911 Home (573) 442-1715
Deadlines for submission of material for publication in the The Bluebird Manuscripts for The Bluebird- To the Editor 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 Chris Hobbs by June 10 Summer--to Jim D. Wilson by August. 10 Fall-to Jim D. Wilson by Dec. 10
1 Table ofContents December 1996 Volume 63, No. 4 The Bluebird
Articles
5 Second ldentiftcation Workshop Paul McKenzie
9 Fall Meeting Bob Lewis
13 Prothonotary Warblers Patrick Mahnkey
15 Health Walk Rebecca Matthews
17 Ballpark Birding Bill Clark
32 MO Bird Record Committee Top Ten Species 1995
Spring meeting- Columbia April 15 to 17, 1997
DEPARTMENTS
3 President's Corner 37 CBC -1995-1996 20 The Missing Feather 46 Minutes ofAnnual 28 The Finer Points of Meeting Identification 48 CBC's- 1996-1997 33 Seasonal Survey - Summer 50 Conservation Report
2 President's Corner Stephen A Dilks
Swan Lake and the multitudes of red-winged blackbirds that rose over the loess hill I stood upon at Squaw Creek as the sun peeped over the horizon. There have been many memorable moments since then in Missouri, and many have been with members of ASM. Our Spring ASM meetings (the next one is at Columbia, April 25-27) can be really fantastic! Besides the great birding, there's also the wildflowers, unique landscapes, and other wildlife. We reetings! By the time have a lot of excellent birding Gyou read this, we'll areas in Missouri, and there is know who'll be our usually a birder of that area who next President of the U.S. for four can assist a visitor in some way. Of years, some of you may already course, when a really hot bird have had snow (possibly several shows up, there's no telling who times), and many are preparing for might show up to add that bird to the upcoming Christmas Bird his/her life list. Counts. ASM has a lot going for it. I participated on my first The quarterly publication, The CBC back in 1979 which was at Bluebird, stands out with its Mingo. Although the counting can outstanding articles and excellent start before daylight for owls, and coverage of counts and surveys. it continues until dark making for The recent publication, A Guide to a long day. I find the day to be the Birding Areas of Missouri, has very invigorating. I have rarely done well and is probably in every missed a Mingo CBC yet! person's possession who has an interest in natural history. The Actually I really didn't start Spring and Fall ASM meetings not birding until '73 when I was First only have scheduled field trips, but exposed to places like Mingo, also provide excellent speakers Swan Lake, and Squaw Creek. who tickle our minds with their Several good memories were knowledge. The MO Bird Records formed at those places such as the Committee is always evaluating tens of thousands of snow geese at bird sightings whether it's for the 3 bird sightings whether it's for the They make the memories. It is an seasons or a Missouri rarity. And honor to me to be the new who are you going to call for the president of this great hottest bird, but the Rare Bird organization. I hope all Hotline? We have members Christmas Bird Count participants intermingled with the Missouri have a safe and productive day(s) Audubon Council, our tie to counting and everyone has a safe conservation issues which concern and enjoyable holiday season. See us all. Just recently started are the you all next year, and good excellent identification workshops birding! concerning some of the more difficult bird groups. Finally, it's the people who make up ASM.
December, 1996 Dear ASM member,
This is a reminder that your current membership in the Audubon Society of Missouri expires on December 31. Enclosed is a return envelope for your 1997 dues addressed to our hard working Treasurer, Jean Graebner. Help her pay the bills!
According to our records, there are a total of about 350 individuals, organizations, complimentary, and exchange listings on our mailing list. Many individuals and organizations have not paid their 1996 dues. Please renew today! Delinquent members will be dropped from the mailing list.
Your continuing membership allows us to maintain our birding and conservation activities, hold our spring and fall meetings, and send you our quarterly magazine "The Bluebird". Remember too - a gift membership in the ASM for a friend or relative makes an outstanding holiday present.
If you have already renewed your membership for 1997 or are a life member, please ignore this notice.
Here's to good birding in 1997.
Thanks,
4 SecondIdentification Workshop Paul McKenzie
Prairie State Park
February 14,15,16 or 21,22,23, 1997
For our readers who haven't heard or who were not at the fall meeting of the Audubon Society of Missouri (ASM) or did not see the note in the September 1996 issue of The Bluebird, the Missouri Bird Records Committee, in cooperation with ASM, will be sponsoring bird identification workshops for ASM members and other interested parties. The first workshop was on raptor identification and was held in conjunction with ASM's fall meeting at Lake of the Ozarks State Park. We had a very positive feedback from those who attended the fall workshop and many indicated they were looking forward to the next workshop. You may also recall in the September 1996 issue of The Bluebird they we indicated that a second tentative workshop would be held in February 1997. I am pleased to announce that we will in fact have a February 1997 workshop. In cooperation with the Board of Directors and general membership of ASM and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, our second workshop will be held at Prairie State Park near Liberal in Barton County. Results of a questionnaire to ASM members on what group/s of species they wanted covered indicated that hawks and sparrows were two of the most requested groups. Prairie State Park was chosen for our second workshop because it and the surrounding areas are some of the best places in the state to see most of the hawks and sparrows that winter in the state. We have picked two dates for the workshop (a second as an alternative in case of bad weather): February 14, 15, & 16 (preferred) and February 21, 22, & 23 (alternate). The workshop will include classroom discussion and identification in the field. Although field trips will concentrate on tips for identifying hawks and sparrows, we will provide tips on helping birders identify all species encountered. In addition to Prairie State Park, MBRC members will be leading field trips to adjacent areas (e.g., Shawnee Trail Conservation Area, Davis Memorial State Forest, Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area, Buffalo Wallow Prairie Conservation Area, Comstock Prairie Conservation Area, Osage Prairie Conservation Area). As time allows and depending on interest. we may also offer field trips to Schell-Osage and Four Rivers Conservation Areas on Sunday afternoon following the general workshop. I am also pleased to announce that personnel of Prairie State Park have agreed to provide ASM members with a program and field tour of management and conservation activities sometime during the weekend {more complete details will be provided at registration).
Now for logistics: the following is a rough schedule of activities:
Friday 14 February ... 7-9 PM: registration and social at Prairie State Park
Saturday 15 February 8-9 AM: registration or breakfast 9-10:30 AM: hawks 10:30-10:45 AM: break 10:45-noon: sparrows noon-1 :00 PM: lunch 1:00-5:00 PM: field trip 5:00-6:30 PM: dinner 6:30-7:30 PM: Prairie State Park talk 7:45-8:45 PM: review and tally of birds observed during the day
Sunday 16 February 8-9 AM: tour of Prairie State Park 9:15-9:30 AM: break 9:30-noon: field trips noon-1 :00 PM: lunch 1:00-4:00 PM: possible field trips on the way home
Except for registration, the above times are tentative. Adjustments may be made to meet the needs of the participants. If logistically feasible and weather permitting, personnel at Prairie State Park may conduct a controlled burn to help attract raptors to the park. Details will be provided at registration if applicable.
Hotels: One drawback of having this workshop at Prairie State Park is that lodging is not available within a few minutes of the park. Nonetheless, the following is a list of potential hotels within a 1/2-3/4 hr. radius of the park:
Lamar Best Western Inn; ph: 417-682-3333
Pittsburg, Kansas Holiday Inn Express: ph.: 316-231-8700 Super 8: ph.: 316-232-1881 Extra Inn Budget Host: ph.: 316-232-2800
Nevada Best Western Inn: ph.: 417-667-3351 Super 8; ph: 417-667-8888
The Mustard Seed Restaurant in Liberal is willing to cater meals at the park at the following days and prices:
Saturday, February 14: Lunch- $4.50 per person Dinner- $7.50 per person Sunday, February 15: Breakfast- $5.00 per person Lunch- $5.00 per person
If you plan to attend the workshop and want any of the meals, please indicate so on the enclosed registration form.
If you have any questions about the workshop, please feel free to contact the following individuals-
Paul McKenzie: 573-876-1911, ext 107 (W); 573-445-3019 (H) Larry Herbert: 417-624-3065 (H); 417-624-1570 Barry Jones: 417-325-4151 (W) Laura Hendrickson or Cyndi Evans at Prairie State Park: 417-843-6711 Jean Graebner: 573-698-2855
Please remember that the workshop will be limited to the first 40 participants on a first come, first serve basis. If we find that there is a much greater demand than 40, we will make arrangements for our third workshop to accommodate as many people as would like to attend. We do not want to exclude anyone but meeting room space at Prairie State Park for the February workshop forces us to limit this second workshop to the first 40 people that register.
If response to these identification workshops (to include both classroom instruction and field trips) continues to be very favorable, then my plan is to have four a year: one each associated with the fall and spring meetings of ASM, one in the winter as this year's workshop at Prairie State Park, and one in the summer. My plan for the summer one is to help Missouri birders learn bird songs and perhaps provide some training on the different ways to conduct bird research including BBS surveys, nest surveys, point counts, riparian surveys, etc. Of course the expansion of bird identification workshops will have to be approved by the officers and Board of Directors of ASM, and will depend on interest of ASM members, but I am committed to providing more educational opportunities so as many folks as are interested can become better birders and spend more time in the field studying the birds we all love so much. So, if you like these suggestions, please let me and the leadership know - your input is important. 7 Registration for February 1997 Identification Workshop
In order to get an idea of how many are interested in attending the identification workshop and how many participants would be interested in purchasing meals, we ask that you pre-register. Please complete and return the registration form by January 15 to Jean Graebner, 1800 S. Roby Farm Rd., Rocheport, MO 65279.
Name:
Address
Phone ( )
Nwnber in Party:
Fees (Meals are optional- you can register for all meals or only some):
Registration ($10.00) X Dinner Feb. 13 ($7.50) X Breakfast Feb. 14 ($5.00) X Lunch Feb. 14 ($4.50) X Dinner Feb. 14 ($7.50) X Breakfast Feb. 15 ($5.00) X Lunch Feb. 15 ($5.00) X Total Package ($44.50) X
Total Amount Enclosed: $__
Send form and payment by January 15th to:
Jean Graebner 1800 S. Roby Farm Rd. Rocheport, MO 65279
Make checks payable to Audubon Society ofMissouri
8 Fall Meeting - 1996 Bob Lewis
A larger than usual attendance Anita Randolph for her quiet at the 1996 Fall Meeting of ASM years as secretary of Missouri held at Camp Clover Point, Lake of Audubon Council and her effective the Ozarks State Park, enjoyed the administration of that group as well usual bright birding weather (in as her sensational job as spite of dire rainfall predictions) Conservation Editor of ASM. and watched the changing of the guard as Steve Dilks and Mike Paul McKenzie got his tenure Beck ascended to the throne. as chair of Missouri Bird Records Committee (MBRC) going in a big Five of our peers were way with instructional sessions on honored with the presentation of hawk identification complete with plaques for outstanding service to excellent slides and outdoor Missouri Audubon: sessions complete with kettles of hawks. A winter program is Dr. David Easterla for his planned for Prairie State Park and many years of leadership in the is detailed elsewhere in this field of birds and birding and his publication. willingness to aid birders. Hurray for Susan Hazelwood James P. Jackson (in absentia) and her durability handling for his many years of service as Missouri Rare Bird Alert. She president, Bluebird editor and needs help in transcribing the Conservation Editor. Internet portion of the operation. Thanks, Susan, for making Dr. David Witten for his years Missouri bird finding a statewide of service as Bluebird editor, his operation. constant efforts to improve that publication, and his ready Isn't it great that Missouri has acceptance of the job again on a the outstanding wildlife temporary basis. photographer of the nation? Of course that's Jim Rathert who Kay Palmer for her presented our Saturday night magnificent job of compiling and program with an array of slides distributing our book, A Guide to that were actually breathtaking. the birding Areas of Missouri, and Don't ever leave us, Jim. her good service as Bluebird editor interrupted by husband Bill's great Steve Kinder was elected to appointment as Director of Texas the board of directors, filling the State Parks. term vacated by Mike Beck until 9 1998. Bill Reeves and David And the Board unanimously Easterla were reelected for terms to approved Lisle Jeffrey and Richard 1999. No one was elected to A. Anderson (both deceased) as replace Kay Palmer who now wears Honorary Directors in recognition a broad-brimmed hat and says, of their dedication to ASM. "y'all." I'd like to insert a personal You may be more comfortable note regarding my two years as .. to know that the well-known president. Honestly, with the type integrity of Jean Graebner has once of members who are willing to take again been proved with a on whatever challenge is presented, squeaky-clean audit of her one couldn't miss. treasurer's books by none other than the famous lawyer, Bill I can't remember a single Reeves. time when someone refused a job being offered. You will soon learn The 1997 Spring Meeting was that Steve Dilks is a superior approved for Columbia. Brad organizer and will prove to be one Jacobs and Dave Witten graciously of our best leaders. picked up the responsibility of the meeting that Bill Palmer had to Thanks to every one for all drop. your help.
Happy camper Bob Lewis all smiles since his stint as president is over.
Thanks Bob for a great 2 years.
10 Birds of the Fall Meeting -1996
Pied-billed Grebe Chimney Swift American White Pelican Ruby-throated Hummingbird Double-crested Cormorant Belted Kingfisher Great Blue Heron Read-headed Woodpecker Great Egret Red-bellied Woodpecker Green Heron Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Wood Duck Downy Woodpecker Mallard Hairy Woodpecker Northern Pintail Northern Flicker Blue-winged Teal Pileated Woodpecker Northern Shoveler Eastern Wood-Pewee American Wigeon Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Common Goldeneye Eastern Phoebe Turkey Vulture Great Crested Flycatcher Osprey Eastern Kingbird Bald Eagle Tree Swallow Northern Harrier Northern Rough-winged Swallow Sharp-shinned Hawk Barn Swallow Cooper's Hawk Blue Jay Broad-winged Hawk American Crow Swainson's Hawk Carolina Chickadee Red-tailed Hawk Tufted Titmouse Rough-legged Hawk White-breasted Nuthatch American Kestrel Carolina Wren Merlin Bewick's Wren Peregrine Falcon House Wren Wild Turkey Sedge Wren Northern Bobwhite Ruby-crowned Kinglet Sora Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Killdeer Eastern Bluebird American Woodcock Gray-cheeked Thrush Ring-billed Gull Wood Thrush Caspian Tern American Robin Rock Dove Gray Catbird Mourning Dove Brown Thrasher Black-billed Cuckoo Water Pipit Yellow-billed Cuckoo Cedar Waxwing Eastern Screech-Owl European Starling Great Homed Owl White-eyed Vireo Barred Owl Solitary Vireo
11 Red-eyed Vireo Summer Tanager Tennessee Warbler Scarlet Tanager Orange-crowned Warbler Northern Cardinal Nashville Warbler Rose-breasted Grosbeak Northern Parula Blue Grosbeak Yellow Warbler Indigo Bunting Chestnut-sided Warbler Rufous-sided Towhee Magnolia Warbler Backman's Sparrow Yellow-rumped Warbler Chipping Sparrow Black-throated Green Warbler Field Sparrow Blackbumian Warbler Lincoln's Sparrow Palm Warbler Red-winged Blackbird Bay-breasted Warbler Eastern Meadowlark Black-and-white Warbler Common Grackle American Redstart House Finch Worm-eating Warbler Pine Siskin Connecticut Warbler American goldfinch Common Yellowthroat House Sparrow Wilson's Warbler *************** Total Sp. = 120
12 Prothonotary Warblers Raise Second Brood in One Season Patrick Mahnkey
n the spring and early It is known that Prothonotary I summer of 1996, warblers may produce two broods Prothonotary Warblers again in a single season in the south part nested in the gourd hung under my of the USA. Nevertheless, this may east window. My home borders be a rare report of such an Lake Taneycomo in Taney County, occurrence in Missouri, and it was Missouri. Prothonotaries had also made easier by having the nesting nested in the gourd in 1995, place six inches below my window raising some young, though I never instead of on the lake shore. knew how many. The gourd is one of several This year, by listening to dipper gourds that I grew a few activity just inches below my open summers ago. This one is short but window, I detected that the first ample. It measures about 9 inches brood had hatched on May 29, from top to bottom, and about 6 1996, for the silence of incubating inches-across in the widest bulbous had suddenly changed to much part. I drilled holes through the top coming and going. On June 9, of the handle to insert a wire loop 1996, I heard two series of fast for hanging. I drilled three wing beats, so at least two young drainage holes around the botton1 had left the nest. of the gourd. I cut out a rather large opening, about 1.5 inches in Then on June 21, 1996, Jeff diameter, some two-thirds of the Hayes observed that the adults way up the bulb. I then hung the were again tidying up the nest, and gourd under the eave on the east on June 23 a new egg was there. side of my room for wrens. Sure On July 1, while the female was enough, Carolina Wrens nested briefly away, I counted 5 eggs in there as expected in that first the nest. On July 9 at least four spring of 1994. hatched. They left the nest on July That fall I took down the 18. I watched as the male fed the gourd and with a wire hook took last fledgling perched in a nearby out all the old nesting material. I redbud sapling. I assume the temporarily left the gourd on one female was already at the lake of the nails under my window shore or in the nearby woods with where we hang trowels and other the others and that they all joined gardening tools. Typical of the way up later that day. things are done around here, the
13 gourd never got back to its but I never found the cause. I went intended hook under the eave of out, looked quickly around the the house. So the Prothonotaries corner of the house, then retreated took it over in the spring of 1995 to over 50 yards away, and I could just as it was. I didn't clean out the see nothing at the nesting gourd, gourd after that event, and the such as a snake or a cat, yet the Prothonotaries were apparently alarm continued for a few minutes satisfied to come back again and more while I just sat in the yard raise their two broods in 1996. I and observed. I suppose the birds wonder if we should always clean may have seen a snake or other out old nests. predator in the tall grass in the old garden about 10 feet beyond their .. I know of another account of nest. Prothonotary Warblers nesting in a gourd in Barry County, Missouri. This relation is not intended Vada Jenkins related a few years to give rules for attracting ago that a neighbor had a ceramic Prothonotary Warblers. It is just a gourd in her yard and asked Vada description of what has happened to identify the yellow birds nesting around here. Let me warn you, if there. They were Prothonotaries. you are napping and a male Prothonotary sings in the sapling Besides the clear song that by your open door or window, this most birders are familiar with, I guy is loud and can be very learned other sounds that this startling. The blessings outweigh species makes. The call note is the loss of napping time, however. what I transcribe as tsink. It may I am pleased to remember that in be compared with the pink of the the past two years three broods of Blue Grosbeak in that it has a Prothonotary Warblers have musical tone to it, and is not just a successfully fledged under my toneless tsk. What I take to be window from a gourd carelessly alarm signals take the form of hung among trowels and earth toneless raspy hisses. I noted both scratchers. parents emitting this sound once,
14 Health Walk Rebecca Matthews
y doctor insists Two scissor-tailed flycatchers M that I should swoop out over a field. Last year walk. I tell him they built on the cross bars of a that I don't have time, but he says telephone pole. I take time to check "Get up 20 minutes earlier. it out, but can't find this year's Twenty minutes of brisk walking nest. will make all the difference in how you feel." There are weeds growing lush in a fence row, and entwined about So here I am, walking. It them a long strand of bindweed. really is pretty nice. The Now that it has gone to seed it neighborhood birds are singing. looks like a string of miniature The mourning dove is cooing so lights. I cut the long strand and softly, so gently. The swifts are stuff it in my litter bag. Before twittering over my head, and I stop Christmas I will guild the a moment to watch as they dart balloon-shaped seed pods and add about quickly, living up to their the garland to the other natural name. ornaments which decorate our Christmas tree. glance at the attractive young lady across the street. I see A bird whose song I don't her every morning, clipping along recognize is singing from a tree at a lively pace. She's keeping down the street. Stopping to listen time, I ,suppose, to whatever it is I decide it is a cardinal singing a her Walkman is playing. What a non-typical song. shame to cover her ears and shut out all the lovely morning sounds. I walk backwards a little ways, admiring the variety of The chickory blossoms are evergreens in one yard, their still wearing morning blue. By contrasting shapes and shades noon they will have faded to pink making lovely patterns. In the next and soon will wither and be gone. block are graceful pin oaks, their What will happen, I wonder, if I leaves dancing in the pleasant take some blossoms home and let breeze, trim Bradford pears, and them float in a flat bowl of cool beautiful old maples, all in bright water. Will they last longer? (I summer greens. did, and they did.)
15 A magnolia tree reaches out stack of old classical records and inviting me to touch its shiny then move on to another sale two leaves--green patent leather lined garages down. There I find a with soft brown suede. complete set of The Chronicles of Narnia, by C. S. Lewis. My I detour through a shopping childhood had preceded their center and take time to read the advent by several decades. I take headlines in a USA Today vending them and head home again. machine. As I turn into my own walk I • A mower had made confetti check the time. I'd been gone an of a paper cup on an otherwise neat hour--a lovely hour, but I could lawn. I add the pieces to the rest of almost count on my fingers the the stuff in my litter bag. blocks I'd traveled. Had I actually walked as much as the prescribed My house is not far now; I 20 minutes? Hmmm. should be able to make it in ten minutes, but there is an Come to think of it, maybe I interruption. A garage sale has should get myself a Walkman. extended its wares right down to And a pair of blinders, too. the sidewalk. I look through a
16 Ballpark Birding in Australia Bill Clark
• few years ago I ran in the hurry-up life of professional A across a story in baseball. Still, my slide file of birds "Yankee" magazine by a and wildflowers is filled with writer named Ted Levin, who was a memories of Timbuktu, of nature photographer by trade, a magnificent sewage lagoons in baseball fan by choice - and a birder Capetown, Auckland, and by habit. His story centered on a day Melbourne; of Guatemala's Tikal at Fenway Park in Boston during and Lake Atitlan; the Masaya which he logged 12 specimen in and volcano and lagoon in Nicaragua; above the park while watching the the prairie potholes of Canada; the Red Sox lose to the Detroit Tigers. rarity of New Zealand's Tiririri The dozen was one short of his Matangi; Pipeline Road in Panama; Fenway Park record, but he added the savannas of Mali; plus many two Fenway species - a Merlin and other half-day stops in Mexico, an Osprey. Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, Taiwan, Korea, Sweden, Holland's Ted and I are the same, only Flevoland, Germany's Rhine River opposite. I'm a professional baseball valley - and Australia!! man who is an amateur nature photographer by choice - and a birder Baseball and birds both make by habit. Australia exciting - doubly exciting! I came to Australia first in 1991 and As a professional scout, my within two years the Braves had time in major league parks seldom spent more money for a single player gave me time to count birds. In fact, in Australia than in the USA. Glenn • a scout seldom enjoys the beauty of Williams, a 16-year-old shortstop baseball as he puts a dollar sign on a from the Sydney area, was signed by • player's abilities. the Braves for a bonus in excess of $900,000, U.S. funds, in 1993. He Fortunately, this scout escaped was the product of a 1992 tryout the big league parks five years ago to camp - which brings me to our story. become the international scouting In order to cover the country, the supervisor for the Atlanta Braves. Braves hold tryOUts in every corner of The position has taken me to 40 this unique land where the exotic countries and expanded my bird birdlife is commonplace. I've been to list considerably, though field guides Hoban and Melbourne, to Perth and too often go unused for weeks on end Pt. Hedland, to Brisbane and Cairns - 17 even to Thursday Island - To Darwin The sky darkened and in a matter of and Alice Springs, to Sydney and minutes we knew why it was called Newcastle, to Adelaide and the rain forest. A torrential deluge Camberra - and to Lismore! swept in from the hills with such a lismore is a country town on sheet of rain that it was impossible to the edge of the rain forest near the see second base. Everyone ran for the New South Wales border with park's shelter house. Joining us were Queensland. It is the center of two species which can be seen in • baseball in Australia though only both Australia and Fenway Park - one/fiftieth the size of either Sydney House Sparrows and Rock dove. .. or Melbourne. It is also a birder's paradise. Just to the north is the We registered the handful of rugged area where world-famous players who had braved the stonn O'Reilly's is located. Nearby are rain and waited - and waited - and waited forests, fields, mountains, the for the rain to stop. After a two-hour seashore - and the ball park. downpour, the field was a lake. The locals said it would be hours before The Braves came to town for an the field would be usable and we April tryout - an autumn camp, but agreed to return at 2 p.m. you could hardly tell it by the temperature. When we pulled up to The players left and the Braves the field, a large flock of cattle egrets loaded their gear to do the same. greeted us and, strutting their slow But, lo, now the sun peeked out and strut, were half a dozen Masked so did the birds. Lapwings. Welcome Swallows were darting over the infield. Magpie On the wire above the car were Larks were working the dugouts Tree Swallows and Crested Pigeons. areas and Bar-shouldered Dover were Suddenly, off the stream in right field on the wires between the power came a small flight of ducks to land poles. in the water behind second base - Pacific Black Ducks. Hardly deep As my crew and I set up the enough to dabble, but they didn't field for the workout, we saw a pair seem to mind. Probing its way across of White-faced Herons along the the outfield was a legion of Sacred quiet stream just outside the right Ibises and in the trees just over the field fence. The lapwings were center field fence were half a dozen joined by some Torresian Crows, and sulpher-crested Cockatoos. Willy Black-backed Magpies were working Wagtails were chasing bugs in the across the outfield. grass down the left field line. The screen behind home plate become a "Not bad," I thought, "to see stopping place for Black-faced such bird life in a ball yard." I even Cuckoo Shrikes, Pied Butcherbird, took a couple of slides of the Pied Currawong, Noisy Miner, and lapwings. Then the sun disappeared. another alien - the European Starling. 18 The shrubs behind third base were in Lismore that day. When the were now full of brilliant color. talents had been graded and the day's White-cheeked Rosellas! Soon job was finished, I circled the area thereafter came Scaly-breasted adjacent to the ball park - across the Lorikeets! Straw-necked Ibis had right field fence and the stream replaced the herons over the right beyond, the area behind the trees in .. field fence. center field, the weedy fields beyond Noise overhead - and here came left field, the slope across the road the Galahs, two dozen of them. They beyond third base. Not ball park, landed on the infield grass and the understand, but you could stand in groundskeeper sloshed out to scare the ball park and throw a ball to those them away before they turned the areas. grass infield into a skinned infield. In short order, I came up with The car had long since been Pied Cormorant, Australian Pelican, loaded and my crew was eager to Silver Gull, Black Swan. Gray Teal, head to the local coffee shop, but I Hardhead Duck, Intermediate Egret, was not. What other birds would Pacific Heron. Dusky Moorhen, show? Half an hour passed and Purple Swanp Hen, Black-winged many birds came and went, but no Stilt - all from beyond right field - new species. Not a bad day at the plus Gray Butcherbird. Spotted Dove, ball park. No players, but we had Common Bronzewing, Kestrel, logged 25 species. As I opened the Square-tailed Kite, and Black- trunk to stow the camera, I happened shouldered Kite. No doubt all would to look up and - hey, is that a Bald have flown over the ball park had I Eagle? Surely not! But it was a life waited long enough. The total for the bird for me - a Brahminy! A good ball park area was 43 species. The day at the park, for sure! total number of prospects was - Zero!
The 26 species, including a Even without the next Babe lifer, is my ball park record. Ruth or Glenn Williams, I can assure it was a great day at the The players dutifully returned at Usmore Ball Park. Maybe I'll get to 2 p.m. and we soon learned that Fenway Park next. What better than neither Babe Ruth nor Nolan Ryan a Braves-Red Sox World Series?
19 Birder Tribute:
In past issues of the Bluebird, I have paid tribute to lesser known Missouri birders who have made significant contributions to our knowledge of our state's ornithology. Although I will continue to take that approach in future additions to this column, I need to digress in this issue and salute one of the more well known ornithologists and birders in our area. On behalf of the other members of the Missouri Bird Records Committee (MBRC) and the Audubon Society of Missouri, I would like to acknowledge the efforts of Mark Robbins for faithfully serving as Secretary to the committee since its inception. During this fall's election of open positions in the MBRC, Chris Hobbs was elected to fill the Secretary's position. Although we are confident that the office of Secretary is again in very capable hands, we would be amiss if we did not salute Mark for doing an incredible job. By far, the Secretary's job is the most challenging and time consuming position of any on the MBRC.
Even with an incredibly busy schedule, Mark has been extremely diligent in circulating and cataloging records; in soliciting input from outside reviewers and obtaining additional information from observers when necessary; in providing written correspondence to fellow members on the ,. status of all records reviewed; and in performing other duties which are too • numerous to mention here. At times, he has performed his duties in the face of such obstacles as the lack of fellow members to provide evaluations of records in a timely manner, and complaints by some observers on decisions made by the MBRC. Nonetheless, he has helped spearhead the smooth operation and success of the MBRC. In fact, compared to other state bird records committees, MBRC has been one of the most productive in the country. Our success has been due, in a large part, to Mark's efforts. His service to this committee and to the Audubon Society of Missouri has been nothing short of exemplary and he has set a high standard for this position
20 well into the future. Thanks, Mark, for a job well done!
In the recent life/state bird category:
A Spruce Grouse in northern Wisconsin on October 10 was number 576 of the author's life list. Wood Storks observed in the St. Louis area earlier this fall were Missouri state birds for a few lucky birders including Susan Hazelwood. Unfortunately, other birders either missed it or only observed it across the river in Illinois despite repeated instructions from Missouri birders that the birds belonged on the Missouri side of the river!
In the did you know category: Anyone hungry: Everyone is well aware of the great table fare that some of our feathered friends like Wild Turkey, many waterfowl, most grouse and quail species, pheasants, etc., provide, but here is a dish to really salivate over: the "Edible Swiflet" of the East Indies builds its nest entirely of saliva and in some years as many as three and a half million nests are shipped from Borneo to China to made into a delicacy called "bird's nest soup"! (Welty 1982). I'd ask for a spoon but I think I just lost my appetite!
And you thought you had stomach problems: Various species of grebes are known to pluck their feathers and eat sufficient quantities of them to fill their stomachs! It is believed that the feathers either protect the stomach walls against sharp fish bones or plug the pyloric outlet of the stomach long enough for the fish bones to be dissolved before being passed on into the intestines (Welty 1982). Who says that mankind was the first to invent stool softeners?!
•Feathers: how many is enough?: While we're on the subject of feathers, did you ever wonder how many feathers birds have to preen to be in their best form? Some researchers have actually taken the time to count individual contour (the main feathers that contribute to a bird's overall shape and form) feathers of various species (these experiments were conducted primarily by bored ornithologists prior to the discovery of cable television, stereo systems, exercise equipment, computers, crossword puzzles, birding quizzes, Kowa scopes, and bungy cords!). Here are a few examples of North American species (from Pettingill 1970):
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 940 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1,119 Mourning Dove 2,635 Red-bellied Woodpecker 3,665 Eastern Meadowlark 4,607 Clapper Rail 7,224 Barred Owl 9,206 21 American Coot 13,913 American Pintail 14,914 Pied-billed Grebe 15,016 Tundra Swan 25,216
Keep these figures in mind the next time you are watching a bird preen and wonder what's taking it so long!
A bird will eat anything: What birder has not watched a bird consume some disgusting looking insect without wondering how a bird could eat such a distasteful (at least seemingly to us) morsel? But a juicy, plump caterpillar should sound appetizing compared to some things birds eat. Crows in Germany have been observed plucking wool from the backs of sheep in snowy weather and the New Zealand Kea (a large ground-dwelling parrot) will attack sheep to feed on the flesh and fat during a winter famine (Welty 1982). When food is scarce in the arctic, the Ivory Gull will feed on the dung of polar bears, walrus, and seals. Not to be out dung, puffins and petrels have been observed consuming large amounts of whale manure and there are reports from South America of Black Vultures eating human and dog excrement (Welty 1982). One of the apparent reasons birds eat things we humans would find revolting is that they have rather poorly developed taste glands (Welty 1982)- it's a good thing they do!
Vampire bird: As I write this account, Halloween is close at hand. This season can usually not pass without someone wildly exaggerating the habit of some species of vampire bats that lick the blood of their hosts. Nonetheless, few Halloween buffs ever mention that there is a species of bird that could be nicknamed the vampire bird: the Galapagos finch (Geospiza difficilis), bites the wings of boobies and drinks their blood as a main source of food (Bowman and Billeb 1965). Perhaps this habit had something to do with how this species was given the specific epithet "difficilis"?
In the what's in a term category:
congener: usually in reference to species of birds in the same genus who occur in the same area or habitat [e.g., Yellow-throated (Vireo flavifrons), Red-eyed (Vireo olivaceus), and Warbling (Vireo gi/vus) vireos; or Cerulean (Dendroica cerulea) and Yellow-throated (Dendroica dominica) warblers].
nominate subspecies: when there are several subspecies for a particular species [termed polytypic (meaning many types) vs. monotypic (meaning single type) species where there are no subspecies recognized (e.g. Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Bobolink, American Woodcock)], the one subspecies that has the earliest, published valid name is termed the nominate subspecies. It always has the same scientific ending as the specific epithet. For example, there are at least 4 or 5 recognized subspecies of Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia). Of these, the nominate subspecies Melospiza melodia melodia is the one we see in Missouri. On the other hand, there are five recognized subspecies of the Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum). Amazingly, the nominate subspecies savannarum is not native to North America. The eastern subspecies pratensis is the subspecies of Grasshopper Sparrow that breeds in Missouri.
Bird parts-
cere: thet thick, bare, often brightly colored skin between the base of a bird's bill and its forehead that includes the nostrils; important in aging some species of raptors .
lore: the area between the eye and the base of the bill.
auricular: the area covering the ear opening.
gape: ththe line along which the mandibles (upper and lower parts of the bill) come together; prominent and conspicuous on many species of raptors, especially Ferruginous Hawks and eagles.
supercilium: the eyebrow line above the eye that usually extends from lore or the base of the bill towards the nape. It can be white (e.g., Louisiana Waterthrush, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-crowned Sparrow), yellow (e.g., Townsend's Warbler, female Dickcissel in alternate plumage, male Evening Grosbeaks), huffy or tan (e.g., Worm- eating and Swainson's warblers), orange (e.g., LeConte's and Sharp- tailed sparrows, male Blackburnian Warbler), red (e.g., House Finch), gray (e.g., Lincoln's and Swamp sparrows), etc.
Birding Challenges: In the last issue of The Missing Feather, I issued two birding challenges to our readers. Because some of you may have forgotten the challenges, I repeat them here.
Bird Challenge Number One:
When I was in Louisiana, Dr. Van Remsen initiated a state-wide yard list challenge for one year to see who could identify the most species from their residence. It was a lot of fun and many of the birders in the state participated. I think it would be good to do something similar in Missouri, so I hereby challenge our readers to maintain a bird list from 1 January through 31 December 1997. Because some birders obviously live on much larger properties than others and therefore have an unfair advantage over their fellow birders, I have established the following categories to make things a little more equal:
1) Large rural residences - those that are situated on the out skirts of a city or 23 town and have five or more acres,
2) Medium rural residences- as above but those between 1 and 4.9 acres,
3) Small rural residences - as number 1 but those with 0.9 acres or less,
4) Large suburban residences- those not situated within established city limit but in an established subdivision and those with five or more acres,
5) Medium suburban residences- as above but those between 1 and 4.9 acres,
6) Small suburban residences - as number 4 but those with 0.9 acres or less,
7) Large urban residences - those that are situated within established city limits with one acre or more.
8) Medium to small urban residences - as above but those with 0.9 acres or less.
Now here are the ground rules:
1) You must be standing on your property to count a bird, 2) Fly overs and birds identified by call or song (within 1/4 mile as is done for most bird surveys) are countable, 3) Feeders and E. Screech Owl tapes are fair game, 4) The birder who participates in the count must observe the bird. Someone else can help identify the bird or find it when he/she is not present, but the person tallying the species must observe each bird (someone with 10 children could take turns looking for birds, especially in those yards that have sizeable acreage and thus have an unfair advantage over those who are single observers; families can and are encouraged to participate but all participants must see or hear all birds tallied), and 5) Species requiring documentation by the Missouri Bird Records Committee (MBRC) must be documented by the reporter and accepted by the MBRC before it can be included in the final tally (so if you claim a fly over Eskimo Curlew or hear a Poor-will from your back porch, you need to document it!).
Birders wanting to participate should simply record what category they are in and submit their list to this author by 1 February 1997. I will announce the winners in a future issue of The Missing Feather. Winners will receive a certificate from the Audubon Society of Missouri and the Missouri Bird Records Committee for their accomplishments.
24 Birding Challenge Number Two:
When I was in Louisiana, Dr. Remsen also initiated another fun exercise that would be fun repeating here: everyone was asked to predict what would be the next 10 species of birds officially added to the state list. After Van received everyone's responses, he analyzed the predictions and grouped individuals to see how the opinions of different individuals varied based on their predictions. I hereby encourage all readers to submit me their predictions for Missouri. Anyone wanting to participate should have their predictions to me by no later than 20 October 1996. I will analyze your predictions and have them published in the December 1996 issue of The Missing Feather. Now for the ground rules:
1) Species currently on the hypothetical list [e.g. Gyrfalcon, Baird's Sparrow,Poor-will: see Robbins and Easterla (1992) or contact a member of the Missouri Bird Records Committee for more details] that have not yet been officially added to the state list are fair game, 2) Do not include predictions for escapees that could show up due to man's assistance (e.g., Canary-winged Parakeet, Black Swan, etc.), 3) Species blown off course by hurricanes or tropical storms are OK, and 4) Discussing possibilities with others prior to submitting a final list is allowable.
You don't have to be an expert to participate so let me hear your predictions.
In the Birding Quiz category:
1) There are about 20 bird families world wide that have only one genus and species represented in the family. a. Can you name five? b. Can you name the three that occur in North America? c. Can you name the one that occurs in Missouri? Give yourself credit if you know the common name/s of the species or family involved but don't know the scientific name of the family it/they are in.
2) Without looking at a field guide, see if you can come up with 10 North American species of passerines that have orange/rufous/chestnut/rusty napes or crown patches (include those that may have concealed crowns).
3) Off the top of your head, can you list 10 of the 13 new species recently (i.e., within the last 6 years) accepted by the Missouri Bird Records Committee and officially added to the state bird list?
4) Off the top of your head, can you list 10 of the 16 species of birds that have been officially added to the state list where their addition is based on a single observation (hint: some of the species in number 3 above would obviously be included here but not all of them). Be careful, as birds only accepted to the state's hypothetical list do not count. 25 5) Quiz for the experts: see if you can figure out this riddle? Of my 11 close relatives recorded from North America, only 6 besides myself have been recorded in Missouri. My common and scientific names (i.e., my specific epithet) suggest I like to feed alone but I enjoy foraging with my friends when I travel and during the winter. I don't need my glasses to see when I fly from tree to tree, but I wear them anyhow. I could use a little berry syrup when I sing because I'm usually a little hoarse. I am occasionally mistaken for one of my western cousins when I wear my dullest and drabbest outfits. Although spring and fall is the best time to see me in Missouri, I once made a winter visit to St. Joe in December and someday I might surprise everyone and make an appearance on the Mingo or St. Joe Christmas Bird Counts. Who am I?
The answer to this one will be provided in the next issue of The Missing Feather. If you want to take a stab at the riddle and want an answer before then, give me a call at 573-876-1911, ext. 107 (W); 573-445-3019 (H); fax: 573-876-1914; email: paul_mckenzie@mail fws.gov (no period after gov). -I will acknowledge all readers who correctly answer the riddle.
Answers for questions 1 through 4:
1a. Struthionidae: Ostrich; Balaenicipitidae: Shoebill Stork; Scopidae: Hammerhead; Sagittaridae: Secretary Bird; Pandionidae: Osprey; Opisthocomidae: Hoatzin; Pedionomidae: Plains Wanderer; Aramidae: Limpkin; Rhynochetidae: Kagu; Eurypygidae: Sunbittern; Dromadidae: Crab- plover; Steatornithidae: Oilbird; Leptosomatidae: Cuckoo-roller; Upupidae: Hoopoe; Oxyruncidae: Sharpbill; Chamaeidae: Wren-tit; Dulidae: Palm Chat; Zeledoniidae: Wrenthrush; Tersinidae: Swallow Tanager; Catamblyrhynchidae: Plush-capped Finch. lb. Osprey, Wren-tit, and Limpkin. lc. Osprey
2) Male Golden-crowned Kinglet, Wood Thrush, Orange-crowned Warbler, male Lucy's Warbler, Colima Warbler, male Bay-breasted Warbler in alternate plumage, Ovenbird, Rufous-capped Warbler, male Olive Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, adult Chipping Sparrow in alternate plumage, adult Swamp Sparrow in alternate plumage, Chestnut-collared Longspur in alternate plumage, and Lapland Longspur in alternate plumage.
3) Yellow-billed Loon, Neotropic Cormorant, Ross' Gull, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Anna's Hummingbird, Garganey, White-winged Dove, Black-bellied Tree Duck, Black-throated Sparrow, Harris' Hawk, Wilson's Plover, Sooty 26 ASM Springmeeting columbia APRIL 25 to 271997 highlights:
some of the best birding IN the state
excellent hotel/motel/camping& meeting FACILITIES
• eagle bluffsCONSERVATION AREA • columbia sewage wetlands • mkt NA ture /fitness TRAIL • Katy trail state park • Audubon trailsidemuseum • columbiaaudubon wildhaven & ALBERTAREAS • UMCbradford farm • rockbridge statepark • and others ----- sponseredBY THE COLUMBIA AUDUBON society Scenes From The Fall Meeting
It's a warbler, firstbranch to the right -
The feedbag attracts the largest crowds
n Brad Jacobs on raptor ID
Doc Easterla and his gang
III ORDER FORM: ASM A GUIDE TO THE BIRDING AREAS OF MISSOURI Edited by Kay Palmer Name:------Address: ______
City: ______
State: _____.Zip: ______
Number Copies@ $10.00 each:_ Total: _____
Mailing and Handling: @ $1.50 per copy: ____
Total Enclosed: ___
Make Checks payable to The Audubon Society of Missouri Send orders to: Jean Graebner, 1800 S. Roby Farm Rd. Rocheport, MO 65279. Phone: (573) 698-2855.
IV Tern, and Green Violet-ear.
4) Band-romped Storm-Petrel, Roseate Spoonbill, Garganey, Harris' Hawk, Wilson's Plover, Slaty-backed Gull, Ross' Gull, Sooty Tern, White-throated Swift, Green Violet-ear, Sage Thrasher, Hermit Warbler, MacGillvray's Warbler, Black-throated Sparrow, Bronzed Cowbird, and Lesser Goldfinch.
Answer to last issue's "expert quiz":
In the last issue of The Missing Feather, I gave the following quiz for our experts out there: "Please share the correct answer with your beginning birding r. friends because, remember, one good tum deserves another: my wing-linings might be a clue but its not a gray issue, it's black contrasting white; the upper surface of the leading edge of my wings near tip are primarily black; the shape of my tail is not as deep an issue; and Bertha postponed my summer visit. Who am I?"
Although only two individuals attempted to answer the quiz, I am pleased to announce that one person got it correct- congratulations to Brad Jacobs for correctly identifying the bird in question as a White-winged Tern. This species is a regular summer visitor to the Atlantic Coast ["(hurricane) Bertha postponed my visit"]. "One good turndeserves another" was the clue that the bird was a species of tern. Instead of having gray wing-linings ("not a gray issue") as in Black Tern, this species has black. wing-linings that contrast sharply with the whitish primaries ("black contrasting white"). This species' tail is not as forked as in Black Tern ("not as deep an issue") and the upper surface of the outer primaries are black contrasting with the rest of the lighter wing ["surface of the leading edge of the my wings near tip are primarily (primaries) black"]. In breeding plumage White-winged Terns also have all white tails and a red bill.
For those who failed to respond to last issue's quiz, you have a chance to show your stuff by correctly answering this issue's challenge. Come on, give it a shot - I will announce only those who guess it correctly. I will not provide the names of those who guess it incorrectly.
Literature Cited
Bowman, R.I., and S.L. Billeb. 1965. Blood-eating in a Galapagos finch. The Living Bird 1965:29-44. Pettingill, O.S., Jr. 1970. Ornithology in laboratory and field. Fourth Ed. Burgess Publ. Co., Minneapolis, Minn. 524pp. Robbins, M.B., and D.A. Easterla. Birds of Missouri- Their distribution and abundance. University of Missouri Press, Columbia. 399pp. Welty, J.C. 1982. The life of birds. Saunders College Pub., Philadelphia. 754pp.
27 The Finer Points ofIdentification Paul McKenzie
Because we are entering the bird feeding season, in this issue of The Missing Feather, I have decided to cover the following groups of birds that could show up at your bird feeder or species that have been confused during this season in Missouri: Rock Dove vs. Band-tailed Pigeon; Mourning vs. Zenaida Dove; Red-bellied vs. Golden-fronted Woodpecker; Cedar vs. Bohemian Waxwing; female and immature Dickcissel vs. female House Sparrow; Brown-headed vs. Shiny vs. Bronzed Cowbird; Purple vs. House Finch; and female American Goldfinch vs. female Lesser Goldfinch.
Rock Dove vs. Band-tailed Pigeon: Band-tailed Pigeons are native to the western United States where they are found in temperate and mountain forests, suburban parks and gardens, and cultivated areas. Because this is a highly migratory species that strays as far east as Maine and Nova Scotia south to Florida (A.O.U. 1983), and Missouri's two records were of single birds that visited bird feeders (Robbins and Easterla 1990), feeder watchers should be on the outlook for this species. Missouri is long overdue for another record, especially in Boone County which Chris Hobbs has enviously labeled as the "Columbidae capitol of the state" based on recent records of Inca and White-winged Doves that showed up at feeders in Rocheport and Columbia, respectively. Superficially Band-tailed Pigeons resemble the ancestral wild stock of Rock Doves that originated in Europe but there are several plumage differences to help you out. Band-tails have yellow bills with black tips; a purplish head and breast; yellow legs and feet, a narrow white band on the nape that contrasts with the purplish crown and the yellowish-green, scaly feathers between the band and the upper back; gray rump; and a two-toned tail that has dark gray feathers at the base and lighter gray feathers at the distal two-thirds of the tail. The ancestral stock of Rock Doves usually have dark bills; orange or pink feet; greenish purple head and upper 1/2 of the breast; two thin, black bars on the upper wing in flight; a white rump; and a two-toned tail that is the reverse of the pattern on Band-tails, that is, the basal 2/3 is light gray that contrasts with the dark gray to black terminal band. Another hint is behavior: Rock Doves are usually very tame while Band-tails tend to be extremely wary.
Mourning Dove vs. Zenaida Dove: While you might wonder why I would cover Zenaida Dove since it is a species of the Caribbean Islands that only accidentally makes it as far north as Florida, some Columbia birders recently confused a molting Mourning Dove for this species. Zenaida Doves are chunkier than Mourning Doves because of their rounded tails, have two marks on the side of their heads (vs. one on Mourning) and the trailing edge of their secondaries are white giving them the appearance of having a thin white wing bar. Problems with identification can develop, however, when Mourning Doves molt their tail - new emerging central rectrices can be as short as the adjacent rectrices, making the tail look rounded, and thus, appear similar to Zenaidas.
28 Red-bellied vs. Golden-frooted Woodpecker: Because Golden-fronted Woodpeckers normally do not wander far from Texas and southwestern Oklahoma, it is somewhat surprising the nwnber of records that are reported in the eastern U.S. Nonetheless, the species as been reported from Michigan and Florida (A.O.U. 1983) so there is a slime possibility it could show up in Missouri. Gold-fronted Woodpeckers have yellow napes and solid, unbarred tails (males have a small red cap). Red-bellied Woodpeckers usually have red napes and barred central tail feathers (males have red crowns). The problem is that some Red-bellied Woodpeckers suffer from "xanthochroism" [see The Missing Feather- Bluebird 63(1):23] which is an excess of yellow pigment in the feathers. Thus, some xanthic Red-bellied Woodpeckers have yellow on their napes or crowns and are often misidentified as Golden- fronted Woodpeckers [see Am. Birds 1986(40):203-204 and The Bluebird 61(1):38-42] for such examples. If you think you may have a Golden-fronted Woodpecker, look at the central rectrices first: if they're barred, you're not observing a Golden-fronted Woodpecker because the central rectrices on this species are solid black.
Cedar vs. Bohemiao waxwing: I mention Bohemian Waxwing for three reasons: I) it can easily be overlooked because single individuals have been recorded with flocks of Cedar Waxwings, 2) this is a northern species that periodically makes it as far south as Missouri during the winter and we are long overdue for another invasion in this state, and 3) it is one of my personal worse jinx birds as I have yet to see one for my life list in over 24 years of birding! Bohemians are slightly larger and grayer than Cedars; lack a white line above the black mask; have cinnamon (not white) undertail coverts and a diagonal wing bar contrasting with blackish wings (vs. no wing bar on gray wings); the tips of primaries are tipped with yellow; and there is a rusty blush on the side of the face and forehead. Missouri birders should look over every flock of waxwings, especially in mid-winter. I have heard that some birders have been successfuJ attracting waxwings by feeding them various types of berries and raisins. And one final thing- if you find one, please call me collect (573-445-3019)!
Female and Immature Dickcissel vs. female these two species occupying the same habitat, there are roughly 10 records of this species during the winter in Missouri (Robbins and Easterla 1990) and they often show up at bird feeders or with feeding flocks of House Sparrows. Because birds in basic (winter or non-breeding) plwnage are much duller (especially immatures) than adults in alternate (summer or breeding) plwnage, they can easily be overlooked in a flock of House Sparrows or other sparrows coming to a feeder. Winter adult males are usually not a problem because they show a little yellow Qn the upper breast and eyeline, have a faint, smudgy bib, and a hint of chestnut wing coverts. Winter adult females and immatures, however, are a little more problematic. Winter adult females usually show some yellow tinges on the upper breast and eye line and may show some rust on the upper wing; they have a strong mustache mark and may have faint streaking on the
?Q side. lmmatures may show no yellow on the face or breast nor rust on the wing but they have a well defined ear patch, mustache mark, and various amounts of streaking on the underparts, usually confined primarily to the flanks. Female House Sparrows lack any yellow washes on the face or breast, lack streaking on the flanks, lack a rusty wing patch, and lack the mustache mark on the side of the face .
Brown-headed vs. Shiny vs. Bronzed Cowbird: The only record of a Bronzed Cowbird in Missouri is of a bird that showed up a feeder at the Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge (Robbins and Easterla 1990). Given that Shiny Cowbirds will eventually be documented in Missouri and could show up at bird feeders, it would be appropriate to discuss these three species. The key field mark for both male and female Bronzed Cowbirds is their red irides. Bronzed Cowbirds have larger and longer bills than Brown-headed Cowbirds and the males often have a thick ruff of feathers on their nape and back that can give them a "hunchbacked" or ruffed look. Adult males are blackish overall and have blue black wings and tail; they may show a bronzy cast to the black feathers. Most birders are familiar with the two-tone coloration of adult male Brown-headed Cowbirds that show a brown head contrasting with a greenish-black body. Adult male Shiny Cowbirds are bluish- black throughout and can show purplish tinges, especially in fresh, alternate (breeding plumage). They have longer, slimmer bills than Brown-headed Cowbirds and have one of the prettiest bird songs of any species I've heard (I studied this bird for my doctoral research in Puerto Rico). Most problems arise in attempting to separate female Shiny Cowbirds from Brown-headed Cowbirds. Different female plumages of the two species can be amazingly similar but female Shiny Cowbirds tend to have slimmer and longer bills (although the bills of immature female Shiny Cowbirds can be nearly identical in length and shape to those of adult female Brown-headed Cowbirds). Some immature male Shiny Cowbirds often show molting black feathers on the upper and lower parts including the head. Molting immature male Brown-headed Cowbirds will often have brown feathers coming in on their head. Be on the lookout for any unusual looking cowbirds at your bird feeder.
Purple vs. House Finch:Some beginning birders have difficulty separating these two species. It should not be a problem, however, if you keep the following things in mind. While most field guides give the same overall length for these two species, their overall shape is much different: Purple Finches appear larger headed, bigger billed and chunkier than House Finches. Male Purple Finches are more wine or rose colored than purple while most male House Finches we observe in Missouri are a darker red. Male House Finches show red above the eye and bill that usually contrasts with their brownish cap. Male Purple Finches lack this strong contrast on their heads because of the wine coloration that extends from above the eyes and bill and includes the crown. Male House Finches also show very distinct, brown streaking below the reddish chest that extends along the sides and flanks. Although some male Purple Finches can show varying degrees of wine-colored smudgy streaking along the sides, it never approaches the extensive streaking that are on male House Finches. The wine coloration on male Purple Finches often extend from the nape down onto the back. While the backs of some male House Finches can be suffused with red, it is usually never as bright as it is with some adult male Purple Finches. Both females of these species are brown with streaked underparts but female House Finches are slimmer, smaller headed, and they have a plain brown face. 30 Female Purple Finches show a distinct brown ear patch that is bordered above and below by dull white or buff and there is a brown mustache mark below the white or buff on the face and the crown is brown above the white to buff eye brow. This alternating pattern of brown vs. white or buff gives the female Purple Finch a very bold and distinctive head pattern that is entirely absent in female House Finches. Immature male Purple Finches resemble females but tend to be huffier brown on the face and underparts and there are often tinges of wine coloration on the upperparts (especially the rump). During spring migration immature male Purple Finches can be as vocal as adult males. rve had more than one person tell me that they observed a female Purple Finch in full song in the spring. These were undoubtedly immature males and not adult females.
Female American Goldfinch vs. female Lesser Goldfmch: Although there is only one record of Lesser Goldfinch for Missouri (Robbins and Easterla 1990), and the one individual that did appear showed up at a Kansas City bird feeder in April, there are at least 8- 9 records for Kansas and the species was suspected of nesting in the state in 1961 (Thompson and Ely 1992); consequently, Missouri is probably overdue for a visit from this species. There are two races of Lesser Goldfinch (a black-backed population which is the nominate race and the one which was observed in Kansas City: see definitions under The Missing Feather; and a green-backed race). The green-backed race occurs farther west than the black-backed race and the latter is the one most likely to reoccur in Missouri. Identifying a male Lesser Goldfinch of the nominate race is usually rather easy because the back is all black, there is a white wing patch at the base of the primaries, the undertail coverts are yellow, the tips of the tertials are white, and the base of the tail is white (the latter field mark is only visible when the tail is spread or in flight at close range). Female Lesser Goldfinches resemble winter plumaged American Goldfinches but they have greenish rather than brownish backs, have yellow rather than white undertail coverts, and show the white wing patch and white at the base of the tail when spread or in flight. Thelatter two field marks, however, are not as noticeable on females as they are on males. Missouri birders should look over all flocks of goldfinches very carefully as female Lesser Goldfinches could be easily overlooked.
Literature Cited
American Ornithologists' Union. 1983. Check-list of North American Birds. Sixth edition. Allen Press, Lawrence, Kansas. 877pp. Robbins, M.B., and D. A. Easterla. 1992. The Birds of Missouri - their distribution and abundance. University of Missouri Press. Columbia. 399pp. Thompson, M.C. and C. Ely. 1992. Birds in Kansas- Volume II. University of Kansas Museum ofNatural History Public Educ. Series No. 12. Lawrence. 424pp.
31 TOP TEN SPECIES MISSOURI BIRD RECORDS COMMITI'EE 1 JANUARY-- 31 DECEMBER 1995*
*includes records that had not been resolved prior to the end 1995.
1. SOOTY TERN (Sterna fuscata); 1995-70; adult male, 5 August 1995, on the Osage River, Osage County. Bcsy Bax. First state record. This bird was brought to the state by hurricane Erin.
2. WILSON'S PLOVER 3. HARRIS' HA WK 4. GREEN VIOLET-EAR(Colibrithalassinus); 1993-48; 1, 24 June- 2 July 1993, Reynolds County. Frances & Hudson Leeser. First state record. 5. INCA DOVE(Columbinainca); 1995-10; 1, 5 March-- 3 April1995, Columbia, Boone County. Greg Lamdeth, Paul McKenzie, David Easterla, Brad Jacobs et al. Second state record. 6. FRIGA TEBIRD sp(Fregatasp.); 1995-71; 13 October 1995, Mississippi River, SL Charles County. Mary and Robert Huber. Fourth report of a frigatebird in the state. 7. FERRUGINOUS HAWK(Buteo regalis); 1995-27; light phase adult, 12 February 1995, south of Montrose, Henry County. Chris Hobbs and Steve Addinall. Second winter record, and the second for the state with documentation. 8. VARIED THRUSH (Ixoreus naevius); 1995-12; adult male, 23 January 1995, Columbia, Boone County. Mr. & Mrs. Don Blendon. Fifth record with details. 9. LITTLE Gull (Larus minutus); 191995-88; immature, 5-15 November 1995, Maryville Sewage Lagoons & Mozingo Lake, Nodaway County. David Easterla. Eighth record. 10. Tie WHITE-EYED VIREO(Vireo griseus); 1995-54; immature, 2 January 1995, Mingo N.W.R., Stoddard Co. Susan Hazelwood, Kay & Bill Palmer. First winter record. CINNAMON TEAL 32 Seasonal Survey SUMMER REPORT 1 June- 31 July, 1996 Jim Wilson, Seasonal Survey Editor Following a rather damp spring, water levels were high and soil was saturated at the onset of this period. The Mississippi River flooded early in the season but water rapidly receded. Precipitation within the Missouri River watershed caused flooding on that river again which peaked in mid-June and disrupted nesting of certain species. June temperatures were average while precipitation was about half of normal (2.35 inches in Columbia). July temperatures averaged a moderate 4-5 degrees below normal while precipitation was close to the average with few serious stonns, As a result of these favorable conditions, the breeding season seemed fairly successful. The end of this spring's delayed, yet superb, passerine migration lingered into the very early days of June producing reports of transient flycatchers, warblers and sparrows. Grebes and at least ten species of transient waterfowl tarried as well. Most significantfor the season was the attempted or suspected breeding of sandhillCRANES, DOUBLE- CRESTED CORMORANTS and RED crossbills. LEAST FLYCATCHERS are becoming a summer regular and may be breeding undetected. Unexpected occurrences included a TRI-COLORED HERON and a LAZULI BUNTING. The bird surveys that Jack Hilsabeck is conducting at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge are producing are best information to date on the status of marsh nesting birds such as PIED-BilLED GREBES, LEAST BITTERNS and COMMON MOORHENS. Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area produced a number of interesting observations including the farthest eastward location for breeding gREAT-TAILED GRACKLES in Missouri. Observers asterisked below have submitted, or are to submit, documentation forms to be reviewed by the Missouri Bird Records Committee. LOONS THROUGH WATERFOWL PIED-BilLED GREBES were well inventoried at SCR, where a total of 32 nests were located (JHi). Two nests were found at CCR (BT) and two individuals and one ,. nest at EBCA (BG). An EARED GREBE was at SCR on 4 June (DE*). An extreme rarity • in summer, an amazing threeWESTERN GREBES were at Bilby Lake (Nodaway Co.) on 1,3 June (KG, DE*). AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS summered at sites in west Missouri including Stockton Lake (Polk Co.) and at SOCA where 225 were observed on 13 June (Llm). There were scattered reports of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS throughout the period. Nesting was attempted at CCR during the first week of July. The seven nests were abandoned as flood waters retreated (BT). There were no reports on AMERICAN BITTERNS. An unprecedented 185 nests and maximum 476 individuals of LEAST BITTERNS were found at SCR (JHi). Elsewhere, there was one nest at CCR (BT); one nest, six individuals on 8 June (SK) and 33 one on 16 June (BF) at Cloe Lowery Marsh (Mercer Co.) (SK), and one at EBCA on 13 July (BG). MDC's heroruy surveyrecorded 216 breeding colonies of GREAT BLUE HERONS statewide (JW fide). A maximum of 800 GREAT BLUES were at CCR along with 1,200 GREAT EGRETS late in season (BT). Three SNOWY EGRETS were found at Camden Bottoms (Ray Co.) on 3 July (BF) and five at SOCA on 20 July (BF). Alleast 10 nests were observed in a colony just south of the high school in Sikeston on 14 June (JW, BE), as were 100-200 nests of LITTLE BLUE HERONS. Twelve LITTLE BLUES were sighted at SOCA on 29 June (BF) and 68 at Camden Bottoms (Ray Co.) on 14 July (BF). A TRI-COLORED HERON, constituting the state's second summer record if accepted, was reported at SOCA on 11 July (llm*).Nearly as unusual was a WHITE- FACED IBISat CCR in early June (BT). .. A wayward GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was observed throughout the period at SLR (BO*). A NORTHERN PINTAIL drake was at SLR on 3, 13 July (SK,TM). A number of other duck species lingered until4 June at SCR including an amazing 37 GADWALLS, five AMERICAN WIGEONS, three (two male and one female) CANVASBACKS and two male RING-NECKED DUCKS (DE*). A drake REDHEAD summered at Lake Taneycomo (Taney Co.) through period (JHa) and a female LESSER SCAUP was at SLR on 3 July (SK, TM). Two broods of HOODED MERGANSER young were located in southwest Missouri (JHa). An extremely tardy COMMON MERGANSER was on the Nodaway River (Holt/Andrew Co. line) on 4 June (DE* ,ME). RUDDY DUCKS were found at two northwest Missouri locations. Two drakes were at Bilby Lake (Nodaway Co.) on 3 June (KG ,DE) and a drake and a female were seen in Maryville Sewage Lagoon on 16 June (DE). HAWKS THROUGH SHOREBIRDS A pair of MISSISSIPPI KITES nested and fledged one at University City (St Louis Co.)(RK). One was sighted on 20 June at the Marmaton Bottoms (Vernon Co.)(BF), where they have summered since 1993. MDC documented 27 nests of BALD EAGLES. Twenty-two were successful fledgling 37-44 young (JW Fide). One NORTHERN HARRIER was at Cloe Lowery Marsh on 16 June (BF) and one pair was near Poosey CA (Livingston Co.) on 24 June (Myrna Carlton). The only SHARP-SHINNED HAWK reported was an adult in eastern Taney County on 12 June (JHa). An adult COOPER'S HAWK was sighted in Taney County on 4 June (JHa). An adult on 29 June, and an immature, on 18 July, were at SOCA (JW Fide).They were reported through the summer near Ironton (ML). Once again two nests of SWAINSON'S HAWKS were found near Springfield (LR, BB). AMERICAN KESTRELS nested in five of 10 nest boxes monitored by LR in Springfield, however, two of those nests failed "They seemed scarce in southwest Missouri" (JHa). A pair of KING railswere at Grand Pass CA (Chariton Co.) on 4 June (JR). A VIRGINIA RAIL was calling in the evening at SCR on 4 June (DE*). The marsh surveyat SCR revealed seven nests of COMMON MOORHENS (JHi). One was at a pond near Columbia on 9 July (Otto Fajen). Over 250 AMERICAN COOTS were still at SCR on 4 June (DE). The most exciting of the season was a pair of SANDHILL CRANES that had frequented the Grand Pass CA (Saline Co.) since fall. In May they had constructed a nest but by mid-June, after more than 30 days of incubation, they had abandoned their infertile egg. This is the first report of attempted nesting in Missouri. 34 Five BLACK-NECKED stilTS were at the new Combs Lake CA (Dunklin Co.) in late July (Hammonds Schanda). LESSER YELLOWLEGS and other migrant shorebirdsgenerally began to reappear in state on 8 July. Nine MARBLED GODWITS were a1 SLR on 8 July (BO) and one adult was a1 the east end of Aldrich Arm, stockton Lake (Polk Co.) on 15 July (JHa). BLACK TERNS numbering 400+ were at CCR on 13 JWle (BT) and 11 were at Lake Ozarks on 12 JW1e (Tom Nagel). CUCKOOS THROUGH SHRIKES The only BLACK-Bll..LED CUCKOO reported was at CCR on 22 July. A .. YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was sighted at Tower Grove Park in StLouis on 2 june(JZ). A LEAST FLYCATCHER was recorded well into the nesting season when one was heard near Aldrich (Polk Co.) on 16 July (JHa). Other than one nesting in Cass County (JG), WESTERN KING BIRDS were reported only from their northwest Missouri Range. SCISSOR·TAilED FLYCATCHERS were described as ''unusually oommon throughout southwest and south central Missouri this year" (BF). Several birders reported that PURPLE MARTINS seemed to be fewer,whereas TREE SWALLOWS were widespread and apparently experienced good nesting success. Six nests (three in specially designed tree swallow boxes and three in bluebird boxes) in Jefferson City, totaled 30 eggs and 29 fledged (JL). Several colonies of CLIFF SWALLOWS, nesting on low bridges along the Missouri River were flooded out in JW1e. Five adult FISH CROWS were noted at Lake Taneycomo (Taney Co.) on 1 July (JHa). SEDGE WRENS began to reappear in the state by 28 July. MARSH WRENS failed tore- occupy the pool at CCR where they had nested last year presumably because it was taken over by river bulrush (BT). LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES were described as scarce. One near Ironton (Iron Co.) was the only report from the Ozarks (ML). WARBLERS THROUGH FINCHES Tower Grove Park in St Louis produced a CONNECTICUT WARBLER and a MAGNOLIA WARBLER on 2 june (JZ). One male MOURNING WARBLER was also there on 2 june (JZ) and one was in Springfield on 11 june (LR). A mature singing CANADA WARBLER was on the Drury Mincy CA (Taney Co.) on 3-4 june(BB) for the fourth consecutive year. ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS bred near Harrisonville (Cass Co.), where a male, female and an immature were sighted on 7 July. A fledgling cowbird was being fed by the grosbeaks. A LAZULI BUNTING adult male, capping an incredible spring invasion, was in Columbia on 2 june (PM*, Gene Ruhr-photo, et al). HENSLOW'S SPARROWS were widespread. Mike skinnerlocated them on three southwest Missouri prairies. A very late LINCOLN'S SPARROW was at Taberville Prairie on 6 june (MR). One male HARRIS' SPARROW was at a Harrisonville feeder on 3 JW1e (JG). BOBOLINKS were relatively easy to fmd within their north Missouri range. The only report of a YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was from Lake Contrary (Buchanan Co.) (LL). GREAT·TAILED GRACKLES ranged east to a farm pond north of Versailles (Morgan Co.) where one male and three females were observed during .a Breeding Bird Survey on 7 JW1e (JW). They also occurred at EBCA throughout most of the period where PM sighted one adult male on 1 JW1e and a pair on 3 July. By 9 July the number had grown to four juveniles and on 21 July, one male, three females and 12 juveniles(I.ITll1latures were 35 present (PM*). On 23 July, one male and two females were observed as well as one juvenile being fed (BG Fide). Three RED CROSSBilLS, one female and two immatures, were at a feeder with HOUSE FINCHES in Raytown (Johnson Co.) on 16-21 July (Harold Cox, JG*,NJ). Abbreviations: CA- Conservation Area, CCR- Clarence Cannon National Wildlife Refuge (Pike Co.), MOC- Missouri Department of Conservation, REDA- Riverlands Environmental Demonstration Area (St. Charles Co.), SCR- Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge (Holt Co.), SLR- Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Chariton Co.), SOCA- Schell-Osage Conservation Area (St Clair and Vernon cos.), SP- State Park • OBSERVERS: BB-Bo Brown, DE-Dave Easterla, ME-MARK Easterla, BE-Bill Eddleman, BF-Bob Fisher, JG-Joanne Garrett, BG-Bill Goodge, KG-Kirby Goslee, JHa-Jeff Hayes, JHi-JackHilsabeck, NJ-Nan Johnson, SK-Steve Kinder, RK-Randy Korotev, LLd-Larry Lade, LLM-Laurence Lambert, ML-Melda Lashley, JL..Julie Lundsted, PM-Paul McKenzie, TM-Terry McNeely, BO-Bridget Olsen, JR-Jim Rathert, LR- Larry Rizzo, MR-Mark Robbins, BT-Beatrix Treiterer, JW-Jirn Wilson and JZ-Jim Ziebol • 36 MISSOURI'S 1995-1996 CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS David A. Easterla Although not as mild as away" all other counts by recording • in recent winters, most counts were 1,296,028 individuals; certainly conducted in relatively mild their one million American Robins weather with above average helped! Second was the Trimble temperatures. However, snow count which recorded 359,279 cover was below average, and birds, followed by Montrose with several counts mentioned severe 134,923 individuals. Columbia drought-like conditions. Also, a lead all counts with 44 participants severe cold spell prior to counts followed by Springfield with 34 froze most lakes, streams and other counters. open water for at least northern and central Missouri and either An indication of the concentrated or drove out most continued mild winters was at water birds. The erratic winters Mingo where they listed record continue to point to a "greenhouse" high numbers for 28 species for effect their count! Maryville also recorded a new count record of 70 A total of 20 Missouri species; here water was frozen counts were conducted (note - the except for a few open areas where Ted Shanks W.A. count was water birds were concentrated. An received months late and is not invasion year was obvious for the included in The Bluebird). The Red-breasted Nuthatch and the Squaw Creek National Wildlife Evening Grosbeak, although the Refuge count was not conducted latter species usually did not tarry due to the government "shutdown", at any one feeder for any length of yet the Mingo and Swan Lake time. counts managed to be completed. Mingo National Wildlife Refuge Overall, documentation recorded 97 species which is a new was good, with the Mingo and record for Missouri. It seems only Springfield counts writing up a matter of time before this count excellent reports. Other counts also will break 100 species. Columbia turned in good documentation, but was second with 85 species there are still a few that turn in no followed by the Montrose count documentation on species that need with 80 species and Springfield to be documented, or turn in with 79. Taney County "blew documentation on species that do 37 not need to be documented. Again, details were: Greater Scaup (no Mute and Trumpeter Swans were documentation), Golden Eagle deleted (Springfield, Mingo, (attempting to catch a fish!), Gray Jefferson City) because the Catbird (heard only), Great Egret Missouri Bird Records Committee (no documentation), Brewer's (MBRC) has not yet officially Blackbird, Black-capped accepted them on the state list. Chickadee (southeast Missouri), However, I suspect this to change Pileated Woodpecker (northwest in the near future since both Missouri), Merlin (no Kansas and Iowa now count both documentation), Northern Shrike species. Also, whenever the MBRC (no documentation), Savannah decides to revise The Audubon Sparrow (no documentation - north Society of Missouri's "Annotated Missouri River), Lincoln's Check-list of Missouri Birds" there ·Sparrow, and Field Sparrow undoubtedly will be species that (northwest Missouri). will no longer be required to be documented as the recent mild Some additional wintershave certainly changed the comments seem appropriate. wintering status of some species. Columbia's one Eurasian Tree Does anyone remember the Sparrow was outstanding along Missouri winters when basically all with Weldon Spring's two and the state's open water was frozen; Orchard Farm's 154. Evidently perhaps I am dating myself. The this species is increasing its range Spotted Towhee is now considered as Iowa recorded 297 total on their a separate species from the Eastern Christmas bird counts this year (all Towhee and is considered as such in southeast Iowa) opposed to in this report. Missouri's total of 157 Eurasian Tree Sparrows. Maryville's 14 No extremely rare species Pied-billed Grebes and 126 were reported. However, some of Northern Shovelers in northwest the more outstanding and accepted Missouri was unexpected, while species reported were: American Springfield's 55 Pied-billed Grebes White Pelican, Double-crested in southwest Missouri was Cormorant, Great-tailed Grackle, exceptional. The House Finch Evening Grosbeak, Old Squaw, continues to multiply (Columbia Common Loon, Tundra Swan, 450, Springfield 442, Taney Golden Eagle, Pine Warbler, County 396). I wonder if its effect Brewer's Blackbird, Bonaparte's on the House Sparrow has Gull, Greater Scaup, Turkey anything to do with the range Vulture, Black Vulture, American expansion of the Eurasian Tree Pipit, Red-breasted Merganser, Sparrow? And what about the Ross' Goose, Savannah Sparrow Purple Finch and American and Greater White-fronted Goose. Goldfinch - are they declining? Species deleted because of no Weldon Spring's six Red-breasted documentation or unsatisfactory Nuthatches was worth noting along 38 Missouri Chrisbnas Bird Counts1995-1996 Species ColH4riv grrivjeffc Jopl kanc knobnmaryv mingomarsp MOntr c loon 4 pie-b grebe 1 17 14 3 2 Hom. grebe 1 am w pelican 1 1 10 D-ccormorant 2 2 1 1 gt.Bl. Heron 56 7 2 23 4 23 1 66 9 43 tundraSwan 2 7 Swan sp. 2 G W-fr Goose. 904 Sn-goose(wh) 1 2075 60 1 38 100 4 2285 110890 snow goose(bi) 750 2 2610 Ross goose can. goose 5475 512 338 1249 246 17526 1964 3027 12446 18 16108 can.goose1111111(sm) 118 wood duck 2 43 2 green-w ... 388 1 1 1 12 Am.BDuck 1 30 mallard 2832 25 30 43 22 2175 78 7542 24457 , 38 N pintail 21 4 6 39 50 N Shoveler 120 1 126 60 2 gadwall 264 3 37 159 5 2 2150 64 am. wideon 49 9 1 54 2 canvasback 3 6 19 1 7 redhead 2 ring-nDuck 4 12 10 3930 21 lesa.scaup 6 2 2 4 5 27 15 Great. scaup oldsquaw 1 C Goldeneye 1 64 2 338 5 2 10 28 Bufflehead 1 157 115 11 Hood. merganaer 237 312 41 C Merganser 4 1 447 11 4 .Red-breasted Mer. Ruddy Duck 8 1 38 1 2 83 1 Duck sp. 3 9 262 1240 :Black Vulture TurkeY Vulture Bald eagle(ad) 10 3 9 11 1 21 2 Bald Eegle (lmm) 12 4 4 4 33 2 Bald eagle unkn) 2 2 8 N Harrier 16 24 40 3 7 15 5 22 63 sharp-eHawk 2 3 91 11 1 1 1 2 2 2 Coop Hawk 1 4 1 1 2 3 accip.sp. 1 1 1 Red eHawk 1 1 1 38 3 1 Red-! Hawk 85 128 193 36 n 115 47 71 32 7 111 Harlan's Hawk 1 1 3 2 Rough-1Hawk 1 1 1 , 4 Buteo sp. 5 1 4 Golden eagle 1 Am. Kestrel 31 30 60 38 32 42 21 44 12 3 35 R-n pheasant 9 5 W Turkey 58 6 78 50 43 106 35 17 N Bobwhite 38 45 64 9 34 11 12 12 Am. Coot 18 60 23 591 11 Killdeer 8 1 1 2 6 18 1 2 C Snipe 9 2 4 4 1 Bon. gull 17 Ring-b Gull 2 1 125 206 71 103 50 Herring Gull 6 1 58 Gull sp. 28 Rock Dove 602 83 35 119 324 291 35 17 1 69 139 Mourn. Dove 211 69 3 80 43 122 7 57 178 8 73 E Screech Owl 13 1 6 2 1 1 5 5 6 6 G Horned Owl 18 4 14 1 3 14 2 11 16 1 5 Barred Owl 4 9 2 1 3 1 8 8 4 5 40 Missouri Chrisbnas Bird Counts1995-1996 Species colH GrRivjeffc jopl kanc knobnmaryv mingomarsp MOntr c loon 4 Pie-bGrebe 1 17 14 3 2 Hom. grebe am w pelican 1 1 19 d-ccormorant 2 2 1 1 Gt. Bl. Heron 56 7 2 23 4 23 1 66 9 43 Tundra Swan 2 7 Swan sp. 2 g w-fr goose 904 Sn-goose(wh) 1 2075 60 1 38 100 4 2285 110800 snow goose (bi)\ 750 2 2610 ross' goose can. goose 5475 512 338 1249 246 17526 1964 3027 12446 18 16108 can.goose(sm)(sm) 118 wood duck 2 43 2 green-w eal 388 1 1 1 12 Am.BDuck 1 30 mallard 2832 25 30 43 22 2175 78 7542 24457 , 3a N Plntail 21 4 6 39 50 N Shoveler 120 1 126 60 2 gadwall 264 3 37 159 5 2 2150 64 am. wigeon 49 9 1 54 2 canvasback 3 6 19 1 7 redhead 2 ring-nduck 4 12 10 3930 21 lesascaup 6 2 2 4 5 27 15 greatscaup oldsquaw 1 C Goldeneye 1 64 2 338 5 2 10 28 Bufflehead 1 157 115 11 Hood. merganser 237 312 41 C Merganeer 4 1 447 11 4 .Red-breasted Mer. Ruddy Duck 8 1 38 1 2 83 1 Duck ap. 3 9 262 1240 :Black Vulture TurkeY Vulture Bald eaglle(lid 10 3 II 11 1 21 2 Bald eagle(lmm) 12 4 4 4 33 2 Bald eagle unkn) 2 2 8 N Harrier 16 24 40 3 7 15 5 22 63 sharp-ehawk 2 3 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 Coop Hawk 1 4 1 1 2 3 Acclp. sp. 1 1 1 redelHawk 1 1 1 36 3 1 red-tHawk 85 128 193 36 n 115 47 71 32 7 111 Harlan'a Hawk 1 1 3 2 rough-lHawk 1 1 1 , 4 Buteo sp 5 1 4 Golden eagle 1 Am. Kestrel 31 30 60 38 32 42 21 44 12 3 35 R-n pheasant 9 5 W Turkey 58 6 78 50 43 106 35 17 N Bobwhite 38 45 64 9 34 11 12 12 Am. Coot 18 60 23 591 11 Killdeer 8 1 1 2 6 18 1 2 C Snipe 9 2 4 4 1 bon gull 17 Ring-b Gull 2 1 125 206 71 103 50 Herring Gull 6 1 58 Gull sp. 28 Rock Dove 602 83 35 119 324 291 35 17 1 69 139 Mourn. Dove 211 69 3 80 43 122 7 57 178 8 73 E Screech Owl 13 1 6 2 1 1 5 5 6 6 G Horned Owl 18 4 14 1 3 14 2 11 16 1 5 Barred Owl 4 9 2 1 3 1 8 8 4 5 40 ...... SpecieS NCCAS orchF St..Jo sprfld sulliv swan-l aneyC nmb weldsp total c loon 1 1 6 Pie-b Grebe 55 8 4 104 Horn. Grebe 1 8 9 Am. W Pelican 1 22 d-cCormorant 7 14 Gt. Bl. Heron 7 34 4 25 2 33 6 16 361 9 swansp. 2 GW-!rGooM cw 904 Snow Goose wh 2207 1298 100 250000 36690559 Snow Goose bl 125 131 100000 120 103738 3 3 Can. Goose 2283 121 834 979 9000 816 885 846 74673 Can. goose(sm) 118 Wood Duck 49 Green-w teal 58 57 10 528 Am. B Duck 32 Mallard 65 1073 59 357 2 400 203 1050 532 40984 N Pintail 3 2 125 N Shoveler 73 6 388 Gadwall 28 10 241 756 55 28 3801 Am. Wigeon CW 31 4 150 Canvasback 11 48 Redhead 4 Ring-o Duck 18 85 16 31 4127 less scaup 4 18 17 4 17 121 greatscuap 1 2 C Goldeneye 54 6 43 18 2 4 128 705 Bufflehead 11 24 83 3 4 410 Hood. merganser cw 85 6 14 695 C Merganser 14 60 2870 3412 Red-breasted Mer 2 2 Ruddy Duck CW 9 141 Duckap. 2522 4 4041 Black Vulture 101 101 rurkev. vulture 2 345 347 Bald Eagle ad) 9 15 5 17 10 12 126 Bald Eagle imm) 3 18 15 7 14 6 123 Bald Eagle unkn 13 N Harrier 12 3 7 20 6 11 Sharps Hawk 2 4 4 29 Coop Hawk 2 2 19 Accip. sp. 3 red-sHawk 9 2 54 red-tHawk 103 41 112 102 31 20 40 18 1370 Harlan's Hawk 2 9 rough-lHawk 3 3 2 17 Buteo sp. 5 3 18 Golden Eagle Am. Kestrel 96 29 52 51 12 4 31 15 629 R-n Pheasant 11 25 WTurkey 2 11 3 105 514 N Bobwhite 34 12 13 32 316 Am. Coot 10 405 130 1249 Killdeer 13 9 2 64 CSnipe 7 4 32 4 2 2 25 Ring-b Gull 27 530 167 31 3 113 340 46 1817 Herring Gull 25 91 Gull sp. 2 25 55 Rock Dove 79 203 439 457 2 25 165 20 61 3166 Mourn. Dove 115 42 149 759 44 7 7 93 68 2135 E Screech Owl 9 3 16 4 78 G HornedOwl 2 7 8 8 4 5 121 Barred Owl 1 4 2 54 41 Missouri Chrisbnas Bird Counts 1995-1996 ; species col. H4riv grrivjeffc jopl kanc knobn maryvi mingo MarSp MOntr Short-e owl 2 1 cw 1 8 B Kingfisher 19 4 2 7 5 14 1 4 23 6 Red-hWoodp 24 39 4 18 21 6 2 172 45 44 Red-bWoodp 161 91 72 37 40 63 33 38 115 20 30 Yellow-bSa 2 1 2 2 12 1 DownyWoodp 127 47 84 40 27 65 13 51 64 18 39 HairyWoodp 33 8 6 8 4 12 2 10 26 6 19 N Aick.er y-s) n 67 36 39 46 70 42 19 149 22 62 pileatedWp 19 3 2 12 2 1 2 33 20 4 e phoebe 10 1 Horned lark 63 19 14 76 107 344 122 Blue Jay 503 276 221 272 299 279 237 163 193 95 277 Am. Crow 404 127 433 430 235 1601 161 81 147 168 220 b-cchickadee 320 105 163 98 284 52 158 82 c chickadee 25 187 71 chickadeeap 32 88 7 t titmouse 203 81 57 80 51 108 42 6 126 62 67 R-b Nuthatch 10 3 CW 8 5 3 2 2 w-bNuthatch 89 22 39 35 11 22 23 66 44 36 9 Brown Creeper 11 7 1 11 1 21 3 10 26 16 1 Carolina Wren 100 25 5 28 21 36 5 1 106 25 7 Bewick'sWren 1 Winter Wren 3 1 cw 13 3 G-c Kinglet 28 15 33 14 8 1 125 24 5 r-cKinglet 18 1 e bluebird 287 89 29 189 93 48 39 56 104 117 Hermit thrush 17 Am. Robin 338 1 6 1129 238 27 n 7 214 67 451 N Mockingbird 24 8 4 11 33 23 11 2 19 1 13 am pipit 8 thrasher 1 19 1 c waxwing 372 31 16 136 65 45 372 120 243 321 121 l shrike 4 5 11 2 2 11 4 2 14 ur. Starling 2684 457 an 2915 2204 1337 264 721 969 144 1193 yellow-rwarbler 10 37 4 9 59 192 35 pinewarbler 14 n cardinal 473 357 181 157 397 576 189 168 348 59 378 easterntowhee 40 Spotted Towhee 1 Am. Tree sparrow 218 421 2214 365 71 510 193 484 70 4 265 Field sparrow 11 19 7 31 2 66 savannah sparrow 1 1 LeConte's sparrow 5 1 Fox sparrow 5 3 1 34 11 34 Song sparrow 292 96 21 292 68 57 24 22 240 7 72 s-mp Sparrow 28 8 1 168 2 3 4 183 7 6 Wh ite-tsparrow 45 24 68 54 33 6 3 408 22 19 white-csparrow 241 68 4 120 42 23 40 3 62 122 harris'Sparrow 6 85 1 29 25 2 12 47 Sparrow sp. 12 20 11 13 dark-e junco 1369 410 401 548 579 736 352 308 547 248 578 (Oreg) Junco 1 1 Lap. Longapur n 250 8 300 Red-w Blackbird 82 2420 884 3 133 434 2583 426 &n 70 1388 e Melldowlark 29 32 139 22 10 108 2 109 2 355 W Meadowlark 1 1 4 Meadowlark sp. 168 825 25 218 12 109 Rusty Blackbird 3 15 30 blackbird 7 great-tgrackle 2 C grackle 41 5 8 16 2509 3 2193 10 64 Brown-h Cowbird 84 14 15 23 37 71 Blackbird sp. 666 430 2 100 2575 1 Purple Finch 43 10 59 11 13 304 1 12 44 36 houseAnch 450 14 37 254 91 128 13 73 114 22 11 inesiskin 11 4 99 2 42 ...... •...... Species NCCAS OrchF St.Jo SprFld Sulliv Swan aneyC nmb WeldSp TOTA Short-eOwl 2 1 15 B Kingfisher 7 2 9 24 17 6 10 160 Red-hWoodp 1 31 2 3 5 14 8 43 482 Red-bWoodp 50 48 68 68 7 40 25 53 95 1155 Yellow-bSa cw 1 2 5 14 6 48 OownvWoodp 62 36 72 99 13 52 34 44 53 1040 HairyWoodp 5 8 10 16 5 4 5 4 15 206 N flicker(y-s) 62 31 56 47 1 31 37 53 78 1025 pileated wp 14 1 2 2 21 1 12 151 e phoebe 11 Horned Lark 42 37 35 30 33 3 925 Blue Jay 204 65 168 309 64 197 61 72 375 4330 Am. Crow 297 475 233 341 42 54 399 76 192 6116 b-c Chickadee 249 20 232 36 60 153 2010 CChickadee 179 10 66 539 Chickadee sp 46 89 262 t titmouse 87 41 66 112 43 48 55 48 80 1464 R-b Nuthatch 1 1 4 2 2 6 49 W-b Nuthatch 19 20 48 57 14 27 19 14 31 645 Brown Creeper 2 1 7 26 2 7 2 4 159 Carolina Wren 14 21 26 93 2 9 28 7 70 629 Bewick's Wren 1 Winter Wren 1 1 22 G-c Kinglet 1 2 8 2 1 12 2 11 292 r-c Kinglet 1 20 E Bluebird 55 6 16 212 6 6 157 28 65 1602 Hermit Thrush 2 3 3 25 Am. Robin 5 8 12 220 5000 1000000 744 1008542 N Mockingbird 30 8 1 62 1 18 13 14 296 am. pipit 2 2 B Thraaher 2 23 CWaxwing 16 3 81 11 117 2070 LShrike 3 11 5 5 10 89 Eur. Starling_ 1443 1060 4016 4815 150 231 250000 334 2976 278790 yellow-rWarbler 5 CW 33 242 49 675 pinewarbler 14 N Cardinal 556 105 209 515 77 146 163 323 165 5542 Eastern Towhee 1 1 3 18 63 Spotted Towhee 1 2 Am. Tree Sparrow 278 208 597 3 2479 5 800 66 9251 Field Sparrow 2 5 27 10 180 Savannah Soarrow 2 LeConte's Sparrow 6 Fox Sparrow 2 1 6 3 4 104 Song_ Sparrow 53 283 181 84 94 131 47 155 2219 Swamp Sparrow 5 67 16 4 34 1 21 554 Wh ite-tSparrow 220 13 64 26 157 3 242 1428 white-cSparrow 33 68 65 56 14 14 10 8 993 Harris' Sparrow 28 29 1 42 307 Sparrow sp. 14 1 71 Dark-e Junco 456 127 591 852 255 691 522 311 447 10328 Oreg) Junco 1 cw 1 4 lap. Longspur 25 cw 660 Red-w Blackbird 16 2030 160 30 3 5000 76 35 16450 E Meadowlark 86 48 4 2 1 949 W Meadowlark 26 32 Meadowlark sp. 98 15 135 108 156 148 2015 Rusty Blackbird 2 97 10000 12 10159 Brewer's blackbird 7 Great-t Grackle 2 C Grackle 20 40 3 124 14 12 25000 32 30092 Brown-h Cowbird cw 2 1 12 500 759 Blackbird ap. 500 1 75000 20 6 10 79311 Purple Finch 6 41 147 23 81 6 17 854 House Finch 84 76 193 442 6 396 11 19 2434 Pine Siskin cw 23 77 4 220 43 Missouri Chrisbnas Bird Counts 1995-1996 ' species colh4rivgrriv jeffc jopl kanc knobnmaryv mingomarsp Am. Goldfinch 250 90 186 111 317 170 124 44 70 146 115 houseSparrow 259 142 746 42 117 496 148 322 186 71 135 E T- sparrow 1 evening grosbeak 13 individuals 21294 11007 7910 9929 6490 29941 10605 14482 63550 2369 134921 species 85 60 58 72 6D 71 59 70 97 59 80 44 . i : trimb weldsp total Am. Goldfinch 250 23 155 288 82 125 155 93 181 2976 house sparrow 525 263 826 131 552 47 262 67 5337 e tree sparrow 154 2 157 eveninggrosbeak 4 11 34 individuals 10396 8338 14416 13603 81090 15017 1296028 358278 8374 2119038 species 58 61 68 78 36 50 75 68 70 121 45 Secretaries Report BOARD MEETING OF AUDUBON SOCIETY OF MISSOURI MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 28, 1996 AT CAMP CLOVER POINT Present: Bob Lewis, Steve Dilks, Jean Graebner, Susan Dornfeld, Susan Hazelwood, Bill Clark, Mike Beck, Jim D. Wilson, David Easterla, Kay Palmer, Paul Bauer, Larry Herbert, Paul M. McKenzie, Dave Witten, Brad Jacobs. The meeting was called to order at 3:14p.m. by President Bob Lewis. The minutes of the meetings of September 30, 1995 and May 3, 1996 were approved as published in The Bluebird. The ASM treasurer's books have been audited and approved by Bill Reeves. Treasurer Jean Graebner, having been separated from the books until this meeting, reported that the balance is healthy. Susan Hazelwood noted that the number of RBA sightings received by computer has more than doubled during the past year, while the number of answering machine messages has remained stable. Kay Palmer, who has transcribed RBA reports since last fall, has recently resigned. A successor is therefore needed to type messages from the answering machine and upload them onto the internet It was moved and passed that ASM reimburse $53.27 to Susan for the '95 - '96 cost of operating the RBA. The board expressed appreciation for the abundant services of Kay Palmer, who is, regrettably, moving to Texas. Dave Witten will temporarily serve as editor of The Bluebird and Jean Graebner will assume responsibility for book orders. Kay advised that 230 books (A Guide to the Birding Areas of Missouri) were sold last year, leaving 360. Bob Lewis announced the nominees for of officers and directors to serve from 1997 to 1999: President, Steve Dilks; Vice President, Mike Beck, Treasurer, Jean Graebner; Secretary, Susan Dornfeld; directors, David Easterla and Bill Reeves. The Missouri Bird Records Committee has expended $96.00 for a set of raptor slides that will be shown at this afternoon's identification workshop. The MBRC is exploring the possibility of offering a sparrow/raptor identification 46 workshop this winter. It is anticipated that a fee will be charged to recover the cost of slides and other expenses. It was moved and passed that the MBRC be reimbursed for general expenses of $61.96. Of the records submitted to the MBRC last year, 57 were approved, 18 were not approved, and 3 are pending. New committee members are William Eddleman and William Rowe. Documentations should now be mailed to Chris Hobbs, MBRC secretary. Mike Beck suggested that ASM award a one year student membership to ASM to young individuals who show special interest in birds. Members are encouraged to submit letters of recommendation for such students to the board of directors. The 1997 spring meeting will be held April 25- 27 in Columbia, coordinated by Brad Jacobs. The 1977 fall meeting will be September 26 - 28 at Camp Clover Point. Susan Hazelwood and Brad Jacobs summarized the July and August meetings concerning possible development of a Missouri Field Office. Following discussion, it was approved that ASM give its support to the concept of establishing an NAS Field Office in Missouri. Lisle Jeffrey and Richard A. Anderson (both deceased) were unanimously approved as honorary directors in recognition of their dedication to ASM. The meeting was adjourned at 4:37 p.m. ADDENDUM: An executive meeting by phone on August 21, 1996 approved reimbursement of $208.09 to Kay Palmer, for extraordinary printing expenses for the September issue of The Bluebird. Susan Dornfeld, secretary ,. 47 Missouri and Region Christmas Bird Counts: 1996 -1997 The following is a listing of the Chrisunas Bird Counts available to the editor to date. Please call the count compiler for further information. MISSOURI Greater Ozarks Audubon Society: Dec. 21, 1996. Contact David Blevins, (417) 881 - 0732. Southeast Kansas City: Dec. 21, 1996. Compiler, Don Arney, (816) 913 - 8536. North Center Cass County: Dec. 22, 1996. Compiler, JoAnn Garrett, (816) 322-1580. Meet at 7:00a.m. at Hollywood Cross Restaurant (south MO Hwy. 291 and MO Hwy. 150 intersection). Compilation at 5:00 p.m. Godfather's Pizza Parlor in Cedar Tree Shopping Center, Belton, West of US 71 on MO Hwy.58. Squaw Creek: Dec. 22, 1996. Compiler, David Meade, (816) 279-5059 during day only. Meet at 7:00a.m. at the refuge headquarters. Horton/Four Rivers WA: Dec. 27, 1996. Compiler, Fred Young, (816) 461- 6918. Meet at headquarters building at 7:ooa.m. Trimble/Smithville: **Call for date. Compiler, Chris Hobbs, (913) 441-2473. Meet at 7:00a.m. at McDonalds, one block south of Hwy. 169 and Hwy. 92 in Smithville. Grand River: Dec. 22, 1996. Compiler. Steve Kinder. (816) 646-6516. Taney County: Dec. 28, 1996. Compiler. Jo Strange, (417) 334-3357. Mingo: Dec. 28m 1996. Compiler. Bill Reeves, (573)756-4160. Jefferson City Area: The River Bluffs Audubon Society will sponsor the Chrisunas Bird Count on December 28, 1996. Meet at Shoney's on Missouri Boulevard in Jefferson City for breakfast at 6 am to get assignments and meet at Dave and Nancy Bedan's home near Holts Summit around 6 pm for potluck dinner and to tally the bird count. For information on the CBC call leader Jim D. Wilson at: 751-4115 ext 196 or 584-9446. For information on the dinner call Dave or Nancy Bedan at (573) 896-4513. 48 Columbia: Saturday Dec. 21, 1996. Compiler. Don Duncan. (573) 449-5260. Swan Lake: Saturday Jan. 4, 1997. Compiler. Knox McCrory, (573) 445- 8769. KANSAS - Kansas City Region: Lawrence: Dec. 21, 1996. Compiler Galen Pitman, (913) 842-7105. Baldwin: Dec. 22, 1996. Compiler, Roger Boyd. (913) 594-3172. Meet at 7:20a.m. at the Santa Fe Depot on the west end of High Sl in Baldwin. Lynn County: Dec. 27, 19%. Compiler, Roger Boyd. (913) 594-3172. Meet at 7:15 a.m. at the Trading Post Restaurant, Hwy. 169 near the entrance to Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area. Bonner Springs/Lansing: **Call for date. Compiler, Galen Pitman. (913) 842-7105. olatha: Jan. 1, 1997. Compiler, Steve Crawford. (913) 782-4011. Please call between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Meet at Ernie Miller Park at 7:30 a.m. Levenwortb: Jan. 4, 1997. Compiler, John Schuknman. (913) 727-5141. Perry Lake: **Call for date. Compiler, Richard Rucker. Home: (913) 842- 3845 or at work (913) 597-5144. Seasons Greetings 49 Conservation Report Anita Randolph tall Grass Prairie Americans have taken a inextricably linked with the identity commendable step backward. of the United States, has been Through action of Congress, the nearly obliterated by human vista of tallgrass prairie promises to settlement and the plow. A scant greet future travelers just as it one percent of the original tallgrass greeted the first westward travelers prairie remains. This is the first in the last century. In one of its time any significant amount of fmal actions before fall prairie has been set aside for adjournment, Congress passed a preservation in the national park bill to designate a national tallgrass system so that we and future prairie preserve in the Flint Hills of generations may come to better eastern Kansas. The National know its unique beauty. Audubon Society, most especially through the persistent efforts of This legislation allows the West Central Regional National Park Service to accept up Vice-President Ron Klataske, has to 180 acres of the historic Z-Bar been instrumental in bringing this Ranch in Chase County, Kansas, effort to fruition. for federal ownership. The National Our once-vast prairie Park Service soon will begin a landscape, the ecosystem plarming process to determine how 50 best to manage the land. An tallgrass prairie preserve to the additional 10,000 acres is owned by national park system eluded a private trust affiliated with the supporters until this year's victory National Parks and Conservation in Kansas. Association. It is now critically important that the acres owned by The November-December the trust be managed as a prairie 1995 issue of Audubon magazine preserve adjacent to the federally included a wonderful article about owned land. This will take the value of prairies. The article additional effort and support on the points out that prairies are critical part of Audubon members because breeding habitat for birds such as the trust property currently is leased longspurs, bobolinks, lark buntings, to individual landowners for cattle upland sandpipers, and mountain grazing. plovers. In recent decades, however, species dependent upon Nearly two decades of grasslands have declined between debate and rancor involving both 25 and 65 percent. Prairies also Oklahoma and Kansas preceded support an amazing diversity of this fall's Congressional action. plant life and an active Local landowners feared underground community of insects, governmental intrusion; local, state, worms, and other small critters and national political leaders had to whose activities result in extremely be educated about the benefits of rich soils. retaining prairie and establishing a preserve. A proposal to create a Audubon members have federally owned preserve in reason to celebrate. One more piece Oklahoma's Osage County of prairie survives and will northwest of Tulsa collapsed nearly continue to nurture all manner of 10 years ago. The Nature living things -- including the human Conservancy later stepped in to soul. purchase a large tract of land there in Oklahoma, but the addition of a ***** Late news flash-- Kay Johnson sighted and photographed an adult Whooping Crane on Stockton Lake northwest of Springfield. This is the first Whooper seen in MO since 19 58. A full report will follow in the March issue of The Bluebird. 51 1997 EAST AFRICAN SAFARIS Paul Bauer Based on the success of our "95/'96 Kenya Safaris, I'm excited to announce that St. Louis Audubon is offering three more safaris in ''97 that highlight birding and wildlife viewing. Select from March, June, or September departure dates; and Audubon members and ASM friends can earn a $200.00 per person "Early Bird Discount" if a deposit is made before January 20th, 1997. Kenya is a year around safari destination filled with great spectacles of mammals and birdlike everywhere we travel. In fact, there are more than 1100 species of birds in a country about the size of Texas. Thanks to our exceptional birding guide we '11 see several hundred species during our safari, in addition to over 40 species of mammals (all the large ones and most small ones) at "point Blank" range. We visit six national parks and game reserves, that provide an exceptionally wide range of habitat and altitude, to maximize the numbers of birds and mammals we see. Each year we make the itinerary a little better as we add new and exciting off the beaten-path places. Also in ''96 we added an extension to the unique Kakamega Forest in western Kenya, and the Lake Baringo area, a fresh water lake in the Rift Valley far north in the desert country. We're hoping to top that in "97. The basic 13-day Kenya safari is $3950.00 all inclusive with air fare NY /JFK. Extensions to Tanzania, or Kakamega Forest/Lake Baringo are available. To get a detailed itinerary, sheets with answers to most commonly asked questions, and details on the $200 per person discount, contact: Paul Bauer at 314/921-3972, or write to St. Louis Audubon, P.O. Box 2085K, Florissant, MO 63032. 52 Join The Audubon Society of Missouri Membership Brings You * The Bluebird - quarterly magazine of the ASM. * Birding Fellowship. * Spring and Fall Birding Weekends. * Organized Input Into Conservation Issues. * National Audubon Society Issues. * Birding Education. Application for Membership ASM Name: Address: City/Statc;Zip: Phone: Annual Membership Categories: reguiar. $12.00 Contributing. $25 ()() family $17.00 Benefactor $50.00 student...... $10.00 * Affiliate(lndiv) s 10 00 Patronlife)... $1l 00 00 * Affiliate(Org) $12. oo *Organizations in accord with the purposes and activities of the Audubon Society of Missouri may affiliate with ASM by paying $12.00for the first 200 members and $12.00 for each additional 400 members. Individuals belonging to an affiliated organization may then join the ASM at the reduced $8.00rate. Send checks (payable to Audubon Society of Missouri) to: Jean Graebner, 1800 S. Roby Farm Rd., Rocheport, MO 65279 . Audubon Society of Missouri nonprofit organization c/o Jean Graebner U. S. POSTAGE PAID 1800 S. Roby Farm Rd. JEFFERSON CITY, MO Rocheport, MO 65279 PERMIT NO. 233 ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED Dr. Ross Silcock Box 300 Tabor IA 51653 1996R