THE BLUEBIRD The voice of ASM since 1934 September 2008 Volume 75, Ho .. 3 The Audubon Society of Missouri Missouri's Ornithological Society Since 1901 THE AUDUBON SOCIETY OF MISSOURI Officers Bruce Beck+ (20 10) Poplar Bluff (573) 785-3871 Jim Zellmer*+, President (2008) 2001 NE 4th St., Blue Springs, MO JoAnn Eldridge+ (2008) 64014, (816) 228-3955 Kearny (816) 628-4840 [email protected] Terry McNeely+ (2010) Joyce Bathke*+, Treasurer (2008) Jameson, MO (660) 828-4215 813 Cornell, Columbia, MO 65203 Larry Lade+ (2009) (573) 445-5758 St. Joseph (816) 232-6125 [email protected] Ed McCullough+ (2008) Laura Gilchrist*+, Secretary (2008) Kansas City (816) 505-2840 7606 NW 73rd Ct Kansas City MO 64152-2385 June Newman+ (2009) (816) 7 46-8973 Carrollton (660) 542-0873 [email protected] Mike Thelen+ (2009) Honorary Directors University City, (314) 862-6642 Richard A. Anderson, St. Louis** Clare Wheeler+ (2010) Nathan Fay, Ozark** Lake Ozark & Canton (573) 365-2951 Leo Galloway, St. Joseph Jim Jackson, Marthasville Chairs Lisle Jeffrey, Columbia** Josh Uffman, Rare Bird Alert Floyd Lawhon, St. Joseph** Ferguson, MO Patrick Mahnkey, Forsyth** (314).387.8037 Rebecca Matthews, Springfield [email protected] Sydney Wade, Jefferson City** Dave Witten, Columbia** Bill Clark, Historian John Wylie, Jefferson City** 3906 Grace Ellen Dr. Columbia, MO 65202 (573) 474-4510 Dr. David Easterla, 2006 Recipient of the Rudolph Bennitt Award June Newman, Membership Carrollton, MO 64633 Paul E. Bauer, 2004 Recipient ofthe (660) 542_0873 Rudolph Bennitt Award + Board Position * Executive Committee Member **Deceased Regional Directors Lisa Berger+ (2008) Springfield ( 417) 881-8393 r Page i THE BLUEBIRD THE BLUEBIRD The Bluebird Editor: Bill Eddleman*+, 1831 Ricardo Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701, (573) 335-1507, [email protected] Christmas Bird Count Compiler: Randy Korotev, 800 Oakbrook Lane, St. Louis, MO 63132, (314) 993-0055, [email protected] Communication Services: Patrick Harrison Webmaster, http://mobirds.org. Susan Hazelwood and David Scheu, Co-owners Listserve, [email protected],edu Conservation Editor: Sue Gustafson+, 429 Belleview Ave., Webster Groves MO 63119 (314) 968-8128, [email protected] Migratory Bird Count Compiler David Rogles, 60 Shadowridge Drive St. Peters, MO 63376 (636) 936-0660, [email protected] MO Bird Records Committee: Bill Eddleman+-Chair, (see Seasonal Survey Editors) Bill Rowe-Secretary, 9033 Big Bend Road, St. Louis, MO 63119, (314) 962-0544, [email protected] Seasonal Survey Editors: Spring: Kristi Mayo, 1807 Clear Creek Dr., Kearney, MO 64060 (816) 289-7828, [email protected] Summer: Josh Uffman, 420 North Clay Avenue, Ferguson, MO 63135 [email protected] Fall: Bill Eddleman, 1831 Ricardo Dr., Cape Girardeau, MO 63701, (573) 335-1507 (h), [email protected] Winter: Joe Eades, 517 Willow Lane, Kirkwood, MO, 63122, (314) 835- 0353, [email protected] * Executive Committee Member + Board Position Deadlines for submission of material for publication in The Bluebird Manuscripts for The Bluebird-to the editor by: Feb. 1 for March issue; May 1 for June issue; Jul. 15 for Sept. issue; Nov. 1 for Dec. issue Deadlines for submissions to the Seasonal Survey Compilers Winter (Dec. 1-Feb. 28)-to Joe Eades by Mar. 10 Spring (Mar. 1-May 31)-to Kristi Mayo by June 10 Summer (June 1-July. 31)-to Josh Uffman by Aug 10 Fall (Aug. 1-Nov. 30)-to Bill Eddleman by Dec. 10 Page ii THE BLUEBIRD TABLE OF CONTENTS September 2008 Volume 75, No. 3 1 President's Corner-Jim Zellmer 2 Notes from the Editor-Bill Eddleman 3 Seasonal Report: Spring 2008-Kristi Mayo 20 A Birder's Guide to Missouri Public Lands-Edge Wade 26 Peer-Reviewed Paper: Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis) Early Winter Status at Prairie State Park, Barton County, Mis- souri-Mark B. Robbins 30 ASM Scholarship Program-Susan M. Gustafson Special Insert: Fall 2008 ASM Meeting Front Cover- Missouri's first Mew Gull, first cycle bird, May 18-21, 2008, Smithville Lake, Clay Co. Photo by Linda Williams. Blue-winged Warbler, Rock Bridge State Park, Boone Co., 4 May 2008. Photo by Mark Gutchen. THE BLUEBIRD is published quarterlyby The Audubon Society ofMissouri The submission of articles, photographs, and artwork is welcomed and encouraged. The views and opinions ex- pressed in this journal are those of each contributing writer and do· not necessarily represent the views and opinions of The Audubon Society of Missouri or its officers, Board of Directors, or edi; tors. Send address corrections to ASM, 2101 W. Broadway, PMB 122, Columbia, MO 65203-1261. Page iii THE BLUEBIRD It does not seem possible that we have reached the half way point in 2008 and that we are a couple of months from the fall meeting. Plan- ning is going well and as always, it promises to be a good one. For those of you who are already making plans to attend, we will have the usual field trips and we will be adding Saline Valley CA to the list of other great spots. This year we will be hosting the students who were the re- cipients of the Paul and Fran Bauer Scholar- ship Fund. They will be giving presentations on their topic of studies. Robin Hirsch- J-acobson (2006 recipient ofthe ASM Graduate Research Scholarship) will be giving us an update on his research entitled, "Effects of Late Season Nests on Source-Sink Dynamics in Mid Missouri Forest Fragments" and Andrew Cox (2007 recipient) will give us an update on his research entitled, "Identification of Important Nest Predators and the Factors that Influence their Contribution to Overall Predation Rates in a Midwestern Landscape. The update should be quite informative and very interesting. As always, there will be the great food that our caterers have been providing for the past several years. It has gotten to the point that the food is just as important as the events that we offer for our membership! Our caterers have been with us for many years and the fall meeting has become synony- mous of both good food and good company. This summer has been a very busy one as I have been working with the De- partment of Natural Resources on a new agreement for the SPARKS pro- ject. I am pleased that we came to an agreement and have a new list of state parks to be birded. The new areas are: Bennett Springs State Park (SP), Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial SP, Katy Trail SP, Morris SP, Sam A. Baker SP, Big Oak Tree SP, Washington SP, and Meramec SP. Also, at the time of this writing, Brad Jacobs ofthe Missouri Department of Conservation and I are working on a new agreement for the CACHE IV project. Careful consid- eration is being given to the new sites because of the increase in fuel prices and an economy that is not too friendly for most of our pocket books. I have gone to our board of directors asking for suggestions on potential new sites that they thought would work under these conditions. All of the sites that have been submitted are being considered. These sites are also being exam- ined for their relation to the SPARKS target areas, in order to make it more productive for both projects and for those who will be birding these areas. We can be very proud of ASM and what we as an organization have accom- plished over the past few years. With our involvement with both the Mis- Page 1 THE BLUEBIRD so uri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, ASM has made contributions to these agencies that have made a difference in the birding community. I would encourage all of you to con- tinue to get out when time allows. Go to some of the areas that you have not visited in a while and take a friend. Share the expense so that there is not a burden to the leader/driver. For those who continue to go out and work these areas, my "Thanks" to you for your dedication to both ASM and the partnership projects. Jim Zellmer The Audubon Society of Missouri A Note from the Editor Bill Eddleman As reported in the last issue, I have agreed to be the editor of The Bluebird. First of all, I would like to thank Clint Trammel for his service in the last year as editor. I would also like to thank Jim Zellmer for allowing me to renege on my offer to be Vice-President. I've often considered editing The Bluebird, but the time was not ripe until now. I told Jim when I agreed to do the editor job that I intended to do it for around 10 years, because I think ASM will benefit from some stability in the quarterly. So .. .look for me to stick around for awhile! One of my goals is to change the "look" of The Bluebird, with your input and the input of design professionals. However, don't look for any drastic changes in The Bluebird immediately. There is one more issue in this volume, so I do not want to alter the appearance just yet. I also assure you that the only change in content I would like to imple- ment is an increased use of scientific (peer-reviewed) papers. This is not to change The Bluebird, but to make a lot more of the good studies that happen in Missouri more accessible to the birding community, to raise our profile in birding and professional circles, and to provide a better local outlet for publications on Missouri birds. I also want to continue to use all the "joy of birding" articles, photos, artwork, and other contribu- tions that you can provide.