TT H H E E BLUEBIRBLUEBIR DD The voice of ASM since 1934 June 2010 Volume 77, No. 2 The Audubon Society of Missouri Missouri’s Ornithological Society Since 1901 The Audubon Society of Missouri Officers Regional Directors Jim Zellmer*+, President (2010) Lisa Berger+ (2011) 2001 NE 4th St., Blue Springs, MO Springfield (417) 881-8393 64014, (816) 228-3955 Jo Ann Eldridge+ (2011) [email protected] Kearny (816) 628-4840 Bruce Beck*+, Vice-President (2010) Susan Hazelwood+ (2012) 230 CR 466; Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 Columbia, (573) 445-4925 (573) 785-3871 [email protected] Larry Lade+ (2009) St. Joseph (816) 232-6125 Pat Lueders*+, Treasurer (2010) 1147 Hawken Pl. Terry McNeely+ (2010) St. Louis, MO 63119; (314) 779-1372 Jameson, MO (660) 828-4215 [email protected] June Newman+ (2009) Laura Gilchrist*+, Secretary (2010) Carrollton (660) 542-0873 7606 NW 73rd Ct Bill Reeves+ (2010) Kansas City MO 64152-2385 Farmington (816) 746-8973 [email protected] Ruth Simmons+ (2011) Kansas City Honorary Directors Clare Wheeler+ (2010) Richard A. Anderson, St. Louis** Lake Ozark & Canton (573) 365-2951 Nathan Fay, Ozark** Leo Galloway, St. Joseph Chairs Jim Jackson, Marthasville Rare Bird Alert (VACANT) Lisle Jeffrey, Columbia** Floyd Lawhon, St. Joseph** Bill Clark, Historian Patrick Mahnkey, Forsyth** 3906 Grace Ellen Dr. Rebecca Matthews, Springfield Columbia, MO 65202 Sydney Wade, Jefferson City** (573) 474-4510 Dave Witten, Columbia** John Wylie, Jefferson City** June Newman, Membership Carrollton, MO 64633 Dr. David Easterla, 2006 Recipient (660) 542-0873 of the Rudolph Bennitt Award [email protected] Paul E. Bauer, 2004 Recipient of the Rudolph Bennitt Award + Board Position * Executive Committee Member **Deceased 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: Brad Jacobs+—Chair, 11300 Vemers Ford Road, Columbia, MO 65201, (573) 874-3904, [email protected] 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, 707 Ashton Way Circle, Eureka, MO 63025 (636) 587-6016; [email protected] Fall: Walter Wehtje, 3252 South Old Ridge Road, Columbia, MO 65203 (573) 447-0039; [email protected] Winter: Joe Eades, 517 Willow Lane, Kirkwood, MO, 63122, (314) 835- 0353, [email protected] * Executive Committee Member 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 June 2010 Volume 77, No. 2 43 President’s Corner—Jim Zellmer 44 Announcing the 2010 ASM Graduate Research Scholarship Recipient—ASM Scholarship Committee 45 2009 ASM Graduate Research Scholarship Summary Report— Allison Cox 47 Missouri Christmas Bird Counts, 2009-2010—Randy Korotev 66 Seasonal Report: Winter 2009-2010—Joe Eades 77 A Birder’s Guide to Missouri Public Lands—Edge Wade Front Cover— This Black-throated Sparrow, Missouri’s second, spent De- cember 5-January 16 at a feeder near Savannah in Andrew County. It was seen by dozens of birders during that time. Photo taken December 12, 2009 by Al Smith. Female plumage Surf Scoter with a group of Common Goldeneyes at River- lands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, St. Charles County, December 29, 2009. Photo by Al Smith. THE BLUEBIRD is published quarterly by The Audubon Society of Missouri. 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 President’s Corner—Jim Zellmer As I am starting to write the President’s Corner for the June issue of the Bluebird, we are just a couple of days from the spring meeting being held this year at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. For many of us, this will be the first time to visit that part of the state—and what better time than during the spring migration? Some of the best birding in the state can be found in the lower southeast corner where a diverse habitat can be found. With plac- es like, Sand Prairie CA, Horseshoe Lake CA (Illiois), Trail of Tears State Park and La Rue-Pine Hills Ecologi- cal Area (Illinois), just to name a few, this promises to be a great weekend to be out birding. I hope to see many of you taking time not only to relax a little, but to come and share in the camaraderie of your friends. I want to say congratulation to Paul Bauer, who has been a long time member of ASM, for celebrating 63 years of birding. Paul start- ed birding in 1947 and has dedicated his life to nature and birds. Congratulations, Paul! I just hope that I can get to the half way point of your total years as a birder. I want to thank the members of the ASM Scholarship Committee (Susan Gustafson, Susan Hazelwood and Brad Jacobs) for their com- mitment in finding and selecting those students who have dedicated their studies to birds and nature. This year, the recipient of the 2010 ASM Graduate Research Scholarship is Ms. Kaylan Kemink at the University of Missouri-Columbia for her research entitled “The Mis- souri Greater Prairie Chicken: Historic Decline and Present-Day Survival and Movement.” This is the fifth year that the committee has awarded a graduate scholarship. This has been made possible because of the generosity of Paul and Fran Bauer, who wanted to give back to help others and of those ASM members who have also contributed to this important work. Thank you Paul and Fran, and thanks to the ASM Scholarship Committee! And as we approach the summer months, most of us will be out there birding as much as time allows. Keep in mind that ASM’s com- mitment to our partners in conservation, (Missouri Department of Page 43 THE BLUEBIRD Conservation and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources), needs your support in continuing to put your trip list into the CACHE/SPARKS data base. This information is needed in order to build reliable and accurate bird check lists. Our own Patrick Harri- son has made the entry process very “user friendly” and it takes only a moment to sit down and make your entry. This summer, please try to make it a point to visit one of the target areas for both CACHE & SPARKS and help us to make a difference in this state. Jim Zellmer President, The Audubon Society of Missouri ANNOUNCING THE 2010 ASM GRADUATE RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT ASM SCHOLARSHIPCOMMITTEE The Scholarship Committee of the Audubon Society of Missouri is pleased to announce that the 2010 ASM Graduate Research Scholar- ship has been awarded to Kaylan Kemink at the University of Mis- souri-Columbia for her research entitled “The Missouri Greater Prairie-Chicken: Historic Decline and Present-Day Survival and Movement.” Kaylan’s graduate advisor is Dr. Dylan Kesler. The first objective of the research is to examine the impacts of land- use change, weather, and predator densities on the historical popu- lation processes of Missouri’s Greater Prairie-Chickens. Historic population data will be obtained from the Missouri Department of Conservation’s lek count records between 1945 and present day. The second objective is to investigate adult survival and movement through a radiotelemetry study of resident birds. The third objec- tive is to model juvenile Greater Prairie-Chicken vital rates through a combination of direct observations, mark and resight, and radiote- lemetry for the first year after hatch. Results of the project will provide the first rigorous estimates of over-winter juvenile survival for Greater prairie-Chickens in Missouri, and they will allow com- parisons between resident and translocated juvenile over-winter survival. The $3000 scholarship will be used to purchase telemetry receivers needed for the radiotelemetry portion of the project. After the study, the receivers will become the property of the Avian Conservation Lab at the University of Missouri and will facilitate future avian research projects in Missouri. The scholarship is made possible by Page 44 THE BLUEBIRD the generosity of ASM members Paul and Fran Bauer who con- tributed an initial $1000 and then another $1000 to match the $1000 in member donations from: Leif Anderson Susan Hazelwood Harold and Kathleen Anderson Jim Rathert Connie Cooper Bill Reeves Jo Ann Eldridge John and Nancy Solodar Janice Gaston Jim and Ellen Zellmer Sue Gustafson The ASM Scholarship Committee, Sue Gustafson, Susan Hazelwood, and Brad Jacobs 2009 ASM Graduate Research Scholarship Summary Report Allison Cox This past summer, I completed my first season in the field working with Red-bellied Woodpeckers.