THETHE BLUEBIRBLUEBIRDD The voice of ASM since 1934 June 2014 Volume 81, No. 2 The Audubon Society of Missouri Missouri’s Ornithological Society Since 1901 THE AUDUBON SOCIETY OF MISSOURI Officers Regional Directors June Newman*+, President (2014) Jeff Cantrell+ (2014) 209 Santa Fe Street; Carrollton, MO Neosho (471) 476-3311 64633; (660) 542-0873 [email protected] Mark Haas+ (2016) Jackson (573) 204-0626 Shari Harden*+, Vice-President (2014) Susan Hazelwood+ (2015) 513 NE Grant Drive; Blue Springs, Columbia, (573) 819-9252 MO 64014; (816) 229-3979 Brent Galliart+ (2015) [email protected] St. Joseph (816) 232-6038 Scott Laurent*+, Secretary (2014) Terry McNeely+ (2016) 610 W. 46th Street, #103; Kansas Jameson, MO (660) 828-4215 City, MO 64112; (816) 916-5014 Ruth Simmons+ (2014) [email protected] Kansas City, MO (816) 678-1217 Pat Lueders*+, Treasurer (2014) Larry Olpin+ (2016) 1147 Hawken Pl., St. Louis, MO Warrensburg (660) 747-5228 63119; (314) 222-1711 [email protected] Louise Wilkinson+ (2014) Rolla (573) 364-9552 Honorary Directors Richard A. Anderson, St. Louis** Phil Wire+ (2016) Nathan Fay, Ozark** Bowling Green (314) 960-0370 Leo Galloway, St. Joseph** Jim Jackson, Marthasville Chairs Lisle Jeffrey, Columbia** Bill Clark, Historian Floyd Lawhon, St. Joseph** 3906 Grace Ellen Dr. Patrick Mahnkey, Forsyth** Columbia, MO 65202 Rebecca Matthews, Springfield (573) 474-4510 Sydney Wade, Jefferson City** Dave Witten, Columbia** Jerry Wade, Membership John Wylie, Jefferson City** 1221 Bradshaw Avenue Columbia, MO 65203 Jim Jackson, 2012 Recipient of the (573) 445-6697 Rudolf Bennitt Award [email protected] Dr. David Easterla, 2006 Recipient of the Rudolf Bennitt Award Paul E. Bauer, 2004 Recipient of the Rudolf 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 ASM Scholarship Committee: Sue Gustafson, Chair, 429 Belleview Ave., Webster Groves MO 63119 (314) 968-8128, [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: Josh Uffman, 707 Ashton Way Circle, Eureka, MO 63025 (636) 587-6016; [email protected] Summer: Kristi Mayo, 1807 Clear Creek Dr., Kearney, MO 64060 (816) 289–7828, [email protected] Fall: Peter Kondrashov, Biology Department, A. T. Still University of Health Sciences, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, 800 W. Jeff erson St., Kirksville, MO 63501 Mo. State Univ., [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 Peter Kondrashov by Dec. 10 Page ii THE BLUEBIRD TABLE OF CONTENTS June 2014 Volume 81, No. 2 51 President’s Corner—June Newman 53 ASM Lends an Ear—Ethan Duke 55 We Welcome our New Members—Jerry Wade 56 Photos from the Spring Meeting 58 400 in 2014--Part I—Bill Eddleman 60 Missouri Christmas Bird Counts, 2013-2014—Randy Korotev, CBC Editor 88 Winter 2013-2014 Seasonal Report—Joe Eades 100 A Birder’s Guide to Missouri Public Lands—Edge Wade 104 Peer-edited Article: Repeat of Winter Raptor Survey Along I-55 and I-70, 28-29 Dec. 2013—Paul McKenzie 108 Peer-reviewed Paper: The Four Rivers Christmas Bird Count (CBC): A Validation for Conducting Winter Bird Surveys—Paul McKenzie Front Cover—This Townsend’s Solitaire is the 3rd record for east- ern Missouri. Found by Josh Uffman on February 2, 2014 at Young Conservation Area in Jefferson County, and present through Feb- ruary 10. Photographed by Jim Malone. 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—JUNE NEWMAN Dear Fellow Birders, Frances and Bill Schifferdecker's eighteen -month-old son, William Linville Schiffer- decker, died of measles in 1944. In his memory they donated an acreage north of Norborne to the Missouri Department of Conservation that is the W.L. Schiffer- decker Wildlife Area. All over Missouri are parcels donated by families and individuals to Missouri De- partment of Conservation, Department of Natural Resources, and other entities which preserve the land and give access to the public. Each time I visit those places and take time to read the memorial plaques I'm awed by those gifts and their perpetual impor- tance. They are irreplaceable and of incalculable value. Not all donations of land have been from families and foundations with large fortunes, though some are. In an interview with the Joplin Globe, Susan Flader described Hawn State Park. “There’s scenery there, for sure, as well as a great story about the love Missourians have for their parks. It was a Missouri schoolteacher, Helen Coffer Hawn, who over the years began buying small parcels of land with her salary. Eventually, Hawn’s holdings grew to 1,459 acres, which she willed to the state in 1952. Her donation became the centerpiece of what is today a nearly 5,000-acre park. ‘This is somebody who had a vision,’ said Flader.” Hawn State Park is one of the focus sites in ASM's SPARKS agree- ment with DNR. It is also one of the least frequently visited of those sites. On his way to ASM Spring Meeting in Jefferson City, Mark Haas stopped there for a few hours and recorded fifty-nine species of birds, including thirteen species of warblers. He especially recom- mends the area near the entrance managed for grassland birds, and suggests you not pass it up on your way to the wooded areas. On a visit last July Edge Wade and I heard and observed Henslow's Spar- rows from every vantage point on the periphery of the grassland. Page 51 THE BLUEBIRD The Missouri State Parks website describes Hawn: “Hawn State Park is one of the loveliest parks in a system full of lovely parks. Clear, sand-bottomed streams, wild ar- eas ripe with orchids and awe-inspiring views combine to make Hawn a place that Missourians treasure. Geology buffs love Pickle Creek for the number of exposed rock types. Hikers frequent the Whispering Pine Wild Area for its quiet trails with expansive views. Bird watchers flock to the park for its variety of birds. And there are plenty of quiet spaces for people to get away and enjoy the outdoors.” My suggestions: Visit Hawn State Park soon. Add your bird list to SPARKS. When you visit public lands, take time to read posted memorials and histories. They tell stories worth your time and contemplation. June Newman, President Page 52 THE BLUEBIRD ASM LENDS AN EAR ETHAN DUKE With thanks to the support of ASM, we at MRBO are now armed with a microphone, parabolic reflector, and recorder. We have been recording birds in different habitats within and outside of Missouri. We’ve recorded a host of birds ranging from Grasshopper and Henslow’s Sparrows on our study sights to known individually col- our banded birds in feeders. Part of the long-term goal of recording Missouri’s birds is to provide samples for examining regional varia- tion. Are Yellow Warblers and Mockingbirds in boot heel like those in west-central Missouri? How might they vary from those in the Galapagos? Well, someday we’ll know. Why record birds? There is something about the sounds of birds that we’ll never grow tired of. They can be aesthetically pleasing and ultimately fascinat- ing. In our backyards — the long, pleasing whistles of our winter sparrows are beginning to fade out with the emergence of summer sparrows, Indigo Buntings, Towhees, and Brown Thrashers. In the wetlands — Low sounds like the “pumper-lunk” of American Bit- terns are already filling the predawn hours in Missouri. In the cool spring morning the frogs aren’t revved up enough to drown out the subtle and softer sounds of Virginia Rail squawks and Sora “peeps” or Wilson’s Snipe “ernks”. The swift spring sunrise on the prairie is met by a timeless and waning boom of our beloved Greater-prairie Chickens as yodelling Meadowlarks sing high above jumbling cheer of Grasshopper Sparrows or the less long-winded Henslow’s Sparrow rhythmic stanza. Sounds dominate and define our environment. Some might say they are downright spiritual. It has been a passion and side-study for me for sometime. I’ve read every scientific paper I could find on vocal communication in war- blers and thrushes.