[From Nature Notes (the journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society), Vol. 76, No. 2, Feb., 2002]

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"Starlings, though vastly underappreciated by most Americans, were much coveted as pets in Mozart's day. The Master himself purchased one after hearing it sing a segment of a concerto he was writing (and had presumably hummed in the bird's presence)." Jane Brody, "Mimicry and Mozart," New York Times Book of Birds.

Sightings: A Great Egret was seen on Layton Road, HL, on 12/3 (FH, T Be). Mike Thelen found 52 Trumpeter and 2 Tundra Swans at REDA on 12/8. On 12/8, the WGNSS group found thousands of Snow Geese, 4 Ross's Geese, 15 Greater White-fronted Geese at Baldwin Lake, and 7 Mute Swans and 3 Shrikes at Peabody Coal (KL et al.). About 215 Green-winged Teal were counted at Eagle Park on 12/15 (FH). Approximately 62 Hooded Mergansers were seen on Sand Prairie Road on 12/4 (T Be) and 100 were seen at REDA on 12/24 (CA, T Bo). Paul Bauer reported 1800 Canvasback and 18 Greater Scaup at REDA on 12/8. By 12/15, 1000+ Goldeneyes replaced the Canvasbacks (JU). On 12/1, thousands of Ring-billed Gulls, along with Herring and Bonaparte's, were seen at CL (DB, MB).

Frank Holmes found 20 Turkey Vultures along the bluffs of the Great River Road on 12/30. There were 32 Bald Eagles eating the dead fish in a dried-up pool at Mitchee and Levee Roads on 12/23 (JZ). The Thursday Group found a male N. Harrier at REDA and a Cooper's Hawk in St. Charles County on 12/5 (RAB, JC). Torrey Berger saw a Krider's Hawk at Clarence Cannon on 12/6. On 12/4, a Merlin was seen at the Washington Univ. campus (RK). The Monk Parakeets are still being seen at Consolidated Grain in Carlyle, IL (MB). By the beginning of December, Dan Kassebaum had found the Saw-whet Owl in Hazlet SP/CL. On 12/28, a Barn Owl was seen in flight on the road to Lake 27, BCA (JZ, YH).

An Eastern Phoebe was reported on Palmer Road, Monroe Co., IL, on 12/16 (JZ). Two Ruby-crowned Kinglets were found on IL Hwy. 143, across from the barge terminal, on 12/7 (MT). The St. Louis area's bird of the year, a Clark's Nutcracker*, was found at BCA near Lake 8 on 12/21 by a visiting birder, Rich Kostecke (G&TB, MG photo, YH video, m. ob.). Torrey Berger found 200 Horned Larks on Sand Prairie Road on 12/4. On 12/1, 2 flocks of 300-400 Lapland Longspurs were seen in fields near Carlyle, IL (MB) and on 12/17, 3,000 Lapland Longspurs were found near Hazlet S.P./CL (DK). On 12/5 at REDA, the Thursday Group saw 2 Lapland Longspurs in a flock of Horned Larks, 30 - 50 Am. Tree Sparrows on Wise Road, and a small flock of Eurasian Tree Sparrows on Red School Road (RAB, JC, et al.). A few Lapland Longspurs were also seen on School House Road, HL, on 12/26 (FH). The only Snow Bunting seen in the St. Louis area was at REDA on 12/1 (JU). A Purple Finch was found in BCA with Bluebirds and Goldfinch (CM). Rusty Blackbirds were reported at HL on 12/5 (FH). Another really good winter sighting was the female Summer Tanager at St. Louis Univ. campus on 12/5 (NB).

A typical day at HL on 12/11 included 4 Pied-billed Grebes, 12 Great Blue Herons, Mallard, Gadwall, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked, Lesser Scaup, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Mergansers, 10 Common Mergansers, Ruddy Duck, 1 Bald Eagle, 8 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 Merlin, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, and 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (T Be).

Comments: Mary Anne Auer flushed a Barred Owl on 12/22 when she was looking for the Clark's Nutcracker in Busch. It flew around her in a circle and each time it stopped, it "scolded" her with a jay-like call. Margy Terpstra reported Pileated Woodpeckers and good numbers of Goldfinch and Cedar Waxwings at her Kirkwood home. A leucistic Starling was seen at BCA on 12/28 (JZ, YH). An immature White-fronted Goose was seen at the pond in Brentwood Forest on 12/13 (YH). A Sharp-shinned Hawk was found at Josh Uffman's home on 12/15. Dianne Benjamin witnessed a Red-tailed Hawk kill and eat a squirrel in University City. An E. Screech Owl was being seen at Connie Alwood's home. A Red-shouldered Hawk was a really good yard bird at the Boeser residence in Affton (video). The bird came on four consecutive days and fed on Christmas leftovers.

Christmas Count Highlights: Pere Marquette 12/15: 60,000 Mallards, good numbers of other ducks, including Pintail and Green-winged Teal, 6 Least Sandpipers, 2 Greater Yellowlegs, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, and a Cooper's Hawk. Carlyle Lake 12/17: Golden Eagle, Sandhill Crane, Lesser Black-backed & Glaucous Gulls, Black-legged Kittiwake, Eurasian Collared Dove, and Monk Parakeet. Collinsville Circle 12/21: Common Loon, 22 White Pelicans, 1500 Gadwalls, 33 Turkeys, a Great-tailed Grackle, and a Hermit Thrush. Clarence Cannon 12/28: 27,000 Mallards, 22 Am. Black Ducks, 79 Savannah Sparrows, and 44 Lapland Longspurs.

Contributors: Connie Alwood, Mary Anne Auer, Nick Barber, George & Terry Barker, Paul Bauer, David Becher, Dianne Benjamin, Torrey Berger, Rose Ann Bodman, Tom Bormann, Mike Brady, David Becher, Jackie Chain, Mike Grant, Frank Holmes, Yvonne Homeyer, Dan Kassebaum, Randy Korotev, Jim & Charlene Malone, Bruce Schuette, Scott Schuette, Margy Terpstra, Mike Thelen, Josh Uffman, Jim Ziebol. An asterisk means "documented".

Abbreviations: Busch Conservation/Wildlife Area, BCA; Carlyle Lake, CL; Forest Park, FP; Horseshoe Lake, HL; Little Creve Coeur Lake, LCCL, Lost Valley Trail, LVT; Marais Temps Clair, MTC; Riverlands, REDA, Tower Grove Park, TGP.

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