Birding Day in Northwest Missouri, USA (1 Viewer)

Today because of the heat and humidity, I did some birding from the comfort of my air-conditioned vehicle. I did walk a little bit on the stretch of road on the north side of the auto tour loop at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge at Mound City, Missouri.

Below is a list of birds in the order in which they were seen.

1. Cattle Stockyards, St.Joseph, Missouri
Great-tailed Grackle (7)
Western Kingbird
Mourning Dove
Eurasian Collared-Dove (10)
Barn Swallow
European Starlilng

2. Lake Contrary, St.Joseph, Missouri
Chipping Sparrow
House Sparrow
Killdeer
Canada Goose
Rock Pigeon
Spotted Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Common Grackle
Great Blue Heron
Ring-billed Gull
Purple Martin
Brown-headed Cowbird
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Baird's Sandpiper
Eastern Kingbird
Chimney Swift
American Robin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Orchard Oriole
American Goldfinch
Red-winged Blackbird
Indigo Bunting
Northern Cardinal
Eastern Bluebird
Northern Mockingbird
Lark Sparrow
Horned Lark
Northern Flicker (yellow-shafted)
Black-capped Chickadee
Eastern Phoebe

3. Muskrat Lake, St.Joseph, MIssouri
Western Meadowlark
Red-tailed Hawk
Grasshopper Sparrow
Eastern Meadowlark

4. Mud Lake, St.Joseph, Missouri
American Crow

5. Amazonia, Missouri
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Gray Catbird
Turkey Vulture

6. Nodaway, Missouri
Blue Jay

7. Forbes, Missouri
Scarlet Tanager (2)
Black-billed Cuckoo
Cliff Swallow
BLUE GROSBEAK (6)
Downy Woodpecker
House Finch

8. Bob Brown Conservation Area, Forest City, Missouri
Green Heron
Great Egret
Lesser Yellowlegs
Ring-necked Pheasant

9. Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Mound City, Missouri
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Red-headed Woodpecker
COMMON MOORHEN (1 adult seen from observation deck area at entrance)
AMERICAN COOT (1 adult seen from observation deck area at entrance)
Mallard
Pied-billed Grebe
(a lot more Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets and Wood Ducks)
Belted Kingfisher
Greater Yellowlegs
House Wren
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Great Crested Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Acadian Flycatcher

10. Rosecrans Memorial Airport, St.Joseph, Missouri
WILSON'S SNIPE (1)
Short-billed Dowitcher (1)
(some more pec's, lesser yellowlegs, least, semipalmated, solitary
and spotted sandpipers)
Forster's Tern (2)

I think that comes out to 75 species.

I began about 7 AM and quit about 3:30 PM. I took about 1/2 hour for
lunch (cheeseburger & malt) in Wathena, Kansas (on my way over to
Rosecrans Airport). I also stopped in at Wathena High School (now actually
an elementary, junior high and senior high combined). I had not been
there since I left it in 1957. It happened to be open and the person in
charge of maintainence gave me the "grand tour". It brought back a lot of
memories. Next June when they have a "combined classes" reunion, I
think I will go. At that time, it will 49 years since my graduation date from high school. (Funny, I don't feel that old!)

Time sure goes by quickly when your having fun, doesn't it!

Nice report, Larry, sounds like a good day...would certainly like that list in Florida in Summer!

My above list should have included these:

American Kestrel
Northern Bobwhite
Spotted Sandpiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
and
Semipalmated Plover

Tried to post to quickly and "messed up"!

List of birds I saw this morning in the area around St.Joseph, Missouri, USA.
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
COMMON MERGANSER on an exposed sandbar in the Missouri River adjacent to the "River Walk" in north St.Joseph. I don't know where this bird came from, they normally are not here in the summer.
Northern Bobwhite
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel

These eight (8) shorebirds species were seen over at Rosecrans Memorial Airpost
Semipalmated Plover - 1
Killdeer - 80
Solitary Sandpiper - 10
Spotted Sandpiper - 3
Semipalmated Sandpiper - 3
Least Sandpiper - 15
Pectoral Sandpiper - 172
Stilt Sandpiper - 1
In among the shorebirds were:
Ring-billed Gull - 1
Forster's Tern - 1
*Note: Six birds in view, Six species!
As I was scoping the shorebirds, at one point I had six single birds of six species in view at the same time! Killdeer, Pectoral, Least, Semipalmated, Spotted and Solitary Sandpiper.
*Today I did not see the dowitcher or the snipe.

Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Chimney Swift
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-headed Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Kingbird
Western Kingbird
Eastern Phoebe
Loggerhead Shrike
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Bank Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
House Wren
American Robin
Eastern Bluebird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Yellow Warbler
Lark Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Great-tailed Grackle
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Dickcissel
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

Morning Birding, Saint Joseph, Missouri Oxbows, August 24,2007

This morning I checked the oxbow lakes areas just south of Saint
Joseph, Missouri. Rather than a narrative, I will just give the list of the
birds I encounted as I birded the varied areas around these oxbow lakes.
* All were seen in the vicinity of Lake Contrary, Saint Joseph, Missouri (if not in parenthesis)

Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard (Muskrat L.)
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler (Muskrat L.)
Northern Bobwhite
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel (two in a tree in our front yard)
American Coot
Killdeer (Stockyards)
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper (Muskrat L.)
Greater Yellowlegs (Muskrat L.)
Lesser Yellowlegs (Muskrat L.)
Least Sandpiper
Black Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Stock) - 150
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Black-billed Cuckoo (diminutive, all black bill. *and it also called)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
...Empidonax [spp]
Great Crested Flycatcher
Western Kingbird, just one (I think all the others have left)
Eastern Kingbird
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow (Stockyards)
Horned Lark, a few juveniles
Purple Martin, eight seen this morning, I thought these had all left
too!
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird (Muskrat L.)
Brown Thrasher
European Starling [Have you ever gone birding and NOT seen this
species!]
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler, Missouri Year Bird # 244
Chipping Sparrow
Lark Sparrow (Muskrat L.)
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Great-tailed Grackle (Stockyards) - 200
Brown-headed Cowbird (Stockyards)
Orchard Oriole - 25, they seemed to be all over
Baltimore Oriole - 20, ditto
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

Good Birding, All,

Great list for a summer's day! This is the time of the year when you guys in the north really can laugh at us in Texas. On the weekend, I spent two hours birding Sheldon Reservoir, Houston, and saw only about 20 birds. (Birds, not species.) Of course, it was 95F and humid. Can't wait for the fall to arrive.

Jeff

I just saw Wilson's too, definitely on the move.

I can't imagine 10 Blue Grosbeaks. I found 2 this year, two more than most years fro me.

This morning Steve Kinder and I birded around the oxbows at Saint Joseph, Missouri, and then on down to Sugar Lake (Lewis and Clark SP, Plattle Co.) and then watched the feeders at Frances and Georgia's cabin at Bean Lake.

Greater White-fronted Geese (Contrary) - year bird # 58
Snow Geese (Sugar Lake) - 1000's
Ross's Geese (Sugar Lake) - several
Canada Geese (Contrary and Sugar)
Cackling Geese (Contrary and Sugar)
Trumpeter Swan (Sugar) - 2
Mallard (both)
Ring-necked Duck (Sugar) - year bird # 60
Lesser Scaup (Sugar) - year bird # 59
Common Goldeneye (both)
Common Merganser (on River at Contrary)
Bald Eagles
Northern Harriers
Red-tailed Hawks
American Kestrels
Rock Pigeons
Eurasian Collared-Doves (Stockyards)
Red-bellied Woodpeckers
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sugar Lake picnic area) - year bird # 61
Downy Woodpeckers
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Black-capped Chickadees
Tufted Titmice - year bird # 62
White-breasted Nuthatches
Carolina Wren (Jentell Brees CA)
Eastern Bluebirds
Northern Mockingbird
European Starlings
American Tree Sparrows
Song Sparrows
Swamp Sparrows
White-throated Sparrow
Harris's Sparrow
Dark-eyed Juncos
Northern Cardinals
Red-winged Blackbird
...[Spp] Meadowlarks
Purple Finch (Bean Lake cabin)
House Finch (Bean Lake cabin)
Pine Siskin (our St. Joe yard and Bean Lake cabin)
American Goldfinches
House Sparrows

Larry Lade said:

This morning Steve Kinder and I birded around the oxbows at Saint Joseph, Missouri, and then on down to Sugar Lake (Lewis and Clark SP, Plattle Co.) and then watched the feeders at Frances and Georgia's cabin at Bean Lake.

Greater White-fronted Geese (Contrary) - year bird # 58
Snow Geese (Sugar Lake) - 1000's
Ross's Geese (Sugar Lake) - several
Canada Geese (Contrary and Sugar)
Cackling Geese (Contrary and Sugar)
Trumpeter Swan (Sugar) - 2
Mallard (both)
Ring-necked Duck (Sugar) - year bird # 60
Lesser Scaup (Sugar) - year bird # 59
Common Goldeneye (both)
Common Merganser (on River at Contrary)
Bald Eagles
Northern Harriers
Red-tailed Hawks
American Kestrels
Rock Pigeons
Eurasian Collared-Doves (Stockyards)
Red-bellied Woodpeckers
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sugar Lake picnic area) - year bird # 61
Downy Woodpeckers
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Black-capped Chickadees
Tufted Titmice - year bird # 62
White-breasted Nuthatches
Carolina Wren (Jentell Brees CA)
Eastern Bluebirds
Northern Mockingbird
European Starlings
American Tree Sparrows
Song Sparrows
Swamp Sparrows
White-throated Sparrow
Harris's Sparrow
Dark-eyed Juncos
Northern Cardinals
Red-winged Blackbird
...[Spp] Meadowlarks
Purple Finch (Bean Lake cabin)
House Finch (Bean Lake cabin)
Pine Siskin (our St. Joe yard and Bean Lake cabin)
American Goldfinches
House Sparrows

Click to expand...

Quite a list! How long were you able to be out? It must be freezing there. I often wonder why so many birds stay where it is so cold. I mean, they have wings!
Sue

Sue, it has been quite cold here (and the end of it does not appear to be in the near future). It seems some birds not only tolerate the low temps, but actually like it. It never ceases to amaze me, that while I am quite uncomfortable when I am cold, some birds seem to relish the colder temperatures.

Steve and I were out for approximately four (4) hours, checking the various habitats. We walked a little bit, but most of the time we birded from the comfort of my heated RAV4 (an all wheel drive Toyota).

So, in what part of the world are you currently residing?

We're in Italy right now and will be until the end of March. Winter is not the time to be making passages in this area of the world. We've had lots of wind and rain, but the temperature isn't too bad. We had to dig out jackets and buy long pants and socks!
Sue

Weston Bend SP, Weston, Missouri

Brenda and I went down to Weston Bend State Park, Weston, Missouri, this morning to try for the Hooded and Worm-eating Warblers. I took my just arrived "SongFinder" along to see what I could hear.

We stopped at the entrance hoping to see/hear a Blue-winged Warbler. We heard some other birds but no "blue-winged". So, we decided to head for the overlook and see if our two target warblers could be found. As soon as we got to the parking lot and got out of our car we heard Hooded Warbler(s). Looking around for them was unsuccessful but we could still hear them calling. We proceeded to the overlook and in very short order we heard a Worm-eating Warbler calling. The vegetation is very thick and the bird seemed to be working back and forth and up and down the bluff. But it would just not show itself. Brenda went back to the car for some bug spray (there were a few mosquitoes buzzing around). She had not been gone very long when the Worm-eating Warbler appeared in the vegetation about 1/2 way up the bluff and instantly disappeared in the leaves. It then decided to fly to a bare branch in an oak tree and continued singing/preening. I was able to listen and watch it for a minute or two but Brenda still had not come back from the car. It flew off to the south after a couple more minutes and Brenda and Larry Olpin (from Warrensburg) arrived at the observation deck. I told them the bird had just flown. Larry had come up with a desire to see a Cerulean Warbler, but was content to watch and listen with Brenda and me for awhile. While watching and visiting I noticed a small bird fly into the trees near the entrance to the viewing deck. It was a male Hooded Warbler. Brenda got glimpses, Larry O. got better looks and I got very satisfying looks at the bird. Two target birds for Brenda and me and we got both of them! The WEWA returned to the area but stayed pretty much hidden from view. Brenda and Larry O. did get a very short look as it flew through a clearing in the vegetation and headed north. It continued to sing, but did not come back into view while we were there.

Larry O. walked the bike trail while Brenda and I stayed for a while longer on the viewing deck. Later, we also walked the bike trail. None of us heard or saw the Cerulean Warbler.

Some other birds we heard/saw while at the park: Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Warbling Vireo and probably 50 + Red-eyed Vireos, Blackburnian Warbler, American Redstart, Swainson's and Wood Thrushes, Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Louisiana Waterthrush, Northern Parula, Summer and Scarlet Tanager, Acadian, Great Crested and Olive-sided Flycatchers.

Nice finds! I've been unsuccessful in finding Hooded Warbler in Missouri, and I haven't seen a Black-billed Cuckoo since I moved away from Ohio several years ago.

Steve Kinder and I drove down to Weston Bend State Park, Weston, Missouri, yesterday morning. Steve was wanting to get a Hooded Warbler for his "Missouri Year List". As sometimes happens, neither the Hooded or the Worm-eating Warbler was calling or coming into view. Perhaps we got there too late in the morning to detect their presence!

Steve did get a couple of "year birds" though, an Alder Flycatcher and a Black-billed Cuckoo.

Only one new bird for me:

234. Alder Flycatcher

Today at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Mound City, Missouri. Birded from 8 AM until Noon.

Canada Goose
Ring-necked Pheasant
Northern Bobwhite
Pied-billed Grebe
Great Blue Heron, many scattered around the refuge
Great Egret - about 50 in one group, Eagle Pool (north)
Green Heron - 2
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle, one adult perched in tree at northeast corner of tour loop
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer, several (the only shorebird seen today)
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, a saw seven (7) and heard four or five
Belted Kingfisher - 3
*Clean sweep of the woodpeckers, sans Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-headed, Red-bellied, Downy, Hairy, Pileated Woodpeckers and Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
....several non-vocal Empidonax flycatchers
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
American Crow
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
*pretty sure I heard a Red-breasted Nuthatch (but did not count it), as I did not see it
House Wrens seemed to be everywhere
Eastern Bluebird
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
.........no mockingbirds though! ........
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
American Redstart
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Cardinal
Blue Grosbeak (near Forbes, MO)
Indigo Bunting
Dickcissel
Red-winged Blackbird
.....I did not hear/see any Yellow-headed Blackbirds, but Ron Bell said there were a few around
Common Grackle
Great-tailed Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole, in addition to the adults there were quite a few first year males (a couple of these seemed to be carrying food for young?)
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

July 31, 2009 at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Mound City, Missouri

Wood Duck - 2
Northern Bobwhite - 1 heard
Pied-billed Grebe - 3 (must have been more hiding in Arrowhead/Lotus/Cattails vegetation)
American White Pelican - 80
Double-crested Cormorant - 1
Great Blue Heron - 15
Great Egret - 10
Turkey Vulture - 15
Killdeer - 10 (No mudflat habitat, hence no shorebirds other than Killdeer)
Rock Pigeon - 2
Mourning Dove - 25
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 1 heard
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 2
Belted Kingfisher - 2
Red-headed Woodpecker - 7
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Hairy Woodpecker - 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) - 3
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 1
Empidonax species - 5 (Acadian/Willow/Alder ?)
Great Crested Flycatcher - 5
Eastern Kingbird - 10
American Crow - 2
Tree Swallow - 100
Cliff Swallow - 1
Barn Swallow - 50
Black-capped Chickadee - 1
Tufted Titmous - 5
White-breasted Nuthatch - 3
House Wren - 2
Marsh Wren - 2
Eastern Bluebird - 1
American Robin - 1 (I don't know where the rest of them were!)
Gray Catbird - 1
Brown Thrasher - 1
European Starling - 200
Yellow Warbler - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 2
Chipping Sparrow - 5
Northern Cardinal - 5
(Blue Grosbeak - 5 along T Highway near Forbes, Missouri on way to the refuge)
Indigo Bunting - 10
Dickcissel - 3
Red-winged Blackbird - (Abundant)
Common Grackle - 20
Brown-headed Cowbird - 1 fledgling being fed by an adult male Indigo Bunting
Orchard Oriole - 2
American Goldfinch - 5

August 4, 2009
Birding Day at Fountain Grove Conservation Area/Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge (near Chillicothe, Missouri).

List of Birds seen/heard (Steve Kinder & Larry Lade)

Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Northern Bobwhite
American White Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Cooper's Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Killdeer
Lesser Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Dowitcher [Spp]
Ring-billed Gull
Foster's Tern
Black Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Black-billed Cuckoo
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Reb-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Empidonax species
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Sedge Wren
Marsh Wren
Eastern Bluebird
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Common Yellowthroat
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Dickcissel
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

Today at Squaw Creek NWR

October 15, 2009

Bird List of birds seen at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Mound City, Missouri

Greater White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead (my FOS)
Ruddy Duck
Wild Turkey
Pied-billed Grebe
American White Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
NORTHERN GOSHAWK - one immature
Red-tailed Hawk
MERLIN
American Coot
Lesser Yellowlegs - 2
Long-billed Dowitcher - 150
Wilson's Snipe - 1
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
American Robin
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler - 5
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
American Goldfinch

* I missed the Sandhill Cranes today, but Ron Bell (refuge manager) told me there are now five (5) cranes in the area! He also said he had seen 500 Ring-necked Ducks on the refuge.

November 14, 2009
Steve Kinder and I had an excellent day birding Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge at Mound City, Missouri this morning. The diving ducks are beginning to cover the refuge during their stop-overs on their way south for the winter months. Following the geese and ducks on their migration are the numerous Bald Eagles. Today we saw about 25 of these eagles, mostly immatures but 4 or 5 adult birds as well.

Our list of waterfowl included: Greater White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose, Ross's Goose, Canada Goose, TRUMPETER SWAN (3), Wood Duck, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Hooded Merganser and Ruddy Duck.

Several Wild Turkeys were a welcomed sight. Three (3) COMMON LOONS at nearby Big Lake State Park gave us some good views. Back on the refuge we recorded Pied-billed Grebe, American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, the aforementioned Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, American Coot, Franklin's and Herring Gull.

Next seen were some of the smaller birds: Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove (a little scarce, because hunters are now shooting some of them - but, of course, not on the refuge), Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Blue Jay and American Crow.

Some more of the smaller birds were: Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, (I had Red-breasted Nuthatch in our yard in Saint Joseph before we headed up to the refuge), White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, European Starling, and more than I have ever seen before in a flock AMERICAN PIPIT (250).

Sparrows, blackbirds, finches, etc: American Tree Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Harris's Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, recently arrived RUSTY BLACKBIRD (2), Common Grackle, Great-tailed Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, House Finch (again, in our yard in Saint Joseph), American Goldfinch and House Sparrow.

A great day to be out birding in the fall of the year!

A Day's Birding in the Chillicothe, Missouri Area

This morning I drove over to Chillicothe, Missouri from Saint Joseph, Missouri (a little over an hour's drive) to bird with a friend. We still have quite a bit of snow cover in our area and we did not expect to find a great variety of birds. But it was good to drive around the various areas in the Chillicothe area and see what was about.

We did not get to bird Swan Lake refuge because the gates were closed. But were were able to drive around at Pershing State Park, Fountain Grove Conservation Area and Poosey Conservation Area. We kept mostly to the main roads which were more or less snow/ice free and saw forty (40) species of birds. There were only a few species of waterfowl to be seen because of the ice covered ponds and lakes which were surveyed. The only birds of this genre we encountered were Canada Goose, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Ring-necked Duck, Common Goldeneye and Hooded Merganser.

The most unexpected bird we saw on this day's outing was a Turkey Vulture. This species usually arrives in our area in the first week in March, but due to the rather snowy/icy/frigid conditions, Steve and I were both quite surprised when we found a lone individual soaring near the boardwalk at Pershing State Park. We had a pretty good raptor day with views of several Bald Eagles, ~5 Northern Harriers, 3 Red-shouldered Hawks, ~10 Red-tailed Hawks, 9 Rough-legged Hawks and ~ 15 American Kestrels. The "frosting on the cake" was a very cooperative Short-eared Owl which was showing quite well sitting on a corner fence post around the Poosey Conservation Area in the late afternoon. Everywhere we went there were Horned Larks, usually in flocks of 20-25 birds. At times they were attended by Dark-eyed Juncos and American Tree Sparrows. But usually they were in single species flocks. We searched through them in vain trying to find a longspur or perhaps a Snow Bunting. I suppose these two species are still south of us awaiting an internal signal to move north! We were able to admire eight Purple Finch (5 males and 3 females) coming to a feeder just outside the main entrance of Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge at Sumner.

Other reguarly occuring birds rounded out our tally for the day to the forty (40) species. Not a very large total but it was good to be out birding nonetheless!