Saint Joseph, Missouri Birds (1 Viewer)

Larry Lade · Sep 24, 2003

September 24, I birded the area south of Saint Joseph this morning. I was plesantly surprised to see quite a few water birds on Mud Lake. The first birds I noticed were 28 Cattle Egrets on a low island in the middle of the lake (some of them were still sporting their brownish tinged breeding plumage), one Snowy Egret was in their midst and two more snowies were away from the flock of resting egrets and attempting to catch breakfast. There were six American White Pelicans, one Double-crested Cormorant, 20 Canada Geese, 32 Blue-winged Teal and seven Pied-billed Grebes in the same general area. On Lake Contrary proper I found one White-faced Ibis feeding in the watery vegetation at lake side and a few ducks hiding in the vegetation. This year we have unsuitable habitat for shorebirds (waders) and the only ones I saw were a couple of Killdeer and one Pectoral Sandpiper. Ring-necked Ducks usually do not show up until November, so the one adult male I saw on Lake Contrary was also a surprise.
Away from the water I observed five Yellow-rumped Warblers, five Eastern Bluebirds and a late departing Lark Sparrow (most of his/her kin left three or four weeks ago). All in all a pretty good day to be out birding!

Larry

Karl J · Sep 29, 2003

Hi Larry - what do you mean ''this year we have unsuitable habitat for shorebirds (waders)'' ..... what is different about this year ? .... too dry ?

Michael Frankis · Sep 30, 2003

I'd guess too wet - if water levels are too high, there's no mud for them to stop at. An all-too-common predicament here, anyway!

Michael

Larry Lade · Sep 30, 2003

We have recently gotten a little rain after two years of exceptionally dry weather. Most of our regular "mud flat" areas have grown up in weeds. One of the lakes near Saint Joseph has been pumping water and have maintained a respectable amount, but the shore line is all vegetated and not used by the shorebirds. Most have probably just "over flown" our area.

Having said that, there is a lake north of Saint Joseph (about 40 miles north) that I visited today. It is called Big Lake and it is bordered by a State Park. There were thousands of Tree Swallows and Barn Swallows, Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers, Northern Pintail and Mallards. The water of that particular lake is low and there are extensive mud flats. Consequently, there were quite a few shorebirds there. Some of the ones I saw were: Pectoral Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, American Golden Plover and American Avocet.

Larry

Karl J · Sep 30, 2003

That's interesting Larry, in some ways your patch is very different to what I'm used to (I'm near the coast whereas you seem some way from it) but in other ways (ie lakes, mudflats etc) it sounds very similar. The birdlife sounds like it may have some similarities as well.

Think I'll have a closer look at this over the weekend

Larry Lade · Oct 1, 2003

Hi Carlos,

Yes, we are a long way from the coasts here in Missouri. Our state is located in the approximate center of the United States. It is over 2000 miles to the east coast (Atlantic Ocean) and over 2000 miles to the west coast (Pacific Ocean). I have been to both coasts but only infrequently. Of course there were many birds I was able to see on both coasts which we do not get here. One bird I did get recently was a Sabine's Gull which for some reason or another did show up here in the country's midsection. It was a "tick" for many of our local birders and a new Missouri Bird for me. I had previously seen some over the Pacific Ocean when I took my one and only pelagic birding trip out of Westport, Washington. Washington is our most northwestern state.

Good birding on the coast!

Larry

Michael Frankis · Oct 1, 2003

Hi Larry,

Thanks for the clarification!

I guess your closest coast is the Gulf?

Larry Lade said:
Having said that, there is a lake north of Saint Joseph (about 40 miles north) that I visited today. It is called Big Lake and it is bordered by a State Park. There were thousands of Tree Swallows and Barn Swallows, Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers, Northern Pintail and Mallards. The water of that particular lake is low and there are extensive mud flats. Consequently, there were quite a few shorebirds there. Some of the ones I saw were: Pectoral Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, American Golden Plover and American Avocet

Would you believe it, I've seen all but two of this list in Britain?! (the missing two being Tree Swallow and American Avocet)

Michael

Larry Lade · Oct 1, 2003

I have been studying the birds of Britain because I will be in London on February 12, for one day only. We do have a lot of the ducks in common. Of course, we do not get the Tufted Duck or pochards (three which come to mind).

However, your waders (we call them shorebirds) vary from ours to a large extent.

Larry

Michael Frankis · Oct 1, 2003

Hi Larry,

Spot on. Our Pochard is a close relative of your Redhead and Canvasback, and our Tufted Duck, your Lesser Scaup.

Red-crested Pochard (your third of 'three that come to mind'?) isn't really a British bird, a scarce passage visitor here, though it is also very popular as an ornamental waterfowl (so you may well see some in the London parks, but they're not really 'tickable' there!)

Several of the shorebirds are the same (Dunlin, Red Knot, Sanderling) but many others are different, having similar species replacing them (e.g. Spotted Sandpiper/Common Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper/Green Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs/Greenshank, Willet/Redshank, etc). Of the ones you list that I've seen, Greater Yellowlegs is the rarest as a vagrant over here (about one UK record every 5 years), and Pectoral Sand the most regular (about 40-50 records a year on average, there's been a big influx this year after hurricane Fabian). American Avocet has yet to be recorded in Britain, ever.

Good luck of course with your London visit, I'm sure we'll be hearing more about it closer to the time!

Michael

Edward · Oct 1, 2003

Larry Lade said:
Washington is our most northwestern state.

Larry

Not sure Alaskans would agree with you there Larry,

Sounds like a good day out Larry and I would have seen a number of lifers had I been with you! I've just got to get over to the States and Canada!

E

Larry Lade · Oct 1, 2003

Oops!

Mea Culpa!

Sorry, if there are any Alaskans listening!!! What I meant was that Washington State is our most northwest state in the lower 48 states. I have not been to Alaska, but I sure would like to go sometime. My next destination, though, I believe will be in the northeastern US, as in the vicinity of the state of Maine. I could pick up quite a few "life" birds there. That would be especially true if I were to take a pelagic trip into the Atlantic from that area.

Later all,

Larry

Larry Lade · Oct 1, 2003

Hi Michael,

Yes, the Gulf is a little closer than either coast. But it is still quite a drive to get there from Misssouri. I have been birding in Florida a couple of times and also a couple of times to Texas. Great birds are to be seen in both of those states which we do not get in Missouri. Some examples are Snail Kite, Limpkin, Purple Gallinule, etc. (in Florida); and Great Kiskadee, Crested Caracara, Olive Sparrow, Harris's Hawk etc. (in Texas).

I am really looking forward to my visit to the London area, even though it will be for only one day. (We have a 12 hour layover on our way to Kenya).

Larry

Larry Lade · Oct 21, 2003

Big Lake Mudflats (Missouri, USA)

I have been birding Big Lake area which is 45 minutes north of Saint Joseph, Missouri. It is still currently about the only shorebird habitat in our vicinity. The birds always seem to concentrate on "the far side" of the lake. The bigger birds are readily identifiable, but the smaller ones are a definite challenge!
The fall migrants are still coming through the area. Some of the birds observed are: Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Dunlin, Pectoral Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitchers, Stilt Sandpipers and the ubiquitous Killdeer. Duck species include: Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Northern Shovelers, Gadwall, Canada Geese, Greater White-fronted Geese. Yesterday I saw the first Redhead of the season (the duck, not a woman). Also present were some American White Pelicans. It should not be too long before we begin to see some scoters, loons and grebes!

Attached is a photo of me scoping some of these birds.

Larry

Charles Harper · Oct 21, 2003

Ah, an experienced scoper-- you've found a shady spot...

Grousemore · Oct 21, 2003

Don't worry,Larry,I'll find you plenty of shady spots when you visit London next February!

Larry Lade · Oct 21, 2003

Hey, Guys, I have been studying up on "your waders" in the event we see some in February. Also the tits, finches, pigeons,etc. and maybe we can get a Green Woodpecker, Great Crested Grebe, Kingfisher,.................

I might like to be more out in the sun in February ;-)

Trevor, I am looking forward to meeting you!

Larry

Larry Lade · Nov 12, 2003

I guess you could call "my local patch" the oxbow lakes area just to the south of Saint Joseph, Missouri, USA. I bird there two or three times a week, year round. When I am not birding there, I am usually going to places a little further afield, usually about 30 to 90 miles away.

Today I birded my local patch (Lake Contrary/oxbows). The first bird I encountered was a SURF SCOTER. This is a pretty good bird for our area as they are not seen every year. Also present were two AMERICAN AVOCETS, also a good find for our area. Other birds of particular interest were seven HORNED GREBES, two EARED GREBES (Black-necked grebes), many DUNLIN, WILSON'S SNIPE and an array of waterfowl, RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, HOODED MERGANSERS, LESSER SCAUP, RING-NECKED DUCK, MALLARD, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, CANVASBACK, NORTHERN SHOVELER, with a great many BUFFLEHEAD and RUDDY DUCKS. In the heavy vegetation edging the lake were many native sparrow: SONG, HARRIS'S, FOX, AMERICAN TREE, WHITE-CROWNED, SWAMP AND DARK-EYED JUNCO (slate-colored). A couple other birds of note were YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Myrtle race) and NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD.

The SURF SCOTER was number 266 on my 2003 year list for the state of Missouri.

Larry

Tero · Nov 12, 2003

Larry, I have seen two Red Winged Black Birds in November, in Eastern Missouri. I don't spend as much time by lakes as you do. Guess I should, but weekends are busy with STUFF. Otherwise I would haveseen more of those sparrows...

Larry Lade · Nov 13, 2003

Surprise

I was surprised to see two AMERICAN AVOCETS still hanging around Lake Contrary, south of Saint Joseph, Missouri. This is the latest I have seen them here. Another lingering bird was a GREAT EGRET on a nearby lake, Mud Lake.

Larry Lade · Nov 13, 2003

I am still awaiting the arrival of the "winter finches". I have not seen Purple Finch, Pine Siskin or Red-breasted Nuthatch this fall. However, today, flying over and landing in the harvested soybean and corn fields just south of Saint Joseph, Missouri, USA, I observed two flocks of LAPLAND LONGSPURS. Each flock held about 150 birds. They were the first Laplands I have seen this fall.

The Great Egret was still at Mud Lake (a nearby lake) "all by his/her lonesome", not even a Great Blue Heron around to keep it company. Normally the egret are "long gone" by now. I have seen it fly and it looks completely healthy. I am not certain why it is hanging around. Perhaps it will stay to be counted on our Christmas Bird Count (CBC).

Larry Lade

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