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"Pre-run" Today for Tomorrow's 2006 Missouri Year List (1 Viewer)

Larry Lade

Moderator
I went out around Lake Contrary, Saint Joseph, and Bluff Woods this morning as sort of a "pre-run" in anticipation of beginning a new Missouri Year List tomorrow. Driving from our home to the lake area I began by counting Rock Pigeon(1), European Starling(2) and Red-tailed Hawk(3). Then heading down 752 highway (street) I made the obligatory stop at the St. Joseph Stockyards to pick up Eurasian Collared-Doves(4) and also got some Mourning Doves(5). Next took "U" Highway over to Lake Contrary proper and added Snow Goose(6), Canada Goose(7), Cackling Goose(8), Ring-billed Gull(9), Northern Cardinal(10), Northern Flicker(11) and American Kestrel(12). Stopping at the St. Joseph Yacht Club on the Missouri River I found a lone, female Mallard(13) and one male Common Goldeneye(14). Back over the levy to the perimeter road around lake I pulled off to the side of the road and "pished up" some native sparrows, Song(15), Swamp(16) and American Tree(17). They were in the emergent vegetation at the lake's edge. Going past the Kneib CA south of Lake Contrary I spied a Cooper's Hawk(18) sitting high in one of the trees there. Continuing in a southerly direction more birds were added, Horned Lark(19), Northern Mockingbird(20), House Sparrow(21) and American Goldfinch(22). The only "new" bird around Muskrat Lake was White-crowned Sparrow(23). There were eight Bald Eagles(24) hanging around Mud Lake even though there were no waterfowl on the ice-covered lake.

I decided to see if I could pick up some "dickey birds" at Bluff Woods CA and crossed over 59 Highway to that area. Eastern Bluebirds(25) were on the utility wires beside the road. Blue Jays(26) and Dark-eyed Juncos(27) were in the weedy ditch beside the road. I drove over to the Interpretive Trail area of this conservation area and heard American Crows(28) cawing in the distance. After walking a short distance on this paved trail I began seeing/hearing White-breasted Nuthatches(29), Black-capped Chickadees(30), Red-bellied Woodpeckers(31), Downy Woodpeckers(32) and Brown Creepers(33). A flash of a small raptor proved to be a Sharp-shinned Hawk(34) which flew low over Kerlin Creek and into a heavily wooded area. Perhaps, he had just dived at a Winter Wren(35), because when he was the gone I observed the little wren doing "deep knee bends" in a leafless multifora rose bush. After watching him for about a minute I continued my walk on the trail. Next encountered were some Golden-crowned Kinglets(36) foraging nervously high in the deciduous trees accompanied by Tufted Titmice(37). The last birds I saw here were several White-throated Sparrows(38).

Time to try for some Harris's Sparrows along the bluff road heading north away from the conservation area. I was unsuccessful in that attempt, but did see about five Yellow-rumped Warblers(39).

When I arrived back home on Sacramento Street I added one more "new" bird for the day. A female Hairy Woodpecker(40) was at the peanut feeder in our yard.

40 birds is about the expected number around here (for me) in a morning's birding.

 
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