THE AUDUBON BULLETIN 27 
SPRING REPORT FOR ST. LOUIS 
by Dick Anderson 
Apml was warm, but very dry (less than two inches of rainfall). May was 
cooler than normal with heavy rain late in the month The five inch 
Gefiest almost was made up in a five-day period May 21 to 25. We were 
Giessed with strong winds throughout the period. Migrants were on time 
Guring April, but fell behind in early May. We finally experienced heavy 
fights of land birds on May 12, 13, 14 and 15. 
A sirong front came through on the night of May 15-16 causing a few 
iceal tornados. Instead of the birds piling up, we had the effect of being in 
a Vacuum, seeing few birds. Then there was a continuous trickle of migrants 
from May 19 to 24. May 25 and 26 saw our last heavy flights. That’s when 
I mpoticed late migrants, such as Olive-sided Flycatcher, as well as early 
migrants like Black-throated Green Warbler. Early nesters, such as Brown 
Thrasher. had young out of the nest by the third week in May. Loons, 
g@rebes and cormorants all came through in normal numbers—no rarities. 
Heroms appeared in good numbers. Caitle egrets were again present 
im the Illimois levee area. My wife and I found a Louisiana Heron on the 
Ifimonss levees on June 2. It was seen later that day by Kathryn Arhos. 
The bird was im good adult plumage. complete with white plumes. This is 
the first record of this species in the Sit. Louis area and apparently is a 
fst for the state of Illinois. Least bitterms were much above normal in the 
Iifmoss marshes. A few American bitterns were present until June indicat- 
img possible nestinz. 
A Brant in breeding plumage was seen at the Illinois levees on May 
435 and 6 by many people (I saw it om May 5). Paul Bauer took 2 picture 
af ti om May 6. Many ducks were present later than rormal Pinitails were 
mmed om the levees on June 2, while young mallard and wocd ducks were 
@@t. Red-breasted Mergeansers were below normal numDers. 
Hawks were normal Our only peregrine was seen at Busch Wildlife 
rea om April 22 by Emily Norcross. A Mississippi Kite was seen on ihe 
Timots levees on May 25. 
Rails were normal A Purple Gallinule was seen on the levees by a 
group on May 28. This is the seventh recerd for the area. 
shorebirds were seen in goodly numbers because of suitable habitat. 
Goljen Plovers were common from April 6 to mid-May. As many as eight 
Ruiy Turmstones were seen on the levees in mid-May. Whiterumped 
Sam@dpipers were common in Iate May and early June. Dunlins were common. 
Hertha Massie and I found sixteen Hudsonian Godwites on the levees on 
May 3. This was the highest count ever for our area. An Avocet was seen 
imam May 4 to May 17. It was seen at various pleces and may have been 
Several different birds. Most terms were common during May. 
Cuckoos were very late and missed by most birders. Black-billed 
cartkees showed an iImcrease in numbers im the lIssi week of May and 
yellow-billed were not common until June 1. 
Red-headed Woodpeckers are still on the imcrease. The dying elms and 
Sycamores are surely a factor. This habitat is somewhat limited. since 
On June 2. Mitzi and I closely observed 2 Kingbird. From the front 
appeared to be a Western, except that the TIP of the tail appeared white. 
From the back it looked like an Eastern Kingbird. From what I could see. 
appeared to be a hybrid Eastern-Western Kingbird. Acadian Flycatchers 
mere noticeably late and scarce. A male Scissor-tailed Flycaicher appeared 
