5/24 Connecticut Warbler

Tower Grove Park • St. Louis, MO
Last week I saw my first ever Connecticut Warbler and got lousy photos. It is No. 334 on my list of Bird Species Photographed in Missouri. Today was one of those days you only dream about. It migrates through here and is a very sneaky ground feeder usually in dense cover.

A few of the birds seen, complete set and larger sizes in gallery.
Click here to view the gallery • • • For location of birds click here for map.

Click thumb below to popup large photo. Hover thumbs for names.


I even managed two videos although it was only 17 feet away so DOF and keeping focus was a major problem.




Photos from gallery

5/04 Wilson's Plover

Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary (RMBS/Riverlands) - St. Charles County, MO
My son and I were outside when he thinks he hears my cell phone ringing. Checking my phone it was Larry Beeson calling. I returned his call and he said he has an odd plover out on the mud slowly moving away. He thinks he knows what it is but would not say. I was up there in record time and we scoped it from Riverlands Way. After getting closer we concluded it to be a Wilson's Plover which is No. 333 on my list of Bird Species Photographed in Missouri. This would be a potential 2nd Missouri record.

A few of the birds seen, complete set and larger sizes in gallery.
Click here to view the gallery • • • For location of birds click here for map.

Click thumb below to popup large photo. Hover thumbs for names.
Scoping and photos from Riverlands Way did not conclusively comfirm ID as it was out there over 100 yards.
Larry and I very slowly walked out on the mudflat zig-gagging and stopping after about each 10-15 steps watching for any alertness and taking a couple photos. He "hid" behing me so not to show much profile. No alertness seen, we got within about 45-50 yards where we could get a good ID and photos. Returning to the road I started to notify everyone.

Comparison with Semiplamated Plover and Semiplamated Sandpiper.




Photos from gallery

5/01 Anhinga

St. Francis River levee - Dunklin County, MO
I saw an eBird posting by Tim Jones of a female Anhinga in the Missouri boot heel and early the next morning I was heading down that way. About 2/3 of the way down Tim called and said he couldn't find the female but had spotted a male farther back in. I meet him on the levee and bad news, both birds had disappeared. We separated to search and I soon got a call, "They're up in the air". Both the M & F were riding the thermals together higher and higher. I managed to get a bunch of shots of the dark spots high above. On the way back home I also stopped by Big Oak Tree State Park and Ten Mile Pond where I found some sandpipers. The Anhinga is No. 332 on my list of Bird Species Photographed in Missouri.

A few of the birds seen, complete set and larger sizes in gallery.
Click here to view the gallery • • • For location of birds click here for map.

Click thumb below to popup large photo. Hover thumbs for names.
These photos are from on top of the St. Francis River levee in Dunklin County.


Big Oak Tree State Park and along the road


These photos and video are from Ten Mile Pond in Mississippi County.




Photos from gallery