Life Sciences Commons^™

Fall Field Report, August–November 2005, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

This fall was notable for its lack of notable events; numbers of migrants reported in all species groups, especially waterfowl, shorebirds, and warblers, were low. Lingering birds were both insectivores and seed-eaters, and, coupled with a rather stable fall weather-wise, it seems that there were no disturbances to concentrate birds or otherwise impede a steady flow of migrants through the state. Without concentrations, migrants are often not noticed or, more accurately here, not reported by observers.

The best Western Grebe count was 2500, very low relative to expected high fall counts of at least 20,000. Mergansers were the only bright …

Fall Field Days At Harlan County Reservoir

Nebraska Bird Review

The annual Fall Field Days were held on September 9–11, 2005, at the 4-H Camp near Alma. Field trip destinations included Harlan County Reservoir and various other points of interest in Furnas, Harlan, Franklin, Phelps, Kearney, and Adams Counties. The total tally was 119 species, including Snowy Egret, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Mississippi Kite, Prairie Falcon, and Olive-sided Flycatcher.

Fifty-four members and guests attended. On Friday the group heard from Dr. Josef Kren on the topic of obligate brood parasites, species that have lost the ability to construct nests and incubate eggs and instead lay eggs in the nests of other species, …

Subscription And Organization Information [December 2005]

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., as its official journal, and is sent to members not in arrears of dues. Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $15 in the United States, $18 in Canada, and $30 in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4 each, postpaid, in the United States, $5 in Canada, and $8 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Mary Lou Pritchard, NOU Librarian, c/o University of Nebraska State Museum, W-436 Nebraska Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514.

Memberships in the NOU (on a calendar-year basis only): …

Nebraska Bird Review (December 2005) 73(4), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Fall Field Report, August–November 2005 ... 134

Fall Field Days at Harlan County Reservoir ... 150

Snowy Plover Nesting at Lake McConaughy in 2004 and 2005 ... 154

Suggested Areas for Study ... 157

Index to Volume 73 ... 160

Subscription and Organization Information ... 171

Snowy Plover Nesting At Lake Mcconaughy In 2004 And 2005, Mark M. Peyton, Gabriel Wilson

Nebraska Bird Review

The Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) is a small shore bird that upon casual observation resembles the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus). The most obvious differences are in the dark beak and legs of the Snowy Plover in contrast to the orange bill with the black tip and orange legs of the Piping Plover. The two also have strikingly different calls (pers. obs.). In Nebraska the Piping Plover can be found along the Missouri, Platte, Niobrara, Loup, and Elkhorn Rivers and the sandpits associated with those rivers (Haig and Plissner 1993). Piping Plovers are also common along the …

Index To Volume 73

Nebraska Bird Review

Adams, Chris 32

Alexander,

George 32

Irene 32

Amiotte, Sue 97, 136

Anderson,

Kari 31

Riley 28

Anhinga 46, 51

Armknecht, Henry 4, 32, 96

Audubon Society 22

Aughey, Samuel 125

Avocet, American 46, 54, 87, 102, 140

Suggested Areas For Study, William F. Rapp Jr.

Nebraska Bird Review

After 100 years of organized ornithology we have a good picture of the bird fauna of Nebraska. Yes, we will still be able to add new species to the state list, but this will become more and more difficult. What problems are left for the amateur ornithologist to solve? Nebraska is a big state with many different ecological areas, few of which have been studied in detail. Only a few areas of the state have been well studied. Not only do we need data on what species occur, but how many. This type of study can be done by amateur …

Summer Field Report, June–July 2005, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

The highlights of this season revolve around the excellent wetland habitat that existed in the eastern Rainwater Basin as a result of two things: a period of good rains in May and playa wetlands that have undergone restoration. The latter involves removal of accumulated silt and woody vegetation. Silt removal allows for germination of plants of the native soil bank in the original impervious pan, as well as somewhat deeper and more stable water conditions. These conditions resulted in several important breeding records, such as Pied-billed Grebe, American Coot, Northern Shoveler, and especially Black-necked Stilt. The good water conditions no …

Nebraska Bird Review (September 2005) 73(3), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Summer Field Report, June–July 2005 ... 94

In Memory of John J. Dinan, 1954–2005 ... 113

Multiple Black-necked Stilt Nesting Records in the Rainwater Basin ... 115

The 2005 Nebraska Nest Report ... 119

Status of the Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) in Nebraska ... 124

Subscription and Organization Information ... 131

Multiple Black-Necked Stilt Nesting Records In The Rainwater Basin, Joel G. Jorgensen, Paul Dunbar

Nebraska Bird Review

Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus mexicanus) have increased throughout much of the mid-continent in recent decades (Will 1999, Brinkley 2003, Brinkley and Baicich 2004). Prior to 1970 there were fewer than ten Nebraska records (Sharpe et al. 2001 ). Reports have increased since 1970 and are now annual. Breeding was first recorded in Nebraska in 1985 at Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Heisinger 1985). Breeding has been more or less regular in the western Sandhills since then (Sharpe et al. 2001) and additional breeding records have occurred in Scotts Bluff (Silcock 2002b ), Keith, and Hall Counties (Silcock 2000b ). …

In Memory Of John J. Dinan, 1954–2005, Wayne J. Mollhoff

Nebraska Bird Review

It was immediately obvious to anyone who knew John that his work with the birds and other wildlife of Nebraska was more than just a job—it was his life, and he lived it with a passion. Although not always a formal member of the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, John, as much as anyone, was "dedicated to the study, appreciation, and protection of birds" in Nebraska.

Those privileged enough to spend time afield with John quickly became aware of the presence of not just a professional biologist, but one still fired with that first innocent curiosity at discovering Nebraska's natural environment. That …

Subscription And Organization Information [September 2005]

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., as its official journal and is sent to members not in arrears of dues. Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $15 in the United States, $18 in Canada, and $30 in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4 each, postpaid, in the United States, $5 in Canada, and $8 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Mary Lou Pritchard, NOU Librarian. c/o University of Nebraska State Museum, W-436 Nebraska Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514.

Memberships in the NOU (on a calendar-year basis only): …

Status Of The Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica Cerulea) In Nebraska, W. Ross Silcock, John J. Dinan, Bill Huser, Joel G. Jorgensen

Nebraska Bird Review

The Cerulean Warbler is a species of high conservation concern because of apparent long-term declines throughout its breeding range (Hamel 2000a, Hamel et al. 2004, Sauer et al. 2005) and threats to and reduction of breeding and wintering habitat (Hamel et al. 2004, Rick et al. 2004). Nebraska has traditionally been at the western periphery of the species' breeding range, where it is restricted to mature woodlands in the Missouri River Valley (Sharpe et al. 2001, Mollhoff 2001). The Cerulean Warbler is a Tier I "at-risk" species under the Nebraska Natural Legacy Plan because it is a conservation priority (Schneider …

The 2005 Nebraska Nest Report, Wayne J. Mollhoff

Nebraska Bird Review

The drought that gripped much of western Nebraska for the past 5 years loosened its hold this year as rain returned to more normal levels, especially in the northwest Panhandle. Some other areas of the state still remained at below normal rainfall levels.

The following observers submitted records for the nest report: Kathy Delara (KD), Stephen J. Dinsmore (SJD), Mike Fritz (MF), Robin Harding (RH), Derrick Keim (DK), Alice Kenitz (AK), Courtney Kerns (CK), Daniel H. Kim (DHK), Thomas Labedz (TL), Andre Lima (AL), Leonard McDaniel (LM), Wayne Mollhoff (WM), Colleen Noecker (CN), Don Paseka (DP), Janis Paseka (JP), Lanny …

Spring Field Report, March-May 2005, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

As is often the case, the spring season had something for everyone: potential range expansions, an incredible shorebird migration through the eastern Rainwater Basin, a scarcity of migrant warblers, and some genuinely rare birds.

Timely spring rainfall transformed the Rainwater Basin, leaving large areas of sheetwater for migrant shorebirds and improving the attractiveness of wetlands, particularly renovated wetlands, to certain breeding species.

Perhaps the most important bits of information we can record here are changes in breeding ranges or behavior. Of significance here is the second nesting record for Hooded Merganser, the increasing occurrence of Greater Prairie-Chickens at Rainwater Basin …

Nebraska Bird Review (June 2005) 73(2), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Spring Field Report, March–May 2005 ... 46

Northern Saw-whet Owls: Rare or Overlooked? An Example from the Central Platte Valley ... 67

Least Tern and Piping Plover Surveys of the Central and Upper Platte River 2001–2004 ... 71

2004 (16th) Report of the NOU Records Committee ... 78

Correction to the 2002 NOURC Report ... 84

Correction to the “Official List of the Birds of Nebraska: 2003” ... 84

In Memory of Loren ‘Bub’ Blake ... 85

Annual Meeting at Calamus Reservoir ... 86

Subscription and Organization Information ... 91

Least Tern And Piping Plover Surveys Of The Central And Upper Platte River 2001–2004, Mark Czaplewski, Jim Jenniges, Mark Peyton

Nebraska Bird Review

Central Platte Natural Resources District (Central Platte NRD), Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD), and Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District (Central) have been involved in monitoring and management of interior Least Tern (Sterna antillarum) and Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) nesting habitat along the Platte River and on the shores of Lake McConaughy in Nebraska since the late 1980s. Since 2001, Central Platte NRD, NPPD, and Central have also helped implement the Least Tern and Piping Plover monitoring protocol developed by the Technical Advisory Committee of the Platte River Endangered Species Partnership (PRESP) (PRESP 2002a, an …

Northern Saw-Whet Owls: Rare Or Overlooked? An Example From The Central Platte Valley, Daniel H. Kim

Nebraska Bird Review

Assessing the population status for species requires accurate measures of local or regional numbers. For many species, standardized protocols exist for estimating local numbers through visual counts (e.g., Breeding Bird Survey routes, Christmas Bird Count circles, and point count protocols used by the US Forest Service). For many raptor species, monitoring populations at migratory bottlenecks such as the Goshute Mountains, NV, Hawk Mountain, PA, and Cape May, NJ, provide yearly indices of population health. Unfortunately, most monitoring protocols overlook a suite of small crepuscular or nocturnal species. Project Owlnet (www.projectowlnet.org) is a volunteer-based network of banding stations focusing on Northern …

2004 (16th) Report Of The Nou Records Committee, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

The functions and methods of the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union Records Committee are described in its bylaws (NOU Records Committee 1986). The committee's purpose is to provide a procedure for documenting unusual bird sightings and to establish a list of all documented birds for Nebraska. The "Official List of the Birds of Nebraska" was first published in 1988 (NOU Records Committee 1988) and has been updated two times (NOU Records Committee 1997, 2004).

The "Official List" has been appended fourteen times: (Mollhoff 1989, Grenon 1990, 1991, Gubanyi 1996a, 1996b, 1996c, Brogie 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, Jorgensen 2001, 2002, 2003). This …

Subscription And Organization Information [June 2005]

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., as its official journal and is sent to members not in arrears of dues. Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $15 in the United States, $18 in Canada, and $30 in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4 each, postpaid, in the United States, $5 in Canada, and $8 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Mary Lou Pritchard, NOU Librarian, c/o University of Nebraska State Museum, W-436 Nebraska Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514.

Memberships in the NOU (on a calendar-year basis only): …

Annual Meeting At Calamus Reservoir

Nebraska Bird Review

The 106th Annual Meeting of the NOU was held on May 13–15, 2005, at the Calamus Lodge near Burwell. Sixty-four members and guests were in attendance.

The slate of candidates presented by the nominating committee was accepted by the members present. The officers elected were Dave Heidt, president (replacing Alice Kenitz), Urban Lehner, vice-president (replacing Dave Heidt), Betty Grenon, treasurer, Kevin Poague, secretary (replacing Mitzi Fox), Mary Lou Pritchard, librarian, Loren Padelford, director, and Janis Paseka, editor.

Friday evening's speaker was Scott Taylor, Upland Game Program Manager for Nebraska Game and Parks, who spoke about current upland game bird research …

In Memory Of Loren ‘Bub’ Blake, Sept. 17, 1944-Oct. 5, 2004, Neal Ratzlaff

Nebraska Bird Review

Loren Blake, known to all of his friends as 'Bub,' entered many of our lives on a fall evening in the late 1980s. The occasion was the traditional shared nature slide session at the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union Fall Field Days. Rumors circulated about a Sandhills rancher interested in birds and photography who was going to show up with a few slides he had taken “around the ranch.” And show up he did, with a carousel of his best! The room was soon buzzing with Oohs, Aahs, and Wows as Bub dazzled us with his crisp, well-composed photos of everything from …

Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Treasurer’S Report 2004

Nebraska Bird Review

One-page spreadsheet constituting the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union treasurer's report at year end (December 31) of 2004. The grand total is $51,716.19.

Nebraska Bird Review (March 2005) 73(1), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Treasurer's Report 2004 ... 2

Winter Field Report, December 2004 to February 2005 ... 3

The 2003-2004 Nebraska Nest Report ... 15

Habitat Associations of Nebraska Birds ... 20

New Westward Breeding Records for Eastern Towhees in Central Nebraska ... 26

In Memory of Dr. Rushton G. Cortelyou ... 29

2004-05 Christmas Bird Counts in Nebraska ... 30

Subscription and Organization Information ... 43

Habitat Associations Of Nebraska Birds, Paul A. Johnsgard, John Dinan

Nebraska Bird Review

In the fall of 2003 we set out to assign habitat associations to 363 species of birds that regularly occur in Nebraska for the purpose of evaluating the relative importance of each of Nebraska's major habitats to the state's breeding, migrating, and wintering birds. It is our hope that this information will (1) provide the first thorough investigation of Nebraska's birds and the habitats they use, and (2) provide a method for prioritizing the conservation of Nebraska's varied habitats for birds.

The 2003-2004 Nebraska Nest Report, Wayne J. Mollhoff

Nebraska Bird Review

Due to the fact that I was recalled to active duty by the US Army, I have been out of the state for the past two years. Hence, the number of observations made will be much abbreviated, and the usual comments on climatic conditions will be more limited.

A brief visit to the western Panhandle in June 2003 revealed that at least the southwestern Panhandle received enough rain to grow a crop of wheat, and there was more grass on the hills than in the previous several years. Despite this, some other parts of the state, especially the western Republican …

Winter Field Report, December 2004 To February 2005, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

This winter was generally unremarkable except for the occurrence of good numbers of several species at the western edge of the state, notably Clark's Nutcracker, Pygmy Nuthatch, and Bohemian Waxwing. There were a couple of sightings of Mountain Chickadee and one of Cassin's Finch for good measure. All of the winter finches on the Nebraska list (except for Hoary Redpoll) appeared, most notably Pine Grosbeak, represented by two birds. One of these was in the southwest (Kansas had several reports) but the other was in the east, suggesting either multiple points of origin, or, as suggested by some in Kansas, …

Subscription And Organization Information [March 2005]

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., as its official journal and is sent to members not in arrears of dues. Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $15 in the United States, $18 in Canada and $30 in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4 each, postpaid, in the United States, $5 in Canada, and $8 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Mary Lou Pritchard, NOU Librarian, c/o University of Nebraska State Museum, W-436 Nebraska Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514.

Memberships in the NOU (on a calendar-year basis only): …

2004-05 Christmas Bird Counts In Nebraska

Nebraska Bird Review

The addition of a new count encompassing Ponca State Park brings our total reported Nebraska counts to twelve this year. A total of 199 field counters and 20 feeder watchers participated. Temperatures were average, DeSoto being the cold spot, and precipitation was minimal.

This was the first year Cackling Geese were reported, following the recent split of Canada and Cackling Geese; a total of 70 were counted in 6 circles. American Wigeon numbers have been rising steadily on Nebraska CBCs, and the trend continued this year with 819 counted, a 25-year high. Three White-winged Scoters were found at Lake Mcconaughy, …

In Memory Of Dr. Rushton G. Cortelyou

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Ornithologists' Union lost a longtime member and friend on May 2, 2004, when Dr. Rushton Cortelyou passed away just 16 days shy of his 98th birthday. He had been a member of the NOU for more than 50 years. He was preceded in death by Margaret, his wife of 68 years. Survivors include daughters Helen Linger and Carol Cortelyou, five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Rusty’s membership in the NOU dates from 1953, and he contributed much to the organization. He served as president in 1962-64 and as editor of The Nebraska Bird Review from 1965 to 1990. As …