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Nebraska Bird Review (December 1984) 52(4), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

An Exceptional “Fall” Migration of Shorebirds along the Big Bend Reach of the Platte River … 70

1984 Fall Field Day … 71

Least Tern Eggs in Nests of the Piping Plover … 72

Nesting Common Moorhen in Lancaster County … 74

Cattle Egrets and White-faced Ibises Nesting at Valentine Refuge … 6

Notes … 76

Index of Volume 52 … 78

“Notes” From Nebraska Bird Review (December 1984) 52(4)

Nebraska Bird Review

EARLY NESTING WOOD DUCKS. On 7 May 1983 I found a female Wood Duck with newly hatched ducklings at Cedar Island, a property along the Platte River in Sarpy County owned by Metropolitan Utilities District.—Ruth C. Green, Bellevue

GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER NEST. On 20 June 1984 I saw Great Crested Flycatchers nesting in a bluebird box. This was at Beaver Lake, Cass Co.—Ruth C. Green, Bellevue

LAZULI BUNTING. I saw a male Lazuli Bunting by the railroad tracks at the foot of Child’s Hollow in Fontenelle Forest, Sarpy County, on 14 May 1984.—Ray Korpi, Bellevue

GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW IN BOX BUTTE …

An Exceptional "Fall" Migration Of Shorebirds Along The Big Bend Reach Of The Platte River, Gary R. Lingle, Thomas E. Labedz

Nebraska Bird Review

The Big Bend reach of the Platte River extends about 80 miles from Overton to Chapman, Nebraska. This area is characterized by braided channels with numerous riverine islands bordered by cottonwoods (Populus deltoides) and willows (Salix spp.) along the high banks. Habitat between the high banks consists of open water, barren sandbars and mudflats, herbaceous islands, shrub islands, and floodplain forest.

Prolonged summer flows during 1983 were among the highest recorded this century; in excess of 20,000 cfs (cubic feet per second). Spring 1984 also consisted of high flows resulting in much scouring and shifting of …

Index To Volume 52

Nebraska Bird Review

Accipiter sp. 14

Adcock, Dorothy 18, 58

Alexander, George 17

Irene 17

Alfred, Norris 3, 23, 56

Allison, Mary 18

Anderson, RoseAnn 17

Sheridan 17

Ardinger, Bruce 18

Arrowhead (plant) 21

Avocet, American 6, 30, 55(2), 76

. . .

Yellowlegs, Greater 6, 30, 55, 60, 70, 71

Lesser 6, 30, 55, 70, 71

Yellowthroat, Common 11, 33, 40, 41, 50, 64

Zeillemaker, C. Fred 26, 28(6), 29(4), 30(5), 31(3), 32(6), 33, 34(5)

Melly 26

Nesting Common Moorhen In Lancaster County, William C. Garthright

Nebraska Bird Review

On 6 July 1984, at 6 PM CDT, I saw a Common Moorhen at the Capitol Beach marsh, in Lincoln. It was about 10 yards to the north when I first saw it, and I could see the red facial shield and red bill with yellow tip, the yellow legs, a thin white horizontal line along the side, and prominent white patches along either side of dark undertail coverts. It acted mildly agitated, and swam away from me but stayed in the vicinity.

At 7 the next morning I waded into the pond at that spot. This time I saw …

Masthead From Nebraska Bird Review (December 1984) 52(4)

Nebraska Bird Review

Published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., as its official journal and sent free to all members who are not in arrears for dues. Subscriptions (on calendar year basis only) are $7.00 per year in the United States and $9.00 per year in all other countries payable in advance. Single copies are $2.25 each, postpaid.

Memberships (on a calendar year basis only): Student, $.3.00; Active, $7.00; Sustaining, $15.00; Family Active, $10.00; Family Sustaining, $20.00; Life, $100.00.

All dues and subscriptions should be remitted to the Treasurer, Mrs. Jack Shafer, RR2, Box 61, Wood …

1984 Fall Field Day

Nebraska Bird Review

The 1984 Fall Field Day was held (officially) from noon to noon, 6/7 October, at the4-H Camp at Halsey National Forest. The weather was not the best—light rain early Saturday morning, only a couple of short showers in the afternoon, and no rain Sunday, both days dull and gray. But the attendance was good—87 were officially registered—but the added manpower could not make up for the lateness in the season and the poor weather—the tally on or near the Forest was only 81. In addition, 4 species (marked N) not recorded in the Forest were seen by a party that …

“Book Review” From Nebraska Bird Review (September 1984) 52(3)

Nebraska Bird Review

Birding with a Purpose: Of Raptors, Gabboons, and Other Creatures, Frances Hamerstrom, 130 pp., 6¼ x 9¼, The Iowa State University Press, Ames. Hardcover, $13.95.

These are snippets—interesting, amusing, sometimes amazing—from Mrs. Hamerstrom’s long experience with birds and birders. She devised her own methods of marking individual birds so they could be recognized while flying free; she had to learn about trapping raptors and adapting these traps to different species; she had run-ins with authorities, and was helped by individual law enforcement officers; and she had problems (as so did others) with five high school boys who attached themselves …

“Notes” From Nebraska Bird Review (September 1984) 52(3)

Nebraska Bird Review

BURCHARD LAKE. Bill Garthright and Bill and Bonnie Mulder went to Burchard Lake, Pawnee Co. 16 April 1984 and saw the Greater Prairie Chickens on their booming grounds. Jim and Sandra Kovanda were there and reported these birds: 27 May 2 Double-crested Cormorants, 1 Little Blue Heron (immature), 2 Hooded Mergansers, and 1 Forster's Tern; an immature Common Loon 3 and 23 June, and a Loggerhead Shrike 23 June.

WADERS. I found Great Egrets in Holt Co. in mid-June 1984, adult Little Blue Herons at three locations in Boone and Nance counties from April through June, and 10 adult Cattle …

1984 (Fifty-Ninth) Spring Occurrence Report

Nebraska Bird Review

Two hundred ninety-three species (and the possibility that one of the Swan sp. was not a Tundra Swan) are listed in this report, from 13 locations. The comparable figures for 1983 are 288 and 2 possibles from 13 location, 1982 287 from 15 locations, and 1981 298 from 12. The symbols used in the tabulations are: . . .

Nebraska Bird Review (September 1984) 52(3), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Spring 1984 Whooping Crane Records in Nebraska … 46

1983 Nebraska Nesting Survey … 47

1984 (Fifty-ninth) Spring Occurrence Report … 51

Notes … 59

Book Review … 68

1983 Nebraska Nesting Survey, Esther V. Bennett

Nebraska Bird Review

Data on the 1983 nesting season in Nebraska were received from 24 observers, reporting on 69 species from 49 counties. Counties in the tabulation are listed in a west to east order, with the northernmost of approximately equal locations given first. Numbers represent Nest Record Cards: N represents nests observed for which no Nest Record Card was submitted; and Y represents young observed. GPC in the following paragraph represents Nebraska State Game and Parks Commission. Fifty-four species were reported on 595 North American Nest Record Cards. The counties, with column numbers on the tabulation shown in parentheses, and the contributors …

Spring 1984 Whooping Crane Records In Nebraska

Nebraska Bird Review

The Pierre, S.D., office of the Fish and Wildlife Service has released their records of sightings of the Wood Buffalo flock of Whooping Cranes, and those that pertain to Nebraska are given below.

There are three classes of sightings:

Confirmed Sightings. Observation made by a State or Federal Biologist or officer or by other known qualified observer (trained ornithologist or birder with experience in identification of Whooping Cranes). A photograph may also be used to confirm sightings.

Probable Sighting. No confirmation made by State or Federal Biologist or officer or by other known qualified observer, yet details of the sighting …

Masthead From Nebraska Bird Review (September 1984) 52(3)

Nebraska Bird Review

Published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., as its official journal and sent free to all members who are not in arrears for dues. Subscriptions (on calendar year basis only) are $7.00 per year in the United States and $9.00 per year in all other countries payable in advance. Single copies are $2.25 each, postpaid.

Memberships (on a calendar year basis only): Student, $.3.00; Active, $7.00; Sustaining, $15.00; Family Active, $10.00; Family Sustaining, $20.00; Life, $100.00.

All dues and subscriptions should be remitted to the Treasurer, Mrs. Jack Shafer, RR2, Box 61, Wood …

“Notes” From Nebraska Bird Review (June 1984) 52(2)

Nebraska Bird Review

DIPPER. In late September or early October 1982 I saw a Dipper on wood stacked in my yard, near the business center of Stanton.—Bruce P. Jundt, Stanton

NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD. On 17 September 1983 I saw a Mockingbird in the shelter belt on our farm.—Mike Erickson, Wayne

BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER. On 8 October 1983 I saw a female Black-throated Blue Warbler in our shelter belt.—Mike Erickson, Wayne

WORM-EATING WARBLER. On 26 April 1984 Layne Johnson, John Chase, Paul Pearson, and I saw a Worm-eating Warbler in the shelter belt on our farm 8 miles north and 1 mile west of Wayne.—Mike …

Birds Of Lake Mcconaughy And The North Platte River Valley, Oshkosh To Keystone, Richard C. Rasche, Paul A. Johnsgard

Nebraska Bird Review

Cedar Point Biological Station was established in 1975 at a site approximately one mile below Kingsley Dam in Keith County, Nebraska. Since that time, summer ornithology classes have been periodically offered beginning in 1977 when it was taught by Dr. Stephen Fretwell. A variety of ornithologists have kept records of the summer birds of the area. Beginning in 1970, when he first visited the area, the senior author has accumulated a large amount of data covering all seasons of the year, which form the primary basis for the seasonal information in this paper. In addition, much information was contributed by …

“Book Review” From Nebraska Bird Review (June 1984) 52(2)

Nebraska Bird Review

How Birds Work: A Guide to Bird Biology, Ron Freethy, 232 pp., 6 x 9¼, Blandford Press, England, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., New York, bibliography, indexed, hardbound $19.95, paperback $8.95.

“How Birds Work is a straightforward introduction to the science of ornithology and provides basic information enabling the amateur birdwatcher to understand his ‘quarry’ more easily. As a direct result of reading this book, the behavior of birds will be more readily understood, and in particular the complexities of migration.” Which is a fair summary of the book, although it may over-stress migration. The chapter headings are The …

Nebraska Bird Review (June 1984) 52(2), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Birds of Lake McConaughy and the North Platte River Valley, Oshkosh to Keystone … 26

Some 1983 Summer Birds of the Missouri National Recreation River, Nebraska … 36

The Eighty-third Annual Meeting … 41

Lesser Goldfinch Recorded in Nebraska … 42

Notes … 42

Book Review … 44

Lesser Goldfinch Recorded In Nebraska, Phil Swanson

Nebraska Bird Review

I photographed this Lesser Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria) at Gilbert-Baker Wildlife Area (north of Harrison, Nebraska) about 9:00 a.m. on 20 May 1984. The bird was in the campground area with American Goldfinches. I watched the Lesser Goldfinch with binoculars for a few minutes before I took the photograph and easily noted the field marks. The bird was the black-backed variety (C. p. psaltria).

The Eighty-Third Annual Meeting

Nebraska Bird Review

Almost perfect weather greeted the 59 who registered for the eighty-third Annual Meeting, held at Camp Norwesca, near Chadron State Park, 19 and 20 May 1984. There was a slide show (including a bird identification quiz) Friday night. Saturday there were bird trips to Sowbelly Canyon and Gilbert-Baker Wildlife Area, north of Crawford, and on over to the Wyoming border; to Soldiers Creek, near Fort Robinson; to Beaver Valley, north of Hay Springs; and a shorter, morning only, visit to the Jeanne Dueker home, south of Chadron. At the paper session and Annual Meeting, Saturday afternoon, Mrs. Joyce Brashear read …

Masthead From Nebraska Bird Review (June 1984) 52(2)

Nebraska Bird Review

Published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union, Inc., as its official journal and sent free to all members who are not in arrears for dues. Subscriptions (on calendar year basis only) are $7.00 per year in the United States and $9.00 per year in all other countries payable in advance. Single copies are $2.25 each, postpaid.

Memberships (on a calendar year basis only): Student, $3.00; Active, $7.00; Sustaining, $15.00; Family Active, $10.00; Family Sustaining, $20.00; Life, $100.00.

All dues and subscriptions should be remitted to the Treasurer, Mrs. Jack Shafer, RR2, Box 61, Wood …

Whole Issue Nebraska Bird Review (December 1983) 51(4)

Nebraska Bird Review

A New Nesting Species for Nebraska ... 86
Book Reviews ... 87
A Second Black-shouldered Kite in Nebraska,
with Notes on Its Food Habits ... 88
Pine Siskin Nests at Wayne State College ... 89
1983 Fall Field Day ... 89
A Mississippi Kite in Hall County, Nebraska ... 90
Notes ... 91
Index of Volume ... 97

A New Nesting Species For Nebraska, Gary Lingle

Nebraska Bird Review

The Chuck-will's widow (Caprimulgus carolinensis) is considered a highly local but regular migrant and presumed summer resident in Nebraska. Although it is known to breed in Kansas and Oklahoma, there were no nest records for Nebraska (Johnsgard, 1980). Egg dates for Kansas range from 21 April to 31 May (Johnsgard, 1979). On 4 June 1983 a Chuck-will's widow's nest with 2 eggs was discovered in a bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa)–red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) woodland at Camp Merrill, Saunders Co. (Sec 29 T17N RSW), approximately 6 miles southeast of Linwood (Janett Waever, pers. comm.) The …

Masthead From Nebraska Bird Review (September 1983) 51(3)

Nebraska Bird Review

Published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union, Inc., as its official journal and sent free to all members who are not in arrears for dues. Subscriptions (on calendar year basis only) are $7.00 per year in the United States and $9.00 per year in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $2.25 each, postpaid.

Memberships (on a calendar year basis only): Student, $3.00; Active, $7.00; Sustaining, $15.00; Family Active, $10.00; Family Sustaining, $20.00; Life, $100.00.

All dues and subscriptions should be remitted to the Treasurer, Mrs. Jack Shafer, RR2, Box 61, Wood …

Masthead From Nebraska Bird Review (June 1983) 51(2)

Nebraska Bird Review

Published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union, Inc., as its official journal and sent free to all members who are not in arrears for dues. Subscriptions (on calendar year basis only) are $7.00 per year in the United States and $9.00 per year in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $2.25 each, postpaid.

Memberships (on a calendar year basis only): Student, $3.00; Active, $7.00; Sustaining, $15.00); Family Active, $10.00; Family Sustaining, $20.00; Life, $100.00.

All dues and subscriptions should be remitted to the Treasurer, Mrs. Jack Shafer, RR2, Box 61, Wood …

Breeding Status Of Selected Bird Species In The Niobrara Valley Preserve Area, Nebraska, Michael J. Mossman, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

INTRODUCTION

The Niobrara Valley Preserve is located in north-central Nebraska and includes a variety of relatively undisturbed grassland, woodland, and wetland habitats. The diversity of habitats, in conjunction with the area's central geographic location near the 100th meridian, results in a diverse avifauna with many species and subspecies occurring at or near the western, eastern, southern, or northern edge of their breeding ranges. Several pairs of sibling species and subspecies are found here within their narrow band of sympatry. The breeding list of the Preserve and environs includes at least 105 species (Brogie and Mossman 1983), several of which are …

A Checklist Of The Birds Of Mormon Island Crane Meadows, Gary R. Lingle, Miriam A. Hay

Nebraska Bird Review

Mormon Island Crane Meadows (MICM) was purchased in December 1979 through a cooperative effort of The Nature Conservancy and The Platte River Whooping Crane Critical Habitat Maintenance Trust. This 2,000 acre preserve provides excellent habitat for spring staging migratory water birds and numerous species of other wildlife, In order to determine sound management practices for the area it was necessary to conduct an intensive inventory of the flora and fauna occurring there. This checklist represents the results of the bird inventory.

Notes on the occurrence of avifauna observed on MICM were recorded from 24 March 1980 to 28 July 1981. …

Die Erforschung Der Herpetofauna Der Mongolischen Volksrepublik: Situation Und Perspektiven, Günther Peters

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

First paragraph:

Die Landschaften der Mongolei sind arm an Reptilien- und Amphibienarten. Dieser Umstand mag die Frage aufwerfen, ob herpetologische Untersuchungen in Beschränkung auf das Territorium der MVR eine nennenswerte Perspektive haben könnten, nachdem Artenspektrum und Verbteitung der Species annähernd vollständig erkundet sind. Ein Herpetologe wird zweifellos für seine Arbeit auch in diesem Land eine Zukunft sehen, doch muß wohl von vornherein eingestanden werden, daß das Volumen der Probleme dieses Faches hinter denen der übrigen Disziplinen der Vertebratenzoologie und der Entomologie in einem bescheidenerem Rahmen verbleibt. Dies gilt sowohl im rein wissenschaftlichen als erst recht auch im angewandten Bereich ihrer …

An Analysis Of Migration Schedules Of Passerine Birds In Nebraska, Paul A. Johnsgard

Nebraska Bird Review

An Analysis of Migration Schedules of Passerine Birds in Nebraska

The format of this paper follows my earlier one on non·passerine species (NBR 48:26-36). Eastern Kingbird. Seventy-three initial spring sightings range from 24 March to 29 May with a median of 3 May. Half of the records fall within the period 1-7 May. The range of 126 final fall sightings is from 4 August to 14 October, with a median of 9 September. Half of the records fall within the period 116 September.

Western Kingbird. The range of 117 initial spring sightings is from 30 April to 26 May, …

An Analysis Of Migration Schedules Of Non-Passerine Birds In Nebraska, Paul A. Johnsgard

Nebraska Bird Review

One of the major components of the Nebraska Bird Review since its inception has been the annual spring migration and occurrence report, and in more recent years the fall occurrence report has become equally important. Yet, other than an uncompleted effort by W. F. Rapp, Jr. to summarize the first 25 years of spring migration data, these records apparently have not been analyzed by anyone. Part of the problem is the sheer mass of data to be assimilated, and a second issue is the question of how to classify certain species, for the analysis of a winter visitor required different …