Poultry or Avian Science Commons^™

Spring Field Report, March To May 1999, W. Ross Silcock, Joel G. Jorgensen

Nebraska Bird Review

This spring proved an exciting season for several reasons. For warbler fans, it described a dream with lots of birds to look at and a rather incredible species count (for anywhere) of no fewer than 381 Many "eastern" warblers were found westward, especially at "islands" of habitat such as the Geneva Cemetery and similar spots just beyond the western edge of the original eastern woodland region, as well as the Panhandle. For rarity counters, spring included no fewer than 4 first state records: Glossy Ibis, Gray Flycatcher, Black-throated Gray Warbler, and Brambling. We make here a special note that the …

Two Poems: The Hawk [And] Baltimore Oriole, Don Welch, Mark Emil Sanders

Nebraska Bird Review

The Hawk

Baltimore Oriole

Nou Fall Field Days Count, 1998; May Namc Count, 1999

Nebraska Bird Review

The NOU count during Fall Field Days, October 16 through 18, focused on areas in and around the Nebraska National Forest and includes reports from 5 counties: Forest, Blaine, Brown, Cherry, and Thomas. This year's species count, owing in part to inclement weather, registered only 92, far behind the previous year's NOU Fall Field Days record of 122 species.

The North American Migration Count (NAMC) for Pierce County is also included in this report. A total of twelve people in five parties took part in this year's count. The count registered one hour walked and 380 miles covered in 43.5 …

Nebraska Bird Review (March 1999) 67(1), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Winter Field Report, December 1998–February 1999 ... 2

Species Accounts ... 4

Two Winter Records of Pacific Loons at Lake McConaughy ... 16

The 1998–99 Nebraska Christmas Bird Count Summary ... 17

Common Crane in Central Platte Valley, Nebraska, March 1999, and a Discussion of Prior North American Records ... 28

Cooperative Whooping Crane Tracking Project (August 1998–January 1999) ... 30

Two Poems by William Kloefkorn ... 35

The Age of Birds in Nebraska by Paul A. Johnsgard ... 37

Cooperative Whooping Crane Tracking Project (August 1998-January 1999)

Nebraska Bird Review

Between 1977 and 1988, 132 juvenile whooping cranes were color-marked on the breeding grounds; of these 37 were accounted for during the winter of 1998-99. Five color-marked cranes were observed during the fall migration. All sightings of color-marked cranes during migration are maintained at the Grand Island office.

One hundred eighty-one cranes began the 1998 spring migration. Forty-nine nests were confirmed on the breeding grounds. Forty-seven chicks were located during June surveys, and the surveys during August determined that at least 24 chicks were surviving. Under optimum conditions about 2,054 birds were expected to arrive at Aransas last fall. The …

The 1998-99 Nebraska Christmas Bird Count Summary, Stephen J. Dinsmore

Nebraska Bird Review

The 1998-99 Christmas Bird Count (CBC) period included eight counts in Nebraska. Counts were scattered statewide, but most effort was in the eastern half of the state. I know of at least one additional count (Branched Oak Lake) that was run this year, but not submitted.

In the following discussion, I have attempted to discuss what I believe are the more important aspects of this year's CBC period. This includes my general impressions about some of the commoner species, mention of rarities, notable misses, and other topics.

Two Poems, William Kloefkorn

Nebraska Bird Review

Counting the Cows

Geese

Winter Field Report, Dec 1998-Feb 1999, W. Ross Silcock, Joel G. Jorgensen

Nebraska Bird Review

First we want to correct a rather obvious error in the Summer Field Report. We reported 3 pairs of Cordilleran Flycatchers at Neale Woods at the eastern edge of the state, which would be a remarkable range expansion. These birds were actually in Monroe Canyon, Sioux Co, where they were supposed to be. Another error involved 5 Brewer's Sparrows we said were in Sioux Co; these were actually Brewer's Blackbirds.

Several contributors now report to us by email. We urge observers to forward their email addresses; if we have questions on their reports, communication would be easy! Reports and comments …

Table Of Contents And Masthead From Nebraska Bird Review (March 1999) 67(1)

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): $14.00 in the United States; $18.00 for all foreign countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4.00 each, postpaid, in the United States, and $5.00 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Mary Prichard, NOU Librarian, University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514.

Memberships in NOU (on a calendar year basis only): Active, $15.00; Sustaining, $25.00; Student, $10.00; Family Active, $20.00; Family Sustaining, $30.00; …

Common Crane In Central Platte Valley, Nebraska, March 1999, And A Discussion Of Prior North American Records, W. Ross Silcock, Stephen J. Dinsmore

Nebraska Bird Review

On 5 March 1999, a report appeared on the listserver of a Common Crane sighted at 2:30 p.m. that day by Tammy VerCauteren (fide Paul Tebbel) about 2 miles east of Lowell Road in southeastern Buffalo County. The next morning, WRS drove to the location. After about 2 hours of searching, he refound the Common Crane at 8:57 a.m. among Sandhill Cranes about 50 meters south of Elm Island Road at a spot 2 miles east of Lowell Road. It was refound by SJD at 11:00 a.m. on March 9 northeast of the junction of roads X and 41 in …

The Age Of Birds In Nebraska, Paul A. Johnsgard

Nebraska Bird Review

Let each mile of highway I-80 represent a million years. That way, 1/2 mile represents 500,000 years, 1/10 mile = 100,000 years, 1/100 mile (52 feet) = 10,000 years; 1/1000 mile (5.2 feet) = 1,000 years, and 6 inches = 100 years. A decade (ten years) equals about a half-inch. It is 450 miles from the 60th St. on-ramp to I-80 in Omaha to the westernmost exit at the Wyoming border. These 450 million years encompass most of the time that evidence of life has been found on earth, but the earth itself is more than four billion years old, …

Two Winter Records Of Pacific Loons At Lake Mcconaughy, Stephen J. Dinsmore

Nebraska Bird Review

Pacific Loons are rare migrants in Nebraska, with most of the recent records coming from the western half of the state. Many of the recent records are from Lake McConaughy in Keith County and from Lake Minatare in Scotts Bluff County. Most records are from fall in the short period between 20 October and 20 November. There is a single spring record from April, 5 summer records in the period June to August (all but one from western Nebraska), and a few fall records outside the peak period. The latest fall record from Nebraska is 9 December. In this note, …

Index [For Volume 66]

Nebraska Bird Review

Alexander, G. 26

Alexander, I. 26

Allen, A. A. 68

Allen, B. 27, 60, 61, 110

Alt, J. 8

Amiotte, S. 27

Armstrong, M. 60

Aversa, T. 158

Avocet, American 39, 90, 128

1997 (9th) Report Of The Nou Records Committee, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

The functions and methods of the NOU 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 appended seven times (Mollhoff 1989, Grenon 1990, 1991, Gubanyi 1996a, 1996b, 1996c, Brogie 1997). An update of THE OFFICIAL LIST OF THE BIRDS OF NEBRASKA was last published in 1997 (NOU Records Committee 1997).

This report includes all …

In Memorium: Harvey L. Gunderson, Thomas E. Labedz

Nebraska Bird Review

In Memorium: Harvey L. Gunderson

Dear Fellow Birders,

It is with deep regret that I inform you of the death of Harvey L. Gunderson on Tuesday, 23 February, 1999, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Harvey was born in Gary, Minnesota, on 11 June, 1913, and went On to become Associate Director Of the University Of Nebraska State Museum. Along the way, Harvey received a Bachelor’s Degree from Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, a Master's Degree from the University Of Minnesota and a Ph.D. from the University Of Michigan.

Harvey was a member Of American Society of Mammalogist (Harvey wrote a text book for …

Fall Field Report, August To November 1998, W. Ross Silcock, Joel G. Jorgensen

Nebraska Bird Review

Larry Einemann kindly pointed out that in the Spring Report all his sightings from Pioneer's Park should have been attributed to Wilderness Park at Pioneer's Boulevard (in Lincoln). Larry noted that Pioneer's Park is a manicured Lincoln city park which is not good for birds except for in the vicinity of the embedded Chet Ager Nature Center. This was my (WRS) error; personally I have trouble even finding the Wilderness Park entrances, let alone naming them properly!

Another correction! John Sullivan pointed out that the 2 Summer Tanagers at Indian Cave SP on 10 August, 1997, were not his sighting. …

Parasitic Jaeger At Lake Mcconaughy, Stephen J. Dinsmore, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

On 5 October, 1997, we joined Joel G. Jorgensen and John Sullivan for a pelagic trip on Lake McConaughy. A similar trip in late September 1996 yielded a Sabine's Gull, but we were really hoping to see a jaeger. From 7:00 to 8:30 a.m. we gradually worked our way from the dam towards the western end of the lake. Besides moderate numbers of Franklin's and Ring-billed Gulls, there were few birds on the lake. At approximately 8:45 a.m. Dinsmore noticed that all of the gulls at the western end of the lake had suddenly taken flight. Less than a minute …

Masthead And Table Of Contents [December 1998]

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): $14.00 in the United States; $18.00 for all foreign countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4.00 each, postpaid, in the United States, and $5.00 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Mary Lou Pritchard, NOU Librarian, University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514.

Memberships in NOU (on a calendar year basis only): Active, $15.00; Sustaining, $25.00; Student, $10.00; Family Active, $20.00; Family Sustaining,$30.00; …

Nebraska Bird Review (December 1998) 66(4), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

In Memorium: Harvey L. Gunderson … 114

Parasitic Jaeger at Lake McConaughy … 114

Endemicity and Regional Biodiversity in Nebraska's Breeding Avifauna … 115

Fall Field Report: Introduction … 121

Fall Field Report: Species Accounts … 123

1997 (Ninth) Report of the NOU Records Committee … 147

Bird Banding Notes … 159

Index for Volume 66 … 160

Bird Banding Notes From Ruth Green, Ruth Green

Nebraska Bird Review

On 29 April 1998, while working with school children from the Chadron Public Schools, Ruth banded a Pine Siskin at Nebraska's Chadron State Park, Dawes County. Approximately seven and a half months later, on 12 December, this same bird was recovered beneath a feeder in Springfield, Oregon. The Pine Siskin was dead, perhaps a victim of disease sweeping the siskin population on the West Coast. This particular occurrence is noteworthy for the distance traveled both west and north.

The Summer Tanager pictured below was also banded by Betty. She banded the AHY-F (After Hatching Year, Female) Summer Tanager on 10 …

Endemicity And Regiona[L] Biodiversity In Nebraska's Breedin[G] Avifauna, Paul A. Johnsgard

Nebraska Bird Review

I estimate that 215 bird species currently breed or have previously bred in Nebraska. This number compares with a total of 330 species that breed or have bred in the Great Plains region south of Canada, as I defined that region in my book on the breeding birds of the Great Plains (Johnsgard, 1979).

Grasslands or potential grasslands make up about 81 percent of the Great Plains' vegetation, and probably represented about 96 percent of Nebraska's original vegetation. Only in the Sandhills region is that vegetation type still essentially intact; the tall-grass prairie of eastern Nebraska is Virtually gone. In …

Table Of Contents And Masthead [September 1998]

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): $14.00 in the United States; $18.00 for all foreign countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4.00 each, postpaid, in the United States, and $5.00 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Mary Lou Prichard, NOU Librarian, University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514.

Memberships in NOU (on a calendar year basis only): Active, $15.00; Sustaining, $25.00; Student, $10.00; Family Active, $20.00; Family Sustaining,$30.00; …

Bald Eagle Counts At Two Facilities Owned And Operated By The Central Nebraska Public Power And Irrigation District, Mark M. Peyton, Rodger Knaggs

Nebraska Bird Review

Since 1988 the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District (Central) has provided, free to the public, a bald eagle viewing facility in its Johnson #2 Hydroelectric Plant south of Lexington, Dawson County, and since 1990 a facility near the outlet of the Kingsley Hydroelectric Plant at Lake Ogallala in Keith County.

Central provides binoculars and viewing scopes at both locations as well as personnel to answer questions and provide assistance. These individuals also conducted daily eagle surveys at the facilities.

1998 Midwinter Eagle Survey For Nebraska Including Summary Tables For The 1980-1998 Period From The Nebraska Game And Parks Commission, John J. Dinan

Nebraska Bird Review

Mild temperatures were prevalent in the weeks prior to this year's survey; however, temperatures cold enough to form a thin layer of ice on some reservoirs and lakes occurred between aerial surveys. Three of the aerial surveys were conducted on the 6th and 7th of January and one was conducted on the 13th. The survey route that includes the Platte River from Kearney to Plattsmouth and the Loup River was not surveyed this year because of persistent foggy conditions.

Temperatures recorded during the 1998 survey were variable, ranging from 5 to 40 degrees F. The Niobrara River was 50 to …

Book Review: Baby Bird Portraits By George Miksch Sutton: Watercoiors In The Field Museum By Johnsgard, P. A. (1998), John J. Janovy Jr.

Nebraska Bird Review

George M. Sutton's baby bird portraits are his most captivating works. The subjects are isolated against a stark, raw-paper background, and they stare out at the viewer with eyes typically naive but alert. Sutton's artistic mastery of the foot is integral to the underlying biology in these pictures: sturdy and sure against the table for a ruffed grouse, curled inward and near useless for a gallinule on dry land, and almost casually clutching a twig, the hallux resting loosely, for a newly fledged grosbeak. The match between these pictures and Paul Johnsgard's text is perfect. In his first two paragraphs, …

Nebraska Bird Count For 1997 Addendum

Nebraska Bird Review

Site and Party Data

Observers

Total Species

Total Individuals

CW Birds

Summer Field Report, June-July, 1998, W. Ross Silcock, Joel G. Jorgensen

Nebraska Bird Review

First, some housekeeping is in order. . . . You will also notice the new order of species (AGAIN!!), reflecting the latest American Ornithologists' Union Checklist, published this spring. The most noticeable change concerns the placement of shrikes and vireos between flycatchers and corvids; but the order of species within some genera also differs, especially among the waterfowl, where, for instance, swans now follow the geese.

And now let's turn to the birds! As in most summers, many species went about their business in routine fashion, hence the notation "Routine Reports" for many.

We encourage observers to note and to …

Nebraska Bird Review (September 1998) 66(3), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

A Half Century of Winter Bird Surveys in Lincoln and Scottsbluff ... 74

Summer Field Report, June to July, 1998, Introduction ... 84

Species Accounts ... 86

Book Review: Baby Bird Portraits by George Miksch Sutton ... 100

1998 Midwinter Eagle Survey and Ten-Year Summary Tables ... 101

Central Nebraska Public Power Facilities Eagle Count ... 108

Nebraska Bird Count for 1997 Addendum ... 110

"A Half-Century Of Winter Bird Surveys At Lincoln And Scottsbluff, Nebraska", Paul A. Johnsgard

Nebraska Bird Review

Since 1900, the National Audubon Society has sponsored annual "Christmas bird counts" during the two-week period encompassing Christmas; and as a result, long-term data on winter bird populations have accumulated, especially for some locations. The first two such counts in Nebraska were made in 1909 and in 1912 in Lincoln. While similar counts were made in Omaha from 1909 to 1911, no further counts were conducted elsewhere in the state until the 1940's. Beginning in 1947 and continuing to the present, an unbroken series of counts were made in Lincoln, usually by members of the University Place Bird Club, the …

Cooperative Whooping Crane Tracking Project (February 1998-May 1998)

Nebraska Bird Review

Whooping crane spring and fall migrations are monitored each year. Sighting reports are forwarded to the Ecological Services Field Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service, Grand Island, Nebraska, by private organizations, State and Federal conservation agencies, and the Canadian Wildlife Service. Cooperation throughout the whooping crane flyway continues to be excellent. Special thanks go out to each participant.

Between 1977 and 1988, 132 juvenile whooping cranes were color marked on the breeding grounds; of these 40 were accounted for during the winter of 1997–98. One color-marked crane was observed during the spring migration. All sightings of color-marked whooping …