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1980 Fall Field Day

Nebraska Bird Review

1980 FALL FIELD DAY

Sixty people participated in at least part of the 1980 Fall' Field Day, which was held from noon 4 October to noon 5 October at the 4-H Camp, Nebraska National Forest, Halsey, The weather was on the cool side, but nice - maybe too nice, for many of the warblers apparently migrated during the night. Seventy-one species were reported from the Forest or immediately adjacent to it: Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Wood Duck, Turkey Vulture; Sharp-shinned, Cooper's, Red-tailed, and Swainsons's Hawks; Golden Eagle (an immature, seen over the Camp after most people had left); Marsh Hawk, Osprey, …

Book Review- Nebraska Bird Review (December 1980)

Nebraska Bird Review

BOOK REVIEW

Birds of Africa, John Karmali, 191 pages, 9¾ x 13, The Viking Press, New York, indexed, hardbound, $25.00.

The 72 magnificent color plates, ranging from less than half a page to two pages in size but with most a page or more, are the backbone of the book. They are supplemented by 132 black and- white pictures, mostly smaller. The text includes a foreword by Roger Tory Peterson; a preface containing Karmali's comments on photography; an introduction giving the characteristics - relief, rainfall, vegetation - of Africa in general and East Africa in particular; 37 chapters, one for …

Index Of Volume 48

Nebraska Bird Review

INDEX OF VOLUME 48

A-Z

Achord, Bill 19
Alberts, Frances 19
Alfalfa 58, 61(2), 62, 63(2), 64(2), 65(2)
Analysis of Migration Schedules of Nonpasserine Birds in Nebraska, An 26
Analysis of Migration Schedules of Passerine Birds in Nebraska, An 46
Anemone, meadow 62
Anhinga 27
Aronson, John G Observations of Late Fall Migratory Sandhill Granes, Platte River, Nebraska 20
Ash, green 64(2)

Yellowthroat, Common 12. J8, 39. 42. 53, 65(2). 67, 83
Zeigler, Gary 76
Zeillemaker, C. Fred 3. 15(2), 75, 81 Melly 3, 15(2), 75. 81

Notes- Nebraska Bird Review (December 1980)

Nebraska Bird Review

NOTES

MOTTLED DUCK. On 5 October 1958 I shot but just winged a female Mottled Duck. This was in Howard Co., on the Loup River, which borders our farm. I kept her (which was legal at the time), got a drake from Texas, and had them for years. I reared many young from the pair.

- Wm. W. Lemburg, Rt. 1, Box 96, Cairo, Nebraska 68824

EUROPEAN WIGEON IN SARPY COUNTY. On 28 March 1980, from 4:30 to 5 p.m., I observed a European Wigeon in a flock of migrating waterfowl at a wet field just east of the allied …

More 1979 Nesting Reports, Esther V. Bennett

Nebraska Bird Review

MORE 1979 NESTING REPORTS

Great Blue Heron - 339 active nests in Lincoln, Cherry, Brown, Dawson, and Loup counties, reported by G.A. Wingfield and D.G. Luce.

Black-crowned Night Heron - 47 active nests in Lincoln Co., reported by D.G. Luce.

Least Tern - 4 nests in Holt, Keya Paha, and Knox counties, reported by G.A. Wingfield.

Dickcissels - 4 young, Glenn Cunningham Lake, Omaha, 20 September; several family groups present 27 September, reported by Babs Padelford.

1980 (Fifty-Fifth) Spring Migration And Occurrence Report

Nebraska Bird Review

1980 (Fifty-Fifth) Spring Migration and Occurrence Report

Two hundred ninety-eight species are listed in this report, from 14 localities. The comparable figures for 1979 are 292 species from 12 locations; 1978 300 from 13; and 1977 281 from 13.

The symbols use in the tabulation are:

Ja, Fe, Mr, Ap, My and Je for the months.

Whole Issue Nebraska Bird Review (December 1980) 48(4)

Nebraska Bird Review

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1980 (Fifty-fifth) Spring Migration and Occurrence Report ............................ 70

More 1979 Nesting Reports ...................................................... 83

1980 Fall Field Day .............................................................. 84

Book Review ................................................................... 87

Notes ......................................................................... 87

Index of Volume 48 ............................................................. 90

Masthead From Nebraska Bird Review (December 1980) 48(4)

Nebraska Bird Review

TABLE OF CONTENTS ON BACK COVER

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 a calendar year basis only) are $6.00 per year in the United States and $7.00 per year in all other countries, payable in advance. Single numbers are $1.75 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.

Notes [September 1980], David W. Menke

Nebraska Bird Review

DESOTO NWR RECORDS. First recorded observations of six species of birds were made at DeSoto NWR in 1979:

1. Snowy Egret. Seen 10 May in the old Missouri River channel marsh in Harrison Co., Iowa (about 300 yards from the Iowa-Nebraska boundary line). Observer, D. Menke.
2. Hungarian Partridge. Small flock seen 20 and 28 January in the fields near the Refuge's west boundary in Harrison Co., Iowa. Observer, D. Knauer.
3. Worm-eating Warbler. Seen 28 May on the Cottonwood Nature Trail (heavily wooded area) in Washington Co., Nebraska. Observer, D. Menke.
4. Northern Parula. Seen 22 April on the …

1979 Nebraska Nesting Survey, Esther V. Bennett

Nebraska Bird Review

Data on the 1979 nesting season were received from 3 observers, reporting on 19 species from 9 counties. Thirteen species were reported on 53 North American Nest·Record Cards. The counties, with the column numbers on the tabulation shown in parentheses, and the contributors were Dawes (3) RA Lock; Douglas (8) RG. Cortelyou; Frontier (7) RA Lock; Keith (5) RA Lock; Lincoln (6) RA Lock; Morrill (4) RA Lock; Sarpy (9) R.G. Cortelyou; Scotts Bluff (2) AM. Kenitz; Sioux (1) RA Lock. Ross a Lock contributed 32 cards and Alice M. Kenitz 20 cards.

Whole Issue Nebraska Bird Review (September 1980) 48(3)

Nebraska Bird Review

Table of Contents

An Analysis of Migration Schedules of Passerine Birds in Nebraska ...............46

Birds of an Agricultural Community ...............58

1979 Nebraska Nesting Survey............... 67

Notes ...............68

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

AN ANALYSIS OF MIGRATION SCHEDULES OF NON-PASSERINE BIRDS IN NEBRASKA

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, …

Notes- Nebraska Bird Review (June 1980), Ben G. Ohlander

Nebraska Bird Review

NOTES

GYRAFALCONS, PRAIRIE FALCONS. Of great interest are reports again this season of Gyrafalcons in Nebraska. At least three confirmed sightings were reported by knowledgeable individuals. First, Gary and Jackie Ohman, of Battle Creek, sighted an immature gray phase male Gyrafalcon about 3 miles west of Thedford, Thomas Co., on 25 September 1979. On 11 November 1979 I observed an immature male gray phase Gyrafalcon about 12 miles southwest of Minden, Kearney Co. Iwas able to approach as close as 20 feet from the bird in my car. Athird reported sighting occurred in early December 1979 about 4 miles west …

The Seventy-Ninth Annual Meeting

Nebraska Bird Review

The Seventy-ninth Annual Meeting was held at the 4-H Camp in the Bessey Division of the Nebraska National Forest, near Halsey, 17 and 18 May, 1980. The attendance at this meeting was 73, compared to "seventy-odd" at the 1973 meeting and 87 at the 1970 meeting, both held at the Camp. The formal program, which was held to a minimum to maximize the time available for birding consisted of demonstrations of bird banding by Hazel and Fitzhugh Diggs of Hamburg, Iowa, and Ruth Green of Bellevue, and at the annual banquet a slide-illustrated talk by David Griffiths, of Pueblo, Colorado, …

1978 Nebraska Nesting Survey, Esther V. Bennett

Nebraska Bird Review

Data on the 1978 nesting season in Nebraska were receivead from 17 observers, reporting on 71 species from 27 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. Letters are from the NOU Nesting Report forms: Y represents young observed; F represents carrying food; and N represents nests for which no Nest-Record Card was submitted. Fifty·one species were reported on 187 North American Nest·Record Cards. The counties, with the column numbers on the tabulation shown in parentheses, and the contributors, were: Adams (20) …

Book Review [June 1980]

Nebraska Bird Review

A Preliminary List of the Birds of Nebraska and Adjacent States, Paul A. Johnsgard, vi +119 + 37 pages of maps, mimeographed, paperbound, indexed. Privately printed, $5.00 (plus $1.00 postage). Available from Dr. Paul A. Johnsgard, School of Life Sciences, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588.

This book grew out of the work for Dr. Johnsgard's Birds of the Great Plains. and includes range maps from that book, and at the end of the Nebraska list short notes on birds reported from the Dakotas, Kansas, and Oklahoma, but which are not on the Nebraska list. For Nebraska …

Correction To 1979 Fall Occurrence Report

Nebraska Bird Review

In the Garden Co. column in the 1979 Fall Occurrence Report Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Common Flicker, and Cedar Waxwing were listed with a single date only. Each should have shown "_W" also, since they did stay past 31 December, although they left before the winter was over. Also Bald Eagle, Turkey, Rock Dove, and Starling should have shown a * to indicate that they did winter in the county, although not on the Refuge.

Whole Issue Nebraska Bird Review (June 1980) 48(2)

Nebraska Bird Review

TABLE OF CONTENTS

An Analysis of Migration Schedules of Non-passerine Birds in Nebraska .......................26

Book Review .......................37

The Seventy-ninth Annual Meeting .......................37

Correction to 1979 Fall Occurrence Report .......................39

1978 Nebraska Nesting Survey .......................39

Notes .......................44

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 …

Notes [June 1980], Ben G. Ohlander

Nebraska Bird Review

GYRAFALCONS, PRAIRIE FALCONS. Of great interest are reports again this season of Gyrafalcons in Nebraska. At least three confirmed sightings were reported by knowledgeable individuals. First, Gary and Jackie Ohman, of Battle Creek, sighted an immature gray phase male Gyrafalcon about 3 miles west of Thedford, Thomas Co., on 25 September 1979. On 11 November 1979 I observed an immature male gray phase Gyrafalcon about 12 miles southwest of Minden, Kearney Co. I was able to approach as close as20 feet from the bird in my car. Athird reported sighting occurred in early December 1979 about 4 miles west of …

A Ground Dove At Desoto Nwr, Loren Padelford, Babs Padelford

Nebraska Bird Review

A Ground Dove was sighted at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge on 18 November 1979, for about ten minutes around 11 AM, in the hedgerows opposite the entrance to the nature trail, south of the swimming beach.

It was a small dove, only slightly longer but chunkier than Tree Sparrows sitting in the same small tree. There was gray scalloping on the head and breast, the eye was dark, the beak light colored at the base, with the rest appearing dark. The wing was grayish with black speckling from shoulder to tip. We noticed a short tail when the bird was …

Book Reviews [March 1980], R. G. Cortelyou

Nebraska Bird Review

Reviews of three books: Birds of the Great Plains: Breeding Species and Their Distribution by Paul A. Johnsgard, Welcome the Birds to Your Home by Jane and Will Curtis, and Birding Areas of Iowa by Peter C. Peterson.

Notes- Nebraska Bird Review (March 1980)

Nebraska Bird Review

NOTES

WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS. Two White-winged Scoters were taken in November 1979 at some pond in Sarpy Co. and taken to the Plattsmouth Refuge for identification.

- Ruth C. Green, 506 West 31st Avenue, Bellevue, 68005

AMERICAN WOODCOCK. Three American Woodcocks (Philohela minor) were taken as game along the Platte River on 11 October 1979. They were collected about 8:30 AM approximately 2 miles south and 2 miles west of Kearney, in Kearney Co. A specimen was examined by Dr. John C.W. Bliese, of Kearney State College, who encouraged the sending in of this report.

The writer has hunted these birds …

Correction To 1979 Spring Migration Report

Nebraska Bird Review

CORRECTION TO 1979 SPRING MIGRATION REPORT. The date for Orchard Oriole in Scottsbluff Co. should be 24 May, rather than March, and the following paragraph was omitted:

Sioux, Mitchell RFD, 12.3 species, David and Helen (reporter) Hughson.

The Nebraska Bird Review- Whole Issue March 1980 Volume 48 Number 1

Nebraska Bird Review

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Treasurer's Report ................2
1979 (Twenty-second) Fall Occurrence Report....................3
Correction to 1979 Spring Migration Report ...............15
1979 Christmas Count ..............................15
Observations of Late Fall Migratory Sandhill Cranes, Platte River, Nebraska ........20
Twenty-one Years of Say's Phoebes..........................21
A Ground Dove at DeSoto NWR ...........................22
Book Reviews ..........................22
Notes...............................23

1979 Christmas Count

Nebraska Bird Review

Ninety-nine species (four less than last year) were reported in the 1979 Christmas Count, and one species was reported present but not seen on the count. (There was no such species reported last year.) This drop was in spite of one more count - from Kearney - this year. The number of additional races reported - three - was the same as last year. The individual count this year was 188,102 compared to 90,000 last year, and most of the increase was due to the Snow Goose and Mallard counts along the Missouri River, which in turn was due to …

1979 Treasurer's Report

Nebraska Bird Review

1979 Treasurer's Report

1 page

1979 (Twenty-Second) Fall Occurrence Report

Nebraska Bird Review

Two hundred eighty four species (plus a possible Black Rail) are listed in this report, from eleven localities. Comparable figures for prior years are: 269 species from twelve localities in 1978,267 from eleven in. 19-77, and 271 from eleven in 1976.

The information is presented in a rough west (left) to east (right) order, with locations of about the same longitude listed with the northernmost first (except for Washington Co.). Two dates indicate the first and last records for the period. The symbols used are:

JI, Au, Sp, Ot, No, and Dm for the months

Observations Of Late Fall Migratory Sandhill Cranes, Platte River, Nebraska, John G. Aronson

Nebraska Bird Review

Observations of migratory Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) were made on the Platte River near Kearney, Nebraska. On 26 November 1978, night roosting in the Platte River occurred on thin ice (less than 2 cm) in open areas which were protected by riparian vegetation from cold north winds (35-40 km/hr-NNW, -10°C). Roosting Cranes were spaced very closely (less than 0.5 m) during evening and early morning hours, with increased spacing (about 1.0 m) occurring during late morning. A diagram of the roost area was prepared. The roost was located near the northern river bank in a river stretch characterized …