Zoology Commons^™

Schramm Park Fall Field Days, Janis Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

The 2022 NOU Fall Field Days were held at Schramm Park State Recreation Area, south of Gretna in Sarpy County, on September 21-23, with approximately 60 in attendance. The meeting had been scheduled and cancelled twice in the two previous years due to coronavirus concerns. The total species count was 119, including a Sandhill Crane, Prairie Falcon (early for away from breeding area), Winter Wren, and early Snow Bunting. A Limpkin, which had been found in late June at Wehrspann Wetlands mitigation pond in Sarpy County and was still seen through late November in the Wehrspann Lake area, was not …

The Nebraska Bird Review, Index To Volume 90

Nebraska Bird Review

From: Abbott, Sydney 56

To: Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha 66, 146

The Nebraska Bird Review Volume 90 December 2022 Number 4

Nebraska Bird Review

Fall Field Report, August - November 2022 by W. Ross Silcock ...126

Remembering Clem Klaphake by Don Paseka ...151

Schramm Park Fall Field Days, Sept. 21-23, 2022 ... 154

Index to Volume 90 ...159

Subscription and Organization Information …175

Remembering Clem Klaphake, Don Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

Clement (Clem) Klaphake passed away on December 30, 2022, from complications of Parkinson’s disease, which he struggled with for several years. He was born in Melrose, Minnesota, in 1943 and grew up working on his parents’ dairy farm, which included the usual menagerie of other farm animals typical of that time. Perhaps it was the routine of milking twice a day, seven days a week, or the impressive scar on his leg from a boar tusk, but Clem was destined to leave the farm and become a life-long educator. ... After getting his degree in 1971, Clem was hired to …

The Nebraska Bird Review, Subscription And Organization Information (December 2022)

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): $25 in the United States and $35 in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $7 each, postpaid, in the United States and $9 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Anita Breckbill, NOU Librarian, c/o Music Library, WMB 30, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0101 (or at the email address listed below).

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

Fall Field Report, August-November 2022, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

All in all, this was a fairly uneventful fall season, although even uneventful seasons have their share of oddities and variations from the norm. A noteworthy event was a fire that took out much of the brushy habitat in Carter Canyon, Scotts Bluff Co (see photo on following page). It will be interesting to read upcoming spring reports to see what effect the fire might have had on numbers of birds that frequent brushy areas, like towhees and buntings. Optimistically, fires have attracted rare woodpeckers, with first to arrive Black-backed, which would be a first documented Nebraska record, and typically …

Subscription And Organization Information

Nebraska Bird Review

logists’ 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): $25 in the United States and $35 in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $7 each, postpaid, in the United States and $9 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Anita Breckbill, NOU Librarian, c/o Music Library, WMB 30, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0101 (or at the email address listed below). Memberships in the NOU (on a calendar-year basis only): Active Household (one or more people) $25; Sustaining Household (one or …

Summer Field Report, June-July 2022, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

As always, the summer season produces surprises, and this year was no exception. Surprises fall into different categories, though: genuine statewide rarities, within-state distributional rarities, and, of course in summer, nesting records at new locations, population notes, late and early dates and high numbers, increased knowledge about subspecies in the state, and miscellaneous things of interest. These categories are covered separately below after some housekeeping comments.

“Genuine statewide rarities” were led by the first state record Limpkin found by Karen Kader and seen by many in Sarpy Co. Potential 2nd or so state records were a Mexican Duck in Scotts …

2021 (33rd) Report Of The Nou Records Committee, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

The functions and methods of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (NOURC) are described in its bylaws (NOURC 2010). 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. Species for which the NOURC seeks documentation (NOURC Review List) can be found at the NOU website www.NOUbirds.org. Starting in 2020, the NOURC decided to deal mainly with those species deemed as Accidental on the “Official List of the Birds of Nebraska”. Casual species and out-of- range species are now summarized in the “Seasonal Reports” of the …

The Nebraska Bird Review. Volume 90 September 2022 Number 3

Nebraska Bird Review

Summer Field Report, June - July 2022 by W. Ross Silcock ….90

2021 (33rd) Report of the NOU Records Committee by Mark A. Brogie … 113

Subscription and Organization Information … 123

Subscription And Organization Information (June 2022)

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): $25 in the United States and $35 in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $7 each, postpaid, in the United States and $9 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Anita Breckbill, NOU Librarian, c/o Music Library, WMB 30, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0101 (or at the email address listed below). Memberships in the NOU (on a calendar-year basis only): Active …

Remembering Lanny Randolph, William Flack

Nebraska Bird Review

Nebraska's birding community suffered a great loss on June 17, 2022, with the death of Lanny Randolph, an enthusiastic birder and a good friend to all of us. ... Lanny ... resolutely continued birding. In May 2022, he was able to attend the NOU meeting in Gering, and to see many of his longtime friends for the first time since the COVID pandemic. But a month later, on June 17, he was taken from us. Lanny's no longer physically present among us. But for those of us who knew him, he'll always be there in our memories, an invisible presence …

Spring Field Report, March-May 2022, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

This spring there was a large number of interesting reports generated by active field observers, particularly in the west, where our knowledge continues to be broadened in all aspects. The main takeaway this spring was the inordinate plethora of species that matched or exceeded early arrival dates listed in BONO. There were no fewer than 70 species in this category, involving most families and genera, suggesting some overall influence on migration timing. Perhaps exceptions to these early arrivals were some lingering waterfowl and gulls although terns arrived early. Fully 50 of the early arrivers were passerines, notably including nine species …

Remembering Rosalind Morris

Nebraska Bird Review

Longtime NOU member Mary Rosalind Morris passed away in Lincoln on March 26, 2022, at the age of 101. ... Her membership in the NOU spanned decades, and she held the offices of vice president (1960), president (1975), librarian (1988-1989) and NBR editor (1992-1997). She was also a member of the Friends of Wilderness Park, Lincoln Naturalist Club, Wachiska Audubon, and the Nature Conservancy. For many years while on walks with her dog she picked up litter in Lincoln parks and on campus and received several environmental stewardship awards for her efforts. She is remembered by those who knew her …

Nou Spring Field Days And Annual Meeting, Gering, May 20-22, 2022, Janis Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

The NOU Annual Meeting and Spring Field Days, organized by Kathy DeLara, Robin Harding, Jan Johnson, Alice Kenitz and Ruthie Stearns, was held in Gering on May 20-22, 2022, with 64 in attendance. This was the first time the organization had been able to get together since the meeting in Imperial in September of 2019. Our spring and fall meetings in 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our meetings and meals took place in the Gering Civic Center. The weekend weather varied from cool and sunny to windy, snowy, or rainy, but the total species list …

Rare Dark American Kestrel – Melanistic Or Sooty?, Joseph A. Gubanyi, Joel Rathe, Camden Sesna

Nebraska Bird Review

On April 13 in Seward County, we noticed a dark bird flying relatively low over fields east of Seward near 224th and Bluff Rd. Initially, because of its size, dark coloration and pointed wingtips, we were unsure of its identification and followed the bird to get better looks and identify it. We were able to observe and photograph the bird perched (Figure 1). We also observed the bird hovering and diving to the ground multiple times in search of prey. After better looks, based on size, wing shape, hooked beak, claws, and behavior (repeated hovering over field), we concluded the …

The Nebraska Bird Review Volume 90 Number 2, June 2022

Nebraska Bird Review

Spring Field Report, March - May 2022, by W. Ross Silcock ….46

Rare Dark American Kestrel – Melanistic or Sooty?, by Joseph Gubanyi, Joel Rathe, Camden Sesna …. 71

Remembering Rosalind Morris …. 76

Remembering Lanny Randolph by William Flack … 77

NOU Spring field Days and Annual Meeting in Gering, May 20-22, 2022 ….78

Subscription and Organization Information …. 87

Female Presence Does Not Increase Testosterone But Still Ameliorates Sickness Behaviours In Male Japanese Quail, Brenna M. G. Gormally, Kaelyn Bridgette, Aubrey Emmi, Delilah Schuerman, Patricia C. Lopes

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Infections can dramatically modify animal behaviour. The extent of these changes depends on an animal's environment. It has been proposed that testosterone modulates the suppression of behavioural symptoms of sickness under certain reproductive contexts. To further understand the role played by testosterone in modulating sickness behaviours under reproductive contexts, we studied a species, the Japanese quail, in which female exposure rapidly decreases circulating testosterone in males. Males received either an immune challenge (lipopolysaccharide – LPS) or a control injection and their behaviours, mass change and testosterone levels were quantified in the presence or absence of a female. Both the presence …

Annual Color Photo Section

Nebraska Bird Review

The next seven pages show examples of this year's theme: cavity nesting birds. A cavity nest can be in a birdhouse, a hole in a tree, a hole in a stream bank, a burrow in the ground, or even a mud nest the birds construct themselves.

Female Yellowbellied Sapsucker, photographer's residence, Garfield Co., 5 Jan 2022. Photo by Bob Gerten.

Louisiana Waterthrush with young at nest under bank overhang, Rock Creek Station State Historical Park, Jefferson Co., 18 May 2016. Photo by John Carlini.

Pygmy Nuthatch, GilbertBaker WMA, Sioux Co., 11 July 2021. Photo by Colleen Childers.

Winter Wren, Platte …

The Nebraska Bird Review Volume 90 Number 1, March 2022

Nebraska Bird Review

Winter Field Report, Dec. 2021 - Feb. 2022 by W. Ross Silcock

2021-2022 Christmas Bird Counts by Don Paseka

Annual Color Photo Section

Annual Treasurer's Report for 2021 by Jan Johnson

Subscription and Organization Information

2021-2022 Christmas Bird Counts, Don Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

With the addition of the new Fort Niobrara circle, 19 counts were run during the 2021-2022 CBC season. Thirteen of them were run from December 14 through December 21 and the other six were done December 27 or later. The weather was mild to start the count period with almost all water open. As the count period progressed, the weather became more seasonable and much of the standing water froze, but conditions remained fairly benign with the exception of the Lake McConaughy count on January 2. Though it was cold but sunny on that day, the previous day’s snow and …

Winter Field Report, December 2021-February 2022, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

After compiling and reviewing the observations reported to NEBIRDS, various Facebook groups, and eBird, I reiterate my leadoff comments from last winter: the increasing numbers of observers taking time to report turned up some fascinating trends. Those cited as well as those not cited, all contributed to the firmness of the database that allows better-supported conclusions to be drawn than from our past reliance all too often on anecdotal supposition. Continuing a trend pointed out last winter were the many records of species north and west of their expected winter ranges. As I suggested last winter, “it is tempting to …

Annotated Checklist Of The Avian Species Observed At The Gordon Natural Area (West Chester University, Pa) 2003-2022. Version X, Nur Ritter, Josh R. Auld

Gordon Natural Area Bird Survey Documents

Data from eBird (through 1/24/2022) and from the 2004 West Chester Bird Club Survey of the GNA

Summary Data Number of Surveys: 112 'Site Visits' by 44 Birders. Note: this does not count the birders who participated in the 2004 West Chester Bird Club Survey as participants were not identified by name on the data sheets.

Number of Taxa: 128 Species, in 88 Genera and 38 Families. Years Noted: Although the title suggests that observations began in 2003, data for three species that were seen in the Gordon during 1970 are included here. This inclusion is because one of these …

Evaluating Avian Use Of Cover Crops In The Corn Belt, Megan Figura

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The tallgrass prairie of North America has changed drastically since colonial settlement, with up to 99% of this region converted for agriculture and other land-uses. Concurrent with grassland conversion, grassland birds have experienced the most extreme, consistent, and widespread population declines of any avian guild. Agricultural lands in the U.S. Midwest were able to provide adequate habitat for several bird species until the 1950’s; however, altered and intensified management practices have degraded much of remaining suitable habitat and undermined ecosystem functions. Consequently, many grassland birds have been identified as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in many State Wildlife Action …

Industrial Hemp As A Resource For Birds In Agroecosystems: Human-Wildlife Conflict Or Conservation Opportunity?, Emily A. Kotten, Iona Hennessy, Bryan M. Kluever, Bradley F. Blackwell, Lee A. Humberg, Page E. Klug

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.; hemp) is an emerging crop in the United States with little known about bird use or the potential for birds to become an agricultural pest. We identified birds associated with hemp fields, using repeated visits to oilseed plots in North Dakota, USA (n = 6) and cannabinoid (CBD) plots in Florida, USA (n = 4) from August to November 2020. We did not control for plot area or density; our observations were descriptive only. We observed 10 species in hemp, 12 species flying over hemp, and 11 species both foraging in and …

Index To Volume 89

Nebraska Bird Review

Adams, Marie 52

to

Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii 168 leucophrys 75, 168-169 oriantha 75, 169

Review Of The Sandhill Crane State: A Naturalist’S Guide To Nebraska By Paul Johnsgard, Ruth Stearns

Nebraska Bird Review

Dr. Paul Austin Johnsgard left us one last gift, in this reference guide to all places natural in Nebraska. Published posthumously, and available for purchase or free via UNL’s Digital Commons, this book arrived at my doorstep like a veritable “seed catalog” of Nebraska’s places of wonder to delight and inspire fair weather adventures just before the long winter set in. He wants us to explore the state as he had done, to be excited by all the out-ofdoors Nebraska has to offer.

Northern Saw-Whet Owl Autumn Migration In Eastern Nebraska: Results From A Three-Year Banding Study, Stephen J. Brenner, Joel G. Jorgensen

Nebraska Bird Review

Prior to 2019, records of NSWOs in Nebraska during fall were limited. There were fewer than five accepted reports in eastern Nebraska since the 1950s (Silcock and Jorgensen, 2021). The Hitchcock banding station along the Missouri River bluffs in nearby western Iowa has captured, banded, and released 20-50 birds during autumn migration for a number of years (J. Toll, personal communication). Furthermore, a single season banding study in central Nebraska during fall 2004 captured 14 NSWOs (Kim 2005), suggesting the species may migrate annually over much of the state in fall, or at least in more years than previously thought. …

Review Of Nest Records Of Nebraska Birds By Wayne J. Mollhoff, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

This book summarizes a lifetime of investigation of Nebraska’s breeding birds by Wayne Mollhoff. Even though I say the book summarizes a lifetime of investigation, I would not be surprised if Wayne resurfaces in a few years with a follow-up of some sort, intrepid investigator that he is. Over the years Wayne has spent innumerable days in the field climbing trees in full forestry gear, wading and kayaking marshes and rivers, hiking over prairies, and bushwhacking through dense forests (there are still a few in Nebraska). But this isn’t the totality of Wayne’s talents; he is a determined researcher with …

The Nebraska Bird Review, Volume 89 Number 4, December 2021

Nebraska Bird Review

Fall Field Report, August - November 2021 by W. Ross Silcock

Book Review: Nest Records of Nebraska Birds by Wayne J. Mollhoff Reviewed by W. Ross Silcock

Northern Saw-whet Owl Autumn Migration in Eastern Nebraska: Results from a Three-year Banding Study by Stephen J. Brenner and Joel G. Jorgensen

Mute Swan Observation at Gavins Point Dam Area, Cedar/Knox Co., Nebraska by Caleb Strand and Mark A. Brogie

Book Review: The Sandhill Crane State: A Naturalist's Guide to Nebraska by Paul Johnsgard, Reviewed by Ruth Stearns

Index to Volume 89

Subscription and Organization Information