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Nebraska Bird Review (June 2012) 80(2), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Spring Field Report, March 2012 to May 2012 ... 46

Snowy Owl Invasion of 2011–12 ... 72

Spring Field Days and Annual Meeting at Broken Bow, May 18–20, 2012 ... 77

[Correction … 77]

Subscription and Organization Information ... 83

Spring Field Days And Annual Meeting At Broken Bow

Nebraska Bird Review

The 113th Annual Meeting and Spring Field Days were held in Broken Bow May 18–20, 2011. Meetings and meals took place at the Mid-Plains Community College and were hosted by Tim Hajda. Despite the unseasonably warm spring weather that had preceded the meeting, the 50+ members and friends in attendance found 164 species. Expected species from the Sandhills and surrounding habitats that were seen included Sharp-tailed Grouse, Greater Prairie Chicken, American Bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron, White-faced Ibis, Long-billed Curlew, Ovenbird, and Northern Waterthrush. Less common species observed included Glossy Ibis, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Black-necked Stilt, Whimbrel, Alder Flycatcher, Wood Thrush, …

Spring Field Report, March 2012 To May 2012, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

This spring was a definite mixed bag ornithologically, in large part due to the mixed bag of weather conditions. Spring Beauty flowers bloomed 10–14 days early at Fontenelle Forest (RBa). Observers were decidedly mixed in their assessments of the season; veteran observers commenting on the passerine migration noted “poorest spring for passerines that I can recall” (LE) and “the sheer numbers of birds seemed ridiculously high for this early date of May 3rd” (JR). It should be noted that the 3 May date saw record counts of a few passerine species at Fontenelle Forest: 65 American Redstarts, 60 Blackpoll Warblers, …

Correction [June 2012]

Nebraska Bird Review

Correction: In the Winter Field Report, December 2011 to February 2012, two Golden Eagles were reported from the Ponca S.P. Christmas Bird Count (March 2012 NBR, page 9). This is incorrect; no Golden Eagles were seen on the Ponca Christmas Bird Count.

Snowy Owl Invasion Of 2011–12, Joel G. Jorgensen, Lauren R. Dinan, Thomas J. Walker Jr.

Nebraska Bird Review

The Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) is an Arctic breeder that regularly migrates to and winters in southern Canada and the northern United States (Parmalee 1992). The number of Snowy Owls moving south and the extent and timing of southward movements in any one year are believed to be dependent on interactions between populations of Snowy Owls and lemmings, the owls’ principal food resource (Parmalee 1992). Infrequently, relatively large numbers of Snowy Owls are observed in areas or regions where few are typically observed, and individuals are observed well south of the normal winter range. These occurrences are often …

Subscription And Organization Information [June 2012]

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 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 …

Energy-Saving Hypothermia Reduces Flight Ability In Mourning Doves, Jennie M. Carr, Steven L. Lima

Symposium 2012

Overwintering birds are frequently exposed to thermal challenges that can quickly decrease energy reserves, thus leading to an increase in the risk of starvation. During these periods of energetic hardship, many avian species use nocturnal hypothermia to conserve energy that would otherwise be lost remaining warm throughout the night (McKechnie & Lovegrove 2002). However, a cool body temperature (Tb) may limit a bird’s ability to monitor the environment and may slow their response to a potential threat. Thus, birds likely trade-off between the benefits of energy-saving hypothermia and the potential costs of reduced behavioral responsiveness to predators (Welton et al. …

Nebraska Bird Review (March 2012) 80(1), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

NOU Annual Treasurer’s Report for 2011 ... 2

Winter Field Report, December 2011–February 2012 ... 3

2011–2012 Christmas Bird Counts in Nebraska ... 17

Report of a Nesting Sora (Porzana carolina) … 40

Subscription and Organization Information ... 43

2011–2012 Christmas Bird Counts

Nebraska Bird Review

Fifteen counts, one more than last year, were held during the period, and a total of 139 species, 10 fewer than last year, were found. This was a count season of record totals for the state for a number of species. Factors contributing to this include the number of counts, the number of participants and the weather. More counts (15) were run than in any previous year, and several counts (Lake McConaughy in particular) had a much greater than average number of participants. The weather prior to the count period was mild, and most of the circles had unusually warm …

Report Of A Nesting Sora (Porzana Carolina), William M. Lemburg, Wayne J. Mollhoff

Nebraska Bird Review

During the summer of 2008, long-time NOU member and former NOU Treasurer William (Bill) Lemburg of Cairo, Howard Co., Nebraska, discovered the nest of a Sora (Porzana carolina). On 29 July 2008, while using a small flat-bottomed boat to gather duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza) on a small pond near his bird pens to feed the exotic waterfowl he raises, he noted a pair of Sora walking about, foraging atop the dense growth of duckweed. The pair ignored his presence even though, as he later discovered, he was within 10 feet of their nest. The following evening, 30 …

Color Photo Section [March 2012, Pp. 19–27]

Nebraska Bird Review

Killdeer eggs and hatchlings, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-necked Stilt nest (p. 19); Cape May Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler (p. 20); Long-billed Curlew, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Wood Duck, American White Pelicans (p. 21); Mew Gull, juvenile Northern Goshawk, Broad-winged Hawk (p. 22); Rufous Hummingbird, Yellow-breasted Chat, Cedar Waxwings, Sanderlings (p. 23); Baltimore Orioles, Red Crossbill, young Rose-breasted Grosbeak (p. 24); Henslow’s Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Le Conte’s Sparrow (p. 25); Snowy Owl, Long-eared Owl, Great-horned Owl, Easter Screech-Owl, Burrowing Owl, and Short-eared Owl (p.26).

Winter Field Report, December 2011 To February 2012, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

The most obvious feature of this winter’s avian movements was the number of Snowy Owls, unprecedented in living memory, that invaded the state. A tally maintained by Joel Jorgensen and Lauren Dinan of Nebraska Game and Parks indicated that over 200 snowies were found in the state, and most were documented. Not as popular with the public, but perhaps of greater scientific interest were the mid-winter reports of species normally rare at this time of year. Most notable in this respect were waterfowl, grebes, cranes, and sparrows. A read-through of these species suggests the very mild winter experienced over most …

Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Treasurer’S Report, December 31, 2011

Nebraska Bird Review

One-page spreadsheet constituting the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union treasurer's report at year end (December 31) of 2011. The grand total is $57,901.29.

Subscription And Organization Information [March 2012]

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 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 …

Mid-Contract Management Of Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands Provides Benefits For Ring-Necked Pheasant Nest And Brood Survival, Ty W. Matthews, J. Scott Taylor, Larkin A. Powell

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields may provide good habitat for nesting and brood-rearing ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) during early stages of succession. But, the success of hens in early successional CRP, relative to late successional CRP and other grassland habitats, has yet to be evaluated. The reproductive period is especially critical for populations of pheasants, and CRP’s benefits to hens and chicks may decrease as fields age because of loss of vegetative diversity, decrease in vegetation density, and accumulation of residual litter. During 2005– 2006, we evaluated spatial and temporal variation in nest and brood survival for radio-marked hen pheasants …

Impacts Of Urbanisation On The Native Avifauna Of Perth, Western Australia, Robert Davis, C Gole, Jd Roberts

Research outputs 2012

Urban development either eliminates, or severely fragments, native vegetation, and therefore alters the distribution and abundance of species that depend on it for habitat. We assessed the impact of urban development on bird communities at 121 sites in and around Perth, Western Australia. Based on data from community surveys, at least 83 % of 65 landbirds were found to be dependent, in some way, on the presence of native vegetation. For three groups of species defined by specific patterns of habitat use (bushland birds), there were sufficient data to show that species occurrences declined as the landscape changed from variegated …

Impacts Of Urbanisation On The Native Avifauna Of Perth, Western Australia, Robert A. Davis, Cheryl Gole, J Dale Roberts

Research outputs 2013

Urban development either eliminates, or severely fragments, native vegetation, and therefore alters the distribution and abundance of species that depend on it for habitat. We assessed the impact of urban development on bird communities at 121 sites in and around Perth, Western Australia. Based on data from community surveys, at least 83 % of 65 landbirds were found to be dependent, in some way, on the presence of native vegetation. For three groups of species defined by specific patterns of habitat use (bushland birds), there were sufficient data to show that species occurrences declined as the landscape changed from variegated …

Avian Species Abundance In Response To Recreational Trail Use, Carrie A. Wencel

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Studies have indicated that non-consumptive outdoor recreation may affect wildlife. Thus, as the nation increases interest in outdoor recreation, data suggests the effect on wildlife will also increase. Previous studies indicate that as disturbance to wildlife increases, both avian species richness will decrease. Knowing how to anticipate effects on native species when planning and managing recreational areas is important in order to both provide for human desires and ensure the least impact to local species diversity.

The goal of this project was to observe and compare avian species richness and diversity between selected trail sites within Shevlin Park, Bend, Oregon …

Smith’S Longspur In Knox County, Nebraska, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

Smith's Longspur (Calcarius pictus) is considered to be an uncommon casual spring migrant and is limited in spring to the southeast comer of Nebraska (Sharpe et al. 2001). This note provides the only known record for Smith's Longspur for spring in northeast Nebraska.

Subscription And Organization Information [December 2011]

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 Anita Breckbill, NOU Librarian, c/o Music Library, WMB 30, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0101.

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

Kearney Fall Field Days

Nebraska Bird Review

The 2011 NOU Fall Field Days were held at the Iain Nicolson Center at the Audubon Rowe Sanctuary southeast of Kearney on September 23–25, and 55 members and friends were in attendance. The meeting was organized by Kent Skaggs.

Field trip destinations included Harlan County Reservoir, led by Kent Skaggs; the Rainwater Basin, led by Paul Dunbar; Bittern's Call WPA and Johnson Lake, led by John Murphy; and Sherman Reservoir, led by Robin Harding and Lanny Randolph. A final tally of 143 species was recorded Highlights included the Neotropic Cormorants at Harlan County Reservoir and Sherman Reservoir and the numerous …

First Discovery Of A Four-Egg Clutch For Mountain Plover (Charadrius Montanus) In Nebraska, Bartholomew L. Bly, Travis Wooten

Nebraska Bird Review

On 27 May 2010, the first documented Mountain Plover nest in Nebraska to contain a clutch of four eggs was documented in a fallow strip of a dryland crop field in southern Kimball County. Mountain Plover typically have a clutch size of 3 eggs, though clutches with 1 and 2 eggs are observed in approximately 15% of nesting attempts (Knopf and Wunder 2006). Clutches with 4 eggs are rare and have been reported to occur in less than 1% of the population (Knopf and Wunder 2006). Five 4-egg clutches have been reported in Colorado and one in Montana (see Knopf …

Nebraska Bird Review (December 2011) 79(4), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Fall Field Report, August–November 2011 ... 118

First Documented Nebraska Sighting of Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla) ... 136

First Discovery of a Four-Egg Clutch for Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus) in Nebraska ... 139

Smith's Longspur in Knox County, Nebraska ... 141

Fall 2011 Bird Banding at Wildcat Hills Nature Center ... 142

Kearney Fall Field Days ... 143

Index to Volume 79 ... 148

Subscription and Organization Information ... 159

Index To Volume 79

Nebraska Bird Review

Ahlschwede, Carla 71

Allen, Edward 83

Allison, Scott 32

Alsop, FJ 36

American Ornithologists' Union 109–110

Anderson, BW 36

Arkansas Audubon Society 36

Avocet, American 55, 68, 73, 89, 125

First Documented Nebraska Sighting Of Brown-Headed Nuthatch (Sitta Pusilla), Larry Einemann

Nebraska Bird Review

Monday, November 8, 2010, was an unusually warm (upper 70s) autumn day for Lincoln, Nebraska, with no clouds and a wind from the southwest. I went to Holmes Lake Park in southeast Lincoln to scan for late migrating waterfowl and then to check the stand of conifers for the arrival of winter migrants. Around 11 A.M. I was attracted to a feeding group of six Black-capped Chickadees and three Red-breasted Nuthatches in the 30- to 40-year-old pines and Douglas firs north of Hyde Observatory. I noticed a differently patterned nuthatch in the group. I had seen a Pygmy Nuthatch several …

Fall Field Report, August–November 2011, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

Overall, this fall migration was routine (waterfowl, warblers, sparrows), but there were a few unexpected highlights. The flooded Missouri River Valley provided habitat that led to some amazing fall counts: 3000 pelicans, 5700 coots, 338 American Golden-Plovers, and 1200 Pectoral Sandpipers. The 10,000 cormorants at Harlan County Reservoir may not have been affected by the Missouri River flooding, and were a record count also. While we're talking numbers, the martin roost in Omaha topped out at 50,000–55,000, and seasonal totals of 4 Red-necked Grebes and 15 Philadelphia Vireos for the state, 34 Mississippi Kites over Ogallala (it's often hard to …

Fall 2011 Bird Banding At Wildcat Hills Nature Center, Colin Woolley

Nebraska Bird Review

Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory has been operating a fall migration bird banding station at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center in Scotts Bluff Co. since 2007. In 2011, during our fifth year of banding, we captured a few new species, had new high totals for other species, and had a record number new high total of recaptures. Weather permitting, we banded on weekdays from August 31 through October 10 for five hours per day beginning soon after sunrise. We caught and banded 735 individual birds of 32 species. We banded two new species for the station in 2011: one Red-eyed Vireo …

Summer Field Report, June–July 2011, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

The effects of major drought in the southwest United States on bird life in Nebraska has yet to be determined, as has the effect of the historic inundation of the Missouri River bottom lands from Gavins Point Dam to Rulo in eastern Nebraska. The water level at McConaughy is coincidentally at a maximum, ensuring that breeding habitat for Piping Plover and Least Tern was much reduced in the state overall. On the other hand, bottom lands wetlands above the flood level were expanded; Black-necked Stilts initiated a late nesting in Dakota Co in flooded fields that also attracted thousands of …

Subscription And Organization Information [September 2011]

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 Anita Breckbill, NOU Librarian, c/o Music Library, WMB 30, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0101.

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

Nebraska Bird Review (September 2011) 79(3), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Summer Field Report, June–July 2011 ... 82

2010 (22nd) Report of the NOU Records Committee ... 99

2011 Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Statewide Nesting Survey ... 112

Subscription and Organization Information ... 115