Zoology Commons^™

Masthead From Nebraska Bird Review (June 1994) 62(2)

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., as its official journal, and is sent to members not in arrears for dues. Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $12.50 in the United States, $15.00 in Canada and Mexico, and $17.50 for all other 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 H. Pritchard, NOU Librarian, University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514.

Memberships in NOU (on a calendar year basis …

Nebraska Ornithologists' Union Spring Meeting, 1994, Bill Huser

Nebraska Bird Review

Although migrants were hoped for, and even expected, migration seemed to be on the wane during the NOU spring Meeting held in Niobrara, NE on May 20-22. Among the 138 species recorded, few were warblers or shorebirds. Several of the warbler species seen were represented by only one individual, so few birders were lucky enough to see them. However, with the area's rich diversity in habitats, unique geographic attributes, and the able assistance of the hosting Leuschen's birders, we saw many of the area's breeding species, some of which were at the edge of their breeding range.

The extensive Bazile …

Neal Anderson Wins Federal Duck Stamp Contest For Second Time

Nebraska Bird Review

This striking painting of a Red-breasted Merganser pair by Neal R. Anderson, a Nebraska native, was chosen for the 1994-95 Federal Duck Stamp from 434 entries. Mr. Anderson was first recognized for his artistic excellence when his painting of a Lesser Scaup was chosen for the 1989-90 Federal Duck Stamp. He has also designed the Nebraska Waterfowl Stamp since 1991, when it was established by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Revenues from both the Federal and Nebraska Stamps are used for vital waterfowl projects such as preserving wetlands. (Information and photo supplied by wild Wings, Inc., South Hwy. 61, …

North American Migration Count (Namc)

Nebraska Bird Review

This annual event was initiated in 1992 by Jim Stasz, Coordinator, P.O. Box 71, North Beach, MD 20714. It is not associated with any national organization. Some of its goals, presented in the NAMC Newsletter, January 1993, are as follows:

* to obtain a "snapshot" of the progress of spring migration;

* to obtain information on the abundance and distribution of each species;

* to initiate more participation among birders within a a state and between states;

* to aid in the organization and centralization of data.

The NAMC is patterned after the Christmas Bird Count with some differences. The …

"Notes On Bird Sightings In Nebraska," From Nebraska Bird Review (June 1994) 62(2)

Nebraska Bird Review

Ruff and Godwits. On April 19, 1994, I discovered a red-phased Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) in alternate plumage at the Sacramento Wildlife Management Area in Phelps County. It was feeding with a flock of Hudsonian Godwits (Limosa haemastica) and Marbled Godwits (Limosa fedoa) in a flooded marshy area. The Ruff was easily recognized and required little effort to identify. I observed and photographed it for about one hour in the early evening, using a Canon AE-1 and my Kowa TSN-4 with a 1200 mm photo attachment as a lens. I was unable to locate …

Spring Field Report, March-May, 1994, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

INTRODUCTION

The amount of work reporters put into their reports is tremendous. Putting the information into a readable format which preserves it for future use is a challenge, but always interesting. Reporters can report on their own forms if preferred; some do now, often because of computerized record-keeping systems. I [Ross Silcock] enter the data into my computer, and so almost anything is fine, as long as I can read it. It is not necessary to list every species, although it is difficult to know whether your dates of arrival, high counts, etc. are significant until compared with the others …

Tout Bird Club May 14, 1994 Count For Lincoln County, Ne, Wilma Wyman

Nebraska Bird Review

Eight observers (F. Clough, H. and E. Cunningham, G. Hoover, Pat McEvoy, S. Reney, and H. and W. Wyman) obtained a total of 92 species (numbers of individuals not given) between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The day was cloudy and misty at first but sunny later. The list of species for Lincoln County is as follows:

Eared Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Redhead, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Duck, Turkey Vulture, Swainson's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Ringnecked Pheasant, Wild Turkey, American Coot, Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer, American Avocet, …

Whole Issue Nebraska Bird Review (June 1994) 62(2)

Nebraska Bird Review

Table of Contents

Spring Field Report, March - May, 1994 …………………66

Nebraska Ornithologists' Union Spring Meeting, 1994 …………………88

Summary of Minutes of the NOU 93rd Annual Business Meeting…………………89

Table 1. Species Observed in Four Counties during NOU Spring Meeting, May 20-22, 1994 …………………90

Whooping Crane Sightings during spring Migration, 1994 …………………94

Neal Anderson Wins Federal Duck stamp Contest …………………96

North American Migration Count (NAMC) ………………… 96

Sarpy County, NE 1994 Count, North American Migration Count …………………97

Tout Bird Club May 14, 1994 Count for Lincoln County, NE …………………98

Notes on Bird Sightings in Nebraska …………………98

Table 1. Species Observed In Four Counties During Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Spring Meeting, May 20-22, 1994

Nebraska Bird Review

Five-page table of bird species sighted in Antelope, Boyd, Holt, and Knox Counties during the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union spring meeting held in Niobrara, Nebraska, May 20-22, 1994.

Water-Nymphs Of The Platte, Patricia W. Freeman, Keith Perkins

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Little known, but hauntingly beautiful and valuable to the environment as well, clams and mussels inhabit many Nebraska lakes and rivers. In the first survey of the entire Platte River, the authors found 11 species.

We surveyed mollusks (clams and snails) of the Platte River during the summers of 1990 and 1991. With the exception of the Big Bend reach of the river in Dawson, Buffalo, and Hall counties, no mussels were found in the river's main channel. But in backwaters, lakes and sand-pits along the river, we found 11 species of mussels at 49 different sites from east to …

1993 Treasurer's Report, Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., Colleen Babcock

Nebraska Bird Review

1993 TREASURER'S REPORT, NEBRASKA ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION, INC.

BALANCE Jan. 1, 1993

RECEIPTS:

TOTAL RECEIPTS

EXPENSES:

TOTAL EXPENSES

BALANCE Dec. 31, 1993

Correction In The Nebraska Bird Review, Vol. 61 (3), 1993, P. 137

Nebraska Bird Review

The following note was received from Duane E. Bright, 208 Merwood st., Bellevue, NE 68005: "My June 16, 1993 sighting of a White-eyed Vireo in the Nebraska National Forest near Halsey was erroneous. Please delete this sighting from any official NOU records."

Fall 1993 Occurrence Report (July 1-December 31)

Nebraska Bird Review

This is the last report to be presented for a 6-month period in lengthy tables because, beginning with this issue, Ross Silcock and Richard C. Rosche will have quarterly reports in text form. Their willingness to undertake this major project is greatly appreciated. There is some overlap between the information for December in the two reports because their first quarterly report includes December 1993 through February 1994. However, any descriptive observations they included for December are not repeated in this report.

A total of 273 species plus two sightings (swan and meadowlark) not assigned to species were observed in 24 …

Notes On Bird Sightings In Nebraska From Nebraska Bird Review (March 1994)

Nebraska Bird Review

Burasian Wigeon. On March 10, 1994, I discovered a male Eurasian wigeon (Anas penelope) just north of the Johnson Waterfowl Production Area in Phelps County. It was in a flock of approximately 200 puddle ducks, but primarily associated with six American Wigeons (Anas americana). The bird was distinctive and easily identified. A modest photograph has been sent to the NOU Records Committee.

---Joel Jorgensen, 1218 Jackson St., Blair, NE 68008

Summer Tanager. A Summer Tanager was observed at feeders in Bellevue from Nov. 20 to Dec. 27, 1993 by John Voss (first observer), Grace …

Masthead From Nebraska Bird Review (March 1994) 62(1)

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the Nebraska Ornithologists' union, Inc., as its official Journal, and sent to members not in arrears for dues. Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $12.50 in the United States, $15.00 in Canada and Mexico, and $17.50 for all other 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 H. Pritchard, NOU Librarian, W-436 Nebraska Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514.

Memberships in NOU (on a calendar year basis …

Winter Field Report, Dec. 1993-Feb. 1994, W. Ross Silcock, Richard C. Rosché

Nebraska Bird Review

After volunteering to gather data and Write a series of seasonal summaries for The Nebraska Bird Review, I was surprised that my offer was accepted and now the time has come already for the first report. I asked for comments and suggestions from contributors to the traditional six-month "spring" and "fall" Occurrence Reports and received many helpful ideas. The biggest concern was the possible loss of accessibility to data on a county-by-county basis. I do have the information entered into a database so that it can be accessed by county, and would be happy to respond to any requests for …

Whole Issue Nebraska Bird Review (March 1994) 62(1),

Nebraska Bird Review

Table of Contents

1993 Treasurer's Report, Nebraska Ornithologists' union, Inc …………….. 2

Fall 1993 Occurrence Report (July 1 - December 31) …………….. 3

Table 1. Fall 1993 Occurrences: Rare Species …………….. 5

Table 2. Fall 1993 Occurrences in One or Two Counties …………….. 5

Table 3. Fall 1993 Occurrences of Species Not in Tables 1 or 2 …………….. 8

Fall 1993 Reporters, Observers, and county Totals …………….. 50

Winter Field Report, December 1993 - February 1994 …………….. 51

Observers for winter Field Report…………….. 62

Notes on Bird Sightings in Nebraska…………….. 63

Correction in the Nebr. Bird Review Vol. 61 (3), …

Turtles, James F. Fowler, Jimmy L. Avery

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook

Turtles (Terrapene carolina) occur on all continents except Antarctica. Any permanent body of water is a potential home for turtles. Turtles are seldom a pest to people. Most turtles are not protected by state laws.

New Records Of Bolivian Mammals, Jorge A. Salazar-Bravo, Mariel Campbell, Sydney Anderson, Scott Lyell Gardner, John L. Dunnum

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

We present new records of occurrence and distribution for two species of didelphid marsupials and one species of echimyid rodent. Specimens were obtained from May through August 1991 and June through August 1992 in a study of mammalian diversity of Bolivia, a joint project between the Colección Boliviana de Fauna in La Paz, the Museum of Southwestern Biology (University of New Mexico), the American Museum of Natural History (New York), the Museo “Noel Kempff Mercado” de Historia Natural in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and the University of California at Davis. This project is an attempt to strength Bolivian collections …

Evolutionary Perspectives On Animalivory, Patricia W. Freeman

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Derived from insectivorous ancestors, microchiropteran bats have diversified into a remarkable array of feeding habits. Cranial and dental characteristics mirror this diversity. Insectivorous predators of hard-shelled prey have thicker jaws, well-developed cranial crests, fewer but larger teeth, longer canines and abbreviated M3s than species that take soft items. Carnivorous bats have more elongate skulls, larger brain volumes and larger pinnae, lengthened metastylar ridges, and larger protoconids compared to insectivores. Animalivorous species have large ectoloph areas compared to frugivorous and nectarivorous species, but animalivores and frugivores have large tooth areas relative to palatal area compared to nectarivores. Frugivores sacrifice ectoloph for …

Whooping Crane Sightings During Fall Migration, 1993, Steven Anschutz

Nebraska Bird Review

During the summer of 1993, an all-time record of 45 whooping-crane nests were confirmed on the breeding grounds at Wood Buffalo National Park. Suspected mortality included two nesting females. A total of 143 whooping cranes (127 adult/subadult and 16 young) arrived at Aransas between October 20 and November 22. As of December 30, five juveniles were missing and presumed dead. The only verified mortality during migration was a crane near Midland, Texas which died November 5 after apparently flying into a fence. The first dates for confirmed observations of migrating whooping cranes were August 16 in Saskatchewan, Canada, and September …

Nebraska Ornithologists' Union Fall Meeting, Halsey National Forest, September 3-5, 1993; Excerpts From The Fall Meeting, Robin Harding

Nebraska Bird Review

Excerpts from Minutes of the Fall Meeting (Robin Harding, Secretary):

Heather Whittaker reported on a Wildlife Society program called "Integrating People in Wildlife Conservation", in which she is participating. Five hundred to seven hundred wildlife biologists from all over the world will travel to Costa Rica for this program this fall [1993].

On Sunday morning, Mack Deveraux and Clark Fliege, Forest Service, presented the Master Recreation Plan for Halsey National Forest. They expressed a desire to hear NOU members' ideas and reactions to this plan.

The 1994 Annual Meeting will be held at Niobrara State Park May 2022, and the …

Masthead From Nebraska Bird Review

Nebraska Bird Review

EDITOR'S NOTE: Appreciation is expressed to Dr. R. G. Cortelyou for compiling the Christmas bird count and the index for this volume.

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the Nebraska ornithologists' Union, Inc., as its official Journal, and sent to members not in arrears for dues. Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $12.50 in the United States, $15.00 in Canada and Mexico, and $17.50 for all other 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 …

1993 Nebraska Christmas Bird Count, R. G. Cortelyou

Nebraska Bird Review

The 1993 Nebraska Christmas Bird Counts are shown in the table in a west (left) to east (right) order, but the narrative accounts are in alphabetical order. In the table those numbers which were underlined (to emphasize the unusual number’s in the reports are shown in bold, and the species for which the names were underlined (to emphasize that the species was unusual in the report are marked * before the number in the particular column. For both Eagles the total number (given first) is broken down by age immediately afterwards, and these numbers are shown in italics to …

Pine Siskins In Breeding Condition Along The North Platte River, Keith County, Nebraska, 1993, William C. Scharf, W. John Berigan, Josef Kren

Nebraska Bird Review

Johnsgard (1979) categorizes the Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus) as an erratic breeder in a number of eastern and southeastern Nebraska counties. Ducey (1988) considers this species to be a regular nester throughout the state in suitable coniferous habitat. Neither authors have listed breeding records in Keith County, although Ducey cites a record from Chase County (Bennett 1986). The Pine Siskin is known as a breeder in 12 counties in Kansas (Thompson and Ely 1992).

Methods

We caught and banded Pine Siskins at Cedar Point Biological Station near Lake Keystone, Keith County, Nebraska (41° 13' N, 101° 38' W) …

Whole Issue Nebraska Bird Review (December 1993) 61(4),

Nebraska Bird Review

Table of Contents

Nebraska Ornithologists' Union Fall Meeting, Sept. 3-5, 1993 …………….142

Whooping Crane Sightings During Fall Migration, 1993……………. 143

Pine siskins in Breeding Condition Along the North Platte River, Keith County, Nebraska, 1993 …………….144

Nebraska Christmas Bird Count for 1993……………. 145

Index to Volume 61…………….150

EDITOR'S NOTE: Appreciation is expressed to Dr. R. G. Cortelyou for compiling the Christmas bird count and the index for this volume.

Sorex Merriami In Nebraska, Patricia W. Freeman, Jay D. Druecker, Scott Tvrz

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

We report the capture of a second specimen of Merriam’s shrew (Sorex merriami) from the northwestern comer of Nebraska from dry grassland of sage and rabbitbrush. The first specimen, captured in 1965, is a more eastern record in what today is Sandhills prairie.

Whooping Crane Sightings During Spring Migration, 1993, Steven Anschutz

Nebraska Bird Review

A total of 136 whooping cranes began the migration from Aransas National wildlife Refuge in the spring of 1993, and all the cranes had left by April 26. The migration proceeded rapidly, with no major storms within the flyway. The first dates for confirmed observations of migrating cranes were April 2 in the U.S. and April 5 in Canada. The last sighting date was June 2 in Saskatchewan, Canada. Sightings were reported from Texas (1), Oklahoma (1), Kansas (7), Nebraska (8), South Dakota (3), North Dakota (2), and Saskatchewan, Canada (22). The longest stopover time was a juvenile, migrating alone, …

Corrections In Nebraska Bird Review 61(2) September 1993.

Nebraska Bird Review

Whopping Cranes. The location of the five birds reported by Loren Blake was 5 miles east and 4½ miles north from Brunswick in Antelope Co., not northeast of Creighton in Knox Co.

--Loren Blake, HC 63, Box 18, Chambers, NE 68725 --Eldon Marsh, Box 365, Brunswick, NE 68720

Yellow-headed Blackbirds. The flocks seen by Lee Morris in the Benedict area were in York Co., not Knox Co. [Editor’s error].

Masthead From Nebraska Bird Review (September 1993) 61(3)

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., and its official Journal, and sent to members not in arrears for dues Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $12.50 in the United States, $15.00 in Canada and Mexico, and $17.50 for all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4.00 each, postpaid in the United States, and $5.00 elsewhere. Send orders for back issue to Mary H. Pritchard, NOU Librarian, W-436 Nebraska Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514.

Memberships in NOU (on a calendar year basis …