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"Notes," From Nebraska Bird Review (March 1990)

Nebraska Bird Review

Notes

NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION EAGLE SURVEY In the 1990 Eagle Survey a total of 857 Bald Eagles were observed in Nebraska, 211 along the Missouri River, and 646 in the rest of the state. This count is 259 less than the record high of 1,116 observed in 1989, and 103 less than the average of 960 birds for 1987-1989. The Missouri River count is nearly identical to the 1989 figure and to the three year average. Possibly the cold snap in late December prompted some Eagles to overfly Nebraska in search of less hostile wintering conditions. The Harlan Co. Reservoir …

Sage Sparrow In Sioux County, Dave Stage, Lois Stage

Nebraska Bird Review

On 6 August 1989, we observed a Sage Sparrow approximately one mile east of Coffee Park in Sow Belly Canyon in Sioux Co. The Sparrow flew from an area of sagebrush along the road and perched in the top of some brush about three to four meters high. The bird appeared to be an adult. Its bill was bluish-gray, breast was white with brownish streaks and a central dark spot. It had two faint pale wingbars, whitish eye-ring, a white stripe above the eye, whitish whisker stripe, grayish brown face patch, and light brown streaks on its sides. The head …

Nebraska Bird Review (March 1990) 58(1), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Table of Contents

1989 Treasurer's Report .....................2

1989 Christmas Count.....................3

1989 (Thirty-Second) Fall Occurrence Report..................... 13

Corrections to 1989 Spring Occurrence Report .....................27

Sage Sparrow in Sioux County .....................27

Notes.....................29

Book Reviews..................... 35

Geographic Distribution: Tropidoclonion Lineatum (Lined Snake). Usa: Nebraska: Douglas Co., Louis A. Somma, James D. Fawcett

Papers in Herpetology

TROPIDOCLONION LINEATUM (Lined Snake). USA: NEBRASKA: Douglas Co. Omaha. jct. of 156th & F Streets (NE corner Sec. 3, T14N, R11E). 3 June 1980. J.J. Krupa. UNO 102-03680. Adult killed by lawnmower (J. Krupa. pers. comm.) at relict tallgrass prairie site (Beottcher 1981, Master's Thesis, University of Nebraska at Omaha). ca. 82.5 km SE of record in Cuming County and 75 km NE of record in Lancaster County (Lynch 1985, Trans. Nebraska Acad. Sci. 13: 33-57). Fills gap between easternmost records in central Nebraska and Westernmost records in Iowa (Christiansen 1981, Proc. Iowa Acad. Sci. 88: 24-26; Christiansen & Bailey, …

Some Helminth Parasites Of Dunlin (Calidris Alpina) And Western Willet (Catoptrophorus Semipalmatus Inornatus) From California, Hilda Lei Ching

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Dunlins and western willets were collected on their winter feeding grounds at Bodega Bay and Bolinas Lagoon, California, during 1986. Six digeneans, eight cestodes, two acanthocephalans, and a new nematode were found in dunlins. Seven digeneans, two cestodes, one acanthocephalan, and the new nematode were found in western willets; four helminths including the new roundworm were common to dunlins. Thominx cecumitis sp. n. differs from other capillarid nematodes with a spinous spicule-sheath in having a short, globular vulvar appendage, peanut-shapcd eggs, a cuticular ball at the posterior tip of the body, narrow lateral alae, and a cuticular genital bursa.

Helminth Parasitism In Martens (Martes Americana) And Ermines (Mustela Erminea) From Washington, With Comments On The Distribution Of Trichinella Spiralis, Eric P. Hoberg, Keith B. Aubry, J. David Brittell

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Helminths are reported for the first time from ermines (Mustela erminea) and martens (Martes americana) in Washington, USA. Among 22 adult ermines, 41% were infected by one or more of five species (Taenia mustelae, Alaria mustelae, Molineus patens, M. mustelae, and Trichinella spiralis). Among 78 adult martens from three geographic localities, the prevalence was 83%. Nine species were identified (Mesocestoides sp., T. mustelae and T. martis americana, Euryhelmis squamula, M. patens, Baylisascaris devosi, Physaloptera sp., Soboliphyme baturini, and T. spiralis). Trichinella spiralis …

Recent Sedge Wren Observations In Nebraska, Mary Clausen

Nebraska Bird Review

The Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis) in Nebraska was considered by Rapp (1958) an uncommon migrant in the eastern third of the state, and a rare breeder in suitable marshes in the eastern quarter, and by Johnsgard (1986) as an uncommon spring and fall migrant in the east and a rare summer resident in the eastern third of the state, mostly east of a line from Knox to Gage counties. Recent articles have prompted questions concerning the rarity of Sedge Wrens nesting in Nebraska (Bedell 1987, Lingle and Bedell 1989) and the possibility that may be nesting late in …

Nebraska Bird Review (December 1989) 57(4), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Table of Contents

1988 Fall Field Day ..................86

Have the Northern Cardinal and the Red-bellied Woodpecker Expanded Their
Ranges in Nebraska Recently, 1968-19871 ..................87

Recent Sedge Wren Observations in Nebraska..................92

Notes..................93

Index to Volume 57..................95

Index To Volume 57

Nebraska Bird Review

Index to Volume 57

8 pages

A-Z

1988 Fall Field Day

Nebraska Bird Review

Some innovations greeted the 60 registrants at the 1989 Field Day, 6 October, at the 4-H camp at Halsey National Forest: there was a canoe float down the Middle Loup River and a lesson on bird calls Saturday morning, in additl0 to the usual self-guided birding trips and demonstration of bird banding. Blow ups of the field card were posted, so that sightings could be posted currently and locations of special sightings could be written on a chalkboard. Saturday morning was overcast and chilly (otherwise the weather was sunny and mild), but 7 did make the float trip down to …

Have The Northern Cardinal And The Red-Bellied Woodpecker Expanded Their Ranges In Nebraska Recently, 1968-1987?, E.H. Maddux

Nebraska Bird Review

The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) and the Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) are both common permanent residents of Nebraska (Johnsgard 1980: Bray, Padelford, and Silcock i986). Over at least the last four decades there have been published reports that the two species have been expanding their respective ranges to the west and to the north. In the case of the Northern Cardinal the range expansion has been extensive in distance and has occurred over a long period of time. "Originally a bird of the south, the Kentucky Cardinal, or Virginia Redbird, has pushed its way northward until …

"Notes," From Nebraska Bird Review (December 1989) 57(4)

Nebraska Bird Review

MINK AND OTTER. On a trip to West Point on 2 June 1989 I took N 79 north to Snyder. As I was travelling north near the town of Prague I noticed a large river otter loping through a field in broad daylight, paralleling a a wooded stream. It probably was an itinerant, recently released, and was going about the business of looking for a better home. Later that day, near West Point, I saw a mink quickly cross the road from one stream to another, in the area of a wet prairie surrounding both sides of the road.' I …

Heteromys Gaumeri, Cheryl A. Schmidt, Mark D. Engstrom, Hugh H. Genoways

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Heteromys gaumeri Allen and Chapman, 1897, Gaumer's Spiny Pocket Mouse.

Heteromys gaumeri Allen and Chapman, 1897:9. Type locality "Chichen-Itza, Yucatan, Mexico."

1986: A Nebraska Big Year, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

In January of 1986 my brother, Ed M. Brogie, and I were tallying our lists for Nebraska when the question arose: "How many species of birds do you think one could see in Nebraska in one year?" The previous year (1985) had been the first year we had made a serious attempt at seeing western Nebraska species and chasing rarities in the state. Our efforts had yielded such birds as Bean Goose, Green-tailed Towhee, Black-necked Stilt, Red Phalarope, Lewis' Woodpecker, Sprague's Pipit, Cassin's Finch, Cassin's Kingbird, and King Eider. When 1985 ended, my Nebraska life list stood at 290 and …

Book Reviews [September 1989]

Nebraska Bird Review

Reviews of several books and calendars: The Collins Field Guide to the Birds of the Galapagos; A Birdsong Tutor for Visually Handicapped Individuals; The Bird Identification Calendar (1990); The Flyfisher's 1990 Calendar; Birds, a 1990 Equinox Nature Calendar; and Eric Hosking's Birds of Prey of the World.

1989 (Sixty-Fourth) Spring Occurrence Report

Nebraska Bird Review

Two hundred and eighty-nine species (plus the possibility that the Empidonax sp. was one not listed) are listed in this report, from 13 locations, plus 36 counties reported in 7 "spot check" columns or as notes in regular columns. In 1988 there were 306 species from 15 locations plus 13 "spot check" columns involving 34 counties; in 1987 288 species from 13 locations and 6 "spot check" columns involving 9 counties; 1986 304 from 13 locations and 9 "spot check" columns involving 24 counties; and 1985 296 from 13 locations and 9 "spot check" columns (plus additions on NBR 53:70) …

Changes In The A.O.U. Check-List

Nebraska Bird Review

CHANGES IN THE A.O.U. CHECK-LIST

The Thirty-seventh Supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds (Auk, 106:532-538) made these changes in species which may be found in Nebraska:

Common Barn-Owl (Tyto alba) to Barn Owl; Barn-Owl is no longer used for another species, so the hyphen is no longer needed, nor is a modifier.

Northern Hawk-Owl (Surnia ulula) to Northern Hawk Owl; this species does not belong in the Hawk-Owl group and so the hyphen is removed.

Western Flycatcher (Empidonax diffieilis) is replaced by Pacific-slope Flycatcher (E. diffieilis) …

Cassin’S Sparrow In Dundy And Chase Counties, Nebraska, W. Ross Silcock, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

On 3 and 4 June 1989 Tanya Bray, Doug Rose, and I [W. Ross Silcock] traveled to Dundy Co. to look for two species: Chihuahuan Raven and Cassin's Sparrow. While we found no Ravens, we did find several Cassin's Sparrows.

All of the Cassin's Sparrows were found in sandy sage prairie habitat. At least six were found, in four different locations. The birds were located most easily by their skylarking behavior, although the song, once heard, is also useful for locating birds. Indeed, Doug Rose found the first Cassin's Sparrow by song. Once located, we were able to study individuals …

Notes [September 1989]

Nebraska Bird Review

“Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Nest in Cass County”: On 2 July 1989 Greg Hertel, Murray, Cass Co., reported an adult Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in his yard. He thought it had left the area, but Betty Allen and Ruth Green went down on 8 July to look for it, and they finally found it (a male) in Young Memorial Park. The next morning Betty took others down to see it and found a female on a nest on a 40-foot light pole used to floodlight the ball field.

“National Wildlife Federation Eagle Survey” (by Greg Wingfield, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission): The 1989 NWF …

Nebraska Bird Review (September 1989) 57(3), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Changes in the A.O.U. Check-list ... 58

1989 (Sixty-fourth) Spring Occurrence Report ... 59

Cassin's Sparrow in Dundy and Chase Counties, Nebraska ... 67

1986: A Nebraska Big Year ... 71

Notes [Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Nest in Cass County, National Wildlife Federation Eagle Survey, and Whooping Crane Report] ... 81

Book Reviews ... 83

Testing Macroevolutionary Hypotheses With Cladistic Analysis: Evidence Against Rectangular Evolution, Cliff A. Lemen, Patricia W. Freeman

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The properties of cladistic data sets from small monophyletic groups (6-1 2 species) are investigated using computer simulations of macroevolution. Two evolutionary models are simulated: gradualism and the punctuated-equilibrium hypothesis. Under the conditions of our simulations these two models of evolution make consistently different predictions about the distribution of autapomorphies among species. When strict stasis is enforced, the punctuated-equilibrium hypothesis predicts that the most expected number of autapomorphies per species will be zero, no matter how many characters are used in the analysis. As the number of characters used in the analysis increases, the distribution of the number of autapomorphies …

Prairie Paths, Mouse Highways And Night Time Traffic, Patricia W. Freeman, Cliff A. Lemen

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Not long ago we developed a convenient, inexpensive, non-harmful way to learn about the secret lives of small nocturnal mammals. The technique allows us to follow trails made by rodents and to find where they have foraged, what they have eaten, and where they have their burrows. This method involves the use of a fine, nontoxic powder that fluoresces under black light. After setting traps and capturing the animals alive, we gently dust them in the fluorescent powder. The powder, used to make fluorescent paint, comes in different colors. It is especially important that the powder is non-toxic because killing …

1988 Nebraska Nesting Report, Esther V. Bennett

Nebraska Bird Review

Data on the 1988 Nesting season in Nebraska were received from 25 observers and 2 agencies, reporting on 94 species from 52 counties. Counties on the tabulation are listed in a west to east order, with the northernmost of the approximately equal locations given first. Numbers represent Nest Record Cards; underlined numbers represent nests reported on Colonial Bird Register Forms; C represents carrying food; E represents eggs; F represents feeding; H represents nest building (home); N represents nests observed for which no Nest Record Card was submitted; S represents fecal sacs; V represents feeding Brown-headed Cowbird (visitor); X is used …

An Iceland Gull In Cedar County, Nebraska, Mark A. Brogie, Ed M. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

An Iceland Gull in Cedar County, Nebraska

Both Johnsgard (1986) and Bray et al. (1986) list the Iceland gull (Larus glaucoides) as accidental; the only record from Nebraska being a first-year male bird shot from a flock of crows by a boy at Dorchester, Saline Co., on 15 January 1907. The specimen was supposedly preserved, but now cannot be located with certainty. The following provides the second record for this species for Nebraska.

On 4 December 1988 we observed a first winter Iceland Gull at the Gavin's Point tailwaters, Cedar Co., Nebraska. The bird was first seen flying from a …

Book Reviews-Nebraska Bird Review (June 1989), Larry L. Einemann

Nebraska Bird Review

The Complete Birder, A Guide to Better Birding, Jack Connor, illustrated by Margaret LaFarge, xiii + 285 pp., Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, softcover $8.95.

The Complete Birder is divided into twelve chapters that can aid both the serious birder and the beginning birder. Connor opens with a chapter entitled "The Sporting Science". In this chapter he unequivocally states outright that birding is not easy, no matter how experienced one is nor how well equipped. He does say, and I tend to agree, that "birding can be exhilarating, enlightening, evocative, or exasperating -- and often all of these at once He …

Nebraska Natural Heritage Program Request For Help, Mary Kay Clausen

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Natural Heritage Program is a computer-assisted inventory of rare or uncommon plants, animals, and communities in Nebraska. This information is used to help establish protection priorities, land protection, species review, impact assessment, research, and for education. We are currently operating under a two-year contract between the Nature Conservancy and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Our office is in the Nebraska Game and Parks building in Lincoln. We have a full-time staff consisting of a Botanist, Zoologist, and Community Ecologist,

As the Zoologist for the Program, I would like to solicit the help of NOU members. Currently, I …

Nesting Ecology Of Sedge Wrens In Hall County, Nebraska, Gary R. Lingle, Paul A. Bedell

Nebraska Bird Review

The status of the Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis) in Nebraska is not well known. Cink (1973) summarized summer records from 1867 to 1971 and described only a few nest records. One nest discovered on 28 August 1902 at Capitol Beach, Lancaster Co., was assumed empty, apparently because of the late date. Bedell (1987) recorded July and August sightings in south central Nebraska and raised the question of whether these birds were migrants or nesting.

Sedge Wrens are frequently polygynous (Crawford 1977, Burns 1982) and may exhibit two waves of nesting effort in some areas (Burns 1982). Nest initiation …

Notes On Black-Legged Kittiwakes In Cedar County, Nebraska, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

The Black-legged Kittiwake is listed as accidental for Nebraska by both Johnsgard (1986) and Bray et al. (1986). Only a few documented records exist for this species for the state. Photographs of Black-legged Kittiwakes found in Cedar Co., 1988, are in possession of the author and others have been sent to the Nebraska Records Committee.

On 26 November 1988 Bill Huser found a first-winter plumaged Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) at the tailwaters of Gavin's Point Dam, Cedar Co. Nebraska. On 2 December David Stage visited the area and found a Kittiwake frequenting the same area. He observed it feeding in …

Notes-Nebraska Bird Review (June 1989), Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

GLAUCOUS GULL IN CEDAR COUNTY, NEBRASKA. On 4 December 1988, Ed M. Brogie observed and photographed a first-winter plumaged Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) at the tailwaters of Gavin's Point Dam, Cedar Co., Nebraska. It was seen in the company of several Herring (Larus argentatus) and Ring-billed (Larus delawarensis) Gulls, and was noticeably larger than both these species. Its large, bicolored bill, dark eye, flesh-colored feet, and large flattened head were noted. Its body feathers were whitish in color, intermixed with brown fleckings. The wings appeared long and had the translucent primaries characteristic of the species. …

The Second Report Of The N.O.U. Records Committee, Wayne J. Mollhoff

Nebraska Bird Review

This report contains individual accounts of 56 accepted records of 37 species and 8 non-accepted records of 7 species. The records were contributed by 36 observers. This report covers most of the records n66 - n150. At the NOU Fall Field Day on 3 October 1987, the committee decided to act as repository for all photos published in the Nebraska Bird Review. A decision was also made to simply file for record those records which were not deemed unusual enough to warrant full committee action. Thus, the discrepancy between the number of records logged into the files versus the …