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1. Fw: [CALBIRD] Why is it important?
"Ross Silcock" <silcock@sidney.heartland.net>
Wed, 10 Feb 1999 23:40:08 -0600
2. Introducing myself
"John R. Ellison" <John.Ellison@NAU.EDU>
Thu, 11 Feb 1999 01:44:44 -0700
3.
cdrwxwng@webtv.net
Thu, 11 Feb 1999 14:09:16 -0600 (CST)
4. Lake McConaughy trip reminder.
Steve_Dinsmore@usgs.gov (Steve Dinsmore)
Thu, 11 Feb 1999 13:33:57 -0700
5. Nebraska Birdline for 2/12/99
"Loren J. Padelford" <lpdlfrd@juno.com>
Fri, 12 Feb 1999 18:45:39 -0600
6. Saturday
John C Sulllivan <johnsllvn@juno.com>
Sat, 13 Feb 1999 22:28:20 -0600
7. Sunday Morning
"Joel Jorgensen" <zrtac@genesisnet.net>
Sun, 14 Feb 1999 13:08:41 -0600
8. Feb 14 Gosper Co
marshwren@nctc.net (Randolph and Harding)
Sun, 14 Feb 1999 20:11:19 -0600
9. Re: Saturday
"Linda R. Brown" <lb14735@navix.net>
Sun, 14 Feb 1999 20:48:12 +0000
10. Re: Saturday
pkaufman@sccm.cc.ne.us
Mon, 15 Feb 1999 08:14:28 -0600
11. Re: Saturday
lizprints@webtv.net (elizabeth allen)
Mon, 15 Feb 1999 23:23:33 -0600 (CST)
12. NOU Newsletter Deadline
lizprints@webtv.net (elizabeth allen)
Tue, 16 Feb 1999 00:35:15 -0600 (CST)
13. Christmas Bird Count data
Joe Gubanyi <JGUBANYI@seward.cune.edu>
Tue, 16 Feb 1999 09:05:22 -0500 (CDT)
14. Christmas Bird Count data
Steve_Dinsmore@usgs.gov (Steve Dinsmore)
Tue, 16 Feb 1999 10:08:44 -0700
15. Re: Saturday
Paul Johnsgard <pjohnsga@unlinfo.unl.edu>
Tue, 16 Feb 1999 16:27:10 -0600 (CST)
16. Nebraska Birdline for 2/16/99
"Loren J. Padelford" <lpdlfrd@juno.com>
Tue, 16 Feb 1999 18:34:19 -0600
17. Re: Christmas Bird Count data
Janece Mollhoff <wm14915@navix.net>
Tue, 16 Feb 1999 21:26:00 -0800
18. Re: Winter Chippies
"Linda R. Brown" <lb14735@navix.net>
Tue, 16 Feb 1999 23:56:07 +0000
19. No Trumpeter Swan at Thomas Lake 2/16/99
"Linda R. Brown" <lb14735@navix.net>
Wed, 17 Feb 1999 10:28:29 +0000
20. Re: NOU Newsletter Deadline
"Thomas E. Labedz" <tlabedz@unlinfo.unl.edu>
Thu, 18 Feb 1999 08:22:16 -0600
21. Re: NOU Newsletter Deadline
lizprints@webtv.net (elizabeth allen)
Thu, 18 Feb 1999 15:10:18 -0600 (CST)
22. (Fwd) [BIRDHAWK] Hawk and owl hunting
cnk@scholars.bellevue.edu
Sat, 20 Feb 1999 14:11:33 CDT
23. Thanks
"Alice Kenitz" <akenitz@prairieweb.com>
Sat, 20 Feb 1999 20:28:25 -0700
24. Forgot
"Alice Kenitz" <akenitz@prairieweb.com>
Sat, 20 Feb 1999 20:44:08 -0700
25. Lake McConaughy trip.
Steve_Dinsmore@usgs.gov (Steve Dinsmore)
Sat, 20 Feb 1999 21:25:30 -0700
26. RE: (Fwd) [BIRDHAWK] Hawk and owl hunting
Mark Orsag <MOrsag@doane.edu>
Sun, 21 Feb 1999 16:47:07 -0600
27. Birds Sat-Sun after L McConaughy
"Ross Silcock" <silcock@sidney.heartland.net>
Sun, 21 Feb 1999 20:49:53 -0600
28. Fw: [CALBIRD] Re: Kumlien's type gull at Doheney
"Ross Silcock" <silcock@sidney.heartland.net>
Sun, 21 Feb 1999 21:17:18 -0600
29. Fw: [CALBIRD] Kumlien's type gull at Doheney
"Ross Silcock" <silcock@sidney.heartland.net>
Sun, 21 Feb 1999 21:53:39 -0600
30. McConaughy trip Feb 20
marshwren@nctc.net (Randolph and Harding)
Sun, 21 Feb 1999 22:23:01 -0600
31. Douglas Co.
"John W. Hall" <jwhall2@juno.com>
Sun, 21 Feb 1999 22:57:55 -0600
32. RE: (Fwd) [BIRDHAWK] Hawk and owl hunting
rluehrs@kearney.net (Richard Luehrs)
Mon, 22 Feb 1999 17:32:52 -0600
33. Nebraska Birdline for 2/22/99
"Loren J. Padelford" <lpdlfrd@juno.com>
Mon, 22 Feb 1999 19:06:16 -0600
34. Harvey L. Gunderson, 1913-1999
"Thomas E. Labedz" <tlabedz@unlinfo.unl.edu>
Thu, 25 Feb 1999 11:00:44 -0600
35. Re: Harvey L. Gunderson, 1913-1999
Paul Johnsgard <pjohnsga@unlinfo.unl.edu>
Thu, 25 Feb 1999 11:33:29 -0600 (CST)
36. Birding Hwy 2
"Todd Jensen" <gyrfalcon2@hotmail.com>
Thu, 25 Feb 1999 12:22:57 PST
37. Yankee Hill and Blue Stem (Feb 25)
Mark Orsag <MOrsag@doane.edu>
Thu, 25 Feb 1999 18:23:57 -0600
38. Blue Stem Update
Mark Orsag <MOrsag@doane.edu>
Sat, 27 Feb 1999 08:21:48 -0600
39. Nebraska Birdline for 2/27/99
"Loren J. Padelford" <lpdlfrd@juno.com>
Sat, 27 Feb 1999 21:14:11 -0600
From: "Ross Silcock" <silcock@sidney.heartland.net> Subject: Fw: [CALBIRD] Why is it important? Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 23:40:08 -0600 Hi folks: Here is definitely some food for thought! Ross Ross Silcock Tabor, IA silcock@sidney.heartland.net New Zealand Land and Pelagic Trips. Next: Nov 1999 ---------- > From: Bill Principe <Principe@SoCA.com> > To: calbird@kiwi.net > Subject: [CALBIRD] Why is it important? > Date: Wednesday, February 10, 1999 9:13 PM > > Calbirders: > > There has been a great deal of discussion on the origins > of the Gray Silky-flycatcher recently found in Orange > County. I am going to ask a deceptively simple question, > which actually requires some careful thought to answer. > > Why is it important? > > It has been gospel among birders that wild birds "matter" > and that human-assisted birds are to be, for all practical > purposes, ignored. Why? > Here's a hypothetical situation. > You are standing in Brownsville, Texas. Two Red-crowned > Parrots fly into a tree. One of them has just flown there > from Tamaulipas where it was a true wild bird. The other has > just flown there from San Antonio, where it escaped from an > importer who illegally smuggled it into Texas yesterday. > What is the difference? > BEFORE YOU ANSWER THIS QUESTION, do not answer it from the > current gospel on wild birds. Do not say, "Well, one is a wild > bird and one is human-assisted." Do not answer with some > aesthetic in mind about "free, wild" birds. Instead, answer > this question from any clear, scientific point of view. Is > there an ecological difference? Is one more likely to breed > and become established than the other? Is one event more > likely to recur? Does one bird act differently from the other? > After thinking about this for a long time, I have come to > the conclusion that there is NOT a difference. Human > assistance is just as valid and important a vector of bird > dispersal as hurricanes, food shortages, droughts, or simple > vagrancy. It has the same effect on bird populations. It is > repeatable. It has the same effect on local ecosystems. And > it should not be ignored. > I have been wracking my poor gray brain trying to find a > true difference, and not just a tired, hackneyed distinction > like those we have been using for years. And I am not the > first. Joseph Grinnell asked himself this same question (1934. > Perplexities in the making of a state list of birds. Condor > 36:237-41), and could not find an answer. Grinnell said, > > Man, _himself_, with all his predilections, is just as > "natural" a phenomenon on the Earth as any of the other > animals. Why should _his_ agency, either incidental or > purposeful, in carrying animals about over the Earth's > surface be considered exceptional, unnatural, artificial. > Therefore, why side-step the results? > > I have come to the conclusion that I agree with this > statement. Do you? Because if you do, that means you should > begin to notice EVERY bird you see, from exactly the same > point of view. That includes Gray Silky-flycatchers, Red Bishops > in the L.A. River, parrots of all colors, and on and on. You > can even put them on your life list, if you want to. And it > is still important to speculate about the way a bird arrived > - on its own, following a ship, in a cage. But I do NOT > believe it is important to use this speculation to decide > whether or not the bird makes some artificial check-list of > birds of the region. > Bird Records Committees are usually made up of talented > birders with great skill in identification. But what special > skills do they have in divining how a bird arrived in a > particular place? The California BRC can census cage birds > in Tijuana and study the seasonal migration patterns of > every species to the nth degree, but they will merely be > speculating on the arrival vector of an individual bird like > the Orange County GSFL. They have no special knowledge, no > unusual insight, into this issue. They are guessing, the > same as any one else. > Furthermore, BRCs may be doing ornithology a great disservice > by demoting certain sightings to the status of "human-assisted," > because this dissuades the average birder from finding and > reporting these birds. Grinnell goes on to argue, > > As to the student of faunistics, can he afford to > ignore the existence of _any_ species, by whatever > means established, within the area he outlines for > his study? > > Sure, the GSFL _may_ have reached Orange County in a cage. > But so what? > > > Bill Principe My heart in hiding > La Canada, California Stirred for a bird, > Los Angeles County -- the achieve of; the mastery of the thing! > 34*11'N 118*12'W > Principe@SoCA.com from "The Windhover" by Gerard Manley Hopkins >
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999 01:44:44 -0700
From: "John R. Ellison" <John.Ellison@NAU.EDU>
Subject: Introducing myself
Greetings Nebraska birders;
I have gotten in the habit, when I subscribe to an E-mail list, of
introducing myself... so here goes;
My name is John Ellison and I live in Flagstaff Arizona. You may wonder
why, if I live in Arizona, am I subscribing to an E-mail list about birding
in Nebraska? That's because both my wife and I are originally from Lincoln
and still have family there, so we still visit every now & then. In fact
we're planning a visit, primarily for birding, in late spring (if things
work out at work).
My wife and I have been birding since the late '70's (1970's that is).
But we hadn't birded very seriously for the past several years. We are
getting going again now though.
As for me personally... I'm a Police Dispatcher at the Northern Arizona
University in Flagstaff. My wife and I have been married for 22 years. I
was in the US Navy for 8 years. Let's see, not much else of any interest.
I am enjoying the reports I've seen on the list so far. Looking forward
to keeping up with the birding community in Nebraska, thank you.
John R. Ellison
Dispatcher, Northern AZ University Police Dept.,
Flagstaff, AZ
John.Ellison@nau.edu
UFO's really ARE extraterrestrial spacecraft, the Human race is the hoax!
[me]
From: cdrwxwng@webtv.net Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999 14:09:16 -0600 (CST) no
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999 13:33:57 -0700
From: Steve_Dinsmore@usgs.gov (Steve Dinsmore)
Subject: Lake McConaughy trip reminder.
> NEBirders-
This is just a reminder that the Lake McConaughy
gathering scheduled for this saturday (Feb. 13th) HAS BEEN
CHANGED to saturday, Feb. 20th. Again, I apologize for any
inconveniences this may have caused. Email me privately if
you have further questions.
Stephen J. Dinsmore
Fort Collins, CO
steve_dinsmore@usgs.gov
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 18:45:39 -0600 Subject: Nebraska Birdline for 2/12/99 From: "Loren J. Padelford" <lpdlfrd@juno.com> - RBA * Nebraska * Statewide * February 12, 1999 * NEST9902.12 - Birds Mentioned Greater White-fronted Goose Northern Pintail Bufflehead Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper's Hawk Merlin Northern Shrike Cedar Waxwing Harris's Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Pine Siskin Green-winged Teal Prairie Falcon Bald Eagle Eastern Bluebird American Robin Western Meadowlark Snow Goose Northern Mockingbird Sandhill Crane Herring Gull Ring-billed Gull American Black Duck American Wigeon Ring-necked Duck Canvasback Redhead Short-eared Owl Hooded Merganser Common Goldeneye Common Merganser - Transcript Tape Number: 402-292-5325 Compilers: Babs & Loren Padelford Transcriber: Loren Padelford (lpdlfrd@juno.com) Welcome to an update of the Nebraska Birdline, sponsored by the Audubon Society of Omaha , for Friday, February 12th. In central Nebraska on the 7th in Phelps County, about 150 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, 200 NORTHERN PINTAILS, 2 BUFFLEHEADS, a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, a COOPER'S HAWK, a MERLIN & a NORTHERN SHRIKE were found at Funk Lagoon. Also on the 7th, 300 CEDAR WAXWINGS, 80 HARRIS'S SPARROWS, 2 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS & 6 PINE SISKINS were found at Sacramento/Wilcox SWMA. On the 7th at the Blue Hole SWMA, located at the Elm Creek I-80 exit, a GREEN-WINGED TEAL was spotted. In Kearney County on the 7th, a PRAIRIE FALCON was seen 1.5 miles north of Wilcox. At the Fort Kearney Hike-Bike Trail on the 7th, a BALD EAGLE, 4 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, 35 AMERICAN ROBINS & 25 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were found. In Buffalo County on the 6th, 2 COOPER'S HAWKS were seen 3.5 miles southeast of Gibbon & on the 7th, 2 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE & 4000 SNOW GEESE were spotted there. In western Nebraska on the 1st in Lincoln County, 2 NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS were seen in the cedar trees at the KNOP-TV station in North Platte. In eastern Nebraska in Lancaster County on the 7th at Branched Oak Lake, a SANDHILL CRANE was seen on the mud flats in the northwest branch. On the 5th & 6th at Branched Oak, 19 BALD EAGLES, 50 HERRING GULLS, several hundred RING-BILLED GULLS & 11 species of waterfowl were seen including 34 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, an AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, 6 AMERICAN WIGEONS, 8 RING-NECKED DUCKS, 14 CANVASBACKS & 10 REDHEADS. On the 7th, a SHORT- EARED OWL was seen at the nature trail head at Capitol Beach in Lincoln. In Sarpy County on the 12th south of Bellevue, a BALD EAGLE, an adult HERRING GULL & 40 RING- BILLED GULLS were found at Offutt Lake. In Iowa south of Council Bluffs on the 11th, 4 RING-NECKED DUCKS, 8 CANVASBACKS, 3 HOODED MERGANSERS, 40 COMMON GOLDENEYES, about 150 COMMON MERGANSERS & 9 BALD EAGLES were seen at Lake Manawa. For more information on this week's sightings, you may call 402-292-5556. To report your sightings, please leave your name, your phone number and your report after the tone at the end of this message. Thank you for calling the Nebraska Birdline and good birding! - End transcript
Date: Sat, 13 Feb 1999 22:28:20 -0600 Subject: Saturday From: John C Sulllivan <johnsllvn@juno.com> Hello all, BOL today 2-13, lots of ducks, 13 species including; American Black Duck - 2, male & female Hooded Merganser - 7 3 miles north, 1 east, 3/4 north & 1/2 east of Ashland, a neck-banded Trumpeter Swan has been in the same area, just outside a private sandpit, Thomas Lake, for several weeks and can be seen at close range from the road. At Jack Sinn just before sunset a Short-eared Owl was seen flying over the marsh. John Sullivan Lincoln, NE ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
From: "Joel Jorgensen" <zrtac@genesisnet.net> Subject: Sunday Morning Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 13:08:41 -0600 Hello NE-birders, I went out for a while sunday morning (14 Feb) to a few local bodies of water. I did not find anything noteworthy but decided to post my results nonetheless, if for no other reason to let people know what has arrived (or in this case hasn't arrived) to recently thawed lakes in the east. I was mildly dissapointed by the lack of migrant waterfowl with all of the open water now available. Joel Jorgensen ------- Glenn Cunningham Lake, Douglas Co. (95% open water) 9 "small" Canada Geese 27 "large" Canada Geese 9 Mallards 1 Lesser Scaup 14 Common Mergansers 25 Common Goldeneyes 7 Herring Gulls 250 Ring-billed Gulls Herman Sewage Lagoons, Washington Co (80% open water) 28 Redhead 9 Canvasbacks 8 Common Goldeneyes Summit Lake (60% open water) 4 Common Goldeneyes Tekamah Sewage Ponds frozen
From: marshwren@nctc.net (Randolph and Harding) Subject: Feb 14 Gosper Co Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 20:11:19 -0600 Nebraska birders, On February 14 at our home in Buffalo County southeast of Gibbon, we saw a Common Grackle. We have been seeing one in our yard all winter. In Gosper County at Johnson Lake, we saw 75,000 Snow Geese with both white and blue forms. Also at Johnson Lake, we saw three Song Sparrows, seven Pine Siskins, one Brown Creeper, three Red-breasted Nuthatches, nine Golden-crowned Kinglets, ten Cedar Waxwings, four Yellow-rumped Warblers, twelve Common Mergansers, 600 Herring Gulls and a Glaucous Gull. Four miles east of the Johnson Lake dam, we saw a Northern Shrike. Near the Overton I-80 exit, we saw an Eastern Bluebird and another Northern Shrike. Late in the afternoon, we saw about 100,000 more Snow Geese north and northeast of our home. What have you been seeing? Robin marshwren@nctc.net
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 20:48:12 +0000 From: "Linda R. Brown" <lb14735@navix.net> Subject: Re: Saturday Dear John, Thank you for posting the directions for the Trumpeter. Ann Donovan and I are going Tuesday morning. Did you find the Tundra? Reminds me of coming home from school one day in Scottsbluff to hear my mother got stuck in search of Trumpeter Swans. Many thanks! Linda Linda R. BRwon lb14735@navix.net
From: pkaufman@sccm.cc.ne.us Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 08:14:28 -0600 Subject: Re: Saturday John, I just wanted to thank you for the phone calls recently. We've been out of town both times and weren't able to get out, but we do appreciate it. It seems like it's been really busy lately with no time for birding. But spring is coming and we definitely make it a priority then. Hopefully one of these next times... I wanted to let you know that I have this e-mail at work, so anything after about 4-5 on Friday I don't see until Monday morning. So if anything really wild shows up, please continue to let us know. Are we supposed to call anybody else when we hear from you? I believe on the old list that John Hall made up we were to call Guilds. Just wondering... Take care, Paul
From: lizprints@webtv.net (elizabeth allen) Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 23:23:33 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: Saturday To John Sullivan and Dr Paul Johnsgard have there been any meetings with Paul Tebbel and or others regarding the Importat Bird Areas Committee that we set up at the last NOU Board meeting ? Anything to report about it for the newsletter? To all NOU members Betty Allen Omaha, NE
From: lizprints@webtv.net (elizabeth allen) Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 00:35:15 -0600 (CST) Subject: NOU Newsletter Deadline HI any and all of you out there in cyberspace. Please send me any and all announcements for the newsletter by March 1st. Thanks to all who have sent in their material. Registration forms and program events for the May Annual meeting in Lincoln willl be in this issue. This is NOU's 100th Birthday Bash so come and join us. Visitors are welcome but will need to register. The meeting is May 14, 15 and 16th. Visit to the bird museum and many field trips are planned. Please remember your dues were due January 1st. Sue Amiotte the treasurer would be pleased to receive your 15 dollars for 1999 membership year. New memberships are encouraged. Mail checks to Sue Amiotte at 11 city dam road, Chadron, Ne 69337. You can send same in with your conference registration, if you so desire. Memberships are $15 dollars per individual, $10 dollars for students, $ 20 dollars per family, and sustaining member $ 25. Betty Allen President of NOU Betty Allen Omaha, NE
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 09:05:22 -0500 (CDT) From: Joe Gubanyi <JGUBANYI@seward.cune.edu> Subject: Christmas Bird Count data Is anyone gathering CBC data for an article in Nebraska Bird Review? I have not seen any requests for count data. With the mild weather leading up to the early CBCs, there were a number of interesting counts done in the state this year. It would be nice to continue the tradition of publishing the counts in the Nebraska Bird Review. It would also be well worthwhile to have someone write a brief summary or synopsis of the state counts to go along with the count records. Steve Dinsmore mentioned to me during the McConaughy CBC that he might have a role in this. Can someone clear this up for us. Joseph Gubanyi Concordia University Seward, NE 68434 (402) 643-7316 jgubanyi@seward.cune.edu
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 10:08:44 -0700
From: Steve_Dinsmore@usgs.gov (Steve Dinsmore)
Subject: Christmas Bird Count data
> Joe and others-
You should send your CBC results to NBR editor Bill
Clemente ASAP. I think that associate editor Tom Klubernantz
is going to format the tables of results, and then I will
write a short summary for Nebraska Bird Review. I would also
request that include documentation for all unusual species
with your report.
Stephen J. Dinsmore
Fort Collins, CO
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 16:27:10 -0600 (CST) From: Paul Johnsgard <pjohnsga@unlinfo.unl.edu> Subject: Re: Saturday The Imp. Bird Areas committee had a meeting a few weeks ago, when Kevin Poage was railroaded into being named chairman. We didn't get much done beyond agreeing that public-access criteria are critically important. I proposed a list of some 80 mainly state and federal areas to be considered for inclusion. Paul Tebbler kept the minutes--he might have something for the newsletter. Paul
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 18:34:19 -0600 Subject: Nebraska Birdline for 2/16/99 From: "Loren J. Padelford" <lpdlfrd@juno.com> - RBA * Nebraska * Statewide * February 16, 1999 * NEST9902.16 - Birds Mentioned Snow Goose Glaucous Gull Herring Gull Red-breasted Nuthatch Golden-crowned Kinglet Yellow-rumped Warbler Northern Shrike Eastern Bluebird American Black Duck Hooded Merganser Short-eared Owl Trumpeter Swan Green-winged Teal Bufflehead American Coot Ring-billed Gull Golden Eagle Cooper's Hawk Lesser Scaup Common Merganser Bald Eagle Rough-legged Hawk Redhead Canvasback Northern Harrier - Transcript Tape Number: 402 292-5325 Compilers: Babs & Loren Padelford Transcriber: Babs Padelford (lpdlfrd@juno.com) Welcome to an update of the Nebraska Birdline, sponsored by the Audubon Society of Omaha , for Tuesday, February 16th. In central Nebraska on the 14th in Gosper County at Johnson Lake, 75,000 SNOW GEESE, a GLAUCOUS GULL, 600 HERRING GULLS, 3 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, 9 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS & 4 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were seen. Four miles east of Johnson Lake dam, a NORTHERN SHRIKE was found on the 14th. In Dawson County on the 14th, a NORTHERN SHRIKE & an EASTERN BLUEBIRD were spotted near the Overton I-80 exit. In eastern Nebraska in Lancaster County on the 13th at Branched Oak Lake, 13 species of ducks were seen including 2 AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS & 7 HOODED MERGANSERS. Also on the 13th, a SHORT-EARED OWL was seen flying at Jack Sinn WMA before sunset. In Saunders County on the 13th a neck-banded TRUMPETER SWAN was seen 3 miles north, 1 mile east, 3/4 mile north & ‡ mile east of Ashland just outside a private sandpit, Thomas Lake. In Sarpy County on the 15th at Wehrspann Lake, GREEN-WINGED TEALS, 4 BUFFLEHEADS, 3 AMERICAN COOTS, 2 adult HERRING GULLS & 40 RING-BILLED GULLS were found. In Douglas County in Omaha on the 14th, a sub-adult GOLDEN EAGLE & 2 COOPER'S HAWKS were seen at Eppley Airport. On the 14th at Cunningham Lake, a LESSER SCAUP, 14 COMMON MERGANSERS, 25 COMMON GOLDENEYES, 7 HERRING GULLS & 250 RING-BILLED GULLS were seen. On the 13th, a HOODED MERGANSER was also seen at Cunningham Lake. On the 13th, 15th & 16th, 1-2 BALD EAGLES were seen at Zorinsky Lake. On the 12th, a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was spotted at 110th & Pacific in Omaha. In Washington County on the 14th, 28 REDHEADS & 9 CANVASBACKS were found at the Herman Sewage Lagoons. In Dodge County on the 14th, several SCAUP & a CANVASBACK were seen at the sandpit adjacent to the grain elevator west of Fremont on Highway 30. In Iowa south of Bartlett in Fremont County on the 14th, about 100,000 SNOW GEESE, a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, a NORTHERN HARRIER & 10 BALD EAGLES were seen near Forney Lake. Also on the 14th, 40 CANVASBACKS, a BUFFLEHEAD & 4 HOODED MERGANSERS were seen at a pond east of I-29 one mile south of Bartlett. For more information on this week's sightings, you may call 402-292-5556. To report your sightings, please leave your name, your phone number and your report after the tone at the end of this message. Thank you for calling the Nebraska Birdline and good birding! - End transcript
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 21:26:00 -0800 From: Janece Mollhoff <wm14915@navix.net> Subject: Re: Christmas Bird Count data Joe Gubanyi wrote: > > Is anyone gathering CBC data for an article in Nebraska Bird Review? I have > not seen any requests for count data. With the mild weather leading up to > the early CBCs, there were a number of interesting counts done in the state > this year. It would be nice to continue the tradition of publishing the > counts in the Nebraska Bird Review. It would also be well worthwhile to > have someone write a brief summary or synopsis of the state counts to go > along with the count records. Steve Dinsmore mentioned to me during the > McConaughy CBC that he might have a role in this. Can someone clear this up > for us. > > Joseph Gubanyi > Concordia University > Seward, NE 68434 > (402) 643-7316 > jgubanyi@seward.cune.edu Joe I sent a copy of my counts (which I compiled and sent to Audubon) to Ross Silcock. Whether he forwarded them on to the editor or not, I don't know. I did submit them to Cornell via the internet, so I guess the editor could download them off of there pretty easily too. Also -- hope your wife recovered from the bloodletting I performed on her for her employment physical the other day!!! Figured if she was able to put up with you, she'd be able to handle a little blood loss... Anyway, now maybe I can keep up on news from ;you a bit. Heidi says you're going to get to teach the lutherans about the birds but not the bees?? See ya. Wayne
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 23:56:07 +0000 From: "Linda R. Brown" <lb14735@navix.net> Subject: Re: Winter Chippies Dear Chuck, I just finished posted the Lincoln CBC electronically and sending the check, etc. I want to thank you for sharing your "question" approach. I think I was too aggressive in my approach to the first person who reported his 3 Chippies. He did not know they were unusual but they did sound like Chipping Sparrows when I questioned him. The second person, a respected bander and long-term birder saw 4 and felt certain. The third person saw 3 and sorted them out in the company of Tree Sparrows. Who knows? The fall was certainly unusally warm. Anyway thank you for your post of a month ago. I need all the help I can get and your advice sounds excellent. Linda R. Brown lb14735@navix.net Lincoln, NE Chuck & Jaye Otte wrote: > > from Chuck Otte, Junction City Kansas otte@jc.net > > Greetings my old home state! > > I agree with Mark that winter records of Chipping Sparrows are always a > problem. They aren't impossible, we had a winter Chippie at Manhattan KS > last winter, documented with outstanding photos. And with the delayed > arrival of winter, or even late fall weather, until so late into December this > would sure be the year to have them. I compile to Christmas Bird Counts > and one of the party's reported 8 Chipping Sparrows. I asked a few > questions and converted them to Tree Sparrows. They can be very confusing > at times. Ask lot's of questions! I guess I'd be less skeptical if there was > only 1 Chipping Sparrow.... > > Chuck > > +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > Chuck & Jaye Otte mailto:otte@jc.net > 613 Tamerisk > Junction City Kansas USA 66441 > 785-238-8800 > +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1999 10:28:29 +0000 From: "Linda R. Brown" <lb14735@navix.net> Subject: No Trumpeter Swan at Thomas Lake 2/16/99 Good Morning All, Paul Johnsgard, Ann Donovan and I drove to Thomas Lake near Ashland per John Sullivan's directions. We did not find any swans but got to see an adult Bald Eagle, 4 Ring-necked ducks, 4-6 Common Goldeneye, and Green-winged Teal. After leaving, we enjoyed watching a hunting Norther Harrier male. We then drove to Branched Oak Lake and were rewarded with a wonderful spectacle of over 20,000 Snow Geese bunched together in the water to the west of the dam. Every so often an adult Bald Eagle would fly over and the whole mass would rise up, swirl, and gradually regroup on the water. On the west side of the lake at least 75 American Robins sunned themselves. On the way in to town we checked out Capitol Beach marsh. We could see at least 5 Red-tailed Hawks but nothingelse. Linda R. Brown Lincoln, NE lb14735@navix.net
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 08:22:16 -0600 From: "Thomas E. Labedz" <tlabedz@unlinfo.unl.edu> Subject: Re: NOU Newsletter Deadline elizabeth allen wrote: > > HI any and all of you out there in cyberspace. > > Please send me any and all announcements for the newsletter by March > 1st. Betty, Below is the announcement of the NBR back issue giveaway for the next newsletter. Please let me know ASAP if you'd prefer a printed copy and I'll get it in the mail. Thomas Labedz tlabedz@unl.edu Lincoln, NE FREE Nebraska Bird Reviews! In preparation for the 100th anniversary of the NOU the Library Committee has sorted all back issues of the Nebraska Bird Review (NBR) and Proceedings, and will allow extra copies to be given away. Not all issues are available. This is a first-come first-serve proposition. No mailing of issues will be done. No issues will be pulled and held for anyone. This is strictly a come-and-get situation. The extra NBRs are well marked in the Division of Zoology hallway, in the University of Nebraska State Museum’s research builiding (Nebraska Hall, 5th floor, 16th & W St.) on the UNL city campus in downtown Lincoln. The NBRs will be available for give away during regular hours in the research area, 8-5 Monday-Friday from the time of this announcement until June 1st, 1999. After June 1st all remaining copies will be recycled and the NOU will revert to sale of back issues from reduced stock. For further information contact Thomas Labedz at 402/472-8366 or tlabedz@unl.edu. Equal numbers of back issues do not exist, we do not guarantee that any item will remain available, this is a first-come first serve opportunity. Contact Mr. Labedz to verify availability. Back issues available are: Proceedings Vol. III (1902); Index to Proceedings Vol. I, II, III; Proceedings Vol. VI, part 3 (1915); Nebr. Bird Review V1(1933): 1, 4; V2: 2, 3, 4; V3: all; V4: 2, 3, 4; V5: 1, 2, 3; V7: 2; V9: 2; V10: 1; V11: 2; V14: 1, 2; V15: 1, 2; V16: 2; V18: 4; V19: 3, 4; V20: 1; V21: 3; V22: 2, 4; V23: 3, 4; V24: 2, 3, 4; V25: 3; V26: 3; V27: 1, 2; V28: all; V29: 4; V30: 3, 4; V31: 1, 2, 3; V32: to V51: all; V52: 3, 4; V53: 1, 3, 4; V54: 1, 2, 3; V55: 1, 2, 4; V56: to V62: all; V63: 2, 3, 4; V64: 2, 3, 4; V65(1997): all. Key: V1(=Volume 1): 1, 4 (=Issue numbers 1 and 4 available), all (=all 4 issues available). The NOU Library Committee would like to thank Mary Lou Pritchard, Neal & Izen Ratzlaff, and Thomas Labedz for their work in getting these issues organized and the State Museum for providing the storage.
From: lizprints@webtv.net (elizabeth allen) Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 15:10:18 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: NOU Newsletter Deadline Tom, that is quite a bit for me to take off in long hand without making some errors. I'll take your offer : Send me a copy of it. I still may have to condense but will try to get the gist in the Newsletter My address is 9628 Emmet St. Omaha 6834. Betty Allen Omaha, NE
From: cnk@scholars.bellevue.edu Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 14:11:33 CDT Subject: (Fwd) [BIRDHAWK] Hawk and owl hunting ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1999 16:08:24 -0500 Reply-to: Scott Weidensaul <sweidnsl@POTTSVILLE.INFI.NET> From: Scott Weidensaul <sweidnsl@POTTSVILLE.INFI.NET> Subject: [BIRDHAWK] Hawk and owl hunting To: BIRDHAWK@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU Nebraska birders. I realize this forwarded message doesn't deal directly with birding in Nebraska, but feel it is an eye-opener for all birders everywhere. Here is a conservation organization proposing the hunting of Red-tailed Hawks and owls so that pheasants can be introduced and hunted. This is being requested by the president of the Pennsylvania Game Commission! True it may not be accepted, but the fact that it was proposed by an individual of that stature is a bit scary. My apologies if this is an inappropriate post for NeBirds. Clem Klaphake Bellevue , NE Folks, My apologies to those who may have already received information (via PA BIRDS and elsewhere) on this issue. Next Thursday, Feb. 25, the Pennsylvania Game Commission will hold a special meeting to consider a proposal offered by board president Vernon Shaffer that seeks to remove protection on red-tailed hawks and great horned owls at two large wildlife management areas, Middle Creek and Blue Marsh. The proposal is contained in a plan to restore ring-necked pheasant populations in these two locations. Shaffer has, in fact, already written to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service petitioning them to rescind federal protection on these two species, and it appears he may have majority support among his fellow commissioners for the plan. While it is unlikely that the USFWS will grant this request, this is a terribly damaging development -- the image of the president of the state's wildlife agency blaming raptors for the decline in small game, and calling for an open season on them. This is also a reversal of the Game Commission's excellent record over the past 20 years on raptor protection issues, and sends an extremely disturbing message to the public as a whole. (It is worth noting that this proposal did not originate with the staff of the PGC, and most are privately appalled by Shaffer's actions. However, under state law the eight-man board of appointed commissioners runs the show, not the staff.) It is essential that the conservation and birding community send a very strong, unmistakable message that this kind of behavior is unacceptable. For those in the area, I would urge you to attend the meeting, at 4 p.m. in the PGC's headquarters, 2001 Elmerton Ave. in Harrisburg. (If you need directions, drop me a line.) If you wish to speak at the meeting, I suggest you call executive director Donald Madl's office at (717) 787-4250 and ask to be put on the speakers' list. Those who cannot attend should write a letter of protest; perhaps the fastest way would be to fax it to Mr. Madl's office at (717) 772-0502. Scott Weidensaul You read it right. What Shaffer wants is an open season on great horned owls and red-tailed hawks at those two locations, coupled with massive stocking programs, to bolster ring-necked pheasant populations. It's unlikely he could succeed in this; all hawks and owls are protected under federal statute, and the only way they can be legally killed or trapped is with a federal depredation permit -- the sort issued on occasion to someone having trouble with a marauding owl at a gamebird hatchery, for instance. There is no way I can foresee that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is going to approve this kind of 19th century, buckshot approach. That doesn't mean we should ignore Shaffer's hare-brained proposal, however. In recent years, many of the more progressive policies and attitudes at the PGC have been reversed, thanks to what I consider some very poor appointments to the PGC board by Govs. Casey and Ridge, and weak leadership by the top administrators. Shaffer, however, is the worst of the worst, a fact that became clear during my years covering the agency for the Harrisburg paper. Every wildlife manager and biologist agrees that the major cause for the decline in pheasant populations is massive habitat and land-use changes over the last 40 years, especially development, "clean farming" techniques that remove cover, and increased chemical use that reduces insect and weed seed abundance. Conservationists of all stripes -- birders, hunters and everyone else -- needs to send a _very_ clear message in this case. If you can be at the meeting (4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, in PGC headquarters at 2001 Elmerton Ave. in Harrisburg), then be there. Otherwise, I urge you to send a letter to PGC executive director Donald Madl, Penna. Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg Pa. 17110-9797, or call his office at (717) 787-4250. Scott Weidensaul sweidnsl@pottsville.infi.net Schuylkill Haven, Pa. --------- Here's the text from today's press release. What's interesting, I think, is that even the public information office seems to be distancing themselves from Shaffer's proposal: "The Pennsylvania Game Commission will hold a special meeting February 25 at its Harrisburg headquarters to consider a proposal being advanced by Commission President Vernon Shaffer to close two state game lands to ring-necked pheasant hunting and dog training for two years. Shaffer's proposed plan intends to determine whether changes in sporting activities, pheasant stockings and predator management can spur pheasant recoveries in Berks County's State Game Lands 280, near Reading, and SGL 46, which includes the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lebanon and Lancaster counties. Shaffer is forwarding his plan for the consideration of both fellow commissioners and agency staff. The proposal will be discussed in detail and considered for proposed rulemaking at the February 25 public meeting, which will begin at 4 p.m. in the auditorium of the PGC's Harrisburg headquarters. Details of Commissioner Shaffer's plan include releasing 1,000 game farm pheasants and about 50 wild pheasants from the Midwest, on each SGL study area. The proposal also looks to reduce stress on the released birds by banning pheasant hunting and dog training on the release areas and removing protection on certain avian predators. The Game Commission has been wrestling with the state's pheasant decline for some time. As recently as the early 1970s, the state's wild pheasant population topped a million birds. Today, it's a fraction of that. Most wildlife managers agree the decline was caused by land-use and agricultural technology changes, habitat loss and increased use of herbicides and pesticides. Some people attribute the decline to increasing numbers of predators. The Game Commission has experimented with pheasant recovery projects on several study areas over the last decade. Biologists concluded from that work the problem with pheasants -- both ring-necked pheasants and Sichuans -- in Pennsylvania was a lack of large blocks of quality habitat. About the only change that could cause a pheasant resurgence, according to biologists, would be large-scale habitat improvement and set-aside projects on private land. Commissioner Shaffer's plan aims to determine if there's something more the Game Commission can or should be doing for pheasants. It could serve as another chapter in the agency's running history with the ring-necked pheasant. It's a relationship that began in 1915 and seems likely to continue for some time." -- For other Audubon lists, visit <http://www.audubon.org/listserv/>. ------ Scott Weidensaul sweidnsl@pottsville.infi.net 778 Schwartz Valley Rd. Schuylkill Haven, Pa. 17972 USA TEL: (570) 739-2874 FAX: (570) 739-4573
From: "Alice Kenitz" <akenitz@prairieweb.com> Subject: Thanks Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 20:28:25 -0700 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0006_01BE5D0F.91672060 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Panhandle birders Sue, Helen, & Alice would like to thank Steve Dinsmore = for a great morning at Lake McConaughy & area today. After we left the group we saw a Prairie Falcon & a Northern Harrier at = Clear Creek Marsh. When Helen was driving into her place in Sioux = County, she saw 2 Mountain Bluebirds. Alice Kenitz ------=_NextPart_000_0006_01BE5D0F.91672060 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=text/html;charset=iso-8859-1 = http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content='"MSHTML 4.72.3110.7"' name=GENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT size=2>Panhandle birders Sue, Helen, & Alice would like = to thank Steve Dinsmore for a great morning at Lake McConaughy & area today.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>After we left the group we saw a Prairie Falcon = & a Northern Harrier at Clear Creek Marsh. When Helen was driving into = her place in Sioux County, she saw 2 Mountain Bluebirds.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Alice Kenitz</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0006_01BE5D0F.91672060--
From: "Alice Kenitz" <akenitz@prairieweb.com> Subject: Forgot Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 20:44:08 -0700 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_003C_01BE5D11.C351D5A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Nebraska Birders, I forgot to mention that we saw 26 Sandhill Cranes east of Lewellen when = we were coming home from McConaughy this afternoon. Alice Kenitz ------=_NextPart_000_003C_01BE5D11.C351D5A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=text/html;charset=iso-8859-1 = http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content='"MSHTML 4.72.3110.7"' name=GENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Nebraska Birders,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>I forgot to mention that we saw 26 = Sandhill Cranes east of Lewellen when we were coming home from McConaughy this afternoon.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Alice = Kenitz</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_003C_01BE5D11.C351D5A0--
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 21:25:30 -0700
From: Steve_Dinsmore@usgs.gov (Steve Dinsmore)
Subject: Lake McConaughy trip.
> NEBirders-
I just returned from a day and a half of birding,
mostly in the Lake McConaughy area. Joe Fontaine and I
birded together friday afternoon (with Loren & babs
Padelford near dusk), and we were joined by Andie Lueters
and ten others today (saturday) for the Lake McConaughy gull
outing. Here are some of the better birds:
19 February
-----------
1 Golden Eagle-along I-80 in Keith Co.
Lake Ogallala/Lake McConaughy area
2 Glaucous Gulls
1 Thayer's Gull
82 Greater White-fronted Geese
14 Red-breasted Merganser
1 Western Grebe
2 Short-eared Owl-fields NW of Keystone
20 February
-----------
Lake Ogallala area
very small numbers of gulls, probably <300
1 imm. male Oldsquaw
4 Greater Scaup
4 Virginia Rails
1 adult Glaucous Gull (possibly the rare L. g.
barrovianus silcockii race)
11 Thayer's Gulls
1 Ferruginous Hawk
pond north of Kingsley dam
6 Trumpeter Swans (2 adult, 4 immature)
below Keystone dam
16 Killdeer
Lake McConaughy
78 Bald Eagles (29 adult, 49 immature)
1 Glaucous Gull
2 Thayer's Gulls
1 Killdeer
1 Northern Shrike
Clear Creek marshes, Keith Co.
1 Prairie Falcon
2 Harris's Sparrows
1 Common Redpoll
Clear Creek marshes, Garden Co.
200 Sandhill Crane
1 Ferruginous Hawk
south of Big Springs
1 Prairie Falcon
1 Northern Shrike
Stephen J. Dinsmore
Fort Collins, CO
steve_dinsmore@usgs.gov
From: Mark Orsag <MOrsag@doane.edu> Subject: RE: (Fwd) [BIRDHAWK] Hawk and owl hunting Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 16:47:07 -0600 Clem and all, Great post! A true warning to everyone who thinks that this kind of thinking doesn't exist anymore in this more environmentally enlightened era. Sadly it does. Being from Pennsylvania originally and still having quite a few contacts there, I was already aware of this disgraceful situation. Hopefully, this proposal can be beaten back before it even reaches the Federal level. I'm sure that the inestimable Laurie Goodrich and the rest of the outstanding Hawk Mountain folks are "on the [Shaffer] case..." Mark Orsag -----Original Message----- From: cnk@scholars.bellevue.edu [mailto:cnk@scholars.bellevue.edu] Sent: Saturday, February 20, 1999 1:12 PM To: NeBirds@rip.physics.unk.edu Subject: (Fwd) [BIRDHAWK] Hawk and owl hunting ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1999 16:08:24 -0500 Reply-to: Scott Weidensaul <sweidnsl@POTTSVILLE.INFI.NET> From: Scott Weidensaul <sweidnsl@POTTSVILLE.INFI.NET> Subject: [BIRDHAWK] Hawk and owl hunting To: BIRDHAWK@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU Nebraska birders. I realize this forwarded message doesn't deal directly with birding in Nebraska, but feel it is an eye-opener for all birders everywhere. Here is a conservation organization proposing the hunting of Red-tailed Hawks and owls so that pheasants can be introduced and hunted. This is being requested by the president of the Pennsylvania Game Commission! True it may not be accepted, but the fact that it was proposed by an individual of that stature is a bit scary. My apologies if this is an inappropriate post for NeBirds. Clem Klaphake Bellevue , NE Folks, My apologies to those who may have already received information (via PA BIRDS and elsewhere) on this issue. Next Thursday, Feb. 25, the Pennsylvania Game Commission will hold a special meeting to consider a proposal offered by board president Vernon Shaffer that seeks to remove protection on red-tailed hawks and great horned owls at two large wildlife management areas, Middle Creek and Blue Marsh. The proposal is contained in a plan to restore ring-necked pheasant populations in these two locations. Shaffer has, in fact, already written to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service petitioning them to rescind federal protection on these two species, and it appears he may have majority support among his fellow commissioners for the plan. While it is unlikely that the USFWS will grant this request, this is a terribly damaging development -- the image of the president of the state's wildlife agency blaming raptors for the decline in small game, and calling for an open season on them. This is also a reversal of the Game Commission's excellent record over the past 20 years on raptor protection issues, and sends an extremely disturbing message to the public as a whole. (It is worth noting that this proposal did not originate with the staff of the PGC, and most are privately appalled by Shaffer's actions. However, under state law the eight-man board of appointed commissioners runs the show, not the staff.) It is essential that the conservation and birding community send a very strong, unmistakable message that this kind of behavior is unacceptable. For those in the area, I would urge you to attend the meeting, at 4 p.m. in the PGC's headquarters, 2001 Elmerton Ave. in Harrisburg. (If you need directions, drop me a line.) If you wish to speak at the meeting, I suggest you call executive director Donald Madl's office at (717) 787-4250 and ask to be put on the speakers' list. Those who cannot attend should write a letter of protest; perhaps the fastest way would be to fax it to Mr. Madl's office at (717) 772-0502. Scott Weidensaul You read it right. What Shaffer wants is an open season on great horned owls and red-tailed hawks at those two locations, coupled with massive stocking programs, to bolster ring-necked pheasant populations. It's unlikely he could succeed in this; all hawks and owls are protected under federal statute, and the only way they can be legally killed or trapped is with a federal depredation permit -- the sort issued on occasion to someone having trouble with a marauding owl at a gamebird hatchery, for instance. There is no way I can foresee that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is going to approve this kind of 19th century, buckshot approach. That doesn't mean we should ignore Shaffer's hare-brained proposal, however. In recent years, many of the more progressive policies and attitudes at the PGC have been reversed, thanks to what I consider some very poor appointments to the PGC board by Govs. Casey and Ridge, and weak leadership by the top administrators. Shaffer, however, is the worst of the worst, a fact that became clear during my years covering the agency for the Harrisburg paper. Every wildlife manager and biologist agrees that the major cause for the decline in pheasant populations is massive habitat and land-use changes over the last 40 years, especially development, "clean farming" techniques that remove cover, and increased chemical use that reduces insect and weed seed abundance. Conservationists of all stripes -- birders, hunters and everyone else -- needs to send a _very_ clear message in this case. If you can be at the meeting (4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, in PGC headquarters at 2001 Elmerton Ave. in Harrisburg), then be there. Otherwise, I urge you to send a letter to PGC executive director Donald Madl, Penna. Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg Pa. 17110-9797, or call his office at (717) 787-4250. Scott Weidensaul sweidnsl@pottsville.infi.net Schuylkill Haven, Pa. --------- Here's the text from today's press release. What's interesting, I think, is that even the public information office seems to be distancing themselves from Shaffer's proposal: "The Pennsylvania Game Commission will hold a special meeting February 25 at its Harrisburg headquarters to consider a proposal being advanced by Commission President Vernon Shaffer to close two state game lands to ring-necked pheasant hunting and dog training for two years. Shaffer's proposed plan intends to determine whether changes in sporting activities, pheasant stockings and predator management can spur pheasant recoveries in Berks County's State Game Lands 280, near Reading, and SGL 46, which includes the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lebanon and Lancaster counties. Shaffer is forwarding his plan for the consideration of both fellow commissioners and agency staff. The proposal will be discussed in detail and considered for proposed rulemaking at the February 25 public meeting, which will begin at 4 p.m. in the auditorium of the PGC's Harrisburg headquarters. Details of Commissioner Shaffer's plan include releasing 1,000 game farm pheasants and about 50 wild pheasants from the Midwest, on each SGL study area. The proposal also looks to reduce stress on the released birds by banning pheasant hunting and dog training on the release areas and removing protection on certain avian predators. The Game Commission has been wrestling with the state's pheasant decline for some time. As recently as the early 1970s, the state's wild pheasant population topped a million birds. Today, it's a fraction of that. Most wildlife managers agree the decline was caused by land-use and agricultural technology changes, habitat loss and increased use of herbicides and pesticides. Some people attribute the decline to increasing numbers of predators. The Game Commission has experimented with pheasant recovery projects on several study areas over the last decade. Biologists concluded from that work the problem with pheasants -- both ring-necked pheasants and Sichuans -- in Pennsylvania was a lack of large blocks of quality habitat. About the only change that could cause a pheasant resurgence, according to biologists, would be large-scale habitat improvement and set-aside projects on private land. Commissioner Shaffer's plan aims to determine if there's something more the Game Commission can or should be doing for pheasants. It could serve as another chapter in the agency's running history with the ring-necked pheasant. It's a relationship that began in 1915 and seems likely to continue for some time." -- For other Audubon lists, visit <http://www.audubon.org/listserv/>. ------ Scott Weidensaul sweidnsl@pottsville.infi.net 778 Schwartz Valley Rd. Schuylkill Haven, Pa. 17972 USA TEL: (570) 739-2874 FAX: (570) 739-4573
From: "Ross Silcock" <silcock@sidney.heartland.net>
Subject: Birds Sat-Sun after L McConaughy
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 20:49:53 -0600
Hi folks:
Had fun at L McConaughy Sat; great looks at Thayers etc. Thanks Steve
Dinsmore!
Joel Jorgensen (and his "big-ass Dodge") (I hope hat word is OK; I learned
it on David Letterman) and I visited Sutherland Res, L Maloney, and Johnson
L Sat afternoon, stayed at Lexington Sat night (you'll see why below!) and
went to Harlan Co Res and through the eastern Rainwater Basin Sun.
Highlights:
Sutherland Res: Large flocks Snow and Canada Geese, a few White-fronted
Geese, virtually nothing else.
L Maloney: 3 ad Thayers Gulls
Johnson L: The best gulling of the weekend. We arrived at about 4 pm and
looked at gulls until dark. The most Herring Gulls we've seen in Neb at one
place: about 900, with about 500 Ring-bills. Others:
3 first winter Glaucous Gulls
1 1st winter Great Black-backed Gull (about size of largest
Herring Gulls, large all-black bill, very pale whitish rump and upper tail,
black distal tail band, head, neck, breast very pale, almost white,
upperwings very evenly-colored midbrown, including primaries, coverts not
edged in pale, thus enhancing unicolorous effect, no noticeable wing
windows, secondary band distinguishable but not strong, mantle brown also,
to match upperwing coverts.)
3 ad Thayers Gulls (strangely, no immatures)
We stayed overnight and returned at first light, but the fog did not lift
for about an hour. Things did improve. There were more Ringbills, about
1000, and about the same number of Herring Gulls as the evening before.
1 first winter Glaucous Gull
1 first winter Great Black-backed Gull (same bird as above)
1 2nd winter California Gull (in early light mantle clearly
darker than adjacent Herrings, dark eye, rounded head, size between Herring
and Ring-billed)
1 ad Mew Gull (swimming with Ringbills about 50 yards away,
Ring-billed Gull size, small yellow bill, dark eye, significant tertial
patch)
3 ad Thayers Gulls (again, no immatures; of the Herring Gulls
present, about 25% were immatures).
Harlan Co Res: 1 first winter Glaucous Gull
Not much else (many Common Mergs)
Rainwater Basin:
many large flocks of Snow Geese.
Canada Geese not in evidence.
Many Mallards and Pintails, a few (30) Green-winged Teal, a
few Gadwall, Lesser Scaup.
2 Prairie Falcons
1 Merlin (fairly dark, prob columbarius)
2 Rough-legged Hawks
28 Great-tailed Grackles
18,000 Red-winged Blackbirds in one flock
Ross and Joel
Ross Silcock
Tabor, IA
silcock@sidney.heartland.net
New Zealand Land and Pelagic Trips. Next: Nov 1999
From: "Ross Silcock" <silcock@sidney.heartland.net> Subject: Fw: [CALBIRD] Re: Kumlien's type gull at Doheney Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 21:17:18 -0600 Hi Folks: This is fascinating, as the Cal birders continue to wrestle with the dilemma of adding Iceland Gull to the Cal state list! Ross Ross Silcock Tabor, IA silcock@sidney.heartland.net New Zealand Land and Pelagic Trips. Next: Nov 1999 ---------- > From: Alvaro Jaramillo <alvaro@sirius.com> > To: Steve Hampton <SHAMPTON@ospr.dfg.ca.gov>; calbird@kiwi.net > Subject: Re: [CALBIRD] Re: Kumlien's type gull at Doheney > Date: Sunday, February 21, 1999 2:23 PM > > At 12:45 PM 2/19/99 -0800, Steve Hampton wrote: > > > >Riddle: when is a Kumlien's Gull not a Kumlien's Gull? > >Answer: when it's in California! > > > > this is true, but its likely a good thing. California birders are being > conservative and this is good given the complexity involved with this > basically impossible identification. > > On Friday I looked again for the Kumlien's Gull thats been around > Alviso/CCRS, Santa Clara County and came up with three different birds > which may have been Kumlien's Gulls. None of them was THE bird, but all > were squarely in the range for Kumlien's back east. All three had marbled > tertials. However, all showed at least one feature that was tending towards > Thayer's. After these observations, the points that I thought about were > the following: > > 1) anyone who actually thinks that Thayer's are not highly variable, is > kidding themselves. This applies to all ages, but particularly first year > plumages. The key to seeing this variation is to come to an area that has > good numbers of Thayer's Gulls, this is not always easy to do. > > 2) Birds that could potentially be identified as Kumlien's gulls (and this > is dependent on your definition) are not all that rare in California. At > least not in the Alviso area, Santa Clara County. We have from one to four > here now (depending on definition), but from a conservative point lets say > just one. We had at least two last year etc. > > 3) Our experience in Santa Clara County is that these Kumlien's type gulls > tend to show up later on in the winter, not in the early part. A couple of > things could be going on. One is that a slightly different population > finally makes it down here by the late winter, which is not here earlier > on. Another possibility is that only when these birds bleach a bit are they > readily noticeable. The pale birds (Kumlien's like, or true Kumlien's) we > have here are not heavily worn, but bleaching from the sun etc. could be > causing colour changes. A third possibility is that in our gull observation > areas we don't get peak numbers until later on in the winter, and only > during these times does one have a possibility of finding a Kumlien's like > gull here. There could also be observer effects, maybe we are birding more > at this time of year than earlier in the winter? Who knows. > > regards, > > Alvaro > > > > Alvaro Jaramillo "It was almost a pity, to see the sun > Half Moon Bay, shining constantly over so useless a country" > California Darwin, regarding the Atacama desert. > > alvaro@sirius.com > > Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at: > > http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro
From: "Ross Silcock" <silcock@sidney.heartland.net> Subject: Fw: [CALBIRD] Kumlien's type gull at Doheney Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 21:53:39 -0600 Hi all: Re the California Iceland Gull: I should have posted this first. The rest of the story, with some fascinating photos. Ross Ross Silcock Tabor, IA silcock@sidney.heartland.net New Zealand Land and Pelagic Trips. Next: Nov 1999 ---------- > From: Don Roberson and/or Rita Carratello <creagrus@montereybay.com> > To: calbird@kiwi.net; jweintraub@Fullerton.edu > Subject: Re: [CALBIRD] Kumlien's type gull at Doheney > Date: Friday, February 19, 1999 10:30 AM > > To all who have replied or followed this thread: > > I'm amazed by the number of private replies I've had on the Doheny SB, Orange > Co., "Kumlien's" Iceland Gull. Some have responded to the personal frustration > that leaked into my original post. After finding & photographing the bird, I > had planned a very calm "here's a bird I saw and I think it's kumlieni > because" post but by the time the photos came back I felt on the defensive > (with Internet-published claims it was just a Thayer's). Ray Poucher correctly > diagnosed some "tongue in cheek" in my post, but some emotionalism was real > and shouldn't have been there. Sorry about that. > > As to the bird, I now have over 30 comments from CalBird or Bird I.D. > Frontiers (where the photos are also posted; again, the photos and my comments > are at http://montereybay.com/creagrus/ORA_kumliens.html). Everyone who > replied agrees the Doheny bird is outside the range of even "pale-end" > Thayer's and almost everyone agrees it is a Kumlien's Iceland. The only debate > (Matt Heindel) is on the question of whether possible intergradation could be > involved. However, for truly debatable birds "in the middle" see http://www.west.net/~dj/inter1.htm > (thanks, Mike Rogers, for bringing these great shots to my attention). > > The response from East Coast and European observers is that the Orange County > bird is easily a typical Iceland. Ian McLaren, who has extensive experience > from living in Nova Scotia, wrote this summary: > > > I see nothing about the pics and description that would puzzle us here. > > The problem is, as you note, the range of variation here in kumlieni would > > easily encompass some "pale" thayeri that I have seen on the West Coast. I > > am totally pursuaded that there is complete intergradation and am > > surprised at the prevailing stubbornnes about this. However, yours is at > > the pale end of kumlieni, and thus an acceptable Iceland Gull on that > > basis. > > > > Some have suggested that the ORA bird is on such a "pale-end" for kumlieni > that maybe nominate glaucoides might not be eliminated. In other private > messages, Ian McLaren and Richard Millington (in Britain) addressed this > question. Their feeling (and mine) is that a nominate glaucoides would have a > pale pinkish base to the bill by February while kumlieni typically does not. > The ORA bird has an all-black bill and thus best fits kumlieni. I also feel > the primaries are too dark for nominate glaucoides but "mid-range" for kumlieni. > > Part of the "problem" in discussing this bird is that observers looking for it > have been confused by the presence of female Glaucous-winged Gulls or pale-end > Thayer's or hybrids, all of which are at the river mouth at Doheny. Once the > "right" bird is located, I feel that the tertials and un-banded tail are > particularly important marks. > > This has been an interesting experience for me. Many thanks to all of you who > have replied personally. > > Cheers, Don Roberson > Pacific Grove CA >
From: marshwren@nctc.net (Randolph and Harding) Subject: McConaughy trip Feb 20 Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 22:23:01 -0600 Nebraska birders, I also wish to thank Steve Dinsmore for organizing and leading the McConaughy birding adventure on Saturday, February 20. I had seen only one other Oldsquaw and that was in Colorado several years ago. I have seen many Ferruginous Hawks but I always admire their grace and beauty. The Prairie Falcon that we saw seemed very upset at the Great Horned Owls that we flushed out of their tree. I remember learning that Great Horned Owls will kill roosting Peregrine Falcons so I would not doubt that they also pose a threat to Prairie Falcons. I was surprised at the appearance of one of the owls. It seemed paler and smaller than usual. I suppose it was just an unusually pale individual and I suppose males are smaller than females as in other raptor species. The Virginia Rails were very cooperative. They called out just as we arrived and with a little coaxing from Steve, they called out again. I learned a great deal about gulls and was inspired to study them more. I have much to learn though. It was difficult for me to see the differences between Thayer's, Herring and California Gulls. The trip was a great success. Thanks. Robin Harding marshwren@nctc.net
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 22:57:55 -0600 Subject: Douglas Co. From: "John W. Hall" <jwhall2@juno.com> First signs of spring: 33 Redheads, 1 Common Goldeneye, 1 American Kestrel all at Charlie's Lake at 144th & F Streets. John W. Hall Omaha, Nebraska jwhall2@juno.com ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
From: rluehrs@kearney.net (Richard Luehrs) Subject: RE: (Fwd) [BIRDHAWK] Hawk and owl hunting Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 17:32:52 -0600 At 4:47 PM -0600 2/21/99, Mark Orsag wrote: >Clem and all, > >Great post! A true warning to everyone who thinks that this kind of thinking >doesn't exist anymore in this more environmentally enlightened era. Sadly it >does. Just a note. From reading the Audubon-PA listserv for the last few days, it seems that the proposal to remove natural predators from habitat in PA so as to facilitate the survival of introduced game-birds is probably a no-go even before any public hearings, etc. Still, the PA Audubon Society and other local environmentalist groups are planning on a large presence at the hearings to discourage such "ideas". I have to say that this reminds me almost irresistably of the situation here in NE a few years ago, when a commissioner from the game and parks group came up with a "compromise" proposal on springtime flows of water in the Platte, which consisted of NG&P giving up any right and allowing the water developers to do whatever they wanted (guess what that would have been?) The idea was sort of tentatively kind of vaguely supported (or perhaps seen quasi-officially as "interesting") by a former elected official holding statewide office, until Audubon NE's director Dave Sands, along with virtually every environmental group in the state, said, "No!" at which point, all those finding the proposal "interesting" realized that, why heck, it wasn't that "interesting" after all... _____________________________________________________________________ / I imagine it's hard for a middle-aged | Richard Luehrs \ / man to get to the top in the business | Big Bend A.S. \ / world when his name is Fat Baby Moxford. | Friends Of Rowe Sanctuary \ | --------------- Kearney, Nebraska, USA | \ Mr. I-Know-Where-They-Are | mailto:rluehrs@kearney.net / \ aka Bob & Ray | "The School of Cosa Beakstra" / \___________________________|_________________________________________/
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 19:06:16 -0600 Subject: Nebraska Birdline for 2/22/99 From: "Loren J. Padelford" <lpdlfrd@juno.com> - RBA * Nebraska * Statewide * February 22, 1999 * NEST9902.22 - Birds Mentioned Great Black-backed Gull Glaucous Gull Mew Gull California Gull Thayer's Gull Herring Gull Ring-billed Gull Western Grebe Oldsquaw Greater Scaup Trumpeter Swan Virginia Rail Killdeer Ferruginous Hawk Bald Eagle Prairie Falcon Great Horned Owl Harris's Sparrow Common Redpoll Sandhill Crane Short-eared Owl Golden Eagle Northern Shrike Mountain Bluebird American White Pelican Hooded Merganser Rough-legged Hawk American Coot Redhead Black-billed Magpie - Transcript Tape Number: 402-292-5325 Compilers: Babs & Loren Padelford Transcriber: Loren Padelford (lpdlfrd@juno.com) Welcome to an update of the Nebraska Birdline, sponsored by the Audubon Society of Omaha , for Monday, February 22nd. In central Nebraska on the 20th & 21st in Gosper County at Johnson Lake, a first winter GREAT BLACK- BACKED GULL, 3 first winter GLAUCOUS GULLS, an adult MEW GULL, a 2nd winter CALIFORNIA GULL, 3 adult THAYER'S GULLS, 900 HERRING GULLS & about 1,000 RING-BILLED GULLS were seen. In Harlan County on the 21st, a 1st winter GLAUCOUS GULL was spotted at Harlan Reservoir. In western Nebraska on the 19th and 20th in Keith County in the Lake McConaughy/Lake Ogallala area the following were seen: a WESTERN GREBE, an immature male OLDSQUAW, 4 GREATER SCAUP, 6 TRUMPETER SWANS, 4 VIRGINIA RAILS, 16 KILLDEER, 11 THAYER'S GULLS, 2 GLAUCOUS GULLS, several CALIFORNIA GULLS, a FERRUGINOUS HAWK & 78 BALD EAGLES. At the Clear Creek Marshes on the 20th, a PRAIRIE FALCON, 2 GREAT HORNED OWLS, 2 HARRIS'S SPARROWS and a COMMON REDPOLL were seen. Further west in the Clear Creek Marsh area of Garden County, 200 SANDHILL CRANES and a FERRUGINOUS HAWK were tallied. Also on the 20th, 2 SHORT- EARED OWLS were seen at dusk as they hunted in fields northwest of Keystone. On the 19th a GOLDEN EAGLE was seen along I-80 in Keith County. In Deuel County on the 20th, a PRAIRIE FALCON & a NORTHERN SHRIKE were seen south of Big Springs. In south Sioux County on the 20th, 2 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS were seen on the Hughson Ranch. In Lincoln County on the 21st, 3 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, 2 HOODED MERGANSERS & a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK were found at Sutherland Reservoir. On the 20th, 3 adult THAYER'S GULLS were spotted at Lake Maloney. In eastern Nebraska in Cedar County on the 21st, 3 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, an AMERICAN COOT & 10 species of waterfowl including 200 REDHEADS & a HOODED MERGANSER were found at Gavin's Point Dam. On the 21st in Saline County, a BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE was spotted east of Crete about halfway between Highway 33 & Sprague Rd. In Lancaster County on the 21st, 50 REDHEADS were found at Blue Stem Lake. In Douglas County in Omaha on the 21st, 33 REDHEADS were seen at Charlie's Lake at 144th & F St. At Carter Lake on the 19th, 4 BALD EAGLES, 10 AMERICAN COOTS & about 500 RING-BILLED GULLS were seen at Carter Lake. For more information on this week's sightings, you may call 402-292-5556. To report your sightings, please leave your name, your phone number and your report after the tone at the end of this message. Thank you for calling the Nebraska Birdline and good birding! - End transcript
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 11:00:44 -0600 From: "Thomas E. Labedz" <tlabedz@unlinfo.unl.edu> Subject: Harvey L. Gunderson, 1913-1999 Dear Fellow Birders, It is with deep regret that I inform you of the death of Harvey L. Gunderson on Tuesday, 23 Feb 1999, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Harvey was a past president of both the Nebraska and Minnesota Ornithologists' Unions. Harvey was born in Gary, Minnesota on 11 Jun 1913 and went on to become Associate Director of the University of Nebraska State Museum. Along the way Harvey received a Bachelor's Degree from Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, a Master's Degree from the Univ. of Minnesota, and a Ph.D. from the Univ. of Michigan. Harvey was a member of Amerian Society of Mammalogist (Harvey wrote a text book for introductory mammalogy classes), Wilson Ornithological Society, The Wildlife Society, and Sigma Xi, Honorary Scientific Society. He was a Fellow of The Explorer's Club (New York), Associate Director, Curator of Zoology, and Museum Professor at the Univ. of Nebraska State Museum as well as Professor of Life Sciences at the Univ. of Nebraska - Lincoln. Harvey was former president of both the Nebraska and Minnesota Ornithologists' Unions as well as the Nebraska Section of the Wildlife Society. He served for forty years on the Board of Directors and as Senior Editor of the Minnesota Naturalist pubished by the Minnesota Natural History Society. Harvey served for four years in the U.S. Army (1942-1945) where was with the ski troops of northern Europe. Services will be both in Minnesota and Nebraska. Funeral and burial will be in Lincoln at 11:00 A.M. Monday, 1 March 1999 at St. Luke's Methodist Church. Arrangements are being handled by Roper and Sons Mortuary, Lincoln. See the Lincoln Journal-Star Newspaper for more details about the services. Thomas E. Labedz tlabedz@unl.edu Collections Manager - Division of Zoology University of Nebraska State Museum
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 11:33:29 -0600 (CST) From: Paul Johnsgard <pjohnsga@unlinfo.unl.edu> Subject: Re: Harvey L. Gunderson, 1913-1999 Tom; Probably this or a variant thereof should appear in the NBR. Aslo Jerry Jackson seems keen to get hold of one or more photos for use in the Nuttall Club issue. Brett Thought he might have an unframed copy of th Bruner photo, which would be possible, esp. if it could be scanned, although with the good shot of Swenk from that Alumni magazine. The 1951 group shot from North Platte appeared in the NBR (July 51), along with a list identifying the individuals. Mary L. Hanson may be the only surviving member. I wonder if one or two of the other shots were the Wilson Orn. Club or the AOU meetings, both of which met in Omaha in 46 and 48. I'm sure that Sutton was at the AOU meeting, as there was an exhibition of contemporary bird artists there. That might help determine which is which. Paul
From: "Todd Jensen" <gyrfalcon2@hotmail.com> Subject: Birding Hwy 2 Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 12:22:57 PST On 22-23 of Feb. On way back from Lincoln,NE To SD. From 30 miles east of Broken Bow to broken bow,NE I saw several hundred Lapland longspurs and horned larks with am. tree sparrows,dark-eyed juncos and some Harris' sparrows coming to the hwy On the 22nd. On the 23rd 5 miles west of Merna, NE along Hwy 2 I saw more but amongst them was a snow bunting. In the sandhills west of hyannis was several waterfowl species canada goose, mallard, lesser scaup, ringed-neck duck, bufflehead, redhead, n. pintail and canvasback. I stopped briefly at chadron SP I abserved red crossbills, BCChickadee, am. crow, red tailed hawk, and all three species of nuthatches. Also thanks for Lake McConaughy birding trip to all those there. Todd Jensen ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
From: Mark Orsag <MOrsag@doane.edu> Subject: Yankee Hill and Blue Stem (Feb 25) Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 18:23:57 -0600 Hi all, Today I visited Yankee Hill and Blue Stem State Rec Areas and had a great time. Blue Stem provided most of the highlights: Yankee Hill Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk Northern Harrier (female) 3 Waterfowl species present on the lake or overflew the area 200+ gulls present (All Herring or Ring-billed as far as I could tell) Blue Stem 4 raptor species present including an immature male Sharp-shinned Hawk and an immature Rough-legged Hawk. 17 Waterfowl species present or overflew the area. Best goose or duck present was a female BLACK SCOTER. 250+ gulls present. I was unsure of several of these, but I am unwilling to say that any of them were NOT Ring-billed or Herring Gulls. I can not identify gulls and have no illusions that I will ever learn. Best, Mark Orsag
From: Mark Orsag <MOrsag@doane.edu> Subject: Blue Stem Update Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 08:21:48 -0600 Hi all, I checked Blue Stem again yesterday after work. I was there fairly late and time and light were limited. I nevertheless did manage to log two more waterfowl species (Green-winged Teal and Gadwall). I didn't find the scoter or any Am. Wigeon, Northern Shovelers or Greater White-fronted Geese for that matter. Snow Geese weren't on the lake, but they were blanketing some of the local farm ponds. The immature female Black Scoter could well still have been there; the ducks were all at the far end of the dam, and I didn't have time to walk down and check them at closer range. Lots of gulls around as well. I probably won't be able to check Blue Stem again until Thursday at the earliest. If anyone goes down and finds the scoter, please let me know as I'd like to try again for a photo. Best, Mark Orsag
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 21:14:11 -0600 Subject: Nebraska Birdline for 2/27/99 From: "Loren J. Padelford" <lpdlfrd@juno.com> - RBA * Nebraska * Statewide * February 27, 1999 * NEST9902.27 - Birds Mentioned Snow Bunting Fox Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Bald Eagle Bufflehead Canvasback Killdeer American Pipit Northern Shoveler Merlin Hooded Merganser Gadwall Lesser Scaup Black Scoter Rough-legged Hawk Lapland Longspur American Wigeon Redhead Spotted Towhee White-throated Sparrow Field Sparrow Harris's Sparrow Pine Siskin Sharp-shinned Hawk White-crowned Sparrow Rusty Blackbird Cooper's Hawk Horned Lark Chestnut-collared Longspur Red-breasted Nuthatch Pygmy Nuthatch Red Crossbill Pied-billed Grebe Red-breasted Merganser Herring Gull - Transcript Tape Number: 402 292-5325 Compilers: Babs & Loren Padelford Transcriber: Babs Padelford (lpdlfrd@juno.com) Welcome to an update of the Nebraska Birdline, sponsored by the Audubon Society of Omaha , for Saturday, February 27th. In eastern Nebraska in Lancaster County on the 25th, 7 SNOW BUNTINGS, a FOX SPARROW & a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW were seen at Branched Oak Lake. On the 27th at Branched Oak, 18 BALD EAGLES, 7 BUFFLEHEADS, 30 CANVASBACKS, 5 KILLDEER, 2 AMERICAN PIPITS & 2 SNOW BUNTINGS were seen. On the 27th at Pawnee Lake, a NORTHERN SHOVELER & a MERLIN were spotted. At Yankee Hill Lake on the 27th, 3 HOODED MERGANSERS, 4 GADWALLS & 5 LESSER SCAUP were found. On the 25th, a female BLACK SCOTER was seen at Bluestem State Recreation Area, but it has not been seen since. In Saunders County on the 27th, a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK & an estimated 10,000 LAPLAND LONGSPURS were spotted along Highway 79. Also on the 27th, 11 species of waterfowl were found on Czechland Lake including 2 AMERICAN WIGEONS, 30 CANVASBACKS, 3 BUFFLEHEADS & 25 REDHEADS. In Douglas County in Omaha on the 25th at Neale Woods, a SPOTTED TOWHEE & WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS were seen on the Missouri River Ecology Trail. On the 21st at Neale Woods Nature Center, a FIELD SPARROW, a HARRIS'S SPARROW & 2 PINE SISKINS were seen. In Sarpy County on the 20th & 21st the following species were seen 1 mile north of Chalco Hills Recreation Area: a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, 24 HARRIS'S SPARROWS, 2 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS & 2 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS. In Cass County on the 24th, a COOPER'S HAWK visited a feeder in Elmwood. On the 19th, large numbers of HORNED LARKS & LAPLAND LONGSPURS were seen on Highway 1 north of Elmwood. In central Nebraska in Custer County on the 22nd several hundred LAPLAND LONGSPURS were seen with HORNED LARKS 30 miles east of Broken Bow. On the 23rd 5 miles west of Merna, a SNOW BUNTING & more LAPLAND LONGSPURS were seen. On the 23rd in Rock County, several CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPURS, both dead & alive, were reported in yards around Bassett. In western Nebraska in Dawes County on the 23rd, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, PYGMY NUTHATCHES & RED CROSSBILLS were seen in Chadron State Park. In Iowa south of Council Bluffs on the 25th, 12 LAPLAND LONGSPURS were seen with HORNED LARKS south of the Mid American Power Plant. Also on the 25th, 23 BALD EAGLES, a PIED-BILLED GREBE, 2 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS & a HERRING GULL were found at Lake Manawa. For more information on this week's sightings, you may call 402-292-5556. To report your sightings, please leave your name, your phone number and your report after the tone at the end of this message. Thank you for calling the Nebraska Birdline and good birding! - End transcript
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