20010316to0331.html

NEBIRDS ARCHIVE FROM MARCH 16 TO 31, 2001

From: ckavian@a...
Date: Fri Mar 16, 2001 12:03 am
Subject: A Few Birds

NEBirders,
Just a couple of waterfowl and eagles to report today.
At the Louisville State Recreation Area in northern Cass
County today one of the lakes there was half open and had:

3 Bufflehead
15 Canada Geese
2 Blue-winged Teal (both males - the first I have seen this spring)
2 adult Bald Eagles along the Platte R. in the park

Hope to see some of you in Kearney at the Spring River Conference
this weekend.

Clem Klaphake

From: "Loren J. Padelford" <lpdlfrd@j...>
Date: Fri Mar 16, 2001 1:21 pm
Subject: Nebraska Birdline for 3/16/01

- RBA
* Nebraska
* Statewide
* March 16, 2001
* NEST0103.16

- Birds Mentioned
Horned Grebe
Western Grebe
Clark's Grebe
American White Pelican
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Glaucous Gull
Bohemian Waxwing
Bald Eagle
Long-tailed Duck
Mountain Bluebird
Common Merganser
Lesser Scaup
Common Goldeneye
Redhead
Red-winged Blackbird
Black Rosy-Finch
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch
Snow Goose
Greater White-fronted Goose
Canada Goose
Ross's Goose
Northern Pintail
Mallard
Bobwhite
Northern Harrier
Killdeer
Eastern Bluebird
Robin
Meadowlark sp.
Common Grackle
Bufflehead
Ring-necked Duck
Rusty Blackbird
Turkey Vulture
Cooper's Hawk
Brown-headed Cowbird
Barred Owl
Brown Creeper
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Cedar Waxwing
Horned Lark
Lapland Longspur
Short-eared Owl
Red-tailed Hawk
Sandhill Crane
Blue-winged Teal
Merlin
Ferruginous Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk

- Transcript
Tape Number: 402-292-5325
Compilers: Babs & Loren Padelford (402-292-5556)
Transcriber: Loren Padelford (lpdlfrd@j...)

Welcome to an update of the Nebraska Birdline, sponsored by the Audubon
Society of Omaha, for Friday, March 16th.

In western Nebraska on the 9th in Keith County at Lake McConaughy the
following birds were seen: 14 HORNED GREBES, 20 WESTERN GREBES, 2 CLARK'S
GREBES, 7 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, 2 MEW GULLS, 10 THAYER'S GULLS, a
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL and 13 GLAUCOUS GULLS. At Lake Ogallala on the
9th, 3 THAYER'S GULLS, 2 GLAUCOUS GULLS & 2 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were
spotted. Also on the 9th, 185 BALD EAGLES were seen in the Lake
McConaughy/Lake Ogallala/Clear Creek area.

In Scotts Bluff County on the 12th, a female LONG-TAILED DUCK was spotted
with 9 other species of waterfowl at Winter's Creek NWR. The LONG-TAILED
DUCK could not be found again on the 14th. A few miles north of the
refuge 6 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS were seen in a pasture. On the 10th, 6
COMMON MERGANSERS, 5 LESSER SCAUP, a COMMON GOLDENEYE, 35 REDHEADS & RED-
WINGED BLACKBIRDS were seen at a small lake southwest of Gering.

In Sioux County on the 9th, a small flock of 20 rosy-finches was seen at
the feeders at Wind Springs Ranch. The mixed flock included BLACK,
GRAY-CROWNED & the Hepburn's race of the GRAY- CROWNED ROSY-FINCH.

In eastern Nebraska in Douglas and Sarpy Counties there were many reports
of a very large migration of waterfowl on the 14th. Identifiable species
mentioned include SNOW GEESE, GREATER WHITE- FRONTED GEESE, CANADA GEESE
& at least one ROSS'S GOOSE along with NORTHERN PINTAILS & MALLARDS. In
Sarpy County on the 14th, a BOBWHITE, 5 NORTHERN HARRIERS, 8 KILLDEER, 4
EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, 26 ROBINS, 12 MEADOWLARKS, 60 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS &
32 COMMON GRACKLES were seen at Walnut Creek Recreation Area southwest of
Papillion. Also on the 14th, 5 COMMON GOLDENEYES, 13 LESSER SCAUP, 2
BUFFLEHEADS, 2 REDHEADS, 6 NORTHERN PINTAILS, 8 RING-NECKED DUCKS, 2
EASTERN BLUEBIRDS & 14 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were spotted at Chalco Hills
Recreation Area. In Bellevue on the 14th, a TURKEY VULTURE & 26 BALD
EAGLES were seen.

In Cass County on the 11th, a COOPER'S HAWK, a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD & a
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD were seen at a feeder in Elmwood. In Lancaster
County on the 10th at Wilderness Park in Lincoln, a BARRED OWL, 9 BROWN
CREEPERS, 4 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS & 12 CEDAR WAXWINGS were found. In
Washington County on the 12th, a mixed flock of about 75 HORNED LARKS &
LAPLAND LONGSPURS was seen north of Nathan's Lake. Near Boyer Chute NWR
2 SHORT-EARED OWLS were spotted on the 12th. In Saline County on the
11th, good numbers of NORTHERN HARRIERS, RED-TAILED HAWKS & RED-WINGED
BLACKBIRDS were noted in the Crete area.

In central Nebraska in Buffalo County on the 11th, 9 species of waterfowl
and several thousand SANDHILL CRANES were seen along I-80 between the
Gibbon and Kearney exits. Also on the 11th, 40 LAPLAND LONGSPURS & 400
HORNED LARKS were seen at a feedlot a mile west of the Minden I-80 exit.
At Bufflehead State Recreation Area a BLUE-WINGED TEAL was spotted. A
MERLIN was seen east of Kearney and a FERRUGINOUS HAWK was seen on the
southwest edge of Kearney.

In Iowa at Hitchcock Nature Area on the 14th, 36 BALD EAGLES, 19
RED-TAILED HAWKS, 2 COOPER'S HAWKS, a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, 5 NORTHERN
HARRIERS & a dark morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK were seen in a three hour
period.

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. Be sure to
include the date of the sighting. Thank you and good birding!
-End transcript

From: Steve McIlree <smcilree@h...>
Date: Fri Mar 16, 2001 6:12 pm
Subject: Lake Manawa Firday

NEBirders,

I went over to Lake Manawa this afternoon. There is still very
little open water on the lake, so few birds in evidence. Most
prevalent were gulls, pulling dead fish out of the melting ice.
There were also 2 mature and 2 juvenile Bald Eagles sitting on
the ice. One of the eagles posed for me for quite some time.
While I was snapping pictures of him I also saw a Common
Goldeneye sharing the little patch of open water with the gulls.
I've uploaded several of the better pictures to the Group Web site at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEBirds/files/.

Steve McIlree

From: "Harding and Randolph" <marshwren@n...>
Date: Fri Mar 16, 2001 11:13 pm
Subject: Adams/Kearney County line

Hi Nebraska birders,

Friday, March 16, for the Rivers and Wildlife Celebration,
Robin and I took some very nice people to see birds in
Rainwater Basin and sandhills habitat along the Adams and
Kearney County line. Robin and I saw Greater White-fronted
Geese in both Adams and Kearney Counties, several hundred
thousand Snow Geese in both Adams and Kearney Counties, a
small number of Ross's Geese mixed in with some of the
Snow Geese at Kenesaw Marsh in Adams County, thirteen species
of ducks including Gadwall in Adams County, American Wigeon
in both counties, Blue-winged Teal in both counties, Northern
Pintails in both counties, Northern Shovelers in Adams County,
Canvasbacks in Adams County, Redheads in both counties, Ring-
necked Ducks in Adams County, Lesser Scaup in both counties,
Buffleheads in both counties, five or six Northern Harriers,
a Merlin in Adams County at Kenesaw WPA, an American Coot
in Kearney County, a Northern Shrike in Adams County and a
Song Sparrow in Adams County.

good birding and goodbye,
Lanny

Lanny Randolph
southcentral Nebraska
50370 24th rd
Gibbon, Ne. 68840
308-468-5057
Marshwren@n...

From: REBARTH@A...
Date: Fri Mar 16, 2001 8:54 pm
Subject: Manawa/Woodcocks

Negative report for tonight on Woodcocks at the usual southeast
corner of Manawa. Has anyone seen/heard them yet in the Omaha
area this year?

Roland Barth

From: Kathy <renosmom@a...>
Date: Sat Mar 17, 2001 9:40 pm
Subject: NEBirders

Today, Sat. March 17th, I took a drive from Scottsbluff out to Lake
Minatare and Winter's Creek NWR and then to Mitchell. I saw:

Along the roads:
13 Am. Kestrels
1 sm. falcon sp.
3 Red-tailed Hawk
1 Rough-legged Hawk
2 Buteo sp.(maybe Rough-legged)
64 Am. Robins
4 Crows
3 BB Magpies
35 Am. Goldfinch
1 No. Flicker
1 Horned Lark
100's of Starlings and Red-winged Blackbirds

At the pond at Winter's Creek NWR:
2 Northern Harriers hunting the marshes at Winter's Creek
2 Killdeer
9 Green-winged Teal
1 Blue-winged Teal
14 Redheads
2 Canvasbacks
3 Am. Wigeons
9 No. Pintails
14 Canada geese
49 Mallards
2 No. Shovelers

At Winter's Creek Lake:
22 Common Mergansers
1 Hooded Merganser
128 Am. Wigeons
32 Common Goldeneye
8 Gadwalls
18 Lesser Scaup
1000's of Mallards and Redheads
100's of Canada Geese
2 Killdeer
2 No. Flickers
1 Am Kestrel
11 Gulls (White headed, gray backed, black wing tip sp.)?
And 1 bird that I think was a Red-necked Grebe

On Lake Minatare:
35 Snow Geese (these were the only birds I saw on the lake)

At Bergren's pond:
5 Wood Ducks
32 Mallards
24 Canada Geese
7 Am. Wigeons

I looked for the Eurasian Collared-doves in Mitchell but didn't spot
them, the last time I saw them was March 9th.

Kathy Larson

From: "Joel Jorgensen" <zrtac@g...>
Date: Sat Mar 17, 2001 11:28 pm
Subject: EASTERN RWB REPORT

Hello,

The eastern RWB report is back again for another year. The long cold
SNOWY winter was the perfect remedy for the year and a half of drought
that has preceeded this spring. This early spring is a stark contrast
to last year, every basin (that I saw, had an engagement late on sat
so didn't hit all) that could have water and good conditions did so,
and all were packed full of waterfowl. There was an early flavor,
however, some of the larger basins still had "winter" ice, and there
were still plenty of snow drifts in the ditches and windbreaks
(including 4' drift at the FS). Below is what I saw.

Joel Jorgensen.

eRWB- 17 March

Shorebird Numbers
Killdeer- 11 (early flavor for sure)

Other birds
Geese- it is hard to say when hundreds of thousands become more than that,
but geese were everywhere in astonishing numbers, about 15% were
White-fronts, about 5% were Canadas, and the rest were Snow Geese.
Mallard- 81,000 (all duck numbers over 100 are tabulated estimates)
Northern Pintail- 73,000
Green-winged Teal- 500
Wood Duck- 3
Blue-winged Teal- 89
Northern Shoveler-54
Gadwall- 1500
Am. Wigeon- 700
Redhead-5,500 (single locale real counts include 717 at Ayr Lake and 439 at
Sinninger WPA)
Canvasback- 400
Ring-necked Duck- 1,800
Lesser Scaup- 3,400 (single locale real count of 352 at Hultine WPA)
Great Scaup- 8 (3 at Hupp WMA, 2 at North Harvard Basin, and 3 at Q2 Basin)
Common Goldeneye- 10
Bufflehead- 23
Hooded Merganser- 1
Common Merganser- 0
Ruddy Duck- 17
American Coot-6
Ferruginous Hawk- 1, west side of Meat Animal Research Center, just into
Adams Co.
Northern Harrier- 15

From: "Stephen J. Dinsmore" <dinsmore@l...>
Date: Sun Mar 18, 2001 8:39 am
Subject: Western Nebraska.

Hello everyone-

Jim Dinsmore and I spent friday and saturday birding around western
Nebraska. Here are the highlights of our trip:

16 March
----------
Greater Scaup (4 at Winters Creek Lake)
Eurasian Collared-Dove (3 in Mitchell, just south of the watertower)
Long-eared Owl (1 fresh road-killed bird along Highway 26 near Lewellen)
Northern Shrike (2 in Morrill County and 1 at Lake McConaughy)
Mountain Bluebird (55 in Kimball County)
Eastern Bluebird (1 at Lake Minatare)
Red Crossbill (2 at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center)
Evening Grosbeak (4 at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center)

17 March
----------
American White Pelican (19 at Lake McConaughy)
Greater Scaup (43 at Lake Ogallala)
Bald Eagle (72 at Lake McConaughy)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (1 second-basic bird at Lake McConaughy)

Lake McConaughy was only about 25% frozen and I suspect that ice will be
gone in a day or two. There were thousands of gulls, almost all Ring-billed,
and most were in the middle of the lake sitting on ice floes. There were no
gulls using Lake Ogallala. There have been huge numbers of white geese in
western Nebraska this spring, and we estimated there were 20,000+ on Lake
McConaughy. While getting gasoline in Ogallala early on the 17th, we counted
100+ Ross's Geese amongst the flocks of Snow Geese flying over town.

Steve
*****************************************************
Stephen J. Dinsmore
Department of Fishery and Wildlife Biology
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523
dinsmore@l...
http://lamar.colostate.edu/~dinsmore

From: "Joel Jorgensen" <zrtac@g...>
Date: Sun Mar 18, 2001 10:24 am
Subject: PL and BOL

Hello,

I forgot to mention that I made brief stops on Saturday at Pawnee
Lake and Branched Oak Lake. To my dismay, Pawnee Lake was still
almost all frozen (the exception were some areas at the west end)
and Branched Oak Lake was about 95% frozen. There were about 300
Ring-billed Gulls and a dozen or so Herring Gulls and some waterfowl
present, but not much really.

Joel Jorgensen

From: larryeinemannl@a...
Date: Sun Mar 18, 2001 4:22 pm
Subject: Re: [NEBirds] PL and BOL on 3-17

Hi!
I am reporting these observations a day after Joel reported his
observations at Pawnee and BOL. Most ponds and lakes were frozen
over, including Twin Lakes in SE Seward County, Conestoga and
Pawnee Lakes, and even Holmes Lake in Lincoln. They have been
frozen over since the first week of December. Branched Oak Lake
had some good birding on Saturday. Most of the north shore is
free of ice. The gulls, geese, and ducks were concentrated along
this narrow expanse of water. There was a small open area south
of Liebers Point also. The only problem that I encountered as I
drove up to these concentrations of waterfowl were their wariness.
Even in the car, the moment the car approached the area, the birds
flew off in all directions compounding the task of getting an
overall count.

My best find for the day was a mammal that I have never seen in the wild
and one that is not found this far east. It was a bobcat. I was extremely
excited by sighting it briefly walking along one of the access roads. I
watched it for about a minute before it re-entered the brush and forest
along the road. All the birds reported were seen at BOL except for those
noted. The other sites had gulls and Canada geese, but few other species.
Pawnee Lake had some open areas on the NW area; however, access was difficult.
My first stop was the city campus of UNL. I went there to see if I could
find overwintering White-throated sparrows. I found two of them. Between
Bluff and Waverly Roads on N.27th Street, I saw a Loggerhead shrike. It was
perched in a tree along a fence row, singing away. Red-winged blackbirds
were in place at various sites, staking out territories. At Little Salt
Creek Fork Marsh, the pond was frozen over except for a small open area.
Here I found 6 Northern pintails, 3 Green-winged teal, 7 Mallards, 2 American
wigeons, 1 American kestrel, and 2 Northern harriers. 25 White-fronted geese
and 300 Snow geese flew over while I was there. Eastern bluebirds seemed to
be paired and were found en route through the area I traversed during the
time I was out.

I was at BOL for about 2.5 hours. Below the dam, in the stream were 4
Wood ducks; Snow geese in 4 flocks (150 + 100 + 250 + 150) flew over.
Ring-billed gulls estimated at about 550; with a few Herring fulls also
present; Common goldeneye--75; many crows feeding on the ice; Mallard--225;
Lesser scaup--365; Redhead--230; Ring-necked duck--110; Ruddy duck--28;
Northern pintail--250; Gadwall--150; Bald eagle--4 immatures; Common
merganser--1300; Canvassback--2; American wigeon--55; Hooded meganser--1;
Red-breasted merganser--1; Bufflehead--23; Green-winged teal--30;
White-fronted goose--a great sight when some 325 circled the area and settled
down on the ice.

Quite a few Red-tailed hawks were encountered along the 75 miles of roads
I traversed in Lancaster and SE Seward counties. A black-phase Rough-legged
hawk was seen at Twin Lakes area. Through this whole 7 to 8 hours of
birding, I saw perhaps a total of 10 widely-scattered Tree sparrows and only
3 Harris's sparrows.

Good birding to all!
Larry Einemann

From: "Harding and Randolph" <marshwren@n...>
Date: Sun Mar 18, 2001 8:04 pm
Subject: [NeBirds] Rivers and Wildlife Celebration trips

Nebraska birders,

On March 17, Lanny and I volunteered to lead a birding field trip to
the Rainwater Basin for the Audubon Rivers and Wildlife Celebration
which was held in Kearney. In Phelps County at Funk Lagoon, we saw a
Cooper's Hawk flush from the ground just as a Northern Harrier flew
over. We saw a couple more harriers elsewhere in Phelps County and a
couple in Kearney County. We saw a Harris's Sparrow at Sacramento/
Wilcox Wildlife Management Area and also in Phelps County, we saw about
ten Common Grackles.

On March 18, we led another birding trip to a prairie-chicken lek in
Franklin County. We saw about 18 chickens dancing on the lek. Nearby we
saw a Prairie Falcon and more Common Grackles. When we returned to
Kearney, we stopped at the lake behind Grandpa's Steakhouse and found
about 8 Ruddy Ducks. Later at our home near Gibbon, we saw an adult
Sharp-shinned Hawk.

Overall, I think the Rivers and Wildlife Celebration went very well.
We were fortunate to have good weather over the weekend for a change.

Good birding,

Robin Harding
Gibbon, NE
marshwren@n...

From: "Todd Jensen" <gyrfalcon2@g...>
Date: Sun Mar 18, 2001 9:29 pm
Subject: Lake McConaughy

Birded Lake McConaughy yesterday Saturday March 17, 01 as well
as what Steve Dinsmore and his father saw I observe 1st winter
glaucous gull on Big Mac and western and Clark's grebe on Lake
Ogallala.

Todd

From: Mark Brogie <mbrogie@m...>
Date: Mon Mar 19, 2001 10:15 am
Subject: Knox and Antelope Co.

In the last few days there have been thousands and thousands of
geese utilizing the corn fields and wet meadows east of Creighton.
The vast majority are Snow Geese, then Canada and White-fronted.
In one large group of Snow Geese (yesterday in Antelope Co.) I
counted 112 Ross's Geese.

Mark A. Brogie - Science Dept. HOME:
Creighton Community Schools Mark A. Brogie
1609 Redick Ave., Box 10 508 Seeley St., Box 316
Creighton, NE 68729 Creighton, NE 68729
(402) 358-3663 (402) 358-5675
FAX (402) 358-3804
mbrogie@m...

From: "Loren J. Padelford" <lpdlfrd@j...>
Date: Mon Mar 19, 2001 9:35 pm
Subject: Nebraska Birdline for 3/19/01

- RBA
* Nebraska
* Statewide
* March 19, 2001
* NEST0103.19

- Birds Mentioned
American White Pelican
Snow Goose
Bald Eagle
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Glaucous Gull
Clark's Grebe
Greater Scaup
Ross's Goose
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Red Crossbill
Evening Grosbeak
Mountain Bluebird
Wood Duck
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Pileated Woodpecker
Red-breasted Merganser
Hooded Merganser
Loggerhead Shrike
Rough-legged Hawk
Canada Goose
White-fronted Goose
Bufflehead
Ferruginous Hawk
Greater Prairie Chicken
Prairie Falcon

- Transcript
Tape Number: 402-292-5325
Compilers: Babs & Loren Padelford (402-292-5556)
Transcriber: Babs Padelford (lpdlfrd@j...)

Welcome to an update of the Nebraska Birdline, sponsored by the Audubon
Society of Omaha, for Monday, March 19th.

In western Nebraska on the 17th in Keith County at Lake McConaughy,
AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, an estimated 20,000 SNOW GEESE, 72 BALD EAGLES,
a second-basic LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL & a first winter GLAUCOUS GULL
were found, & a CLARK'S GREBE & 43 GREATER SCAUP were seen at Lake
Ogallala. Also on the 17th, 100 ROSS'S GEESE were seen flying over the
town of Ogallala.

In Scotts Bluff County on the 16th, 4 GREATER SCAUP were seen at Winters
Creek Lake. On the 16th, 3 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were found in
Mitchell just south of the water tower. Also on the 16th at Wildcat
Hills Nature Center, 2 RED CROSSBILLS & 4 EVENING GROSBEAKS were seen.
In Kimball County on the 16th, 55 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS were found.

In eastern Nebraska in Sarpy County on the 17th, WOOD DUCKS, BLUE-WINGED
TEAL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL & 2 PILEATED WOODPECKERS were found north of
Gifford Road in Fontenelle Forest.
In Lancaster County on the 18th at Branched Oak Lake, 19 species of
waterfowl were seen including a RED-BREASTED MERGANSER & a HOODED
MERGANSER. A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was spotted on North 27th St. between
Bluff & Waverly Roads. In Seward County on the 18th, a black phase
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen at Twin Lakes.

In Antelope County on the 18th, 112 ROSS'S GEESE were seen along with
large numbers of SNOW GEESE, CANADA GEESE & WHITE-FRONTED GEESE in wet
meadows east of Creighton.

In the eastern Rainwater Basin on the 17th, 21 species of waterfowl were
found including 23 BUFFLEHEADS & 8 GREATER SCAUP. Very large numbers of
geese were found throughout the Rainwater Basin. In Clay County on the
17th, a FERRUGINOUS HAWK was spotted on the west side of the Meat Animal
Research Center.

In central Nebraska on the 18th in Franklin County, 18 GREATER PRAIRIE
CHICKENS were seen dancing on a lek & a PRAIRIE FALCON was seen nearby.
-End transcript

From: "Linda" <lbrdwtch@y...>
Date: Tue Mar 20, 2001 5:15 pm
Subject: New to the group

Hi this looks like a great group. I will be reporting the birds that
I have at my feeders and also at the Fremont Lakes. I also go to Desoto
Bend now and then.
I am looking forward to learning more about birding and sharing my
information.
Recently I have seen at the Lakes, Bald Eagles, 12 eastern bluebirds,
common merganser, lesser scaup, Malards, gulls, Tons of Robins,
Downeys, chickadees, golden eye, . At my feeders I see, chickadees,
Dowenys, hairys, Cardnals, Robins, Morningdoves, whitebreasted nuthatches,
house finches, gold finch, of coarse black birds and starlings. sparrows.
I think that is about all for now.
I am looking forward to my orioles, and my rubythroated hummers.
I also hope I see the indigo buntings again this year.

Linda

From: murwille <murwille@e...>
Date: Tue Mar 20, 2001 10:43 pm
Subject: Photos of the Audubon Rivers and Wildlife Celebration!

Hello Nebraska Birders,

I helped lead 5 field trips this last weekend at the RWC in Kearney.
I took about 200 digital photographs. It has taken me about 12 hours
to prepare the photos and the new web pages over the last 3 days.
(Next time I get the urge to take that many pictures in the same
weekend, my family might shoot me!)
Some of these photos were taken with a photographer/reporter from
the Omaha World Herald. He lead me to believe that my web sites might
be mentioned in his upcoming article on the celebration. I am entering
4 or 5 of these in the Crane Fest 2001 Amateur Photography Contest here
in Kearney. If you would like to see these new photos of birds and
events at the conference -
check out this link and follow the 3 new links on this page to the new
photos!

http://204.234.8.16/~7hills/photos/photoarchive.htm

You will get more enjoyment out of these if you view them in a darkened
room. If you are interested in prints - e mail me. I hope you like them!

Mark Urwiller
Physics Instructor, Kearney High School
Seven Hills Observatory Director
Home Address: 4711 Heather Lane, Kearney NE 68845
Home Phone: 308-234-6536
e-mail: murwille@e...
Web Pages:
http://genie.esu10.org/~murwille/7hills.htm
http://204.234.8.16/~7hills/7hills.htm
http://genie.esu10.org/~murwille/resume.htm
http://204.234.8.16/~7hills/Rowe/birding.htm
http://204.234.8.16/~7hills/pvao/pvao.htm
http://204.234.8.16/~7hills/photos/photoarchive.htm

From: "Harding and Randolph" <marshwren@n...>
Date: Wed Mar 21, 2001 10:13 pm
Subject: Re: [NEBirds] New to the group

Linda and all,

Welcome to the NeBirds list. I look forward to hearing more of your
sightings. I am curious to know how you and others found out about
this list.

Both Lanny and I thought we heard Chipping Sparrows singing this week
on the UNK campus in Kearney but they turned out to be Dark-eyed Juncos.
I rarely hear them sing although they are common in the winter. I also
saw a Belted Kingfisher flying over the Kearney Canal and the campus
today (Mar. 21).

Good birding,
Robin Harding
Gibbon, NE

From: Kathy <renosmom@a...>
Date: Wed Mar 21, 2001 10:32 pm
Subject: Grackle

I saw my first Common Grackle for this spring. He flew into my backyard
this afternoon.

Kathy
ScottsBluff Co

From: Linda Coulter <lbrdwtch@y...>
Date: Thu Mar 22, 2001 8:19 am
Subject: Re: [NEBirds] Grackle

--- Kathy <renosmom@a...> wrote:
> I saw my first Common Grackle for this spring. He
> flew into my backyard
> this afternoon.
>
> Kathy
> ScottsBluff Co
>
Wow Kathy,
Those are real common in Fremont, Hate to say it but I
don't like those. They are pigs!! Ha Ha I did have one
that had a white head with black spots, like a
Dalmation. It must have had some albino in it. That
was real interesting to watch. When I write back, am
I spozed to just do a reply? Or should I be doing something
through the group?

Linda
Ames, NE

From: "POAGUE, Kevin" <kpoague@a...>
Date: Thu Mar 22, 2001 3:23 pm
Subject: RE: [NEBirds] Photos of the Audubon Rivers and Wildlife Celebration!

Mark,

Thanks for sending me the address for your website. The pictures
you took at RWC are incredible! I would like people who visit the
Audubon Nebraska website to be able to see the pictures as well.
If this is okay with you, what is the best way to do this? We could
have you send our webmaster a few of the photos, or we could link
our RWC page to your site. Let me know what you think is best.
Thanks again for your expertise during the celebration. You are one
of the people that make the weekend work.

Kevin Poague
Audubon Nebraska
PO Box 117
Denton NE 68339
kpoague@a...
402/797-2301

From: "Mark Urwiller" <murwille@e...>
Date: Thu Mar 22, 2001 3:49 pm
Subject: Re: [NEBirds] Photos of the Audubon Rivers and Wildlife Celebration!

Kevin,

Thanks for the nice compliments! Of course we can link my photos to the
Audubon Nebraska site! I think the best way would be to have your webmaster
create links to whatever photos you choose. You have my permission to link
to whatever you want. Your webmaster should know how to do it, but if help
is needed, let me know. Could you also mention on your site that they are
available to purchase? (It supports my habit!)
Thanks again for the nice compliments!

Mark Urwiller

Physics Instructor, Kearney High School
Seven Hills Observatory Director
Home Address: 4711 Heather Lane, Kearney NE 68845
Home Phone: 308-234-6536
e-mail: murwille@e...
Web Pages:
http://genie.esu10.org/~murwille/7hills.htm
http://204.234.8.16/~7hills/7hills.htm
http://genie.esu10.org/~murwille/resume.htm
http://204.234.8.16/~7hills/Rowe/birding.htm
http://204.234.8.16/~7hills/pvao/pvao.htm
http://204.234.8.16/~7hills/photos/photoarchive.htm

From: "Jerry Toll" <jertol@r...>
Date: Thu Mar 22, 2001 4:46 pm
Subject: Missouri Flyway March 22

Greetings all, I feel a little funny reporting on SW
Iowa but I think of it as monitoring the Missouri
River flyway. Here is what I saw today:

FORNEY'S LAKE Fremont co
snow geese 60K
Canada geese 4
northern shoveler 21
ring-necked duck 1043
lesser scaup 32
redhead duck 843
bufflehead 34
gadwall 42
ruddy duck 93
american widgeon 9
blue wing teal 2
common goldeneye 4

ALSO:
heard frogs
TREE SWALLOW 6
song sparrows singing
also in Fremont co along interstate, Great-tailed Grackle 5

MIDAMERICA SETTLING PONDS Mills co
double-crested cormorant 4
red-breasted merganser 1

Jerry Toll Omaha

From: "Joel Jorgensen" <zrtac@g...>
Date: Thu Mar 22, 2001 5:06 pm
Subject: EAPH

Hello,

I'm happy to say I had an Eastern Pheobe west of Ft. Calhoun,
Washington Co. today (22 Mar). That's all I got.

Joel Jorgensen

From: "Linda" <lbrdwtch@y...>
Date: Thu Mar 22, 2001 5:45 pm
Subject: Enjoying

I have been enjoying the e-mail. This is a nice group of people.
Can I share some pictures?? I have some of red crossbills that
came to my feeder for the first time in Feb. If I can how do I
do it?
Also, Am I spozed to come back here to post all the time or can I
reply in my e-mail? I am going to Branch Oak this Saterday to
look at birds. Hope I have some good things to report.
Linda

From: "Helen Hughson" <hhughson@s...>
Date: Thu Mar 22, 2001 8:44 pm
Subject: Re: [NEBirds] Photos of the Audubon Rivers and Wildlife Celebration!

Mark:

Your web page with all the pictures was spectacular!! I enjoyed all of
them. Keep adding to it and I will check it often.

From: "Wanda Hoge" <jacana@s...>
Date: Fri Mar 23, 2001 4:30 am
Subject:

March 21 we saw the first White Pelicans on the lake also still
have lots of Bald Eagle's and the first Double-crested Cormorant.
Always think spring has come when the Pelican's are back.
Good birding Wanda and
Glen Alma NE.

From: "Linda R. Brown" <lindarbrown@a...>
Date: Fri Mar 23, 2001 11:53 am
Subject: RE: [NEBirds]

Hi all,
Branched Oak Lake was still mostly ice covered on the eastern half
yesterday. Many gulls, I could only identify Ring-bills. In the
southwestern corner, water was open. Six Double-crested
Cormorants roosted in the dead trees, Common Mergansers patrolled
the waters and Northern Shovelers spun in little feeding circles.
No, Larry Einemann, I watched for, but did not see your Bobcat.
Linda R. Brown
Lincoln, NE

From: "Wanda Hoge" <jacana@s...>
Date: Fri Mar 23, 2001 10:48 am
Subject:

Today in the rain we took a ride down to the Dam We
had a Pied-billed Grebe off the dam and also lots of Ruddy Ducks and
Gremlin Cove we had a 2 Horned Grebe's Turkey's before the park and a
small pond on 136 we had 3 Wooducks With all the rain you could not see out on
the water very far but down on the bridge on 183 We had 7 Bald
Eagle's and more Pelicans They have really came in the last few days Good
birding Wanda and Glen
Alma NE.

From: <NEBirds@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Fri Mar 23, 2001 6:31 pm
Subject: New file uploaded to NEBirds

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the NEBirds
group.

File : /2 Red Crossbills.jpg
Uploaded by : lbrdwtch@y...
Description : Two Red Crossbills

You can access this file at the URL

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEBirds/files/2%20Red%20Crossbills.jpg

To learn more about file sharing for your group, please visit

http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/groups/files

Regards,

lbrdwtch@y...

From: "Linda" <lbrdwtch@y...>
Date: Fri Mar 23, 2001 6:42 pm
Subject: pictures

I put some pictures in the group to share. I hope you lik them.
Linda, Ames,NE

From: "Loren J. Padelford" <lpdlfrd@j...>
Date: Fri Mar 23, 2001 10:07 pm
Subject: Nebraska Birdline for 3/23/01

- RBA
* Nebraska
* Statewide
* March 23, 2001
* NEST0103.23

- Birds Mentioned
Eastern Phoebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Glaucous Gull
Herring Gull
Northern Shrike
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
American White Pelican
Wood Duck
Ruddy Duck
Bald Eagle
Whooping Crane
Sandhill Crane
American Woodcock
Red-breasted Merganser
Snow Goose
Ring-necked Duck
Redhead
Tree Swallow

- Transcript
Tape Number: 402-292-5325
Compilers: Babs & Loren Padelford (402-292-5556)
Transcriber: Babs Padelford (lpdlfrd@j...)

Welcome to an update of the Nebraska Birdline, sponsored by the Audubon
Society of Omaha, for Friday, March 23rd.

In eastern Nebraska in Sarpy County on the 19th, an EASTERN PHOEBE was
spotted in the Quail Creek housing area in southwest Bellevue.

In Lancaster County on the 22nd at Branched Oak Lake, 6 DOUBLE-CRESTED
CORMORANTS & hundreds of gulls including a first basic GLAUCOUS GULL & 54
HERRING GULLS were seen. On the 18th, a NORTHERN SHRIKE was spotted near
the first campground on Lieber's Point at Branched Oak Lake.

In Washington County on the 22nd, an EASTERN PHOEBE was found at Fort
Calhoun.

In central Nebraska in Harlan County on the 23rd, a PIED-BILLED GREBE, 2
HORNED GREBES, AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, 3 WOOD DUCKS, many RUDDY DUCKS &
7 BALD EAGLES were found at Harlan Reservoir area. On the 21st, a first
winter GLAUCOUS GULL was seen at Harlan Reservoir.

In Buffalo County on the 23rd, a WHOOPING CRANE was seen with SANDHILL
CRANES about 4 miles east of Kearney just west of Sweetwater Drive &
south of 11th Street.

In Iowa south of Council Bluffs on the 18th, AMERICAN WOODCOCKS were seen
at Lake Manawa south of the lake. On the 22nd, 4 DOUBLE-CRESTED
CORMORANTS & a RED-BREASTED MERGANSER were found at the Mid-American
south pond. In southwest Iowa at Forney Lake on the 22nd, 12 species of
waterfowl were seen including 60,000 SNOW GEESE, 1,043 RING-NECKED DUCKS
& 843 REDHEADS. Six TREE SWALLOWS were also seen at Forney Lake on the
22nd.
-End transcript

From: "Stephen J. Dinsmore" <dinsmore@l...>
Date: Fri Mar 23, 2001 10:31 pm
Subject: Western Nebraska.

Hello everyone-

I just returned from a quick trip to Ogallala. I attended a
retirement reception for Rodger Knaggs (he ran Kingsley Dam
for nearly 20 years) yesterday afternoon, but managed to slip
out for a little birding. Here is what I saw:

22 March
----------
Bonaparte's Gull (4 at Lake Ogallala)
White-breasted Nuthatch (1 western race bird at Oliver Reservoir-
my first for Kimball County)

23 March
----------
Double-crested Cormorant (1 at Lake McConaughy)
Blue-winged Teal (2 at Lake McConaughy)
Baird's Sandpiper (6 at Lake McConaughy)
Franklin's Gull (1 adult at Lake McConaughy)
Thayer's Gull (7 at Lake McConaughy)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (1 alternate adult at Lake McConaughy)
Glaucous Gull (5 at Lake McConaughy)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (1 at the Clear Creek marshes, Keith Co.)
Chestnut-collared Longspur (4 at Lake McConaughy)

From: "Jerry Toll" <jertol@r...>
Date: Sat Mar 24, 2001 10:44 am
Subject: Cunningham Lake Douglas co March 24

At the noth end of Cunningham lake, walking the trail Carol and I saw:
3 Fox Sparrows
1 Eastern Phoebe
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet

The lake is still 90% frozen but looks ready to open
if we get some more warm weather. Jerry Toll

From: "John W. Hall" <jwhall2@j...>
Date: Sat Mar 24, 2001 2:01 pm
Subject: Chalco Hills/Wehrspann Lake

Cold and very windy this morning, but the ice is going out
quickly all over the lake. Lots of Ring-billed gulls working
the enbedded fish out of the ice.

Birds seen include:

~1200 Lesser Scaup
~ 300 Ring-billed Gulls
~ 350 Ring-necked Ducks
18 Northern Shovelers
12 Redheads
3 Canvasback
4 Bufflehead
8 Ruddy Ducks
6 Common Merganser
1 Green-winged Teal
14 Gadwall
5 Redtails
1 Coopers Hawk
1 American Kestrel
1 Eastern Phoebe
1 Eastern Bluebird

There are alot more ducks and Canada geese out there on the water.
However, time constrainst and walking partners would not allow for
counts.

John Hall
Omaha

From: "Harding and Randolph" <marshwren@n...>
Date: Sat Mar 24, 2001 4:09 pm
Subject: [NeBirds]

Nebraska birders,

The newest version of the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union (NOU) Field Card
of Nebraska birds is on the NOU web site at http://rip.physics.unk.edu/NOU/.
Your comments can be sent to me at marshwren@n....

By the way, when you reply to a message, you may wish to double-check
the address to which the reply is being sent. When you reply to a
message that was on the NeBirds list, your reply also goes to the NeBirds
list, not just the person who sent the original message.

Robin Harding
Gibbon, NE

From: "Joel Jorgensen" <zrtac@g...>
Date: Sun Mar 25, 2001 9:16 am
Subject: Eastern RWB Report

Hello,

I was in the eastern RWB on 24 March. Still has an early flavor, and
for good reason. Would of liked to have stayed out the entire weekend, but
it was quite cold, and there are alot of hunters around now. Yeah, its
great, I got flipped-off by some hunters for stopping on a county road at
Kissinger for a few moments. Saw a couple more attempting to sneak into the
Meat Animal Research Center to sneak up on some Snows, and one sportsman
who didn't know I was watching him was shooting crippled Snow Geese that
were attempting to run away from him. Below is what I found.

Joel Jorgensen
-------------------

eRWB-24 March

Shorebird Numbers
Killdeer- 41

Pied-billed Grebe- 7
Geese- lots
*Eurasian Wigeon- 1 nice male at Anderson Basin, Clay (private). If anyone
is interested, And. B. is 1.25 miles south of Eckhardt WPA.

Redhead- Amazingly abundant this year, perhaps due to all the lake ice still
around in the east. Single locale high counts include 3,700 at Ayr Lake,
3,500 at a private basin in Fillmore Co., 2,800 at another private Basin in
Fillmore Co., and 2,100 at Sinninger WPA. I would guess there has to be
perhaps 20,000 or so in the region.

Canvasback- Single Locale high counts include 550 at Harvard SL, 540 at a
private basin in Fillmore Co., and 424 at another private Basin in Fillmore Co.
Greater Scaup- 2 at a private Basin in Clay Co.
Common Goldeneye-7
Hooded Merganser- 2
Common Merganser- 1 in York Co., first and only for the year in the region
Eastern Pheobe- 1 near Harvard
Loggerhead Shrike- 2 in Clay Co.
Sparrow- none except Tree and Harris'

From: Paseka <paseka@t...>
Date: Sun Mar 25, 2001 11:24 am
Subject: Branched Oak Lake

A good time was had by all at the Omaha Audubon field trip to Branched
Oak Lake. It was moderately miserable (cold and windy) at the south end
of the dam where we met. (It always is and we always meet there. Can't
teach old birders new tricks, I guess.) Spotting the Glaucous Gull
(reported previously by Paul Lehman) almost immediately warmed us up
some. Then we picked out a Bonaparte's Gull, so we were ready for more
adventure.

The lake is mostly open now. The only ice is along the south shore.
The gulls tended to congregate on the ice, but the ducks were all over
the lake. The trip ended with the traditional visit to the Branched Oak
Inn, for fine cuisine and stimulating conversation.

Don and I also checked out Wildwood Lake and Pawnee Lake. There wasn't
much happening at the former; an immature Bald Eagle was the highlight.
If you want to look at gulls today, Pawnee is the place. There were
probably more there than at Branched Oak, because a good part of the
lake is still ice-covered. They appear to be finding sushi bits in the
ice. Unofficial species count was 51. Here's a partial list of what we
saw.

Janis Paseka

Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Snow Goose
Ross' Goose (1)
Green-winged Teal
Northern Pintail
Blue-winged Teal (3)
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Redhead (but no Canvasback)
Ring-neck
Greater Scaup (2)
Lesser Scaup
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser (30)
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy
Bald Eagle (3 immature)
Northern Harrier
Coot
Bonaparte's Gull (1 in basic plumage)
Ring-billed Gull (20,000)
Herring Gull
Glaucous Gull (1 in first basic)
Eastern Bluebird
Tree Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Harris' Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Western Meadowlark

From: "John W. Hall" <jwhall2@j...>
Date: Sun Mar 25, 2001 4:30 pm
Subject: Alda viewing area: Sunday

Made a quick stop at the viewing area south of the Alda exit off I-80
this morning. Found 6 Greater Yellowlegs, 1 Bufflehead, 18 Common
Mergansers, ~50 Ring-billed gulls, 2 Canada Geese and 1 Falcon sp.

John Hall
Omaha

From: "Harding and Randolph" <marshwren@n...>
Date: Sun Mar 25, 2001 7:05 pm
Subject: [NeBirds] Buffalo, Phelps and Kearney Co. birds

Nebraska birders,

On Sunday, March 25 at our home near Gibbon, Lanny and I saw a pair
of Eastern Bluebirds. On a pond near the Gibbon I-80 exit, we saw
a male and female Hooded Merganser. Two miles west of the Minden
I-80 exit, Lanny saw a dark morph Rough-legged Hawk. In Kearney at
Kearney Lake, Lanny estimated 3000 Ring-billed Gulls and I saw one
Herring Gull. On a pond near the Odessa I-80 exit, we saw three
Canvasbacks and Greater Scaup (documentation available upon request).
We saw a total of fourteen Bufflehead along the southern edge of
Buffalo County.

In Phelps County 7.5 miles south of the Odessa I-80 exit, we saw
an immature Prairie Falcon. At Funk Lagoon, we saw about thirty
Ruddy Ducks, about twenty more Bufflehead and three more Canvasbacks.
We saw four species of geese including a couple Ross's Geese among an
estimated 150,000 Snow Geese. Also at Funk Lagoon, we saw about seven
Northern Harriers.

In Kearney County a couple miles southwest of Lowell, we saw two
Greater Prairie-Chickens. We saw a total of fourteen species of ducks
on this day.

What have you been seeing?

Robin Harding
marshwren@n...

From: musasz@a...
Date: Sun Mar 25, 2001 7:32 pm
Subject: lakes around Lincoln

I visited Wagon Train and Stagecoach lakes east and south of Lincoln on
Saturday. Saw the following:

Scaup (?) - lots
ring-necked ducks
pied-bill grebe - 1
ruddy ducks
buffleheads - 15
ring-billed gulls
killdeer
wigeons
gadwall
n. shoveler
mallard
pintail - 1
red heads
hooded mergansers - 7 or 8 - at Stagecoach - biggest group I'd seen in
quite awhile
4 cormorants - rather cold looking
canada geese
snow goose - 1 - looked injured
coots - 3

On Sunday, Terri Brown and I visited Killdeer and Yankee Hill lakes west of
Lincoln - very cold and windy - you could get seasick watching the ducks on
the water.

mallards
scaup (?)
ring-necked ducks
canvasbacks - 2 - Killdeer
red heads
shovelers
buffleheads - lots at Yankee Hill
gadwall
ruddies
wigeons
coots
green wing teal - 8 or so - at Yankee Hill
hooded merganser - 1 - at Yankee hill as well
common merganser - 1
cormorants

There were lots of ducks but getting a good luck wasn't easy.

Moni Usasz

p.s. I feel like spring is finally around the corner!

From: "Ross Silcock" <silcock@r...>
Date: Sun Mar 25, 2001 9:13 pm
Subject: Weekend Birding

Hi all:
John Sullivan and I birded our way to L McConaughy and back this weekend
(March 24 and 25) via the Rainwater Basin (ran into Joel, but before he
found the Eurasian Wigeon) and had a great trip.
Highlights (the best was last):

We (like Joel) saw large numbers of ducks and geese in the RWB (stopped
Saturday North Hultine, Harvard, Massie, Kissinger, Ayr Lake); our counts:

White-fronted Goose: 4230
Snow Goose: 33,070
Northern Pintail: 8525
Mallard: 6200
Redhead: 2025

North Platte SL (Sat):
Lesser Scaup 320
Sandhill Cranes 64 (flying high and west)

Pond on I-80 at mile marker 168:
(Sat):
Lesser Scaup 650

(Sun):
Snow Goose: 8400
Ross's Goose: 5600 (we carefully estimated the total flock of mostly white
geese, and then the % of Ross's; 14,000 and a conservative 40%)
White-fronted Goose: 600
Canada Goose: 400 (80% were Cacklers)

L McConaughy (Sat):
Thayer's Gull: 5 (all 1st winter)
Iceland Gull: 1 (1st winter)

L McConaughy (Sun):
Western Grebe: 8
Sandhill Crane: 7 (flying over going west)
Thayer's Gull: 8 (6 1st winter, 1 2nd winter, 1 adult)
Glaucous Gull: 2 (1st winter)
Mew Gull: 1 (adult)
Franklin's Gull: 2 (adults)
California Gull: 6 (adults)
Lesser Black-backed Gull: 1 (adult)
Ring-billed Gull: 2300
Herring Gull: 325 (incl 35 1st winter, 15 2nd winter, rest adults)

Sutherland Res (Sun):
Double-crested Cormorant: 1
Bonaparte's Gull: 11

Pawnee L (Sun):
Ring-billed Gull: 11,000
Herring Gull: 2 (!!)

Branched Oak L (Sun):
Ring-billed Gull: 4000
Herring Gull: 150
Glaucous Gull: 1 (1st winter)
Lesser Scaup: 300
Redhead: 200
Red-breasted Merganser: 12
Common Merganser: 150
Hooded Merganser: 2
SNOWY OWL (immature sitting on ice shelf on south side)

Ross and John

Ross Silcock
Tabor, IA USA
silcock@r...
New Zealand Land and Pelagic Tours
http://www.rosssilcock.com

From: larryeinemannl@a...
Date: Sun Mar 25, 2001 9:43 pm
Subject: Re: [NEBirds] Additional birds at BOL and Pawnee

Hi!
After being windwhipped for 8 hours, I finally feel warm. Sunday was
rewarding with 64 species in northern Lancaster County. Some smaller ponds
were frozen over with the current cold spell as was Cracker Barrel Marsh and
Little Salt Creek Fork Marsh. The Cracker Barrel had some 40 foraging
Great-tailed grackles. I saw a flock of about 1000 blackbirds about a mile
north of Arbor Lake. The flock contained Common grackles and Red-winged
blackbirds, with Starlings and Brown-headed cowbirds in smaller numbers.
Little Salt Creek farther south had Wood ducks, Green-winged teals and
Hooded mergansers at the bridge. Farther north along Mill road were 3 Fox
sparrows. At one site, I thought I heard a phoebe, but could not verify it.
Near LSCFM I heard my first Eastern meadowlarks for the year. Also in the
area, a long line of SE-moving Common grackles kept passing overhead, about
600. Near Raymond, Nebraska, I saw two male Hairy woodpeckers displaying on
bur oaks, while the female watched them. {I saw more Hairy's at this site
than I could total for two months of watching.}

Branched Oak Lake: Many Lesser scaup; also Common goldeneye, Common
merganser, Hooded merganser, Green-winged teal, Gadwall, Mallard, American
wigeon, Ring-necked duck, Snow goose, American coot, Blue-winged teal,
Northern shoveler, Redhead, Canvasback, Ruddy duck, many Ring-billed gulls,
some Herring gulls, a Franklin's gull, Bufflehead, 1 adult Bald eagle,
Northern pintail, & 36 Double-crested cormorants, and a dark morph
Rough-legged hawk, among others. Missed the Glaucous gull the Omaha group
found. On my way down to Pawnee, I saw my first and only Pine siskin for
2001.

Pawnee Lake was similar, more ice and more gulls and many Lesser scaup
and Common mergansers; also one Great blue heron, 100 White-fronted geese, 2
Red-breasted mergansers. I did not have much time to scan the birds on the
lake, some were quite wary and departed as I approached.

Larry Einemann

From: "Loren J. Padelford" <lpdlfrd@j...>
Date: Mon Mar 26, 2001 3:33 pm
Subject: Nebraska Birdline for 3/26/00

- RBA
* Nebraska
* Statewide
* March 26, 2001
* NEST0103.26

- Birds Mentioned
Glaucous Gull
Snowy Owl
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Vesper Sparrow
Greater White-fronted Goose
Red-breasted Merganser
Great-tailed Grackle
Eurasian Wigeon
Redhead
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Eastern Phoebe
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Fox Sparrow
Sandhill Crane
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous Gull
Mew Gull
Franklin's Gull
California Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Baird's Sandpiper
Chestnut-collared Longspur
Snow Goose
Ross's Goose
Prairie Falcon
Rough-legged Hawk
Greater Prairie-Chicken
Greater Yellowlegs
Horned Grebe

- Transcript
Tape Number: 402-292-5325
Compilers: Babs & Loren Padelford (402-292-5556)
Transcriber: Loren Padelford (lpdlfrd@j...)

Welcome to an update of the Nebraska Birdline, sponsored by the Audubon
Society of Omaha, for Monday, March 26th.

In eastern Nebraska in Lancaster County on the 26th, the first winter
GLAUCOUS GULL was seen again on the ice shelf on the south side of
Branched Oak Lake. On the 25th at Branched Oak Lake, a SNOWY OWL was
seen sitting on the ice shelf. Also seen at Branched Oak Lake were 4000
RING-BILLED GULLS, 150 HERRING GULLS & a first winter GLAUCOUS GULL. On
the 24th, 18 species of waterfowl, a BONAPARTE'S GULL & a VESPER SPARROW
were found at Branched Oak Lake. On the 25th, 100 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED
GEESE, 2 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS & an estimated 11,000 RING-BILLED GULLS
were seen at Pawnee Lake. Also on the 25th, 40 GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES
were seen at Cracker Barrel Marsh on north 27th St. in Lincoln.

In Clay County on the 24th, a EURASIAN WIGEON was spotted at Anderson
Basin (private) 1.5 miles south of Eckhardt WPA. Large numbers of
REDHEADS were seen in the eastern Rainwater Basin on the 24th, including
a high count of 3700 at Ayr Lake in Adams County.

In Douglas County on the 22nd & 23rd, a EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was seen
at 114th & Gold Streets (one block north of Center) in Omaha. On the
24th, an EASTERN PHOEBE, a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET & 3 FOX SPARROWS were
seen at the north end of Cunningham Lake.

In western Nebraska in Keith County on the 25th, 7 SANDHILL CRANES, 8
THAYER'S GULLS, 2 GLAUCOUS GULLS, an adult MEW GULL, 2 FRANKLIN'S GULLS,
6 CALIFORNIA GULLS & a LESSER-BLACK-BACKED GULL were found. On the 23rd
at Lake McConaughy, 6 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS & 4 CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPURS
were seen. In Lincoln County on the 25th, 8,400 SNOW GEESE & 5,600
ROSS'S GEESE were seen at a pond on I-80 at mile marker 168.

In central Nebraska in Phelps County on the 25th, a PRAIRIE FALCON was
spotted 7.5 miles south of the Odessa I-80 exit. At Funk Lagoon on the
25th, 2 ROSS'S GEESE were seen with a flock of 150,000 SNOW GEESE. In
Buffalo County on the 25th, a dark morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen 2
miles west of the Minden I-80 exit. In Kearney County on the 25th, 2
GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS were spotted 2 miles southwest of Lowell. In
Hall County on the 25th, 6 GREATER YELLOWLEGS were seen south of the Alda
I-80 exit.

In Harlan County on the 24th, 2 HORNED GREBES, a BONAPARTE'S GULL & 2
FRANKLIN'S GULLS were seen at Harlan Reservoir.
-End transcript

From: nratzlaff@a...
Date: Mon Mar 26, 2001 7:50 pm
Subject: Re: Cunningham & Nathan's Lake - 03/26/01

Visited Cunningham Lake this AM - Still is mostly frozen with a little open
water at the north end and along the west edge. Nice day but not many birds
except for:
Several hundred Ring-billed Gulls doing their modified form of ice fishing
Not much waterfowl. Only:
About 75 Common Mergansers along the west edge 4 Northern Shovelers,
3 Common Goldeneye, 2 Mallards, 2 American Wigeon and 5 Lesser Scaup.

Nathan's Lake still has a lot of ice, but there are significant areas of
shallow, open water with 15 species of waterfowl, mainly dabblers
The largest numbers (150-250 each) were Gadwall, Mallards & Green-winged
Teal, but there were good numbers of Ring-necked Ducks (~75), Canvasbacks
(25) and Lesser Scaup (25) There were lesser numbers of American Wigeon,
Northern Pintail, Northern Shovelers and Blue-winged Teal as well as a few
White-fronted Geese.

Neal Ratzlaff

From: "Ross Silcock" <silcock@r...>
Date: Mon Mar 26, 2001 8:19 pm
Subject: NOU Spring Meeting

Hi folks:
Can ayone tell me who is organizing the upcoming spring meeting at Camp
Calvin Crest?

Thanks,
Ross

Ross Silcock
Tabor, IA USA
silcock@r...
New Zealand Land and Pelagic Tours
http://www.rosssilcock.com

From: "Ross Silcock" <silcock@r...>
Date: Mon Mar 26, 2001 8:28 pm
Subject: Double double posts posts??

Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong to be sending two of everything?
I guess I'm not alone, as others' posts are doing it too!

Ross

Ross Silcock
Tabor, IA USA
silcock@r...
New Zealand Land and Pelagic Tours
http://www.rosssilcock.com

From: "Ross Silcock" <silcock@r...>
Date: Mon Mar 26, 2001 10:24 pm
Subject: Fw: [BIRDCHAT] Juncos

NeBirders:
For those of you not on BIRDCHAT:
Rather interesting post from Jim Rising, author of "The Sparrows of the
United States and Canada". Speculatively (on my part), can be summarized
as:

Species of Juncos occurring in Nebraska probably should be:

White-winged Junco (J. aikeni)
Gray-headed Junco (J. caniceps)
Pink-sided Junco (J. mearnsi)
Dark-eyed Junco (J.hyemalis) With subspecies
J. h. hyemalis- "Slate-colored"
J. h. oreganus- "Oregon"
J. cismontanus is a hybrid population of oreganus and hyemalis.

Ross
Ross Silcock
Tabor, IA USA
silcock@r...
New Zealand Land and Pelagic Tours
http://www.rosssilcock.com

----- Original Message -----
From: James D. Rising <rising@Z...>
To: <BIRDCHAT@L...>
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2001 8:57 PM
Subject: [BIRDCHAT] Juncos

> George Barrowclough of the Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. has been working on
> juncos for years and knows them far better than anyone else.
> Unfortunately, he has published little of this, and we've sort have been
> waiting for him. I regularly see George at meetings and talk about
> juncos and ask him to publish, or at least to make specific
> recommendations that the AOU can study. He hasn't done this yet, and
> last summer told me that basically Miller (1941) "had it right." I plan
> this summer to dig out Miller and study it, put together a proposal, and
> pass it by George, then submit it to the committee. DOn't have any idea
> about how that would be received. Some comments (totally off the top of
> my head)
>
> Dark-eyed and Yellow-eyed are very different--should not be lumped under
> any circumstances. Differences in behavior and song in addition to other
> things.
>
> Within Dark-eyed:
>
> 1) One or 2 old records of hybridization between Gray-headed x
> White-winged. The habitat where the hybrids were collected has been
> destroyed and the ranges no longer overlap (i.e. they are allopatric now,
> and probably always essentially were). Split White-wing.
>
> 2) Few hybrids of Pink-sided and Gray-headed, on one hand, and between
> Gray-headed and Oregon on the other hand. Limited areas. Probably split
> them all.
>
> 3) Oregon and Slate-colored--apparently there is a massive hybrid swarm
> in northern British Columbia ("cismontanus"). Probably recognize them as
> 2 subspecies of the same thing, with cismontanus as a broad zone of
> intergradation. Lump all of those subspecies of Oregon (I'm ignoring
> Mexico, but the one from the Cape region of Baja is very distinct,
> etc.).
>
> Again, this is unanalyzed and unstudied--and perhaps nothing is going to
> be done.
>
> Also waiting for some more data on the Red Crossbills to be published.
>
>
>
> Name: Jim Rising
> Mail: Dept. Zoology, Univ. Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3G5
> rising@z... or rising@z...
> Phone (416) 978-3482 FAX (416) 978-8532
>
> For BirdChat guidelines, go to
> http://www.ksu.edu/audubon/chatguidelines.html
> For BirdChat archives or to change your subscription options, go to
> http://listserv.arizona.edu/lsv/www/birdchat.html
> To contact a listowner, send a message to
> mailto:birdchat-request@l...

From: Mark Brogie <mbrogie@m...>
Date: Tue Mar 27, 2001 7:50 am
Subject: Greater Prairie-Chickens

Last evening we stopped by two leks (near Creighton) that were used last
year and both had displaying chickens!

From: NevaLCP@a...
Date: Tue Mar 27, 2001 1:18 pm
Subject: Monday birding

I found the Glaucous Gull (life bird!!) Monday AM, out at the edge of the ice
shelf in front of the parking lot by the south campground at Branched Oak
Lake. It was busy digging a fish out of the ice, while towering over two
Ring-Billed Gulls who wanted to help. Now and then it would flap its
beautiful big white wings. Did not see the Snowy Owl. Big rafts of gulls
and waterfowl all over the east end of the lake and I made no effort to get
numbers. There were at least seven or eight Hooded Mergansers, several
Red-Breasted and rafts of Common Mergansers. I don't think I ever saw all
three mergansers while standing in the same the same spot before. The bay at
the southwest corner of the lake was almost solidly covered with Northern
Shovelers.

I spent the rest of the day out between Grand Island and Kearney/Funk Lagoon
enjoying all the usual stuff. The only Canvasbacks I saw were a pair on one
of the ponds in the Fort Kearney Rec. area campground. Same pond had three
pairs of Ring-necked Ducks, two pairs of Lesser Scaup, One pair of Redheads
and a pair of Gadwalls. The lagoons at Funk were devoid of geese, possibly
because a controlled (I think) burn was being conducted all along the south
shore, but late afternoon there were numerous flocks of White-fronted and
Snow Geese in the fields just east of Funk.

I watched the cranes come into the river at the bridge south of Gibbon. A
couple years ago they were using the sand bars just west of the viewing
platform but this year they were all landing out of sight further west. The
people at Rowe said a Whooper had been reported near Gibbon. Didn't see one.
And nobody has been able to find "Waldo" this year.

A fine day. Spring in Nebraska! Nothing like it anywhere.

Neva Pruess, Lincoln

From: cnk@s...
Date: Tue Mar 27, 2001 12:44 pm
Subject: TV

NEBirders,
Just saw my first Turkey Vulture this afternoon while walking on
the Bellevue University campus here in Sarpy County.
Clem Klaphake

From: murwille <murwille@e...>
Date: Tue Mar 27, 2001 6:07 pm
Subject: More Digital Photos of Sandhill Cranes

Hello Nebraska Birders,

I was out volunteering for Rowe Sanctuary again last weekend. Friday night
was not good for photos, but Saturday morning was! Check out the 'New
Photos" link off from this page:

http://204.234.8.16/~7hills/photos/photoarchive.htm

http://science.kps.esu10.k12.ne.us/~7hills/photos/photoarchive.htm

Darken the room and enjoy! The snow photos were of the snow storm we had
in Central Nebraska a couple of weeks ago.

BTW after leaving the blinds on Saturday. I spent the rest of the day
guiding a lady from Virginia to see birds in the Rainwater Basin.
Of note, we saw a Prairie Falcon in Franklin County (Nebraska Gazetteer Map
#73) about 2 miles east and 2 miles south of the intersections of Highways
44 and 4. There is a nice Greater Prairie Chicken Lek about 5.5 mile
FURTHER south on that road. Look for a old beat up windmill. Look on the
west side of the road directly across from the windmill. I have been
there 5 times in the last couple of weeks - both morning, afternoon, and
evening. I have never seen less than 15 birds and as many as 27. Booming
occurs only in the early morning and evening, but they can be seen foraging
most any time from what I have seen.

Mark Urwiller

P.S. The chickens are too far for a decent photo.

From: georgj@n...
Date: Tue Mar 27, 2001 8:02 pm
Subject: Burrowing Owls

Hello, I am new to the group. I am interested in sightings of
Burrowing Owls across the state. If anyone comes across some of these
wonderful creatures in the next few months, please email me!
Thanks.
Georg

From: larryeinemannl@a...
Date: Tue Mar 27, 2001 10:42 pm
Subject: Re: Holmes Lake sighting!

Hi!
I scanned Holmes Lake about 4:30 p.m. on March 27. Among the several
hundred Lesser Scaups was a White-winged Scoter. It was difficult to see
among the shifting rafts of scaups. People movement around the lake kept the
waterfowl agitated. Other species present were Redheads, Common goldeneyes,
Common mergansers, American wigeons, Green-winged teals, Ruddy ducks,
Buffleheads, American coots, Ring-billed gulls, Killdeers, Mallards,
Gadwalls, Canada geese, Ring-necked ducks, Northern shovelers and Pied-billed
grebes.
Good birding!
Larry Einemann

From: NevaLCP@a...
Date: Wed Mar 28, 2001 4:59 pm
Subject: Re: [NEBirds] Re: Holmes Lake sighting!

I was at Holmes Lake around 10AM today (28th) and again at 4PM but I failed
to find the White-winged Scoter. However, to the lengthy list of waterfowl
Larry Einemann reported for the 27th I can add 8 Horned Grebes.

Neva Pruess, Lincoln

From: nratzlaff@a...
Date: Wed Mar 28, 2001 8:27 pm
Subject: Re: Towl Park - Omaha

Saw my first Fox Sparrow of the Spring this AM at Towl Park. Song and
Harris's Sparrows also present.

Neal Ratzlaff

From: larryeinemannl@a...
Date: Thu Mar 29, 2001 9:05 pm
Subject: Re: [NEBirds] Re: Holmes Lake sighting on March 28

Hi!
I went to Holmes Lake on Wednesday afternoon (4:45 to 5;45 p.m.), March
28 to see if I could find the scoter. I scanned (up to 6 scans) the scaups
and other ducks present; however, I did not see the scoter. I did see 10
horned grebes though. I believe Neva reported seeing 8 when she went to the
lake. Except for the horned grebes, several species of ducks were absent
that were sighted the day before. Gone were the wigeons, green-winged teals,
ring-necked ducks, and common mergansers. In addition to the horned grebes,
some canvasbacks were present. There is a constant change in the numbers of
species present. They come and go, especially when the lake has a lot of
people walking the lakeshore. I was unable to check the lake on Thursday;
however, I could see quite a few waterfowl on the lake as my family and I
drove by.
Keep looking and good birding!
Larry Einemann

From: "Marge Knudsen" <mkstorebird@e...>
Date: Fri Mar 30, 2001 8:20 am
Subject: Re:Bird Photos

Since this is not a for profit venture, I hope this
posting will be okay.

A group of volunteers is putting together a display
about birds at the 4H Center. They are looking for photos (to be
donated) of the following species for their informational panel:

Red-headed Woodpecker
Red Bellied Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
White Breasted Nuthatch
Black Capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Northern Cardinal
Blue Jay
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
House Finch
Screech Owl
Turkey Vulture

If you have photos which you would be willing to donate, please contact
Kathy Jeffers at Kdjeffers@a....

Thank you for your assistance.

Marge Knudsen

From: Steve McIlree <smcilree@h...>
Date: Fri Mar 30, 2001 8:49 am
Subject: Re: [NEBirds] Re:Bird Photos

Marge--

Friday, March 30, 2001, 08:20:22, you wrote:

> Since this is not a for profit venture, I hope this posting will be
> okay.

Let me quote myself from a message I sent to the list in the first
days of its existence. I hope it pretty well sums up my feelings
about the occasional off-topic posting. And let me hasten to say
that I don't consider Marge's request to be at all off-topic.

>> On the horse mailing lists I manage I take a pretty hands-off
>> approach, and find that the occasional off-topic threads are pretty
>> self-limiting and often actually interesting. I found the
>> discussions here about moose and armadillos just as informative as
>> the strictly bird threads. To put everyone in perspective of my
>> philosophy of discussion list management let me quote from the
>> Welcome Message for the 450 member Fjord horse list I run.
>> "Personal experiences, discussions of training techniques, good
>> advice and pleasant conversation are always welcome here. View the
>> list as an opportunity to sit around the kitchen table with friends
>> and discuss Fjord horses over a pot of good coffee." I think that
>> the virtual kitchen table model is a pretty good one for any list
>> and what I intend to try here for now.

Steve McIlree
Men are better when riding, more just and more understanding, and
more alert and more at ease... --Edward Plantagenet(1373-1413)

From: "Wanda Hoge" <jacana@s...>
Date: Fri Mar 30, 2001 1:01 pm
Subject:

Today March 30 three miles north of Alma on Hwy 183 on a farm pond we found
3 Greater Yellowlegs
Glen and Wanda Alma NE

From: Carolyn Hall <cjhall@h...>
Date: Fri Mar 30, 2001 7:09 pm
Subject: BLUEBIRD CONFERENCE

The Bluebirds Across Nebraska (BAN) group will hold their 7th annual
conference on April 7, 2001 in Norfolk at the Community College from 9 to
4:30. Speakers are Al Batt, Loren "Bub" Blake, Kay Young, Sandy Seibert and
Steve Gilbertson. For more info, contact Julie Beutler 402-634-2617.

From: "Loren J. Padelford" <lpdlfrd@j...>
Date: Sat Mar 31, 2001 4:21 pm
Subject: White-winged Scoter

Nebirders,

Babs and I were at Holmes Lake in Lincoln at about 1:30 this afternoon,
3/31, and found the White-winged Scoter. We presume it is the same one
seen by Larry Einemann on the 27th. It was seen with 10 other species of
waterfowl on the west side of the lake.

Loren Padelford
Bellevue, NE
lpdlfrd@j...

From: Alice S Rushton <alicerushton@j...>
Date: Sat Mar 31, 2001 4:48 pm
Subject: Birds on Standing Bear Lake

This is the first time I've reported a sighting, and third try today. I
hope this is the correct address.

Four of us were at Standing Bear Lake between 9:30 and 10 a.m. this
morning (Saturday, March 31) and among the normal birds, saw a pair of
Common Loons. We were on the North side of the Lake. They travelled
from West to East as we observed them, and were comparatively close to
the bank so we got a good view. I have not seen them reported be-fore
today.

Alice Rushton
Omaha

From: "Alice Kenitz" <akenitz@p...>
Date: Sat Mar 31, 2001 8:31 pm
Subject: Scotts Bluff County

Several of us were at the North Platte NWR this morning. Species of
interest include:

Eared Grebe 2 at Winters' Creek Lake
Am. White Pelican 12 at Winters' Creek
Snow Goose 1 at Winters' Creek
Gadwall
Am. Wigeon
Mallard
N. Shoveler
N. Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Redhead
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser Several at Lake Alice
Common Merganser
Bald Eagle 2 at Lake Alice (They are nesting again this year.)

This afternoon I was in the Wildcat Hills and saw a pair of Mountain
Bluebirds investigating 2 different bluebird boxes.

Alice Kenitz

From: "Harding and Randolph" <marshwren@n...>
Date: Sat Mar 31, 2001 9:22 pm
Subject: [NeBirds] Whooper

Nebraska birders,

I saw a Whooping Crane in Hall County a couple miles east of Denman
on Friday, March 30. Hal Nagel and Gary Lingle have received a grant
to study the Whooping Cranes' use of the Platte River this spring.
I have also heard of studies involving Snow Geese and Northern Pintails
underway this spring.

Robin Harding

From: "Loren J. Padelford" <lpdlfrd@j...>
Date: Sat Mar 31, 2001 11:01 pm
Subject: Nebraska Birdline for 3/31/01

- RBA
* Nebraska
* Statewide
* March 31, 2001
* NEST0103.31

- Birds Mentioned
White-winged Scoter
Horned Grebe
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Glaucous Gull
Common Loon
Tree Swallow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Harris's Sparrow
White-fronted Goose
Greater Prairie Chicken
Greater Yellowlegs
Whooping Crane
Eared Grebe
American White Pelican
Bald Eagle
Mountain Bluebird
Double-crested Cormorant
Ross's Goose
Greater Scaup
Herring Gull
American Woodcock
Ring-billed Gull

- Transcript
Tape Number: 402-292-5325
Compilers: Babs & Loren Padelford (402-292-5556)
Transcriber: Babs Padelford (lpdlfrd@j...)

Welcome to an update of the Nebraska Birdline, sponsored by the Audubon
Society of Omaha, for Saturday, March 31st.

In eastern Nebraska in Lancaster County in Lincoln, a WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
first spotted on the 27th at Holmes Lake, was seen again on the 31st with
10 other species of waterfowl. On the 29th at Holmes Lake, 10 HORNED
GREBES were seen. At Branched Oak Lake on the 27th, 7 HOODED
MERGANSERS, several RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS & a GLAUCOUS GULL were found.

In Douglas County on the 31st, 2 COMMON LOONS & TREE SWALLOWS were seen
at Standing Bear Lake northwest of Omaha. On the 28th, a FOX SPARROW,
SONG SPARROWS & HARRIS'S SPARROWS were seen in Towl Park in Omaha. On
the 28th in Omaha, 3 BUFFLEHEADS were seen in the Elmwood Park Lagoon.

In Washington County on the 26th, 15 species of waterfowl were found at
Nathan's Lake including a few WHITE-FRONTED GEESE.

In Knox County on the 26th, GREATER PRAIRIE CHICKENS were found on two
leks near Creighton.

In central Nebraska on the 30th in Harlan County, 3 GREATER YELLOWLEGS
were seen in a farm pond 3 miles north of Alma along Highway 183.

In Hall County on the 30th, a WHOOPING CRANE was spotted 2 miles east of
Denman.

In western Nebraska on the 31st in Scotts Bluff County, 2 EARED GREBES &
12 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were seen at Winters's Creek Lake & several
HOODED MERGANSERS & 2 BALD EAGLES were found at Lake Alice. Also on the
31st, 2 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS were seen in the Wildcat Hills.

In Iowa south of Council Bluffs on the 29th, a HORNED GREBE, 10
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS & 22 ROSS'S GEESE were seen at the Mid American
south pond. Also on the 29th at Lake Manawa, 2 GREATER SCAUP, 18 HOODED
MERGANSERS, 30 BALD EAGLES & 6 HERRING GULLS were seen. On the 31st, an
estimated 200 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, AMERICAN WOODCOCKS & thousands of
RING-BILLED GULLS were seen at Lake Manawa.
-End transcript