Nebraska's North Central Counties

Arthur County (91)

If you have a favorite birding area in this county, please contact Robin Harding

at the address given below.

Blaine County (86)

Milburn Diversion Dam State Wildlife Management Area (WMA): located in the southeast corner

of the county. Open water, some woodland habitat and lots of prairie can be found here.

Since there are not many public areas, the best strategy is to bird along public roadways. The

county road that goes east from Purdum follows the North Loup River. Another county road that

goes east from Dunning along the Middle Loup River has some good birding areas along it. It is

critical to get permission from local landowners if you wish to leave the public roadways.

Boyd County (63)

If you have a favorite birding area in this county, please contact Robin Harding

at the address given below.

Brown County (75)

Niobrara Valley Preserve: Owned by The Nature Conservancy, this large area north of Johnstown

includes a portion of the Niobrara River, Sandhills prairie, western coniferous forest and

eastern deciduous forest. A wide variety of wildlife inhabit the area.

The Nature Conservancy's site

The University of Nebraska's site

Long Pine State Recreation Area and State Wildlife Management Area: located just north of the

town of Long Pine. Primitive camping, picnicing, fishing and hunting allowed.

Keller Park State Recreation Area: located two miles west and eight miles north of Long Pine

along Highway 183. Camping, picnicing, fishing and hunting allowed.

Long Lake and Willow Lake: located one mile east and about twenty miles south of Johnstown

along a county road that goes south from Highway 20. Camping, picnicing, fishing and hunting

allowed. These are Sandhills prairie lakes/marshes with a few trees and lots of prairie.

Cherry County (66)

Valentine National Wildlife Refuge:located 20-30 miles south of the town of Valentine. A very

large area full of sandhills lakes/marshes and prairie.

Ft. Niobrara National Wildlife Area: located a couple miles east of the town of Valentine.

You may write to: Refuge Manager for Ft. Niobrara and Valentine Complex, HC14 Box 67, Valentine,

NE 69201 or call (402) 376-3789.

Smith Falls State Park:

located about seventeen miles east of Valentine. Take Highway 12 east about fourteen miles then

look for the signs for a gravel road to the south. Primative camping and a short hiking trail

to the falls. Excellent spot for riverside woodland birding. The area has a unique mix of eastern

and western species.

Merritt Reservoir: located about 22 miles southwest of Valentine on Highway 97.

Swan Lake:

Custer County (4)

Victoria Springs State Recreation Area: located about nine miles north of Merna. A nice

small lake surrounded by woodland. Camping and picnicing available. Contact Superintendent,

HC69 Box 117, Anselmo, NE 68813 (308) 749-2235

Pressey State Wildlife Management Area (WMA):

Garfield County (83)

Calamus Reservoir State Recreation Area: Located northwest of Burwell on the Calamus

River in the heart of the Sandhills. Click here for more information.

Grant County (92)

Scenic highway 2 goes across Grant County through beautiful sandhills prairies and marshes.

Greeley County (62)

Chalk Mine State Wayside Area: located along Highway 11 and the North Loup River a couple

miles south of Scotia. This is a small wooded park with some historical exhibits and a short trail

to the top of a hill with a great view of the river and the surrounding country. There is a scenic

overlook that you can drive up to just a mile or so southeast of the Chalk Mine on the other side

of the Highway.

Wolbach has a small lake in a park near the grain elevators on the west edge of town.

Spalding has a lake near the southwest corner of town. There are also a couple nice

cemeteries on the north edge of town.

There can be some good birding at the county road bridges over the Cedar River in the northeast

corner of the county.

Greeley: The cemetery beside Highway 281 has some nice trees and a wooded area beside it.

Davis Creek Reservoir: Most of the dam and a portion of the lake is in this county. Access

is from a minimum maintenance road. There is a parking lot beside the road and a mowed trail to the

dam. The view from the dam is excellent. You can walk along the entire length of the dam and see

most of the lake with the sun is behind you.

Holt County (36)

If you have a favorite birding area in this county, please contact Robin Harding

at the address given below.

Hooker County (93)

The following messages were posted to the NEBirds list in September, 2002:

Hi NEBirders,

I'm not really familiar with the area, but did work a few blocks there during the

(Breeding Bird) Atlas project during the mid-80s. On the highway, just north of

Mullen a few miles where the road drops down through the Middle Loup River bottoms,

there was some good habitat and a good variety of birds. I suspect it might also

be used during fall migration as birds drop in after crossing the mostly-treeless

Sandhills from the north.

Also, where the highway crosses the Dismal River, south of Mullen. Another

interesting area, with broken country and some trees. It also had a good variety

of breeders, and I suspect, another migrant trap of sorts in the fall. good luck.

Wish I was going along.

Wayne Mollhoff

NEBirders,
Glidden, Patty and Mitch (pglidde@neb-sandhills.net) are trying to get a
business set up based on canoeing and birding. You can view their website at
www.gliddencanoerental.com
They run the Sandhills Motel (the only one) in Mullen.
His brother works for the Nebraska Game Commission here in Bassett. I met them
through the Middle Loup Natural Resources District when that group were beginning
the planning for a birding tour bulletin to be set up on the Middle Loup River.
I think they have that brochure ready. You might check with The manager there:
Barnes, Verlon (verlon.barnes@ne.usda.gov)

Carolyn Hall
Hello from the Sandhills of northcentral Nebraska,
Bassett, NE

Keya Paha County (82)

Niobrara Valley Preserve: Owned by The Nature Conservancy, this large area south of Norden

includes a portion of the Niobrara River, Sandhills prairie, western coniferous forest and

eastern deciduous forest. A wide variety of wildlife inhabit the area.

The Nature Conservancy's site

The University of Nebraska's site

Logan County (87)

If you have a favorite birding area in this county, please contact Robin Harding

at the address given below.

Loup County (88)

Calamus Reservoir and State Recreation Area: Located a few miles northwest of Burwell

on the Calamus River in the heart of the Sandhills. The dam was completed in 1986 so it

is a relatively new lake. It has 31 miles of shoreline. All services available at the

lake or in Burwell. A great area for water-loving birds such as pelicans, cormorants, herons,

geese, ducks and gulls. Also great for shorebirds when the water is low. Also great for

Greater Prairie-Chickens, Sharp-tailed Grouse, shrikes and Bell's Vireo. There are some good

areas for warblers and sparrows. Click here for more information.

Mc Pherson County (90)

If you have a favorite birding area in this county, please contact Robin Harding

at the address given below.

Rock County (81)

If you have a favorite birding area in this county, please contact Robin Harding

at the address given below.

Thomas County (89)

Nebraska National Forest: located near Halsey, this mostly pine forest is maintained

by the U.S. Forest Service. It is surrounded by Sandhills prairie and between the

Middle Loup and Dismal Rivers.

Valley County (47)

Davis Creek Reservoir

Wheeler County (84)

Ericson Lake: located about one mile southeast of the town called Ericson. It is a man-made

lake with residental area on the northeast side and undeveloped area on the southwest side. There

is a trail through the undeveloped area. There is a marshy area at the northwest end of the lake.

Pibel Lake State Recreation Area (SRA): located seven miles east and two miles south of Ericson.

A small lake with woodland around it. Camping area, picnicing area, boat ramp available.

In cooperation with the University of Nebraska at Kearney