Nebraska's Northeast Counties

Antelope County (26)

Ashfall Fossil Beds

A Bewick's Wren was seen here in the spring and summer of 1999.

Grove Lake: located at Royal.

Red-wing Wildlife Management Area (WMA): located east of Clearwater on Highway 275.

Boone County (23)

Olson Nature Preserve

This is the spot where it is said that Chief Logan Fontanelle was killed

while on a hunting expedition. The land was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Grant

Olson with the intention of using it as an outdoor education spot for youth

of the area. Today there is a mature cottonwood forest along a portion of

the Beaver Creek and prairie along another portion. There is a mature oak

forest on the hillside west of the creek. From the top of the hill, there

is a beautiful panoramic view of the eastern Sandhills prairie. This wide

range of habitat types provides homes for a large variety of birds.

It is located 1 mile west and 3.5 miles south of Petersburg in north central

Boone County. From the intersection of highways 32 and 14 in Petersburg,

go 1 mile west then turn south (left). In 2.5 miles you will come to an

intersection with 'Y' Road. Turn left and go a little more than 1 mile

to the southeast. Look along the west (right) side of the road for a

gate made of metal pipe and a metal sign that says "Olson Nature Preserve"

between corn fields. Close the gate behind you and drive down the trail

between the corn fields to the parking area. There is an outhouse from

spring to fall in the parking area, a bridge over the creek, mowed paths

through the woods and across the prairie with strategically placed benches

to rest and enjoy the view.

See http://www.albionne.org/olsonnaturepreserve.htm for more on the Preserve.
(information courtesy of Don and Colleen Noecker)

Scenic drive through Beaver Valley: located in the Sandhills habitat in

the northwest corner of the county. The east end of Beaver Valley Road starts

four miles west of Petersburg just past the end of the pavement. The road goes

through Sandhills prairie along the Beaver Creek including dry upland grassland,

marshy lowland, shelterbelts and the creek. It is a great area for prairie birds.

Burt County (31)

Summit Lake State Recreation Area (535 acres, 190 acre lake): This is 3 miles southwest of

Tekamah. The lake can be good for waterbirds, and there are some trails through the surrounding

grassy areas.

Pelican Point State Recreation Area is 4 miles east, 4 miles north and 1 mile east from Tekamah.

This area includes a small, peaceful, primitive campground and access to the

Missouri River. The campground and surrounding area is dominated by large cottonwoods

with some shrubby understory. This is a good place to see migratory and breeding bird

species including warblers, vireos, thrushes, orioles, flycatchers, woodpeckersÊand

other passerines as well as larger birds that tend to follow the river during migration.

(Information courtesy of T. J. Walker).

Cedar County (13)

Gavins Point Dam and Lewis and Clark Lake

In regards to Harlequin Duck and other Gavin's Pt sightings, several
people have inquired as to Nebraska county borders.

I have researched this (talked to several South Dakota people) and can
find no legal changes in border designation since the dam was built.

ABOVE THE DAM:
Assuming the Knox and Cedar Co. border runs straight north and
continuing this line to the middle of the old channel (as I do) or the
middle of the current spillway (as some do) the small inlet above the
power plant is in Cedar County.

If you saw the Harlequin Duck in the inlet above the power plant;
you saw the bird in Cedar Co. The bird would need to be outside the
inlet to be in Knox County.

Mark A. Brogie
508 Seeley, Box 316
Creighton, NE 68729

Colfax County (43)

Camp Luther is a church camp 6 miles north and 1 mile east of Richland.

Ask permission to enter at the office by the gate. They are cordial to birders.

It is about 200 acres of grassland and wooded areas with a spring-fed lake.

Whitetail Wildlife Management Area is located 1 mile west and 3 miles south of Schuyler.

This Wildlife Management Area features a variety of wooded habitats ranging from Cottonwood

Savannah to Open woods with shrubs to dense Cottonwood forest. There are some shallow oxbow

wetlands and access to the Platte River. There is also a sandpit northwest of the parking

lot (on private property) that occasionally has gulls, terns and waterfowl on it. A good

area for migratory/breeding bird passerine species, shorebirds and larger migratory species.

The area is open to public hunting and fishing, use caution during hunting seasons.

(Information courtesy of T. J. Walker).

Cuming County (24)

Black Island Wildlife Management Area (WMA) - From the intersection of Highways 275 and 15 (in

Stanton County) go 1 mile east, 1/2 mile south, 1 and 1/2 east, then south on entrance road.

This area consists of woodland (primarily cottonwoods), grassy/weedy vegetation, and some

wet grassy area. It also has access to the Elkhorn River. There are possibilities for

migrating, breeding and wintering passerines as well as waterfowl, shorebirds and other

water birds. This is not a 'go out of your way' type of area, but if making a trip along

highway 275, it might be a nice side stop. The area is open to public hunting and fishing, use

caution during hunting seasons. (Information courtesy of T. J. Walker).

Black Island is the only WMA in Cuming County (no SRA's and no WPA's). It has had a Bank Swallow

colony every year that I have birded it. It also tends to have large numbers of Rose-breasted

Grosbeaks. If the oxbow has water, there should be Sora ('03 and '04 oxbow was dry). Occasionally

has migrating warblers (found Black-throated Green on two occasions). One drawback, it can have

more wood ticks than any other WMA that I have ever birded--my personal best--removed 154 ticks

(not all at same time) from pant legs during first 400 yards of walking. (information courtesy of

Dave Heidt)

Dakota County (70)

Omadi Bend Wildlife Management Area

Crystal Cove Lake

Dixon County (35)

Buskskin Hills SWMA: located 2.5 miles west and 3 miles south of Newcastle.

It is good for waterfowl on spring migration. (information courtesy of Dave Heidt)

Ponca State Park is owned and managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

It is located on the bluffs of the Missouri River two miles from the town of Ponca

just off of highway 12 on S26-E. The town and the park are named for the Native American

tribe that once inhabited the area. Lewis and Clark also passed through this area

on their journey up the Missouri River.

Birds of Ponca State Park

Dodge County (5)

Dead Timber State Recreation Area (SRA): (150 acres, 50 acre lake)

The lake is an old oxbow from the Elkhorn River. There is a good variety of habitat

and an arboretum. The area is 4 miles northwest of Scribner or 5 miles east of Snyder.

Fremont Lakes SRA: (670 acres, 20 lakes totaling 280 acres) This is a group of sandpit

lakes on highway 30, 3 miles west of Fremont. Thousands fish, boat and ski here.

The birding is usually unremarkable.

Hartford Sandpit: This sandpit lake is on highway 30, 2 miles west of Fremont and east

of a large grain elevator. It can be a good spot for waterbirds in winter and spring.

It can be viewed from the west by turning south off the highway at the ADM sign or from

Military Road.

Hormel Park: This is a wooded city park west of Fremont. It has trails through the

trees which eventually lead down to the Platte River. It also has several small

ponds and some marshy areas. On a good day in the spring, the warblers can be

impressive. A Worm-eating Warbler was seen here in the spring of 1999. From highway 77

just north of the Platte River bridge south of Fremont, go west at the Wooden Windmill

restaurant for 2 miles.

Powderhorn Wildlife Management Area (WMA): (289 acres) This area is immediately southwest

of Dead Timber (see above). It has access to the Elkhorn River and good sparrow habitat.

It is a reliable place to find woodcocks in April. Watch out for the hunters during the

hunting seasons.

Douglas County (1)

Carter Lake: (300 acre lake) Surrounded by the city of Omaha, the area inside this oxbow

lake is really in Iowa. The lake can be good for ducks and other waterbirds. It is

immediately west of the Omaha airport.

N. P. Dodge Park is located on the way to Neale Woods, north of I-680 off of the 30th

street exit. There has been good birding in a weedy open area surrounded by riparian

woods on the back side (east) of the marina.

Hummel Park: Following are directions to the park and adjacent areas where Cerulean

Warblers have been seen and heard in spring and summer.

From a message posted to the NeBirds list on 29 May 2006:

You take the road along the river (John Pershing Dr.) just south of I-680 that goes under the

Mormon Bridge going north. Keep going north past Dodge Park (soccer fields and the Omaha Marina)

and you will come to two entrances to Hummel Park on your left. Don't take either one. Just past

the second entrance is Ponca Rd. also to your left. Take that for about a block and there is a

small parking lot on your left. That is it. Walk to the bridge and start listening and watching.

He hasn't been as vocal in recent days. Also walk over the bridge and take the trail to your right

for a short distance and wait at least a half hour (especially if it is not early morning). There

also was another Cerulean Warbler yesterday on the Krimlofski property of Neale Woods (requires a

fee or membership) just about a mile north of Hummel Park and just across the Washington/Douglas

County line.

Clem Klaphake

Bellevue, NE

Neale Woods: (556 acres) Part of the Fontenelle Forest property; it is a combination

of wooded hills, hilltop meadows with views of the river valley, floodplain and 0.75 miles

of riverfront. There is a small stream along the north boundary. Featuring 10 miles of

trails, it straddles the Washington/Douglas County line and can be reached by following

North River Road 3 miles north of the Mormon Bridge. Turn left on White Deer Lane and then

turn left on Edith Marie Ave. There is a small entrance fee.

Glenn Cunningham Lake: (390 acre lake) This sometimes has good ducks. It is between

84th and 96th Streets, mostly south of highway 36.

Standing Bear Lake: (135 acre lake) This also can have interesting ducks. It is west

of 132nd St. and south of Military Road.

Two Rivers State Recreation Area

Zorinsky Lake: (255 acre lake) Another place to look for ducks. It is west of 156th St.

between West Center Road and Q Street.

Knox County (12)

Gavins Point Dam and Lewis and Clark Lake

In regards to Harlequin Duck and other Gavin's Pt sightings, several
people have inquired as to Nebraska county borders.

I have researched this (talked to several South Dakota people) and can
find no legal changes in border designation since the dam was built.

ABOVE THE DAM:
Assuming the Knox and Cedar Co. border runs straight north and
continuing this line to the middle of the old channel (as I do) or the
middle of the current spillway (as some do) the small inlet above the
power plant is in Cedar County.

If you saw the Harlequin Duck in the inlet above the power plant;
you saw the bird in Cedar Co. The bird would need to be outside the
inlet to be in Knox County.

Mark A. Brogie
508 Seeley, Box 316
Creighton, NE 68729

Bazile Creek State Wildlife Management Area

Niobrara State Park

Madison County (7)

Old Lutheran Cemetery: located in Norfolk two blocks east of Highway 81 on Maple Street.

has had White-winged Crossbills 8 of the last 10 winters (they tend to fly in and out, so they are

not always present). It also has some warblers, flycatchers, and thrushes in migration--most other

places near Norfolk are not nearly as reliable of a migration stop. (information courtesy of Dave Heidt)

Sky View Lake: located in Norfolk 0.8 mile north of Norfolk Ave. on 25th Street.

(open to the public) Would be considered a pathetic puddle in some parts of the state, but passes

for one of the largest bodies of water in Madison County, so it plays host to an uncommon waterfowl

or wader every once in a while. (information courtesy of Dave Heidt)

Yellow Banks: located two miles north and three miles west of the intersection of Highways 275 and 121.

Nance County (58)

Council Creek Wildlife Management Area: located seven miles west of Genoa (T 17 N, R 5 W, northwest

quarter of section 23). It is a hilly area with thick oak woods and some prairie on the hilltops.

There is a parking lot and primitive trails. It is a good area to find woodland birds.

Prairie Wolf Wildlife Management Area: located just south of Genoa along the Loup River. The area

includes the river, marshy habitat and riparian woodlands. There are parking areas and primitive

trails. It is a good area for a wide variety of birds.

Pierce County (40)

Willow Creek State Recreation Area: located two miles southwest of Pierce.

It is still a good draw for waterfowl. The "shorebirding" has not been as good as past years since

they did some dredging and some drainage changes. (information courtesy of Dave Heidt)

Platte County (10)

George Syas Wildlife Management Area located three miles south and four miles west of Monroe.

Lake Babcock and Lake North (600 acres and 200 acres): These side-by-side lakes are

three miles north of Columbus. Lake North is a fishing and boating lake encircled by a

causeway. It can be good for gulls, ducks and waders. Lake Babcock is larger and

has a large marshy area on the west. It is even better for waterbirds, and the

partially wooded campground and picnic ground on the north can be good for passerines, too.

Looking Glass Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA): located 0.5 mile south of Monroe.

A wooded area beside the Loup River also includes a small fishing lake.

Wilkenson Wildlife Management Area: located 2.5 miles south of Platte Center. A large

marshy area with few trees. A great place for marsh-loving species.

Sarpy County (59)

Offutt Air Force Base

Fontenelle Forest: (1300 acres, private, small fee to get in) This is one of the best

warbler spots in eastern Nebraska. It has 17 miles of trails, including some boardwalks,

running through both upland and floodplain forests. There are numerous spring-fed

streams running down the many ravines, and there is an extensive marsh and lake area

in the floodplain. There are nature programs throughout the year at the visitors'

centers. It is located in Bellevue at 1111 Bellevue Blvd. North. (402) 731-3140

For more information about Fontenelle Forest see: visitomaha.com

Schramm State Recreation Area

This park features an aquarium, a fish hatchery museum, spring-fed Canyon Ponds and

a 3-mile nature trail winding through woodlands. It can be a good location for warblers.

Summer tanagers frequently nest here. It is along the north side of the Platte River

6 miles west of highway 50.

Chalco Hills Recreation Area: (1200 acres, Wehrspann Lake 245 acres)

This area features an arboretum and a blacktopped hiking/biking trail beside the lake.

Some of the grassy areas can be good for sparrows. It is bounded by 168th Street,

Giles Road and I-80.

Stanton County (53)

Maskenthine Lake Rec. Area: located one mile west and one mile north of Stanton.

It can be a good draw for waterfowl. Some years the overflow dam has good numbers of shorebirds,

but can be bleak (then again, there aren't a lot of places in Nebraska where you can guarantee

shorebirds). (information courtesy of Dave Heidt)

Pilger Gravel pit and Red Fox WMA: located one mile south of Pilger on Highway 15.

Another place that your don't want to make the destination, but rather a stop on the

way to/from. Sand pit on east side of highway is part of the WMA and can draw waterfowl. Sandpits

on west side of highway are private, but can be observed from the road. (information courtesy of Dave Heidt)

Pilger Recreation Area: located one mile east and one mile north of Pilger.

Do not make this the destination or you will be very disappointed. It is worth stopping at on your

way to/from some place like Maskenthine. Have seen common loon here more frequently than at

Maskenthine. (information courtesy of Dave Heidt)

Wood Duck WMA: located from Stanton two miles south on Highway 24, at highway marker #8

go two miles west on a county road, then one mile north. It was expanded in 2004. Good for

observing waterfowl on spring migration. Drainage change due to flooding in 1998 resulted in

decrease in shorebirds. Still a good spot for Woodcock in spring. (information courtesy of Dave Heidt)

Thurston County (55)

There's a place called Big Elk Park on the Omaha reservation. It's got a chunk of Missouri River

frontage, with some oak woodland behind it. There aren't any bluffs or high hills.

The park is on a paved loop road that joins US75 both north and south of Macy. There are signs at

both junctions with 75. The southern one is close to the southern edge of Macy, and is a little

thing pointing to "Big Elk Park / Tribal Farm"; the northern sign (facing southbound traffic) is

bigger and gaudier and urges the traveller to check the place out.

I didn't find any indication that a tribal permit was required for anything other than hunting and

fishing. Unfortunately, there's very little online information, and what there is is mostly for

hunters.

Bill Flack

April 04, 2006

Washington County (29)

Boyer Chute NWR: (2000 acres) This is an area between a bend in the Missouri River and

a 'chute' that cuts across the bend. It is located about 3 miles east of Fort Calhoun

(southeast of Blair). It features two short nature trails in the woodland area and a

4-mile hiking loop through grasslands and wetlands.

For those not familiar with how to get to Boyer Chute, DIRECTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

If you take Hwy 75 north, you will need to turn right off of 30th (east) just before the I-680 bridge. (BTW: Pershing Rd. is closed (Oct. 2004) for construction, so don't try the "short-cut".)

If you are taking I-680 from either direction, exit at the 30th St. off-ramp (either the first or last Nebraska exit depending on whether you are coming from the East (IA) or West (NE) side. Go South 1 block either way and then East towards the River (about 2 blocks).

Now you should be at the "T" intersection of the River and No. River Rd. Go North on North River Rd, towards Neale Woods, but go past the Neale Woods turn-off and continue about two miles. After a large "S" turn you will come to the intersection of County Rds. P49 and P51; turn right (BTW: a left turn there puts you in someone's corn field - not a good idea).

Go about a mile till you get to a "T" intersection; the refuge is about 0.4 miles South (left; Ft. Calhoun, your other option is about 5 miles North).

Elliott Bedows,
Bellevue

Desoto National Wildlife Refuge: (7823 acres, 760 acre oxbow lake) This is southeast

of Blair. The bulk of this federal refuge is on the east side of the Missouri River in

Iowa, accessed from highway 30, although the inside of the oxbow lake is considered

Nebraska. There is also a Nebraska side of the refuge on the west side of the Missouri

River. This place is a famous stop-over for hundreds of thousands of snow geese in the

fall, along with other species of geese, ducks and eagles. There is a visitors' center

on the edge of the lake, which affords great viewing. In fall and winter, access to the

rest of the refuge is severely restricted. In other seasons, one can hike short trails

through varied habitat. Also in the visitors' center is an impressive display of the

contents of the riverboat Bertrand, which sank in 1864.

Nathan's Lake: This is a wetland 2-3 miles north of Neale Woods which is good for

shorebirds and ducks.

It is part of Boyer Chute WR. If you know where Neale Woods is (River Road

under the interstate Mormon Bridge and continue north past Dodge Park and

Hummel Park and up the hill and Neale Woods is on your left) you just

continue north on the black top road which crosses into Washington County

shortly past the Neale Woods entrance road. You continue until you come to

a very sharp left turn in the road and Nathan's Lake will be on your right.

You could come in from the north also. Head east out of Ft. Calhoun and

take the last right turn (all are black top) before you get to the entrance

to Boyer Chute (if you come to the entrance to Boyer, you missed the right

turn. Follow it south about a mile and turn left (or just stay on the black

top) and another jog right and over a creek and the lake will be on your left.

Clem Klaphake

Bellevue, NE

Neale Woods: (297 acres, part of the Fontenelle Forest property, small fee to get in).

This is a combination of wooded hills and hilltop meadows with views of the river valley

to the east and of Omaha to the south. There is a small stream along the north boundary.

It features 5 miles of trails. It straddles the Washington-Douglas Co. line and can

be reached by following North River Road 3 miles north of the Mormon Bridge. Turn left

on White Deer Lane and then turn left on Edith Marie Ave.

Wayne County (27)

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

at the address given below.

In cooperation with the University of Nebraska at Kearney