Nebraska's Panhandle Counties

Banner County (85)

Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area: South of Scottsbluff on highway 71.

Box Butte County (65)

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

at the address given below.

Cheyenne County (39)

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

at the address given below.

Dawes County (69)

Chadron State Park is located about eight miles south of Chadron along highway 385.

Wilson Park, a city park in Chadron, has been highly recommend for songbirds--especially if

you're traveling/birding with children. The park includes a big playground area and a nice

arboretum. It is located next door to the hospital.

Deuel County (78)

GOLDENEYE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA is located between the South Platte River and Interstate

80 near Big Springs. Access from the Big Springs I-80 exit is one mile south of the exit

and three miles west on a gravel county road, then back over I-80. The area includes a

small lake. There is a large Prairie Dog town beside it. There may be waterfowl on the

lake and short grass prairie birds (Horned Larks, Lapland Longspurs, Ferruginous Hawk) in

the dog town. There are no facilities.

GOLDENROD WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA is located where Interstate 80 and Highway 385 intersect.

Access from Chappell is about three miles southeast of town along Highway 385. The area

includes mixed grass prairie and open woods. There are no facilities.

CHAPPELL LAKE is located between Highway 385 and Interstate 80 just south of the town of

Chappell. The area includes a small lake with a windbreak on the north side and some

other trees around it. There may be waterfowl on the lake and woodland birds in the trees.

Facilities and services are available in nearby Chappell. In winter the waterfowl may

not be afraid of vehicle traffic. I suppose the birds don't get shot at there so they

tolerate vehicles.

Garden County (77)

Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge, HC68, Box 21, Ellsworth, NE 69340, (308)762-4893

Ash Hollow State Historical Park

Clear Creek Waterfowl Management Area

Kimball County (71)

Road south past Limber Pines from I-80 Exit 1 (just east of Pine Bluffs, Wyoming).

Follow this road through native grassland. Good in July for Sage Thrasher and Cassin's Kingbird.

Oliver Reservoir State Recreation Area: Located eight miles west of Kimball along highway 30.

Picnicing, camping, fishing, boating and hunting are allowed. 1,187 acres, 270 acre lake,

State Park Permit required.

This small area is fast becoming known as a premier birding locale in western Nebraska, especially

for western migrants. The reservoir is the largest in the southern Panhandle, and the combination

of water and trees attracts a wide range of migrants. The best times to visit are during spring

(late March through early June) and fall (late August through early November); winter birding is

very slow and the area is a popular recreational spot in summer. The area is a particularly good

spot to see western specialties such as Dusky Flycatcher (May and Aug-Sep), Cassin's Vireo

(Aug-Sep), and Townsend's Warbler (Aug-Oct). More than 210 species have been seen here including

rarities such as Pacific Loon, White-winged Scoter, Mississippi Kite, Sabine's Gull, Gray

Flycatcher, Red-naped Sapsucker, Black-throated Gray and Pine warblers, and Lesser Goldfinch.

(Information courtesy of Stephen J. Dinsmore)

Bushnell: Located twelve miles west of Kimball along highway 30. Check feeders in residential

neighborhoods for Rufous and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds in August, but be there early in morning

(5:30 to 7:30am).

Morrill County (64)

Chimney Rock National Historical Site

Scotts Bluff County (21)

Scotts Bluff National Monument

Located just a couple miles southwest of the city of Scottsbluff.

Prairie Falcon, White-throated Swifts and Violet-green Swallows can be seen here in the summer.

Gering Cemetery: Located along the road to Scotts Bluff National Monument.

Yellow-breasted Chat, Western Tanager, Lazuli Bunting, Blue Grosbeak and Bullock's Oriole can be

seen here in the spring and summer.

Wildcat Hills Nature Center: Located about eight miles south of Scottsbluff on highway 71,

has a good feeder setup and hiking trails. Often has Red Crossbills, Pygmy Nuthatches and Pine Siskins.

Lake Minatare: In the northeastern part of the county; a little crowded in summer,

but good riparian habitat on lighthouse point at north side of lake.

Winters Creek Lake: Adjacent to Lake Minatare to the north has great riparian habitat around it.

Lake Alice: Located about six miles north of Scottsbluff. Great mudflats for shorebirds in July.

Access to north end of lake with mudflats is from north-south gravel road west of the lake

via gravel track along south side of irrigation canal. Drive in and onto dam for good scope viewing.

Kiowa State Wildlife Management Area: A marshy area located a couple miles south of Morrill.

Carter Canyon: Located about seven miles southwest of Scottsbluff. A graveled county road goes

through this canyon. A variety of trees and shrubs provides good habitat for birds.

Sheridan County (61)

Scenic driving route along highway 2 in the southern end of the county.

For maps and more information contact the Sheridan County Tourism and Travel Office

at P.O. Box 321, Rushville, NE 69360 or (308) 327-2452

Sioux County (80)

Monroe Canyon: This canyon is in the western Pine Ridge, directly north of

Harrison. The lower part of the canyon is within Gilbert-Baker Wildlife

Management Area. Upper canyon is essentially Ponderosa Pine, but soon

deciduous trees appear and become quite extensive in the lower canyon. Best

way to bird the canyon is to stop every 400 yards or so or at areas where

the deciduous trees are most dense, making several stops on your way down

the excellent paved canyon road. Stop especially at small side canyons,

which are frequented by Cordilleran Flycatchers. Be sure to pull into the

campground, in a beautiful spot at the bottom of the canyon; there is a

gravel track to the west which winds down into the secluded camping area

near the pretty Monroe Creek. This is an excellent riparian area. The canyon

carries the full range of summering Pine Ridge specialties: Pinyon Jay,

Plumbeous Vireo, White-breasted (Rocky Mountain) Nuthatch, Red-breasted

Nuthatch, Pygmy Nuthatch, Mountain Bluebird, Yellow-rumped (Audubon's)

Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, American Redstart, Yellow-breasted Chat,

Western Tanager, Dark-eyed (White-winged) Junco, Bullock's Oriole, Lazuli

Bunting, and Red Crossbill. After birding Monroe Canyon, a worthwhile stop

is a dam and riparian woodland nearby. Continue north about 200 yards from

the campground entrance to a gravel track leading off to the east; follow

this a short distance down to an impoundment which often has Violet-green

Swallows and a good range of riparian woodland birds.

(Information courtesy of Ross Silcock)

Sowbelly Canyon:

Located northeast of Harrison. Turn right on the gravel road a half mile north of highway

20 in Harrison. It is a good location for Rocky Mountain birds like Western Tanager, Western

Wood-Pewee, Plumbeous Vireo, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Dark-eyed (White-winged) Junco,

Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler, Pygmy Nuthatches and Red-breasted Nuthatches.

Smiley Canyon:

Access to this canyon is by the old road up the Pine Ridge escarpment just

west of Fort Robinson State Park. About a mile west of Fort Robinson, take

the paved road to the right (north) that passes through grasslands for a

while until it reaches Ponderosa Pines. This area is part of the extensive

Fort Robinson burn of a few years ago. The burn is of interest to birders as

it is expected to attract post-burn-loving woodpeckers like Lewis's,

Black-backed, and Three-toed. The latter is least likely, but the population

of Black-backed in the Black Hills of South Dakota is expanding and might

lead to a few birds locating in this burn in Nebraska. To really check this

possibility one should hike ridges to the north, looking for woodpeckers.

The road exits onto Highway 20 near the top of the Pine Ridge escarpment,

some 6 miles from Fort Robinson.

(Information courtesy of Ross Silcock)

Ft. Robinson State Park

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

In cooperation with the University of Nebraska at Kearney