Join us for our 100th Birthday!
Anniversay Bash to be held in Lincoln May 14 - 16, 1999.
Our annual NOU Spring meeting will be held May 14, 15 and 16. Place will be the State Museum (Morrill Hall) at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, so don't miss it!
At a Friday night open house, Tom Labedz will take small groups through the bird collection area. Cookies and punch will be served in the conference room. You can meet old friends and new members there and in the halls while you await your group's turn.
Registration will begin Friday afternoon starting at 4:00 p.m. and ending at 6:30 p.m. at the Nebraska Center for Continuing Education located at North 33rd and Holdrege Streets. We then will move the registration to the Nebraska Hall Friday evening. See map for detailed location.
Come early and enjoy birding on your own. The
program and detail of the field trips may be found in the
conference section of this Newsletter.
Friday 7:00 p.m: Get-acquainted ice-breaker and tour of the Museum's bird collection.
Friday 9:00 p.m: NOU Board meeting
Saturday: Guided birding trips with leaders. John
Sullivan, Coordinator. If they prefer, groups may go on their own.
Saturday 12:30 p.m: Lunch at Valentino's Party
Room, 35th and Holdrege. Annual NOU meeting and election
of officers will follow, to last about one hour. More birding trips
can be taken on your own after the birds' midday `down time.'
Saturday evening: Reception and catered sit-down
banquet in Morrill Hall. After dinner speaker is Ross Silcock.
See program page for time, place and topic. We will
also have a peek at NOU history. Deadline for registration is May 1!
It's time to renew your membership. Memberships are
valid from January 1 to December 31.
Neal Ratzlaff, Chair of the Nominating Committee, was assisted by Sandy Kovanda, Kay Peters, and Jerry Toll. The Committee submits the following as candidates for NOU officers for the year 1999-2000:
Clem Klaphake..... President..................Bellevue, Ne
Janis Paseka..........Vice-President..........Ames. Ne
Mitzi Fox...............Secretary................. Albion, Ne
Sue Amiotte...........Treasurer..................Chadron, Ne
Mark Brogie...........Director at Large.....Creighton, Ne
Directors remaining on the Board are Alice Kenitz, whose term expires 2000, and Tom Labedz, whose term expires 2001.
Many thanks to the Committee for their persistence and their success in obtaining
the permission of this fine group of nominees. This slate will be voted at the
annual meeting in Lincoln, Saturday, May 15.
Christmas Bird Count 1998: If you haven't already done so, please send your 1998 Christmas Bird Count information to Ross Silcock, P.O. Box 57, Tabor, IA 51653, (712) 629-5865, or e-mail silcock(at)sidney.heartland.net
Obituaries: Heartfelt sympathy to the families of the following.
Longtime NOU member Ida Pennington passed away April 6 in her winter home at
Canutillo, Texas. Ida was from Waunita, Nebraska.
Naomi Brill of Lincoln, a good friend of NOU,
passed away in January. For several years she wrote "The
Amateur Naturalist," a column published regularly in the former
Lincoln Star. Professor Emeritus of the Graduate School of
Social Work at UNL, she received an honorary doctorate
from Doane College and was author of the classic textbook,
"Working with People," which she recently revised. The book
is still used to train social workers. She was an active
member of Friends of Pioneer Park Nature Center Board, Friends
of Loren Eiseley, the Prairie/Plains Resource Institute in
Aurora, and the Nature Conservancy.
Friend: Fred Thomas of Omaha passed away January 29.
Long-time Omaha World-Herald reporter, Fred has been
credited with bringing environmental issues to the attention
of Nebraskans. In 1971 he wrote, "I saw what happened to
little critters in the wild and I wondered if maybe we
ourselves would be facing the same dangers." His reporting is one
reason Nebraska requires a minimum flow on its lakes and
rivers to protect habitat.
"His environmental coverage also helped ensure that
one of the State's most valuable resources—its
aquifers—was preserved through the Groundwater Management Act,"
said Steve Oltmans, Papio Missouri NRD Director.
Former Member Harvey L. Gunderson,
1913-1999, passed away February 23 in Minneapolis. Harvey was a
past president of NOU, the Minnesota Ornithological Union,
and the Nebraska chapter of the Wildlife Society, member of
the American Society of Mammologists, and Director and
Senior Editor of the Minnesota Naturalist. While in
Nebraska, he was Associate Director of the Nebraska State Museum.
He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.
Robert D. Willett, age 55, passed away in January.
A victim of rheumatoid arthritis, he was a member of the
Arthritis Support Group. He also served as Dispatcher for
the State Patrol and Community Service Volunteer
Coordinator for the Willetta Lueshen Bird Library.
John Lueshen passed away in January at the age of 88.
Founder of the Lueshen Library, Norfolk Historical
Museum, he was preceded in death by his wife, Willetta Lueshen.
Both were founders of Lueshen's Birders.
Library Committee: All books and periodicals are
catalogued, including all of Dr. Cortelyou's books. In
preparation for the 100th anniversary of NOU, the Library
Committee has sorted all back issues of the Nebraska Bird
Review (NBR) and Proceedings, and will allow extra copies to
be given away. Not all issues are available. This is a
first-come, first-served proposition. No mailing of issues will be done.
Strictly a come-and-get situation, no issues will be
pulled and held for anyone.
The extra NBRs are well marked in the Division of
Zoology hallway, University of Nebraska State Museum's
research building (Nebraska Hall, 5th floor, 16th & W St) on the
UNL city campus in downtown Lincoln.
The NBRs will be available for giveaway during
regular hours in the research area, 8-5:00 Monday-Friday from
the time of this announcement until June 1, 1999. After June
1, all remaining copies will be recycled and the NOU will
revert to sale of back issues from reduced stock.
For further information, contact Thomas Labedz at
402-472-8366 or tlabedz(at)unl.edu.We do not guarantee that
any item will remain available. Contact Mr. Labedz to verify
availability.
Back issues available are: Proceedings Vol. III
(1902); Index to Proceedings Vol. I, II, III; Proceedings Vol. V1,
part 3 (1915);
Nebr. Bird Review Vl (1933): 1,4; V2: 2,3,4; V3: all;
V4: 2,3,4; V5: 1,2,3; V7: 2; V9: 2; V10: 1; V11: 2;
V14: 1,2; V15: 1,2; V16: 2; V18: 4; V19: 3,4;
V20: 1; V21: 3; V22: 2,4; V23: 3,4; V24: 2,3,4; V25:
3; V26: 3; V27: 1,2; V28: all; V29: 4; V30: 3,4; V31:
1,2,3; V32 to V51: all; V52: 3,4; V53: 1,3,4; V54: 1,2,3;
V55: 1,2,4: V56 to V62: all; V63: 2,3,4; V64: 2,3,4; V65
(1997): all.
Key: V1 (=Volume 1): 1,4 j (=issue numbers 1 and 4
available); all (=all 4 issues available).
The NOU Library Committee would like to thank Mary Lou Pritchard, Neal & Izen Ratzlaff, and Thomas Labedz for their work in organizing these issues, and the State Museum for providing the storage.
This project was started by the National Audubon
Society in an attempt to identify certain tracts of land or water
important to birds in migration, breeding, and feeding areas, etc.
Paul Tebbel of Rowe Sanctuary introduced the idea to
the NOU Board of Directors at the 1998 Halsey meeting.
(See September-December 1998 newsletter for more details.)
Our representatives to this committee are Dr. Paul Johnsgard
and John Sullivan. They met with Paul Tebbel and Kevin
Poague (Lincoln Audubon Society) in January. Kevin, the Chair, is a
member of both Audubon and NOU. Paul Johnsgard
proposed a list of some 80 sites, including many state and
federal areas that should be considered. The Committee
agreed that private land would not be included unless it was
voluntarily offered and would allow public access. Public
access criteria were considered critically important.
Breeding Bird Atlas: Wayne Molhoff reports that it
is getting close to final form and is almost ready for the
publishers, but we don't know the time table for sure. He
still has to write the introduction.
County bird lists: Record Committee request via Mark Brogie.
If you have seen 125 species or more in any
county in Nebraska in 1998 (do not include `99), please send the
list to Mark Brogie, Science Department, Box 10, 1609
Redick Avenue, Creighton, NE 68729, or call 402/375-4816.
Occurrence reports are due:
Send to Ross Silcock, P. O. Box 57, Tabor IA 51653, or call
712/629-5865 or e-mail silcock(at)sidney.heartland.net
Fall: Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov - Due December 15
Winter: Dec, Jan, Feb - Due March 15
Spring: Mar, Apr, May - Due June 15
Summer: June, July - Due August 15
Fall Meeting will be held at the State 4-H Camp at
Halsey October 8, 9, 10. Mark your calendars now!
Membership Dues: This is your last newsletter unless you pay your dues! See your address label to tell you if you are up to date. Use the renewal/new member application form below. Note that dues are $15.00 per calendar year for one active member and $20 for a family of active members. We have recently reprinted the NOU Brochure which spells out the dues structure. Ask an officer for input.
Name_______________________________________________________
Address____________________________________________________
City____________________________________State_________Zip_____________________
Telephone___________________________E-Mail____________________________________
Make checks payable to the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union and return
with this form to:
Sue Amiotte, 11 City Dam Road, Chadron NE 69337
See our Web Site http://rip.physics.unk.edu/NOU/
NOU Web Site and NeBirds Listserv
By Robin Harding
The NOU has a web site! I know, everybody has one
these days, but it's not just the latest fashion that
will soon pass. It really is a great new way to distribute
information about our organization. The address is
http://rip.physics.unk.edu/nou/
Robert Price, Lanny Randolph and I have been
working on it with help from many NOU members. The NOU
brochure is on the web site along with our last two
newsletters, the table of contents of the last Nebraska Bird Review, a
list of books and other resources about Nebraska's birds, the
official list of the birds of Nebraska, a copy of Paul
Johnsgard's "The Birds of Nebraska and Adjacent Plains States,"
a list of links to other interesting web sites, the Nebraska Birdline
for the past month, and other good stuff.
We are working on "Our Favorite Birding Areas,"
which will include information about sites most often reported
on the Birdline and others interesting to birders. We have
a map and information about Funk Lagoon in Phelps
County and Rowe Sanctuary in Buffalo County. We hope to get
more of our favorite birding areas on the web site this spring.
Please tell us about yours.
The NeBirds listserv is an e-mail discussion group
devoted to the topic of Nebraska's birds; it now includes about
68 people. It is a great forum to post messages about the
birds you have seen lately in the State, and we discuss other
aspects of birdlife in Nebraska. To join, e-mail
autoshare@rip.physics.unk.edu. You don't need to put
anything in the subject line. In the body of the message,
write "subscribe NeBirds (your name)." You will get a
message welcoming you and giving you important information
about using the listserv. It's a great way to keep in touch with
other area birders.
President and Newsletter Editor:
Betty Allen, 9628 Emmet St, Omaha NE 68134
(402) 571-9755 lizprints(at)webtv.net
Vice-President:
Lanny Randolph, 50370 24th Rd, Gibbon NE 68840
(308) 468-5057 RandolphL(at)unk.edu
Secretary:
Robin Harding, 50370 24th Rd, Gibbon NE 68840
(308) 468-5057 HardingR(at)unk.edu
Treasurer:
Sue Amiotte, 11 City Dam Rd, Chadron NE 69337
(308) 432-3783 samiotte(at)bbc.net
Editor, Bird Review:
William Clemente, Box 10, Peru State College, Peru, NE 68421
(402) 872-2233 (office) (402) 872-3073 (home) clemente(at)bobcat.peru.edu
Assistant Newsletter Editor:
Laurine Blankenau, 3808 Grebe, Omaha NE 68112
(402) 451-3647 rblanken(at)creighton.edu
Librarian:
Mary Lou Pritchard, 6325 "O" St, Lincoln NE 68510-2246
(402) 472-3334 (State Museum) (402) 486-2428 (home)
Past President:
Neal Ratzlaff, 536 Brentwood Rd, Omaha NE 68114-4269
(402) 397-0135 nratzlaff(at)aol.com
Directors:
Thomas Labedz, 724 Glenarbor Circle, Lincoln NE 68512
(402) 423-1384 tlabedz(at)unlinfo.unl.edu
Mark Brogie, Box 316, Creighton NE 68729-0316
(402) 358-5675 mbrogie(at)mother.esul.k12.ne.us
Alice Kenitz, 290648 County Rd 22, Gering Ne 69341
(308) 436-2959 akenitz(at)aol.com
Records Committee:
Mark Brogie, Chair, Box 316, Creighton NE 68729
(402) 358-5675 mbrogie(at)mother.esul.k12.ne.us
Breeding Bird Atlas Project & Nest Records Coordinator:
Wayne Molhoff, 1817 Boyd St, Ashland NE 68003
(402) 944-2243 wm24.925(at)NAVIX.net
Occurrence Reports:
Ross Silcock, P.O.Box 57, Tabor IA 51653
(712) 629-5865 silcock(at)sidney.heartland.net
Nebraska Bird Line:
Loren and Babs Padelford, 2405 Little John Rd, Bellevue NE 68005
(402) 292-5325 (Bird Line)
(402) 292-5556 (home) lpdlfrd(at)juno.com
Rare Bird Alert:
Jeff Hall (402) 488-5397
Nebraska Ornithologists' Union
Nonprofit Org.
3745 Garfield
Lincoln NE 68506