Dedicated to the Study, Appreciation and Protection of Birds

State Budget Crisis Threatens NOU Library

 On March 10 Harvey Perlman, Chancellor of the University of Nebraska at
Lincoln, announced the first round of budget cuts in response to
Governor Mike Johann's proposal to reduce state funding to UNL by 10%,
or $21 million, for the next school year.

 The University of Nebraska State Museum is at the top of the list of
cuts. Research divisions in the Museum are to be eliminated, including
all the research staff, both faculty and non-faculty.  The natural
history collections themselves (totaling in the millions of specimens
and artifacts) are also threatened.  The Zoology and Anthropology
collections are to be "deaccessioned":  transferred elsewhere.  The other
collections (Vertebrate Paleontology, Invertebrate Paleontology,
Parasitology, Botany and Entomology) are to be kept, but with only
limited access and minimal curation.

The NOU Library and Archives are housed in the Zoology Division of the
State Museum in Nebraska Hall and are now threatened with loss of a home
and guardianship.  NOU's Librarian Mary Lou Pritchard and former NOU
president and current Zoology Collections Manager Thomas Labedz are
among those affected by this budget cut.

 Over 100 years of NOU archive material is stored in the Museum, from
the original 1890's hand-written field notes of notables like Swenk,
Bruner, and Wolcott to documentation of current works such as The
Nebraska Breeding Bird Atlas and Birds of Nebraska.   The NOU's
collection of books and periodicals is the most comprehensive
ornithological library in the state.  We have over 1500 books dealing
with birds and the natural sciences, some rare and not found in any
other library in Nebraska.  Our periodicals collection is extensive:  at
least 59 titles are not available in any other library in Nebraska.

The NOU has a written agreement with the State Museum dating from 1947
designating the Museum as the "permanent depository for its library of
ornithological literature" and specifying that the library "will be available
to all classes of members of the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union and/or other
students of ornithology of graduate rank."  Despite this agreement, it may
be necessary to move our library to an as yet undetermined location.

 In addition to the current questionable status of our library,  the
potential loss of the Museum's collections is of grave concern.  The
specimens in the Museum's collections are not replaceable.  Each
specimen is genetically unique.  Each artifact is one of a kind.
Nothing can be reproduced, duplicated or reacquired.  A museum of this
size, scope and importance cannot be closed down and then reopened later
when the economy improves.  This is not a temporary step which can be
reversed.

 The collections are vital to the progress and growth of our
understanding of Nebraska's natural history and vital to any author
writing about the state's natural history.   Almost every species in the
recently-published Birds of Nebraska has a specimen from the State
Museum listed for documentation.

 The plan to keep some of the collections but to eliminate their
curators and collections managers, replacing them with a few
minimally-qualified  "caretakers" is likewise deeply troubling.  The
collections require constant supervision to remain protected and
available for research.  A small maintenance staff that is unfamiliar
with the collections cannot do this.  The museum may lose its national
accreditation and endanger further grants from agencies requiring such
accreditation.  The reputation and all the operations of the Museum
would be seriously and negatively affected.

 The Bylaws of UNL itself state:  "The State Museum shall be the
depository of the University for specimens and related literature
documenting the natural history and cultural heritage of Nebraska, the
Great Plains, and whatever other areas are deemed suitable.   Said
specimens shall be maintained as a public trust ...".   It is sad to think
that the "public trust" may soon be broken.

Kearney Spring Meeting

 The 2003 Annual Meeting of the NOU will be held at the Rowe Sanctuary's
newly-opened Iain Nicolson Audubon Center on May 16-18.  The Rowe
Sanctuary is located approximately 10 miles southeast of Kearney.  (See
the map on page 4 of this newsletter.)

 Registration will begin Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m.  at the Nicolson
Center, Rowe Sanctuary's new education center.  This new facility on
the Platte River is the second largest straw bale-constructed building
in the United States.  It provides indoor classrooms, educational
displays, conference rooms, a viewing area of the river, and much more.

 The planning and implementation of the building's design follows the
National Audubon Society's policy to construct buildings which will
serve as models for "green" building design and construction.

The Center utilizes a closed loop geothermal heating and cooling system
as well as high efficiency, operable windows.  Insulation is from jeans
material, straw bales, and foam made from a waste product left over from
processing gasoline.  Lighting is provided from solar tubes, skylights, and
fluorescent lights.  Cedar support posts were found locally, as were the
beams in the Great Hall that were reclaimed from an old warehouse.  The
carpet is made of recycled materials.  Other green techniques include low
flow toilets, xeriscaping around the building, permeable parking lots, and
composting and recycling throughout the area.

 Our evening meal will be a barbecue at the Nicolson Center beginning
at 5:30.  After our meal, Rowe Sanctuary Director Paul Tebbel will
welcome us to the Center and tell us about the Sanctuary and the new
Nicolson Center.

 Our Friday evening speaker will be Dr. Wayne Kramer, the State Medical
Entomologist with the Nebraska Health & Human Services System, who will
be talking to us about West Nile Virus.   Among his current
responsibilities as State Medical Entomologist are to conduct
surveillance and investigate arthropod transmitted disease activity in
Nebraska, including West Nile Virus, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain
Spotted fever, Plague, Encephalitis, Tularemia, and Hantavirus.  Dr.
Kramer is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of
Entomology at UNL.

  Lodging will be at a motel of your choice.   A list of some of the
Kearney area motels is provided on page 4 of this newsletter.  It would
be advisable to make your reservation as soon as possible.

 There will be a continental breakfast offered Saturday morning
beginning at 6:00 at the Nicolson Center, and field trips will leave
from there beginning at 6:45 am.  On Saturday we will have sack lunches
to eat on field trips or wherever you choose.  Hosts Robin Harding and
Lanny Randolph have some great field trips planned.  Possible
destinations (depending on conditions at the time of the meeting)
include Harlan Co. Reservoir, Sherman Co. Reservoir, Johnson Lake in
Gosper Co. , Funk Lagoon in Phelps Co., various marshes in the Rainwater
Basin,  several Wildlife Management Areas in Hall Co., the Ft. Kearney
Hike/Bike Trail and Rowe Sanctuary itself.  Gary Lingle will have mist
nets set up on the Rowe Sanctuary.  Lanny reports that there are "birds
everywhere" right now, so we have high hopes for some exciting finds in
May.

 Considering the length of some of the field trips, we will not be
having an indoor program Saturday afternoon.   We will meet back at the
Nicolson Center for our banquet, which will begin at 6 pm, to be
followed by door prize drawings, a brief business meeting and election
of officers.

 Our evening speaker, Dr. James Stubbendieck, is the Director of the
Center for Great Plains Studies and Professor of Grassland  Ecology at
the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  His presentation is entitled
"Nebraska's Dynamic Landscape" in which he uses old and new photo pairs
to show changes in vegetation and topography.  The old photos date from
the 1860's to about 1920.

 We will meet again at the Nicolson Center on Sunday morning at 6:00 for
a continental breakfast, and field trips will depart from there at
6:45.  We will gather at the Nicolson Center at 12:00 for lunch and the
compilation of our weekend species list.

Vintage Nebraska Bird Reviews Available

 Ross Silcock has generously offered us an extra set of old Nebraska
Bird Reviews to be sold by silent auction at the Kearney Spring
Meeting.  This is an incomplete set and will be sold in small lots, so
if you're missing an issue or would simply like to add some old classics
to your collection, you might want to consider this opportunity.

Vols 67-45 (except Vol 66 #4)
Vol 44 (except #2, #3, #4)
Vols 43-24 (except Vol 42 #3, Vol 38 #3)
Vols 23-1 pretty spotty, but does include Vol 1 #1

KEARNEY MEETING SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday, May 16
 4:30 pm Welcome and Registration begin at the Iain Nicolson Audubon
Center at the Rowe Sanctuary east of Kearney  (see map on page 4)
 5:30 pm  Barbecue supper
 7:00 pm  Welcome to Rowe Sanctuary Director Paul Tebbel
 7:45 pm  "West Nile Virus"  Dr. Wayne Kramer
 8:45 pm  Executive Board Meeting

Saturday, May 17
 6:00 - 7:15 am Continental Breakfast     Pick up your sack lunch at this time.
 6:45 - 7:15 am  Field Trips leave from the Nicolson Center
 6:00 pm  Dinner at the Nicolson Center
 7:00 pm  Door Prize drawings
 7:15 pm  Annual NOU Business Meeting and Election of Officers (all
members should be present)
 7:30 pm  Evening program:  "Nebraska's Dynamic Landscape"...  Dr. James
Stubbendieck

Sunday, May 18
 6:00 - 7:15 am  Continental Breakfast at the Nicolson Center
 6:45 - 7:15 am  Field Trips leave from the Nicolson Center
 12: 00 noon  Lunch at the Nicolson Center
 12:45  pm  Weekend Species Tally
 1:00 pm  Adjourn

NOU Officers Nominated

 A nominating committee consisting of Lanny Randolph, Kathy DeLara and
Mary Jo Rome  was appointed in late January.  They have submitted the
following slate of candidates, to be voted on at the business meeting at
our spring meeting in Norfolk.  Thank you to the committee members and
to the candidates for agreeing to serve.

President:  Alice Kenitz
Vice-President:  Dave Heidt
Secretary:  Mitzi Fox
Treasurer:  Betty Grenon
Librarian:  Mary Lou Pritchard
Director:  Steve Lamphere

Welcome to these New Members:
 Mary Allison        Mitchell
 Silka Finkbeiner  Lincoln

And to one new LIFE Member:
Ross Silcock         Tabor, Iowa

A reminder:  2003 Fall Field Days
will be held at Halsey on Sept. 26-28

BBS Routes Available

 The United States Geological Survey sponsors the Breeding Bird Survey,
an annual event that surveys breeding bird populations throughout North
America.  Nebraska has 46 BBS routes, of which several are available and
in need of an observer.  The survey route takes only about four hours to
complete and is run once, any day in the month of June, beginning 30
minutes before sunrise.  The route is 24.5 miles long with a stop every
half-mile.

 It works better when two people can do the route, one to be the
observer and the other to be the time keeper and record the birds seen
at each stop.  Observers should be able to identify birds by sight and
recognize common birds by song.  If you are interested or know someone
who may be interested, please talk to Loren Padelford, whose contact
information is on the back page of this newsletter.

 Kearney and Rowe Sanctuary map

Kearney Area Motels
 

AmericInn	215 Talmadge	(308)234-7800
Best Western	1010 3rd. Ave.	(308)237-5185
Budget Dollar	1910 W. 24th St.	(308)237-5131
Budget Motel South	411 2nd Ave.	(308)237-5991
Comfort Inn	903 2nd Ave.	(308)237-5858
Country Inn & Antiques	2432 Lowell Rd, Gibbon	(308)468-5256
Country Inn & Suites	105 Talmadge	(308)236-7500
Days Inn	619 2nd Ave.	(308)234-5699
Fairfield Inn	121 3rd Ave.	(308)237-0838
First Inn Gold	I-80 & Second Ave.	(308)234-2541
First Interstate Inn	709 2nd Ave.	(308)237-2671
Hampton Inn	118 3rd Ave.	(308)234-3400
Holiday Inn	110 2nd Ave.	(308)237-5971
Holiday Inn Express	508 2nd Ave. S.	(308)234-8100
Mid-Town Western Inn	1401 2nd Ave.	(308)237-3153
Motel 6	101 Talmadge Road	(308)338-0705
Ramada Inn	301 2nd Ave.	(308)237-3141
Super 8	15 W. 8th St.	(308)234-5513
Western Inn South	510 3rd. Ave.	(308)234-1876
Western Motel	824 E. 25th St.	(308)234-2408
Wingate Inn	108 3rd Ave.	(308)237-4400

  2003  NOU ANNUAL SPRING MEETING REGISTRATION

 May 16,17,18                Kearney                      Registration Deadline:  May 10

 LODGING :  at a motel of your choice... see list in this newsletter
 

MEALS		Number of Persons	Cost
Friday Dinner	$5.00	x	=
Saturday Continental Breakfast	$3.00	x	=
Saturday Sack Lunch	$4.50	x	=
Saturday Evening Banquet	$6.00	x	=
Sunday Continental Breakfast	$3.00	x	=
Sunday Lunch	$4.50	x	=
Registration Fee	$5.00	x	=
Total Enclosed with this Form:

 
Please list special dietary needs here:___________________________________

 PLEASE REMEMBER TO INCLUDE THE REGISTRATION FEE!!

  Name(s)  ______________________________________________
  Address  ______________________________________________
  City, State, Zip  ______________________________________________
  Phone number  ______________________________________________

 Make checks payable to NOU and mail with this form to:
Betty Grenon, Treasurer
409 Childs Road East
Bellevue, NE  68005

***********************************************************************************************

Are Your Dues Overdue?

Please check the label on this newsletter,  which will indicate the status of your
NOU dues.  A number of members have still not paid dues for this year.  Please
take a moment to check your label.  If you are behind on your dues, please send
a check to Betty Grenon, at the  above address.

Active Member  $15.00
Family Sustaining    $30.00
Family Member  $20.00
Student Member    $10.00
Sustaining Member  $25.00
Life Member $250.00

(In order to deter junk e-mail, the e-mail addresses have been altered.
Replace the (at) with @ and remove the spaces between the last three letters)

President and Newsletter Editor:
Janis Paseka, 1585 Co. Rd. 14 Blvd., Ames,  NE  68621,  Phone:  402-727-9229
E-mail Address:  paseka(at)tvsonline.n e t

Vice-President:
Alice Kenitz, 190648 Co. Rd. 22,  Gering,  NE  69341,    Phone:  308-436-2959
E-mail Address:  akenitz(at)prairieweb.c o m

Secretary:
Mitzi Fox, 1560 Fairgrounds Road, Albion,  NE  68620,    Phone:   402-395-2395
E-mail Address:  mitzi(at)megavision.c o m

Treasurer:
Betty Grenon, 1409 Childs Road East, Bellevue,  NE  68005,    Phone:   402-731-2383
E-mail Address:  grenon925(at)aol.c o m

Editor, Bird Review:
William Clemente, Box 10, Peru State College, Peru,  NE  68421    Phone:   402-872-2233  Work
E-mail Address:  bclemente(at)oakmail.peru.e d u
(also 688 Gary St., Ripon, WI  54971, 920-748-2369 or 402-872-3073 Home)
E-mail Address:  clementeb(at)chater.n e t

Librarian:
Mary Lou Pritchard, 6325 O St., #515,  Lincoln,  NE  68510    Phone:  402-486-2428   Home
or N.O.U. Library, c/o Division of Zoology, Univ. of Nebr. State Museum, W-436 Nebraska Hall,
Lincoln, NE  68588-0514,  402-540-9157

Past Presidents:
Clem Klaphake, 707 Garden Ave., Bellevue,  NE  68005    Phone:  402-292-2276
E-mail Address:  cnk(at)scholars.bellevue.e d u

Betty Allen, 9628 Emmet St., Omaha,  NE  68134    Phone:   402-571-9755
E-mail Address:  lizprints(at)webtv.n e t

Directors:
Loren Padelford, 1405 Little John Road, Bellevue,  NE  68005,  Phone:  402-292-5556 Home,
E-mail Address: lpdlfrd(at)juno.c o m

Steve Lamphere, 3101 Washington St., Apt. 98, Bellevue, NE  68005   Phone:  402-291-9149

Jan Uttecht, Box 823, Stanton, NE  68779   Phone: 402-439-2114

Records Committee:
Mark Brogie, Box 316, Creighton,  NE  68729    Phone:  402-358-5675
E-mail Address:  mbrogie(at)mother.esu1.k12.ne.us

Breeding Bird Atlas Project and Nest Records Committee:
Wayne Mollhoff, 1817 Boyd St., Ashland, NE  68003,  Phone:  402-944-2243
E-mail Address:  wmollhoff(at)netscape.n e t

Occurrence Reports:
Ross Silcock, P.O. Box 57, Tabor , IA  51653,  Phone:   712-629-5865
E-mail Address:  silcock(at)rosssilcock.c o m

Nebraska Birdline:
Loren and Babs Padelford, 1405 Little John Road, Bellevue,  NE  68005,  Phone:  402-292-5325 Birdline
402-292-5556 Home,    E-mail Address: lpdlfrd(at)juno.c o m

NOU Website:          http://rip.physics.unk.edu/NOU/