Welcome to New Members

     We welcome new members:
           Donna Christiansen, Plainview
           Rose Lillie Crick, Valley
           Greg Grove, Petersburg, PA
           Elizabeth Mulliken, Nickerson
           Willard Piercy, Council Bluffs
           Mark L. Schreier Family, Omaha         

      and returning members:
           Bill Huser, So. Sioux City
           Don and Colleen Noecker, Albion           
 

NOU Scholarship Fund

At the suggestion of Rusty and Margaret Cortelyou, the NOU has established a scholarship fund
for a Nebraska student to attend meetings of the NOU.  At the September 2004 NOU Board Meeting,
it was decided to make scholarship funds available to college students and science teachers as
well.  Preference will be given to 9th through 12th grade students, although students of any age
group will be given consideration.  The scholarship will pay all costs for registration, meals,
and lodging for the student and one sponsor (teacher, parent, etc.).  Costs of transportation to
and from the meeting site are not included.  To apply, a student or teacher must submit a short
statement (one page or less) indicating why they wish to attend the meeting.  Applications, or
requests for more information, should be sent to Mark Brogie, whose contact information is on
the back page of this newsletter.  Please pass the word to students and teachers that might be
interested.  This scholarship can be an excellent way to get a young person interested in birding
and in NOU.
 

Upcoming Meetings

      2005 Annual Spring Meeting—May 13-15 at Calamus Lodge near Burwell.

      2005 Fall Field Days—September 9-11 at South Central 4-H Center, Alma

      2006 Annual Spring Meeting—May 19-21 at Ponca State Park
 
 

2005 Spring Meeting at Calamus Lodge   

BURWELL BIRDING by Robin Harding

     The annual spring meeting of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union (NOU) is scheduled for May 13-15,
2005.  The activities will be based at the Calamus Lodge, located just a half mile from the Calamus
Reservoir.  Calamus Lodge is 7 miles from Burwell on Highway 96 (Calamus Dam Road).  As you head to
the Dam, the Lodge is 0.5 mile before the Dam and Recreational Area.  Excellent birding opportunities
can be found at the Reservoir, in the sandhills prairies surrounding the lake, along the Calamus
and North Loup Rivers, in and around the town of Burwell.  Nearby are Ord, Lake Ericson, Davis
Creek Dam and Milburn Diversion Dam also offering good birding possibilities.

     We should see several species of waterfowl, waders, raptors, galliforms, shorebirds, flycatchers,
vireos, warblers, sparrows, and finches.  Area specialties include a Bald Eagle nest, Sharp-tailed
Grouse, Greater Prairie-Chickens, Bell’s Vireo, Loggerhead Shrike, Burrowing Owl, Blue Grosbeak
and Upland Sandpiper.

     There are eight motel rooms at the Calamus Lodge, two motels in Burwell, one in Taylor and two in
Ord.  There is a hunting lodge seven miles south of Ord in which Lanny and I have stayed during the
non-hunting season.  The town of Sargent is not far away either.  There are also several campgrounds
in the area.  The folks who own the Calamus Lodge will prepare our meals for us, however, if you wish
to eat elsewhere, there are plenty of options.

     If you enjoy birding from the road, there are good roads providing access to many great birding
sites.  If you enjoy birding away from the roads, there are trails, parks and cemeteries in the
area.  If you are into county listing, you will have a chance to pick up several species in a few
counties including Garfield, Loup, Valley, Wheeler, Custer, and Greeley.  I am personally looking
forward to seeing some warblers, although since Lanny and I have rarely gone there in May, there
are many exciting possibilities.

     We will have a few guided field trips but we will also have maps available if you prefer to go
birding on your own.  We usually have entertaining programs on Friday and Saturday evenings.  If
you have something that you would like to show to the group, we usually have a “stuff table” for
that purpose.  One of my favorite parts of the meeting is the random drawing for the door prizes.
Folks who come to the meeting are encouraged to bring something to give away as a door prize. 

I look forward to seeing you there.

     Editors Note:  You will find a registration form in this newsletter.  Please send it to Treasurer,
Betty Grenon by May 1.  Thanks to Robin Harding and Lanny Randolph for making the arrangements with
Calamus Lodge.

Lodging for Spring Meeting

     Calamus Lodge 308-346-4331 (8 rooms plus a campground)  Be sure to say you are with NOU!!!!

     Rodeo Inn 308-346-4408   (in Burwell)

     Pump and Pantry Motel 308-346-5556    (in Burwell)

     Calamus Outfitters  308-346-5481  (near northwest end of Calamus Lake)

     Wildlife Inn  308-942-6234  (in Taylor)

     Crest Motel  308-942-3430  (One mile south of Taylor at intersection of highways 183 & 91)

     Two motels in Ord   308-728-3649  (Both owned by same people—share same phone number)

     Husker Fields Lodge 308-728-3564  (Hunting Lodge 7 miles south of Ord)

There are several other B&B’s available.  Contact Alice Kenitz for further information.

Camping is also available at Calamus Reservoir SRA  308-346-5666
 
 

Tentative Schedule for Spring Meeting

     Friday, May 13

           4:30 p.m.  Registration

           6:00 p.m.  Dinner

           6:45 p.m.  Breeding Bird Atlas II ? Wayne Mollhoff

           8:00 p.m.  Board of Directors meeting

     Saturday, May 14

          6:00 a.m.  Breakfast—pick up sack lunches at this time

          6:45 a.m.  Field trips leave

          6:00 p.m.  Dinner

          6:45 p.m.  Door prize drawing

          7:15 p.m.  Annual business meeting

          7:45 p.m.  Speaker (To be announced)

      Sunday, May 15

          6:00 a.m.  Breakfast

          6:45 a.m.  Field trips leave

          12 noon    Lunch

          12:30 p.m. Weekend tally      
 

Report of Nominating Committee

     Election of officers for 2005 will be held at the Annual business meeting.  The nominating committee consisting of Don Paseka (chair), Neal Ratzlaff, and Bruce Eichhorst has nominated the following:

     President—Dave Heidt; Vice President—Urban Lehner; Secretary—Kevin Poague; Treasurer, Betty
     Grenon; Editor—Janis Paseka; Librarian—Mary Lou Pritchard; Director—Loren Padelford

A big thanks to the nominating committee and especially to those who have agreed to be officers.
 

NOU Items for Sale

1.  Joel Jorgensen’s monograph, An Overview of Shorebird Migration in the Eastern Rainwater Basin,
Nebraska, can be ordered from Joel Jorgensen, 1829 South St., #28, Blair, NE 68008 for $7 plus $2 for
tax and shipping.

2.  The Nebraska Breeding Bird Atlas  by Wayne Mollhoff will be $25 at the meeting, or can be
ordered from Neal Ratzlaff, 536 Brentwood Rd, Omaha, NE 68114 for $29 which includes shipping and sales tax.
 

Donations to NOU

     The NOU has received some very nice donations during the past year.  The Endowment Fund has
received $10,000 from the estate of Rusty Cortelyou and an anonymous donation of $10,000.  The
Cortelyou family has also donated binoculars, spotting scopes, nature-related books, and journals.
The binoculars and spotting scopes were given to Audubon Nebraska for use at their Spring Creek
facility.  Copies of the Nebraska Bird Review were given to Janis Paseka, editor.  Many of the
books will go to the NOU Library.  There are a number of book titles that are already in the NOU
Library.  These will be put out on a table at the Spring Meeting and anyone who wants them can
take them.  There will be no charge for them, but a free-will donation is encouraged. 

We want to thank the donors for these significant contributions to NOU.
 

NOU Online Store

     Don’t forget to check out the NOU Online Store for nature-related books, videos, and optics.  The
address is http://www.withoutbricks.com/NOUStore.
 
 

Nebraska Birding Trails

     (By Paul Johnsgard)  The Nebraska Birding Trails consist of nine intersecting highway routes passing through all of the ten eco-regions present in the state.  Five routes follow major river systems:  the Missouri, the Platte, the Republican, the Elkhorn and the Niobrara valleys, all providing important migratory pathways for shorebirds and waterfowl and nesting habitats for both eastern and western woodland birds.  Each spring the Platte Valley supports the largest concentration of Sandhill Cranes to be found anywhere in the world.  Two routes cross the vast Nebraska Sandhills, where prairie birds such as Sharp-tailed Grouse, Greater Prairie-Chickens, Long-billed Curlews and Burrowing Owls can be found.  Two western routes extend from the shortgrass and sandsage prairies of southwest Nebraska to the badlands and buttes of the Pine Ridge in the northwestern Panhandle, where golden eagles, ferruginous hawks and prairie falcons patrol the sky.  These are just a few of the 400-plus bird species that make Nebraska one of the top birding spots in North America.

     (By Clem Klaphake)  As part of the Nebraska Partnership for All Bird Conservation the Nebraska
Birding Trails Group has been working on the birding trails website for approximately two years.
The next phase is to include maps for all of the identified birding sites that are interactive
and to work out an evaluation method to allow private land owners to be listed on the website.
There has been an interest shown by farmers and ranchers in opening up their land to birders
(possibly for a fee as is often required from hunters).  Overall the Birding Trails Group has
found a very receptive audience in landowners contacted and communities wanting to include their
links for lodging, restaurants and other family activities besides birding.  An additional goal
of the Work Group is to produce some hard copies of maps for birding areas and information on
specific species (e.g. Metro areas of Lincoln and Omaha, Panhandle, Rainwater Basin, etc.).
These would be information maps to have at visitor centers, Interstate 80 rest stops, Chamber
of Commerce/Tourism Offices, etc.  The maps will cover more than a single birding site as
displayed on the birding trails website. 

     Editors note:  The Birding Trails Website is http://www.nebraskabirdingtrails.com.  NOU members that have served on the committee include Paul Johnsgard, Clem Klaphake, and Linda Brown.  Student
member Allison Johnson drew the Dickcissel logo.  A big thanks to these members who have spent
many hours on this project.
 

2004 Nebraska County Lists

     The 2004 Nebraska County Lists are included here.  If you have questions about them, please contact Mark Brogie whose contact information can be found on the back page of this newsletter.
 

Thanks To All

     As I come to end of my time as NOU president, I am very grateful to all NOU members who have supported this organization.  A special thanks goes to those who have served as officers for the last 2 years and to those who have agreed to be officers for the coming year.  Three of the ‘unsung heroes’ of NOU are Linda Brown who makes sure that the newsletter gets printed and that the newsletter and The Nebraska Bird Review get in the mail, Neal Ratzlaff who keeps track of addresses and prints the mailing labels, and Robin Harding who enters lots of information onto the NOU website.  Thanks to the Publications Committee of Neal Ratzlaff, Tom Labedz, and Ross Silcock and to the Library Committee of Neal and Izen Ratzlaff and Tom Labedz.  Without the help of these folks and many others, it would be difficult for NOU to function.  The Records Committee with Mark Brogie as chair continues to do good work.  THANKS TO ALL!!!!!!

Registration for Spring Meeting at Calamus Lodge, May 13-15, 2005

Registration Deadline May 5

Meals (price includes tax and tip)  Price        No. of Persons   Cost 

     Friday Dinner……………………………   $12.00     x     _____________ = _______________

     Saturday Breakfast……………………… $3.55     x     _____________ = _______________

     Saturday Sack Lunch………………………$5.75     x     _____________ = _______________

     Saturday Dinner…………………………… $12.00     x     _____________ = _______________

     Sunday Breakfast…………………………  $3.55     x     _____________ = _______________

     Sunday Lunch……………………………     $5.75     x     _____________ = _______________
 
 

Registration fee……………………………… $4.00   x   ______________  = _______________
 
 

Total Enclosed with this Form……………… …………………………………$______________
 
 

PLEASE INDICATE ANY SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS __________________________________

 ___________________________________________________________________________________
 
 

Name(s)_____________________________________________________________________

Address_____________________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip_______________________________________________________________

Phone number _________________________e-mail _______________________________
 
 

Make checks payable to NOU and mail with this form before May 1 to:

    Betty Grenon, Treasurer
    1409 Childs Road East
    Bellevue, NE 68005

Why not pass this membership blank on to a birding friend that is not an NOU member?  Or think about
giving a gift membership—this would be a great gift for a friend.

          NEBRASKA ORNITHOLOGISTS’ UNION

Please enter my membership in the category checked below:

________One Active Member        $15.00
________Family Active            $20.00
________One Sustaining Member    $25.00
________Family Sustaining        $30.00
________Student Member           $10.00
________Life Member             $250.00           
 
 

Name____________________________________________________________________________

Address__________________________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip____________________________________________________________________

Telephone________________________________e-mail___________________________________
 
 

Make checks payable to Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union and return with this form to:

Betty Grenon, Treasurer
1409 Childs Road East
Bellevue, NE 68005

(E-mail addresses have been altered to fight spam.  Replace (at) with the appropriate symbol
and remove the blank spaces.)

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

Vice-President:
Dave Heidt, 1703 Hilltop Drive, Norfolk, NE 68701-2031
Phone: 402-371-3412
daveh(at)northeastcollege. c o m

Secretary:
Mitzi Fox, 2560 Fairgrounds Road, Albion, NE 68620-5200
402-395-2395
mitzi(at)megavision. n e t

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

Editor, Nebraska Bird Review:
Janis Paseka, 1585 Co. Rd. 14 Blvd, Ames, NE 68621
402-727-9229
paseka(at)tvsonline. n e t

Librarian:
Mary Lou Pritchard, 6325 O St., Lincoln, NE 68510
402-486-2428

Past Presidents:
Janis Paseka, 1585 Co. Rd. 14 Blvd, Ames, NE 68621
402-727-9229
paseka(at)tvsonline. n e t

Clem Klaphake, 707 Garden Ave., Bellevue, NE 68005
402-292-2276
ckavian(at)aol. c o m

Directors:
Jan Uttecht, Box 823, Stanton, NE 68779 (2007)
402-439-2114
jautek(at)stanton. n e t

Loren Padelford, 1405 Little John Road, Bellevue, NE 68005 (2005)
402-292-5556
lpdlfrd(at)juno. c o m

Steve Lamphere, 3101 Washington St., Apt. 98, Bellevue, NE 68005 (2006)
402-291-9149
kingfisher65(at)aol. c o m

Records Committee:
Mark Brogie, Box 316, Creighton, NE 68729
402-358-5675
mbrogie(at)esu1. o r g

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

Occurrence Reports:
Ross Silcock, P. 0. Box 57, Tabor, IA 51653
712-629-5865
silcock(at)rosssilcock. c o m

Nebraka Birdline:
Josef Kren
402-721-5487 ext. 6490
800-642-8382 ext. 6490
nebraskabirds@yahoo.com

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

NOU Online Store:  http://www.withoutbricks.com/NOUStore

Nebraska Ornithologists' Union
3745 Garfield
Lincoln, NE 68506