Welcome New Members

 Warren Buss (active)        Blake Hatfield (active)
 Linn, Kansas                Dannebrog, Nebraska
 wbuss(at)bluevalley.n e t

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

Upcoming Meetings

    2005 Fall Conference September 9-11  Harlan Co. Reservoir
    2006 Spring Conference May 19-21  Ponca State Park
 

First Draft of Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project

for review at http://www.outdoornebraska.org/wildlife/programs/legacy

Nebraska Partnership for All-Bird Conservation (NPABC) newsletter
available at http://www.nebraskabirds.org.
To be added to their e-mail mailing list contact Kelly Wells, Coordinator of NPABC at kwells(at)ngpc.state.ne.us

Spring 2006 Meeting at Ponca State Park--reservations for the cabins can be made at this time.  Each cabin has a capacity of 4 people--two bedrooms.  Ponca State Park 402-755-2284

Bead Mountain Ranch has been acquired by Platte River Basin Environments to be preserved as public space.  The ranch borders Wildcat Hills SRA and Buffalo Creek WMA.  The ranch contains sandstone bluffs, prairie, natural springs and ponderosa pine stands.  Over 100 species of birds, including 12 species of concern, have been seen on the ranch.  For more information go to http://www.environmentaltrust.org.

Dates for 2005 Christmas Counts will appear in the next newsletter.  If you are involved in one, send the details to daveh(at)northeastcollege.com.
 
 

Report of the 106th Annual Spring Meeting of the NOU  held May 13-15, 2005, at Calamus Lodge near Burwell, Nebraska.
by Alice Kinetz

Sixty-four members and guests were in attendance.  Many thanks to Robin Harding and Lanny Randolph for making the arrangements at Calamus Lodge.  Field trips on Saturday and on Sunday morning produced 170 species plus hummingbird (sp), empidonax (sp), and towhee (sp).

Field trips went to Garfield, Loup, Valley, Wheeler, Holt, and Greeley counties.  Saturday was cool and windy, so that the main problem was keeping warm.  Sunday morning started with frost on cars, but was quite pleasant by noon.  There were four organized field trips on Saturday ably led by Robin Harding, Lanny Randolph, Wayne Mollhoff, and Dave Heidt.  The two trips on Sunday were led by Robin Harding and Lanny Randolph.

Friday evening’s program was given by Dr. Scott Taylor, Upland Game Program Manager for Nebraska Game and Parks.  His illustrated talk was “Current Upland Game Bird Research in Nebraska”.  One of the current research programs involves banding of Mourning Doves.  Nebraska is in the Central Management Unit for the project.  Mourning Dove surveys are performed by listening for calls, but this is not a very accurate way to determine actual populations of the birds.  To better determine populations, 26 states banded  Mourning Doves in July and August of 2003-2004 (and will band in July-August of 2005).  This included eight locations in Nebraska.  In order to encourage the return of bands from birds that have been shot, some birds have extra bands placed on them.  These extra bands will produce a reward of $100 per band.  Most of the bands that have been recovered are in the state where the bird was originally banded.  There was a 3% recovery in 2003 and 2004.  This program will probably be continued after the initial three years are completed.

The other research project involves the radio-tagging of Ring-necked Pheasants to determine the response of pheasants to CRP field management.  Pheasants have been counted in July by rural mail carriers for many years.  These counts have shown a steady decline since the 1950’s.  In early CRP plantings, there is no plant diversity.  For this study, some disking and inter seeding with legumes has been used as a management tool.  Game and Parks has done the work and paid the expenses with the permission of land owners.  In 2004 there were 40 hens radio-tagged in Stanton County.  Results indicate that the pheasants preferred the interseeded areas for nesting.  The study will continue this year.

Saturday evening’s speaker was Wayne Mollhoff who provided information about a new Breeding Bird Atlas project.  Data for the first Nebraska Breeding Bird Atlas was collected from 1984 through 1989.  In the ensuing years there have been a lot of changes in the state.  During Atlas I, there was only one Bald Eagle nest in the state and it did not produce any young.  Today there are many successful nests across the state.  Eurasian Collared-Doves have arrived in the state in the last few years.  NOU has about $6600 in the Atlas Fund which will be used as matching funds.  Nebraska Game and Parks will make a lot of in-kind contributions.  Someone will be needed to enter information about the project on websites such as the NOU and the Nebraska Game and Parks websites.  Atlas blocks are 3 miles by 3 miles in size and will mostly be the same blocks used in the Atlas I project.  Any state-managed areas larger than 640 acres will be added.  Collecting data primarily involves observing bird behavior rather than actually finding nests.  It is hoped that field work can be started in 2006 and all Nebraska birders are encouraged to help with the project.  Atlas I produced over 26,000 records from 443 blocks.  Mollhoff also encouraged NOU members to participate in Nebraska Nest Record project.

The annual business meeting was held on Saturday evening.  New officers elected include president-Dave Heidt; vice president- Urban Lehner; secretary-Kevin Poague; treasurer-Betty Grenon; librarian-Mary Lou Pritchard; editor-Janis Paseka; and director-Loren Padelford.
 

Summary of NOU Board Meeting May 13, 2005
The NOU Board met at Calamus Lake Lodge.  Minutes from Sept. 24, 2004 board meeting and treasurer’s report were read and approved.  Auditing Committee reported that audit showed no discrepancies and accounts were in good order.  NBR editor reported that 2004 issues had been completed, the last two issues for 2003 will be completed before the 2005 issues will be started.  Library committee report was read and accepted.  Materials from Rusty Cortelou were donated to the library.  Records committee reported that all 2003 records are published, 2002 will be next, and 2004 records were sent to voting members.  Clem Klaphake reported that Nebraska Birding Trails was getting maps to 400 sites that will be placed on the website (www.nebraskabirdingtrails.com).  New field cards were ready to go to Game and Parks--hope was that the cards would be ready for distribution by the Fall meeting.   NOU received donations from both the Johnson and Cortelyou estates.  Upcoming meetings at Alma and Ponca State Park were discussed with information to appear in upcoming newsletters.  Clem was to check into holding Fall 2006 meeting at North Platte.  Discussion was given to disseminating the scholarship information in the fall rather than in spring.    Wayne Mollhoff reported that 500 blocks of land had been identified to be surveyed for the Breeding Bird Atlas II.  Joe Gubanyi and Mark Brogie were reelected to Records Committee.  Discussion was held on how to get information about the May 21th Ivory-billed Woodpecker/Eskimo Curlew  presentation by Dr. Johnsgard to membership in timely fashion.  Motion was made and approved to have a note about NOU submitted to NPABC (Nebraska Partnership for All-Bird Conservation) for inclusion in the Partner Profiles section of their newsletter.  State Museum director is to meet regarding having someone assist with Museum archives--NOU contributes toward paying a student to work at archiving NOU materials at the Museum.  2000 copies of the Birding Nebraska Nebraskaland magazine special are available for $12.95 from Game and Parks.  Nomination Committee chair, Don Paseka presented slate of nominees.  Jan Uttecht announced that Michael Forsberg and Joel Sartore will catalog the late Loren “Bub” Blake’s photographs and make them available for sale on a website--proceeds going to Blake’s family.  Meeting adjourned.
 

Birding friend that isn’t in NOU?? why not give them this form-or give them a membership for X-mas?

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

2005 Fall Conference Information
The fall meeting will be held at the Harlan County 4H Camp.  Highway 136 is under construction between Republican City and Alma and may be closed at the time of the meeting--so plan accordingly.  There will be at least five field trips, as some of the tentative sites are not accessible if it rains, the exact location of the field trips will be announced at the meeting once the weather is known.

Directions to the 4-H Camp
     To get to the camp from Alma, go south on Hwy 183 to South Street (South Street is the southernmost street in Alma).   Turn East on South Street.  Go East 6 1/2 miles  (will see “4H Camp” sign).  Turn South at the camp sign (Corps Road 24).

     To get to the camp from Republican City, turn South on Main Street.  Turn West (right turn) on Corps Road B.  Go west 3 miles to Corps Road 24 (you will see a sign saying “4H Camp”).  Turn South at the sign (Road 24).

Tentative Schedule
 Friday September 9th
  4:30 pm Regristation
  6:00 pm Dinner
  6:45 pm Avian Brood Parasitism --Dr. Josef Kren
  8:00 pm Board of Directors meeting

 Saturday September 10th
  6:30 am  Breakfast--pick up sack lunch at this time
  7:00 am  Field trips leave
  6:00 pm  Dinner
  6:45 pm  Buff-breasted Sandpipers  --Joel Jorgensen

 Sunday September 11th
 6:30 am  Breakfast
 7:00 am  Field trips leave
 12:00 pm  Lunch
 12:30 pm  Weekend Tally

Area Lodging
Western Holiday Motel-Alma        Arrow Lodge Motel-Alma       Super Outpost Motel-Alma
210 Hwy 183                       510 Hwy 183                  N. Hwy 183
800-258-8124 or 308-928-2155      308-928-2167                 308-928-2116

Anne Belle’s (B&B)-Alma           The Harlan House-Alma        Orleans Hotel-Orleans
517 Kennedy & Hwy 136             507 Brown                    101 E. Pine
308-928-9983                      308-928-3137                 308-473-4025

Hill Top Inn-Republican City      4H Camp--(bring own bedding and towels)
Hwy 136                           If you plan on staying at the 4H Camp, pay for lodging
308-799-2736                      with the rest of your registration
 
 

For those of you planning to attend the Fall Conference, the map is included not just to point out a couple of birding sites that you might want to check out on the way to/from the meeting, but also because  Highway 136 is under construction between Republican City and Alma and may be closed at the time of the meeting--so plan accordingly.  The Dept. of Roads lists the completion date as Fall 2005 (keep in mind Fall is technically between Sept. 20th and Dec. 20th).

There should be plenty of opportunities to observe migrating shorebirds, warblers, vireos, and sparrows.

If you are planning on attending the Fall Conference, please consider bringing something to give away as a door prize.

Registration for Fall Meeting at Harlan County Reservoir
 
 

MEALS	PRICE	# OF PERSONS	COST
Friday Dinner	$7.00 each
Saturday Breakfast	$5.00 each
Saturday Sack Lunch	$6.00 each
Saturday Dinner	$7.00 each
Sunday Breakfast	$5.00 each
Sunday Lunch	$6.00 each
REGISTRATION FEE	$10.00 each
LODGING AT 4H CAMP (bring your own towels and bedding)
Friday Night	$9.00 each
Saturday Night	$9.00 each
TOTAL ENCLOSED WITH THIS FORM

PLEASE INDICATE ANY SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS _____________________
__________________________________________________________

Names ____________________________________________
Address ___________________________________________
City, State, Zip ______________________________________
Phone # ______________________ e-mail ______________________

Make checks payable to NOU and mail with this form before August 29 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:
David Heidt, 1703 Hilltop Drive, Norfolk, NE 68701-2031
Phone: 402-371-3412
daveh(at)northeastcollege. c o m

Vice-President:
Urban Lehner, 15526 Pierce Circle, Omaha, NE 68510
Phone: 402-330-3888
urban.lehner(at)dtn.c o m

Secretary:
Kevin Poague, 4274 'A' Street, Lincoln, NE 68510
402-489-1418
kpoague(at)audubon.o r g

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' Street, Lincoln, NE 68510
402-486-2428

Past President:
Alice Kenitz, 190648 Co. Rd. 22, Gering, NE 69341
Phone:  308-436-2959
E-mail Address:  akenitz(at)prairieweb. 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 (2008)
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

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/

Nebraska Birding Trails:  http://www.nebraskabirdingtrails.com

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

Nebraska Ornithologists' Union
3745 Garfield
Lincoln, NE 68506