Upcoming Meetings
2006 Spring Conference May 19-21  Ponca State Park
2006 Fall Conference TBA
2007 Spring Conference North Platte
 

Reminder:  Yearly dues are due in January.  Sorry about the lateness of the newsletter--had to wait for a replacement cable for the computer.
 

Nominations for the NPABC Conservation Award Program (due 1/16)
from Kelly Rezac, Coordinator of the Nebraska Partnership for All-Bird Conservation:

    Do you know an individual or organization whose efforts for the conservation of Nebraska’s birds deserve to be recognized?  Make sure they are considered for the NPABC’s new Conservation Award Program!
Nomination forms are available at  http://www.nebraskabirds.org/Awards/awards.htm
and are being accepted now through January 15.  Award recipients will be invited to attend the awards ceremony, which will be held on opening night of the Rivers and Wildlife Celebration Friday March 17, 2006.  Recipients will be presented with their award, a carving by Don Gabelhouse, following a brief slide show about their winning conservation work, and will also receive free registration for the entire weekend.
 

Status of Audubon’s Important Bird Areas Effort in Nebraska
by Kevin Poague, IBA Coordinator, Audubon Nebraska

For the past two years, Audubon Nebraska has been conducting an Important Bird Areas (IBA) program under the guidelines of the National Audubon Society.  The goals of the effort are to:
 • identify the most essential areas for birds,
 • monitor these sites for changes to birds and habitat, and
 • conserve these areas for long-term protection of biodiversity.

In Nebraska, two public nomination rounds were held and 26 sites were selected as IBA’s.  They are:

Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge
Calamus Reservoir State Recreation Area
Cedar Point Biological Station
Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge
DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge
Fontenelle Forest Nature Center
Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge
Indian Cave State Park
Kiowa Wildlife Management Area
Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area
Lake Ogallala State Recreation Area
Lancaster County Saline Wetland complex (encompassing Arbor Lake, Shoemaker Marsh, Whitehead Saline Wetlands, and Jack Sinn Wildlife Management Area)
Lewis and Clark Lake and Gavins Point Dam
Missouri National Recreational River
The Nature Conservancy’s Niobrara Valley Preserve
Neale Woods Nature Center
Niobrara State Park
Ponca State Park
North Platte National Wildlife Refuge
the Rainwater Basin
Rowe Sanctuary
Schramm Park State Recreation Area
Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center
the Thomas Ashford Scout Reservation
Valentine National Wildlife Refuge
Wild Rose and Mormon Island properties managed by the Platte River Whooping Crane Trust.

The IBA’s encompass almost 3,000,000 acres in 35 counties-roughly six percent of the state-and most are public areas.  They contain a wide variety of habitats, including wetlands and riparian systems, prairie, lake, and forest areas, but all provide essential habitat for either large numbers of birds, a high diversity of bird species, or significant numbers of particular bird species whose population declines are of concern to biologists.  The sites met strict standardized scientific criteria established by Nebraska’s IBA technical review committee, which includes many of the state’s leading birders and biologists.  The committee also selected the IBA’s and we would like to thank them for their time and effort:  Mark Brogie, Joe Gubanyi, Joel Jorgensen, Loren and Babs Padelford, Ross Silcock, and T. J. Walker.  The effort has identified new opportunities for public education (monitoring birds at IBA’s, e.g.) and for developing land management strategies to sustain and perhaps improve the habitat at these sites for birds in need.  Funding for this program was provided in part by the State Wildlife Grants program, administered by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.  Information on Audubon’s IBA’s in Nebraska is available on our website,  http://www.nebraska.audubon.org
 

Summary of NOU Board Meeting September 9, 2005 Alma 4-H Camp

Treasurer Betty Grenon gave treasurer’s report which was accepted.  Current total cash on hand (including Endowment Fund, Scholarship Fund and Atlas Fund) is $55061.42.

Last issue of 2003 NBR to be published, which will enable NBR to start normal sequence for 2005 issues.

Wayne Mollhoff has applied for funding for second Breeding Bird Atlas project.  Motion that funds in NOU Breeding Bird Atlas account can be used for the new Breeding Bird Atlas project was passed.

The spring 2006 meeting will be at Ponca State Park, May 19-21.  Friday evening presentation will be by Paul Johnsgard, Josef Kren, Linda Brown, and Allison Johnson on their spring 2005 trip to the Galapogos Islands.  Saturday evening presentation will be by Ross Silcock on bird hybridization in Nebraska.  The fall 2006 meeting site has not been set.  Clem Klaphake and T. J. Walker are working on the Spring 2007 meeting in North Platte.

Motion that the new NOU Members Directory  (bylaws state directory is to be distributed every three years) be distributed electronically to members who will accept email delivery of directory--all other members will receive the directory by traditional mail.

Helen Hughson and Don Paseka graciously agreed to serve on the 2006 Nominating Committee.
 

Governor’s Agri-Tourism Workshop  to feature Ted Eubanks (FERMATA Inc)
on Eco-Tourism.  He was instrumental in the Central-Platte study and several birding trails including the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail.  Workshop information is at http://www.visitnebraska.org
 

Summary of Annual Fall Meeting at 4-H camp, Alma Nebraska, Sept. 9-11, 2005.

Fifty-four members and guests attended the conference.  Glen and Wanda Hoge did an excellent job of organizing the conference and Barb and Dave Votaw (they manage the 4-H camp).

Field trips were led by Glen and Wanda Hoge, Robin Harding, and Lanny Randolph (thanks for the wonderful job).  The Saturday trips went to various locations in Furnas, Harlan, Franklin, Plelps, Kearney, and Adams counties.  The Sunday trips were Harlan County Reservoir and the surrounding area.  Both days had plenty of sunshine, but had even more wind.   A total of 118 species were found.  Harlanlist.html

Friday’s program was presented by Dr. Josef Kren on brood parasitism.  It was a fascinating look at the advantages and disadvantages of this reproductive strategy.   Saturday’s program was presented by Joel Jorgensen on Buff-breasted Sandpipers in the Rain Water Basin.  It should have given everyone a new appreciation for the species and a healthy respect for the people who are involved in the study (not the least of which is that they can find the birds in planted fields).
 

For the listers in the group, it is time again to count up your county totals and send you total county numbers  as well as the number for any county with at least 125 species (not the lists) to Mark Brogie (mbrogie(at)esu1.o r g).  For example, if the only counties you have lists in are Adams (26 species), Antelope (14 species), and Arthur (183 species) you would submit:
  Arthur County 183  (125 or more)
  Total county species 223  (26 + 14 + 183)
 
 

The new NOU Membership Directory will be sent to you this spring.

In an effort to be as accurate as possible, please make certain that the address on your current label is correct--if not make changes on the form below.  Also, if you have a new email address (or didn’t bother letting anyone know of a change in email address since 2002), please include the email address.

If you would like to save us the postage and would like to receive the directory via email, please check the appropriate line below and write in the software you are using on your computer (examples: Microsoft Office ‘98, Appleworks 5.0...)
 

____I would like the directory via email    software_________________
 
 

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

(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