Omaha Paper Reports on Efforts to Reduce Bird-strikes

Graphic by Dave Croy, Omaha World-Herald.

Click on the image to view the story about the efforts of the Omaha Public Power District to reduce birds strikes at their building in downtown Omaha. The story was issued on November 23, 2009.

Seasonal Bird Occurrence Given in 1863-1871 Reports of Department of Agriculture

One of the most consistent details given for the occurrence of a particular species of bird, is when it occurred and when it was observed. These two essential facts have nearly always been conveyed for a phantasmagorical array of sources dating several hundreds of years. Through the centuries, the manner in which any observation was indicated has consistently changed, and only in the last fifteen decades has there been attention given to the chronology of bird occurrence, and the seasonal conditions which can be conveyed.

Most of the early-history sources which document where and when particular bird species were noted are basic presentations summarizing the bird life present. Narratives of expeditions or explorations often mention a type of bird seen on a particular day of a journey, given with the intent of noting it was observed, without any particular focus on presence during different seasons or to determine a bird chronology. With an ongoing focus on avifauna during the historic decades, there was a subtle, yet profound shift in what was deemed to be important.

One of the most significant changes, was when bird watchers noted the seasonal occurrence of different species. This seems to be the primary focus of birding in the modern era, yet when nearly 150 years ago when this particular realm was just starting, it was an important feature of the seasons for a particular year, as represented in a government-issued, monthly meteorological report.

When the United States Department of Agriculture issued these documents, a primary topic was weather conditions, with notations on how temperatures, snow and storms and their attributed influence on dates when birds would appear, flowers would bloom or trees would bud. The notes were not based upon government efforts, but were derived from information contributed by a myriad of contributors, in many different states.

The first notes - based upon information sent to the Smithsonian Institution, then summarized in the Department of Agriculture reports - appeared in November 1863, from Iowa Falls, Iowa. Under the topic "Flight of Birds." it was reported:

• "Nov. 3. Iowa Falls. A great many geese and brants have passed over towards the south in the past few days.

• "Nov. 25. In the evening a large flock of geese and ducks flying north. They have been more plenty this fall than in former years."

Notes on the birds were typically very brief, but they nonetheless indicated when certain species were noted at a particular place ... the basic essentials. Only a few words conveyed any observation, but each account was enough to initiate a period where reports of seasonal bird occurrence - especially for spring - were reported and documented across a large region of several states.

These reports - based on the information given in the publications currently online - started in 1863, were already being abridged with the March, 1864 report, the text stating: "It has been found necessary to abridge the space allotted to this report, and therefore much material of a character similar to that which appeared in previous numbers has been omitted."

In the March, 1864 report is a simple table comparing when three particular species had been noted first in the spring during recent years. These convey only a few observations, but the overall details represent one of the first known comparisons of occurrence dates, based on several years of records. In this case from Winnebago, Illinois. The observer was - based on the name cited within the report - J.W. Tolman, whom provided records for a meteorological station for the Smithsonian Institution from 1858 to 1868, according to records of the museum. There are also 89 specimen records - from 1857 to 1865 - within the National Museum of Natural History Division of Birds Collections, representing more than 30 species.

Tolman was obviously a pioneer in more than one manner. In this table, the wild geese would undoubtedly be the Canada Goose, the blackbird the Red-winged Blackbird, and the obvious robin.

	1857	1858	1859	1860	1861	1862	1863	1864
First flight of wild geese northward	Feb. 27	Mar. 16	Mar. 2	Mar. 2	Mar. 1	...	Feb. 28	Mar. 8
First appearance of black bird	Mar. 24	Mar. 24	Mar. 13	Mar. 7	...	...	Mar. 17	Mar. 9
First appearance of robin	Mar. 20	Mar. 15	Feb. 25	Mar. 31	Mar. 26	...	...	Mar. 25

This table is distinctively unique, that in the subsequent reports, there was nothing similar published, probably due to the time and expense of issuing information in a printed document, even in this historic era.

In the first months, notes about the birds was given in a distinct section, titled "Appearance of Birds, Flowering of Plants, &c." This changed to where notable items were part of notes given about the weather.

The details were given in a standard format, based on location, starting in the northeast United States, then going southward and westward. For each place, comments were designated to a particular date.

Included in the reports were details that are important for determining further details on the observations. For example, a table showing the highest and lowest range of the thermometer, listed the observations stations in each state, its county and the observer, making it possible to determine the name of the contributor.

For example, in January, 1867, this is a tally of the reporting stations:

• Maine: 9 stations • New Hampshire: 5 stations • Vermont: 7 stations • Massachusetts: 13 • Rhode Island: 1 • Connecticut: 5 • New York: 29 • New Jersey: 12 • Pennsylvania: 19 • Delaware: 1 • Maryland: 5 • Virginia: 1 • West Virginia: 4 • North Carolina: 4 • South Carolina: 1 • Georgia: 1 • Alabama: 2 • Florida: 3 • Texas: 2

• Mississippi: 3 • Arkansas: 1 • Tennessee: 2 • Kentucky: 2 • Ohio: 24 • Michigan: 9 • Indiana: 9 • Illinois: 21 • Wisconsin: 10 • Minnesota: 5 • Iowa: 19 • Missouri: 6 • Kansas: 7 • Nebraska: 3; the stations and the observer, were: Elkhorn (or Elkhorn City, Washington County, though is attributed to Douglas County to conform to the current county name) - John S. Bowen; Bellevue (Sarpy County) - Rev. Wm. Hamilton; and Glendale (Cass County) - Dr. A.L. and Miss Child.

In compiling this essential information for knowing about historic ornithology, there were alternative spellings noted for some stations, and as shown with the Elkhorn or Elkhorn City locale, the county was wrong, based on the current situation. Upon determining the particular location for each station, one particular name was determined based on an evaluation of the instances within the source material, and a county was designated based upon the meteorology report or from modern maps.

Within the details are the particulars of records for nearly 60 different species. Some were noted many times, with others perhaps only mentioned a time or two. Noted most often was the robin, wild geese (a.k.a. Canada Goose), Eastern Bluebird, martin and blackbird. This is a list of the sixty species reported in the contributions, based on an analysis of the records, and an attribution of each notes to a particular species, when possible, based on the species originally designated, or other given factors:

Common Name - Number of Reports • Snow Goose - 5 • Canada Goose - 136 • Trumpeter Swan - 3 • Mallard - 1 • Greater Prairie-Chicken - 6 • California Quail - 1 • Northern Bobwhite - 2 • American Bittern - 1 • Great Blue Heron - 1 • Black-crowned Night-Heron - 2 • Turkey Vulture - 1 • Red-tailed Hawk - 1 • Sandhill Crane - 5 • Killdeer - 4 • Upland Sandpiper - 1 • Wilson's Snipe - 2 • American Woodcock - 2 • Mourning Dove - 7 • Passenger Pigeon - 14 • Chuck-will's-widow - 3 • Whip-poor-will - 34 • Chimney Swift - 9 • Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 5 • Belted Kingfisher - 6 • Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 1 • Northern Flicker - 4 • Eastern Phoebe - 20 • Eastern Kingbird - 2 • Blue Jay - 6 • American Crow - 24 • Common Raven - 1

• Horned Lark - 1 • Purple Martin - 50 • Bank Swallow - 5 • Cliff Swallow - 1 • Barn Swallow - 13 • Black-capped Chickadee - 2 • Tufted Titmouse - 1 • White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 • Carolina Wren - 1 • House Wren - 5 • Eastern Bluebird - 126 • American Robin - 167 • Gray Catbird - 3 • Northern Mockingbird - 5 • Cedar Waxwing - 4 • Eastern Towhee - 1 • Fox Sparrow - 1 • Song Sparrow - 6 • Dark-eyed Junco - 4 • Northern Cardinal - 4 • Bobolink - 21 • Red-winged Blackbird - 45 • Eastern Meadowlark - 18 • Common Grackle - 5 • Baltimore Oriole - 4 • Purple Finch - 2 • Red Crossbill - 1 • American Goldfinch - 2

Records for these species along with other notations, are available from 33 states, during the years 1864 to 1871 (the number indicates the number of reports):

State	1864	1865	1866	1867	1868	1869	1870	1871
Alabama	-	-	-	-	2	-	4	1
California	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	-
Connecticut	-	-	-	1	4	-	6	3
Delaware	2	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Florida	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Georgia	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Illinois	15	1	19	2	12	-	26	4
Indiana	11	-	1	1	6	-	19	1
Iowa	46	-	34	-	10	-	8	4
Kansas	2	-	1	-	-	-	17	2
Kentucky	-	-	2	-	1	-	1	1
Louisiana	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1
Maine	12	1	-	-	12	-	19	6
Maryland	9	-	4	-	2	-	2	2
Massachusetts	11	2	5	3	17	-	20	1
Michigan	13	1	5	-	2	-	9	5
Minnesota	-	-	1	-	1	-	6	1
Mississippi	-	-	-	-	4	-	6	2
Missouri	5	-	9	-	-	4	9	2
Montana	-	-	-	-	-	-	6	-
Nebraska	5	-	3	1	3	-	7	-
New Hampshire	5	-	3	1	1	-	4	2
New Jersey	-	-	1	-	6	-	11	-
New York	22	-	4	-	7	-	38	4
North Carolina	-	-	-	-	3	-	2	-
Ohio	10	-	19	2	7	-	17	11
Pennsylvania	51	-	12	-	9	1	29	7
South Carolina	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	-
Tennessee	2	-	-	-	1	-	2	1
Texas	-	-	-	-	2	-	2	-
Vermont	10	-	1	1	3	-	15	-
Virginia	-	-	1	-	6	-	6	9
Wisconsin	18	-	10	-	4	1	10	-

All of the reports are from the United States of America, except for one instance from St. John, New Brunswick, Canada.

States such as Massachusetts and Illinois had regular contributions throughout the period. It was not until 1870 that information was sent in from the western states, such as Montana and California.

Some records - considering Nebraska for example - were first noted in 1864 and 1866, before the state had ven been established. Even in subsequent reports for this region, for one reporter from the Santee Agency along the very eastern extent of the Niobrara River, the county was designated as L'Eau Qui Court, which is a historic name for the river, and apparently a temporary county name, but was actually within the modern Knox County.

Origin of Bird Occurrence Reports

This rich source of bird occurrence details - contributing more than 800 records to the historic ornithology of North America - came to an end in a final issue of details for December 1871, given in the January 1872 report. In the next month: "The publication of the meteorological tables in the monthly is from this date discontinued, by direction of the Commissioner of Agriculture."

Thus ended the many reports for when a number of seasonal notes about when different birds species occurred. It would be several years until there would be an alternative, published source giving particulars of bird phenology on a wide-spread basis.

Records given in the reports from the different weather stations are presented in the following table, which includes only the information presented from 1863 to 1872. There are 256 localities represented in this list which is presented in alphabetical order for the given state of the records:

Site Designation	1863	1864	1865	1866	1867	1868	1869	1870	1871
Coatopa, Alabama	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1
Havana, Alabama	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Opelika, Alabama	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Rockville, Alabama	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-
Cahto, California	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Vacaville, California	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Colebrook, Connecticut	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-
Columbia, Connecticut	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	3	-
Middletown, Connecticut	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Southington, Connecticut	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	3
Waterbury, Connecticut	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Milford, Delaware	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Wilmington, Delaware	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Lake City, Florida	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Athens, Georgia	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Augusta, Illinois	-	3	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Charleston, Illinois	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Dubois, Illinois	-	-	-	4	-	1	-	4	2
Galesburg, Illinois	-	3	-	2	-	-	-	-	-
Golconda, Illinois	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-
Hennepin, Illinois	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-
Loami, Illinois	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-
Magnolia, Illinois	-	-	-	-	-	6	-	-	-
Manchester, Illinois	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Marengo, Illinois	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	2	-
Mount Sterling, Illinois	-	-	-	3	2	1	-	2	-
Oquawka, Illinois	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Ottawa, Illinois	-	1	-	5	-	1	-	3	-
Pekin, Illinois	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Sandwich, Illinois	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
South Pass, Illinois	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	-
Tiskilwa, Illinois	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-
Upper Alton, Illinois	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Waverly, Illinois	-	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Winnebago, Illinois	2	3	-	-	-	-	-	4	-
Aurora, Indiana	-	-	-	-	-	4	-	2	-
Columbia City, Indiana	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	2	-
Knightstown, Indiana	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Laconia, Indiana	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Louisville, Indiana	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	-
Merom, Indiana	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	1
Muncie, Indiana	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
New Albany, Indiana	-	6	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
New Castle, Indiana	-	4	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Rensselaer, Indiana	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Vevay, Indiana	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	5	-
Algona, Iowa	-	3	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Boonesboro, Iowa	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	2	-
Ceres, Iowa	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-
Clinton, Iowa	-	-	-	1	-	2	-	2	1
Davenport, Iowa	-	-	-	3	-	-	-	-	-
Des Moines, Iowa	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Dubuque, Iowa	-	2	-	1	-	1	-	-	-
Fontanelle, Iowa	-	-	-	-	-	4	-	-	1
Fort Madison, Iowa	-	6	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Independence, Iowa	-	-	-	2	-	1	-	1	1
Iowa Falls, Iowa	4	16	-	13	-	-	-	-	-
Lyons, Iowa	-	3	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Madison, Iowa	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Manchester, Iowa	-	-	-	4	-	-	-	-	-
Monticello, Iowa	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	1
Mount Pleasant, Iowa	-	11	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Muscatine, Iowa	-	2	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Onawa, Iowa	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Pleasant Plain, Iowa	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Waukon, Iowa	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
West Bend, Iowa	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Atchison, Kansas	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Burlington, Kansas	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	-
Fort Riley, Kansas	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Holton, Kansas	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	-
Lawrence, Kansas	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Neosha Falls, Kansas	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Paola, Kansas	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	-
Plum Grove, Kansas	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Williamstown, Kansas	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Chilesburg, Kentucky	-	-	-	2	-	1	-	-	-
Shelby City, Kentucky	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1
New Orleans - Mississippi River	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Ponchatoula, Louisiana	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Cornish, Maine	-	3	-	-	-	3	-	4	2
Houlton, Maine	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Lee, Maine	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Lisbon, Maine	-	4	-	-	-	3	-	2	-
Norway, Maine	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	3	-
Standish, Maine	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	1
Steuben, Maine	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
West Waterville, Maine	-	1	1	-	-	3	-	5	2
Williamsburg, Maine	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	2	1
Catonsville, Maryland	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-
Frederick City, Maryland	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Sykesville, Maryland	-	9	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Woodlawn, Maryland	-	-	-	1	-	2	-	2	2
Amherst, Massachusetts	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Billerica, Massachusetts	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Georgetown, Massachusetts	-	-	1	4	-	1	-	-	-
Kingston, Massachusetts	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2	-
Mendon, Massachusetts	-	4	1	-	-	-	-	3	-
New Bedford, Massachusetts	-	4	-	1	-	2	-	1	1
Newbury, Massachusetts	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	-	-
North Billerica, Massachusetts	-	-	-	-	3	-	-	5	-
Richmond, Massachusetts	-	-	-	-	-	4	-	-	-
Sandwich, Massachusetts	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Topsfield, Massachusetts	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Westfield, Massachusetts	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Williamstown, Massachusetts	-	-	-	-	-	4	-	4	-
Worchester, Massachusetts	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Adrian, Michigan	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Alpena, Michigan	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	-
Ann Arbor, Michigan	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2
Detroit, Michigan	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	1
Homestead, Michigan	-	-	1	3	-	-	-	-	-
Lansing, Michigan	-	4	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Litchfield, Michigan	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	1	-
Northport, Michigan	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1
Ontonagon, Michigan	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Oshtemo, Michigan	-	8	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Pontiac, Michigan	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Thunder Bay Island, Michigan	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-
Forest City, Minnesota	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Koniska, Minnesota	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-
Litchfield, Minnesota	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Madelia, Minnesota	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Minneapolis, Minnesota	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2	-
Brookhaven, Mississippi	-	-	-	-	-	4	-	4	2
Enterprise, Mississippi	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Marion, Mississippi	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Athens, Missouri	-	-	-	3	-	-	-	-	-
Canton, Missouri	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Edinburg, Missouri	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Fox Creek, Missouri	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Hematite, Missouri	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	5	2
Oregon, Missouri	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-
Rolla, Missouri	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
St. Louis - Missouri River	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Wyaconda Prairie, Missouri	-	-	-	5	-	-	-	-	-
Deer Lodge City, Montana Territory	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	-
Missoula Mills, Montana Territory	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Bellevue, Nebraska	-	1	-	2	-	-	-	-	-
Blair, Nebraska	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Elkhorn City, Nebraska	-	4	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Glendale, Nebraska	-	-	-	1	1	1	-	-	-
Nebraska City, Nebraska	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	6	-
St. John, New Brunswick	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Concord, New Hampshire	-	-	-	3	-	-	-	-	-
North Littleton, New Hampshire	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Shelburne, New Hampshire	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Stratford, New Hampshire	-	1	-	-	1	1	-	1	2
Tamworth, New Hampshire	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-
Greenwich, New Jersey	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	-
New Brunswick, New Jersey	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Newfield, New Jersey	-	-	-	-	-	6	-	8	-
Vineland, New Jersey	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Buffalo, New York	-	3	-	1	-	-	-	3	-
Cooperstown, New York	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Depauville, New York	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	3	-
Fort Ann, New York	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Geneva, New York	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Germantown, New York	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Gouverneur, New York	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-
Houseville, New York	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Jamestown, New York	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Leyden, New York	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	-
Little Genesee, New York	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Minaville, New York	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Moriches, New York	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	4	1
Nichols, New York	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
North Hammond, New York	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	1
Palermo, New York	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8	1
Rochester, New York	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Schenectady, New York	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Skaneateles, New York	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
South Hartford, New York	-	3	-	-	-	2	-	-	1
South Trenton, New York	-	4	-	-	-	-	-	3	-
Utica, New York	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Wilson, New York	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Albemarle, North Carolina	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Granville, North Carolina	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Kenansville, North Carolina	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Austinburg, Ohio	-	1	-	2	-	-	-	-	-
Bowling Green, Ohio	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2
Carson, Ohio	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Cleveland, Oh.	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	1
East Fairfield, Ohio	-	1	-	2	-	-	-	-	-
Gambier, Ohio	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Greenwich Station, Ohio	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Jacksonburg, Ohio	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	-
Kelley's Island, Ohio	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Martin's Ferry, Ohio	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Milnersville, Ohio	-	-	-	8	-	-	-	-	-
New Lisbon, Ohio	-	-	-	4	-	2	-	2	-
North Bass Island, Ohio	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3
North Fairfield, Ohio	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	2
Painesville, Ohio	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Portsmouth, Ohio	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Salem, Ohio	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	2
Sandusky, Ohio	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	3	-
Urbana, Ohio	-	3	-	2	-	-	-	-	-
Welshfield, Ohio	-	4	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Blooming Grove, Pennsylvania	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-
Brownsville, Pennsylvania	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania	-	8	-	2	-	2	-	3	1
Carlisle, Pennsylvania	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Connellsville, Pennsylvania	-	-	-	3	-	1	-	3	2
Dyberry, Pennsylvania	-	26	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Egypt, Pennsylvania	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Ephrata, Pennsylvania	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	2	-
Factoryville, Pennsylvania	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Fallsington, Pennsylvania	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Fleming, Pennsylvania	-	5	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Fountain Dale, Pennsylvania	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Horsham, Pennsylvania	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	-
Murrysville, Pennsylvania	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Nazareth, Penn.	-	5	-	2	-	-	-	-	-
Nyces, Pennsylvania	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	5	-
Reading, Pennsylvania	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	1
Tioga, Pennsylvania	-	7	-	-	-	1	-	1	1
White Hall, Pennsylvania	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Williamsport, Pennsylvania	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	-
Bluffton, South Carolina	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Holland's Store, South Carolina	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-
Chattanooga, Tennessee	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Elizabethton, Tennessee	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2	1
Austin, Texas	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Gilmer, Texas	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Oakland, Texas	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Brandon, Vermont	-	3	-	-	1	-	-	-	-
Castleton, Vermont	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Craftsbury, Vermont	-	1	-	-	-	3	-	-	-
East Bethel, Vermont	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Lunenburg, Vermont	-	4	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Newport, Vermont	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
North Craftsburg, Vermont	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Panton, Vermont	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Randolph, Vermont	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Rutland, Vermont	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
St. Albans, Vermont	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
West Charlotte, Vermont	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-
Woodstock, Vermont	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	-
Bacon's Castle, Virginia	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Hampton, Virginia	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Johnsontown, Virginia	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	3
Lynchburg, Virginia	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Piedmont, Virginia	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	2
Surry Court House, Virginia	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	-	1
Vienna, Virginia	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Wytheville, Virginia	-	-	-	1	-	2	-	-	2
Zuni Station, Virginia	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Bristol, Wisconsin	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Embarrass, Wisconsin	-	7	-	7	-	1	1	5	-
Fort Madison, Wisconsin	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	-	-
Green Bay, Wisconsin	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Manitowoc, Wisconsin	-	2	-	2	-	-	-	3	-
Mosinee, Wisconsin	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Waupacca, Wisconsin	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Weyauwega, Wisconsin	-	4	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

What a fine bunch of material these contributors provide. It is of foremost importance in considering bird migration and the essential dates of occurrence in a period when these particulars were not recorded, and thus are not otherwise available.

Population of Trumpeter Swans in High Plains Flock Largest Ever

A late-summer aerial survey of Trumpeter Swans indicates the highest population ever known for the High Plains Flock of this species reintroduced to the region in the early 1960s.

"It is great that these swans have reached these numbers," said Shilo Comeau, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and coauthor of a report on the annual survey. This was achieved "without little intensive management from humans.

"The swans are recovering well."

A "record-high" 523 swans were counted during a survey of northwest Nebraska and southwest South Dakota carried out from August 31 to September 3, by biologists with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, according to a report just issued by the federal agency.

There was an "increase of 22% from the 2008 estimate, and was primarily the result of a higher number of cygnets and breeding pairs observed. The number of breeding pairs increased, and correspondingly so did the number of broods and average brood size." The number of non-breeding pairs, did however, remain stable, according to the report.

"The flock continues to experience a positive growth rate of 4.8% annually from 1990 to 2009," according to the survey report.

High Plains Flock Trumpeter Swan Production Survey Results 1995-2009.

The aerial survey was conducted via a Cessna 182 airplane. An area in northwest Wyoming was not included this year, though it had been previously surveyed. There have not been any swans sighted here during the past seven years, according to the government report.

Additional birds in the eastern sandhills were counted via ground-based surveys by personnel of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

The number of young raised was readily indicated by the survey results, which indicated an increase in the number of breeding pairs and average brood size. The increase in cygnets "could be attributed to the coinciding factors of a large number of white [adult] birds becoming reproductively active and an improvement in habitat quality," according to the report. "This year the majority of wetlands in the survey area contained some water, cover, and the subaquatic food resources appeared abundant."

Conditions continued to also be favorable in the central and southeastern portions of the route, and swans have been expanding their range eastward, according to Nebraska Game and Parks Personnel. Three years ago survey efforts were extended further east in the sandhills. Biologists counted an additional 50 swans in this region during the recent autumn survey.

The birds in this area are a portion of the High Plains Flock, said Vrtiska, a coauthor of the swan survey report, and not from the increasing population in Iowa and Minnesota. "Right now, those groups tend to have distinct breeding and wintering areas," he said. There may be starting some overlap in eastern Nebraska, but without neck collars that could provide a certain identification, it is not known if these swans are from the sandhills flock.

Management Objective Achieved

Results of the survey denote the first time that the population objective for managing the Trumpeter Swan has been achieved.

The objective is "to develop a dispersed population consisting of at least 500 total birds counted during the production survey and 50 successful breeding pairs by 2010."

Results from this year, can be attributed to "improvement of breeding habitat coinciding with the maturity of the 2004 hatch year class." In 2004, "a relatively high number of cygnets were produced (107), making these birds reproductively mature."

The future for the swans looks good, according to the government report: "As long as habitat conditions remain favorable and no major stochastic event occurs, it is likely these parameters will continue to be achieved."

Improved habitat conditions for these waterfowl were a result of increased precipitation levels, the report indicated. Localities not suitable for the swans during recent drought conditions, have been used by these birds as wetland conditions improved with an increase in precipitation.

"Wetland that provided marginal breeding for newly established pairs during the drought may now be adequate for production," the report indicated. "Still the number of the pairs observed had no cygnets, but the number of breeding pairs did increase 43% from last year."

Sand hill "ranchers have also been a tremendous benefit for the swans," Comeau said, by their leaving wetlands intact and the relative isolation of many of the places where the swans breed, which limits any disturbance.

Wildlife officials are currently modeling the availability of habitat in the sandhills, and the results are expected to indicate if there are enough wetlands for the swan population to continue at the levels documented by the 2009 autumn survey.

"With decent precipitation," Comeau said, an ongoing "population of 450-550" swans could be expected.

Annual fall surveys to determine the number of Trumpeter Swans have been conducted for at least two decades in order to "track abundance trends in the flock and condition of the wetlands" where this swan - the largest species of waterfowl in North America - occurs.

Maximilian Journals of 1832-1834 a Treasure of Early American History

When a German prince visited North America to experience a country undergoing many changes, he did not realize that his writings - probably thought to be a tedious chore when done on the frontier - for a time 175 years ago would eventually provide a profound treasure for future scholars.

Pehriska-Ruhpa of the Dog Band of the Hidatsa tribe of Native Americans. Illustration by Karl Bodmer. Courtesy of Wikipedia.org.

Prince Maximilian of Wied traveled to experience the land of the United States and its territories, and to interact with its people. His journals written in his native language, contain vivid details of numerous places from Boston, where he arrived, and across the western frontier which was the home for native Americans.

The journey of the prince and his party, including artisan Karl Bodmer and hunter David Dreidoppel, took place during three years - from 1832-1834 - but the authoritative rendition of the journals is now being realized in an effort which has spread across decades of modern time.

When Marsha V. Gallagher started her career at the Joslyn Art Museum in 1981, one of her first duties was to annotate the images prepared by Bodmer. She relied on a "transliteration" of the expedition journals to realize what was shown, and was - as a specialist in ethnology - "pretty impressed" with the Maximilian collection, which had been acquired by the museum in 1964, based on the purchase by the Internorth Corporation, based in Omaha. At the time, "no one really knew what the journals contained," she said in a recent interview, amongst the exquisite collection of original journals and derivative information needed to prepare authoritative works based on historic renditions.

"The current translation of the journals is a balance between art and science" prepared in a that conveys the flavor and intent of the original author, Gallagher said. "It required the help of many, many people" to prepare the interpretations which are easily readable in volume I and soon in two subsequent volumes.

Stephen S. Witte, a primary editor, first learned of the Maximilian material following his efforts to help complete the publication of the Lewis and Clark journals of 1804-1807, including an index to the expansive writings, prepared under the leadership of Gary Moulton.

Moulton happened to be one of the senior advisers for the Maximilian journals project and was tasked with creating an advisory committee.

Witte began his full-time effort in January 2005, basically knowing about the Clark-Maximilian maps, preparing editorial procedures for properly issuing journals written long ago in a manner suitable for modern scholarly efforts. He also had some experience with the German language, which was an obvious help in understanding what was written in the original journals.

Ornithological History

Birds are a predominant subject in the journal. According to the expedition material, this was the result of planning. The scientific journal prepared by the Prince has a list of articles or books relevant to the cultural and natural history in America. His references included Wilson's ornithology, the series of articles by Charles L. Bonaparte about birds of the region.

According to the finely presented details included in the first issue of the journals, time spent at New Harmony, during the winter of 1833, was spent discussing innumerable topics with Thomas Say, and no doubt appreciating the notable library of history.

Both Gallagher and Witte agreed that it "was hard to say" if these reference works were available to Maximilian while traveling along the Missouri River. Steamboat travel did have its limitations for cargo.

Maximilian seemed to be "more actively involved in getting specimens to identify later," Gallagher said, mentioning that he did know bird songs. His familiarity with birds based on experience was also obviously helpful in noting what was present at different times and places.

Numerous zoological specimens were acquired, but the travails of traveling on the frontier had an obvious impact on the material that could be shipped to a safe place for later consideration.

Most of the zoological specimens available for later study were from the Boston to St. Louis portion of the journey of exploration, Gallagher said. There were some cargo manifests with details of specimens being shipped.

When the American Museum of Natural History bought the Maximilian collection two years after his death, there were 12,000 bird specimens, though many of them were from Brazil, she said.

A Team Effort

Maximilian, Bodmer, Dreidoppel and the many others involved with this expedition "were a team," Gallagher said, noting her personal enjoyment of the Bodmer artwork, a subject to which she has contributed her special perspective in numerous previously published books.

The journals convey a "fascinating historical moment" when "massive change" was taking place in the country, Witte notes. When the Prince was traveling through the eastern states in 1832, he observed railroads under construction, and two years later, they were a means of transportation.

"The Industrial Revolution was really taking hold," Witte said.

West of St. Louis, impacts of the country's expansion and the fur trade were apparent.

Maximilian observed the "consequences of the removal of Native people from the east," as they were being displaced further west. The journals are "one of the last major accounts of the Mandan" in northern Dakota - "before they were struck" by a small pox epidemic in 1837.

The journals are "tremendously fascinating" for someone interested in the history of the country in the early 1830s. The prince was "a keen observer of everything but politics," Witte said.

"Prince Maximilian intended for the information to be seen together," Gallagher said. "It is so important to see the journals in print. Dozens and dozens of people have made" the volumes what they are, and as "good as I think they will be."

"We are gratified to make this information available to far more people than before the journals were published," she said. "They are now available to anyone."

"Our task was to make the information available," through our documentary editing, Witte added. It will be up to "scholars at large to make use of what they can. It is not up to us to give the last word."

Looking Ahead

Funding to complete the publication of three volumes of Maximilian's journal is already available. Important contributors include the Hawks Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Further assistance has been provided by the Fort Union Association, Friend of Fort Union, Joslyn Art Museum, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, and the National Park Service.

The University of Oklahoma Press has been "an absolute pleasure to work with," Gallagher emphasized.

Volume 2 of the translated "tagebuch" will be available in the summer of 2010. The final volume is expected to be issued in the spring of 2012, and will include details from late-autumn 1833 to the end of the visit by the German prince and his worthy accomplices.

There is currently no funding available to issue the natural history journal written by Prince Maximilian, so there are no plans for its publication.

A number of additional illustrations by Bodmer are available online, in a black-and-white rendition.