Law College Actively Addresses Bird Strike Problem

Lewis and Clark Law School is actively involved in addressing problems with bird strikes on campus through a unique program of awareness and action.

With people on the campus at Portland Oregon witnessing bird strikes at buildings, the project at the university was started in autumn 2005 by a member of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund, who "noticed bird strikes on the Lewis and Clark buildings which face out into Tryon Creek State Park," said Brett Hartl, a student at the school. "The person began discussions with David Kelley, Assistant Dean of Administrative Affairs, about finding solutions and recording more data about the extent of the problem.

"As the leading environmental law school in the country and home of the National Center for Animal Law we are concerned about the issue of birds flying into the windows of our buildings," Kelley said. "We want to explore all options to find the best possible way to reduce the number of bird strikes. Documenting where the birds are hitting the windows is the first step and I would encourage all students, faculty and staff to report it any time they witness an event like this."

Members of the SALDF worked closely with Dean Kelley to determine the scope of the problem.

"For the first two years, SALDF put up signs asking people to report bird strikes," Hartl said. "Therefore the information on where birds were hitting windows was completely anecdotal."

The "SALDF was the primary group active in this effort, with myself being primarily in charge these last two years," Hartl explained.

"When I arrived at the law school, I looked at the data and began doing systematic daily surveys. The surveys generally confirmed the anecdotal evidence that the Legal Research Center was the largest source of bird mortalities on the law school campus. This was partly due to design of the building, as well as overall surface area of unbroken glass on the buildings' walls. The other factor is the amount of glass facing out into the park (as opposed to building glass that faces in other directions – into other suburban areas)."

Views of the setting of the Legal Research Center at Lewis and Clark Law School. Pictures courtesy of Brett Hartl.

The school is involved in modifying the buildings to make them bird-safe as it "is one of the top schools in Environmental and Animal Law, our neighbor is a State Park, and we are a significant source of mortality for wild birds in the park," Hartl explained. "Furthermore, it is an easy problem to fix and it is the right thing to do."

The school paid for the screening to make the glass of the building visible to birds, Hartl said.

"The school experimented with two methods of screening," Hartl explained. "The first is a decal screen that is attached directly to the windows and covers the entire window surface. This is similar to the material used on some public buses that allow passengers to see out, but allows the bus to be decorated with advertisements or other art on the outside. The second method was to retrofit some windows with screening similar to what people use in residential buildings for windows that open to keep bugs out. The advantage of this method is that the there is a gap between the screen and the glass which acts as a cushion in case a bird still flies into the window. Both methods reduce the reflectivity of the glass windows, which is the main reason that birds fly into glass.

"The data we have collected continues to show that screening dramatically reduces bird strikes on windows - by approximately 95%. To date, there have been no reports of the windows with mesh screening having bird strikes and all of my observations confirm this. There was one bird strike that occurred on a window with decals. So this mitigation measure is slightly less effective. If the school completely retrofits the Legal Research Center with screens, I would estimate that this would eliminate about 100-150 bird kills per year. Exact numbers are hard to get since bird carcasses disappear quickly into the forest. There is also some variability depending on migration conditions. In the last few weeks, a large number of Swainson's Thrush arrived in Tryon Creek State Park resulting in 14 bird mortalities. In this two week period, more birds were killed than all of last fall. So this year could have substantially higher bird mortality numbers."

Views of the glass at the Legal Research Center, showing the differences due to different window treatment options. "These photos show the building in general plus the areas which have been screened" with CollidEscape window film, Hartl said. "It is hard to get photos that capture the big picture since the building does face out into the forest, so everything is obscured a bit. However, these three pictures illustrate the dramatic reduction in reflectivity." The first picture "in particular shows the two types of screening we choose. The first two columns immediately to the left of the unscreened windows use the adhesive decals that attach directly to the windows. The third column over shows the windows with mesh screening on them. They are darker than the decals, but still reduce reflectivity dramatically."

"Each window retrofit costs about $600 dollars (the windows are about 5 feet by 10 feet) and there are about 120 windows that still need to be addressed," Hartl said. "The school is committed to providing the capital to address this, but we will have to see when it will get funded. We will have it in the capital planning budget by the end of the year and hopefully have the screens installed within the next few years.

"With the bad economy, there is a question about how to fund screening the rest of the buildings. I hope to resolve this by the end of the fall semester."

"We still get reports" of bird strikes "occasionally from folks around campus which I do follow up on, but it is no longer the main way of getting information."

To make it easy to report any bird strikes, a form is provided by the SALDF on the school's website.

Recently, Hartl has "folded this project into a larger effort, which I am also part of, to green the Law School campus holistically."

Platte River BioBlitz Records Diversity of Sanctuary Fauna and Flora

The diversity of Platte River birds and other fauna and flora was revealed during a BioBlitz held September 18-19 at Rowe Sanctuary in central Nebraska.

For one birder, participation required an early morning drive to be ready to look for different species once the sun broke the eastern horizon.

"The BioBlitz is a great way to combine study with public-education and I wanted to be a part of it," said Tim Hajda, of Broken Bow. "I always enjoy birding at Rowe Sanctuary, so when I heard that they were putting on a BioBlitz survey, I was excited to participate." Hajda, and his mother Lisa, drove 76 miles from their home near Broken Bow.

"Rowe Sanctuary captures the natural beauty of the Platte River and its birds in a way that few locations along the river can rival," Hajda said. "From the viewing blinds to the walking trails, it's always a relaxing place to go birding."

During his foray to look for birds from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Hajda joined Rowe Sanctuary’s Office Manager Kent Skaggs, Rowe Sanctuary’s office manager and Letitia Reichart, an Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, started at the Iain Nicolson Audubon Center and "hiked the trails that lead east and west of the center, adjacent to the river. Then we drove down to another trailhead farther downstream and walked a portion of that trail as well."

"The BioBlitz was a great way to get people engaged and taking action on the Platte River, allowing them to become familiar with the plants and animals that rely on the river," said Bill Taddicken, director of the Lillian Annette Rowe Bird Sanctuary, which is owned and managed by the National Audubon Society. "They can also become more connected to the need to preserve these natural places.”

"It was great to see such a good turnout for BioBlitz and the enthusiasm exhibited by the participants for the event."

The 48 volunteers "were invaluable to the success of the BioBlitz event," Taddicken said. "We had professors and students from the University of Nebraska at Kearney lending their knowledge and enthusiasm to impart a sense of importance and wonder to those people from the public that joined in this effort. All that attended were important whether they had expertise to identify species or if they just took home a better understanding of what the Platte River offers in terms of diversity of plants and animals and its many benefits to people.”

There were 54 bird species recorded. American White Pelican Great Blue Heron Great Egret Wood Duck Turkey Vulture Cooper's Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Bald Eagle Osprey Northern Bobwhite Ring-necked Pheasant Killdeer Greater Yellowlegs Mourning Dove Great Horned Owl Eastern Screech-Owl Belted Kingfisher Red-headed Woodpecker Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Eastern Phoebe Western Kingbird Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo

Blue Jay American Crow Barn Swallow White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Marsh Wren American Robin Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher European Starling Common Yellowthroat Canada Warbler Northern Cardinal Rose-breasted Grosbeak Blue Grosbeak Indigo Bunting Dickcissel Spotted Towhee Field Sparrow Clay-colored Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Song Sparrow Lincoln's Sparrow Western Meadowlark Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle American Goldfinch House Sparrow

Plants, insects, butterflies and small mammals were also surveyed during the 24-hour event.

The hightlight of the the bird survey for Hajda, was "watching a large flock of European Starlings defend themselves against a hungry Cooper's Hawk was a special sighting. The starlings flocked into a tight 'ball,' impenetrable by the hawk." He contributed his survey results - having noted 41 species - to EBird, and included an approximate number of each species noted.

Hajda believes "that all birders, wildlife professionals, or outdoor enthusiasts should participate in volunteer projects like these. Volunteer-effort studies, including Breeding Bird Atlas, Christmas Bird Counts and eBird, just to name a few, are indispensable, and have provided us with arguably the most valuable data on bird population and distribution in the history of bird study."

"Many of the participants said they are looking forward to the next one, which we intend on doing in the spring of 2010," Taddicken said.

The BioBlitz at Rowe Sanctuary was made possible through grant funds from Toyota, provided to the National Audubon Society through the "TogetherGreen" volunteer initiative, and then given to the local Audubon center.

Lisa and Tim Hajda and other bird watchers at the BioBlitz. Pictures courtesy of Rowe Sanctuary.

Collecting insects.

Recording data collected during the 24-hour BioBlitz

Cutoff Lake a Celebrated Place for Birds Along Missouri River

A dynamic and shifting landscape of always changing settings was characteristic of the historic Missouri River in decades long past, with any conditions slightly remembered in tidbits by observers of those eras long ago. The twists and shifts in channels were consistent and constantly dynamic, guided only by persistent forces of water across a resistant floodplain ready for change.

Origins of Cutoff Lake • The change in the river's primary channel that created a cutoff lake occurred on March 16, 1877 when a rise in the water's level "very nearly completed" the cutoff of the channel, at what was then known as Saratogo Bend. • Flooding continued into early summer, with water levels at 17 feet above the low-water mark, and still rising in mid-June; the "water now covers all the bottoms lands on both sides of the river," with the southern portion of Council Bluffs threatened. • The river waters continued to rise and on July 8, 1877, the primary flow dramatically broke through to create a new channel early on Sunday; and on Monday, "almost the entire body of the Missouri came through the new channel, at a point a little northeast of the smelting works." • Cutoff Lake was renamed Carter Lake in 1890, after Levi Carter, a cofounder of the Carter Lead Works; the company built a new facility in the same year, after a fire had destroyed their buildings Details from published newspaper articles describing these events.

One particular riverine place was wrought by forces more than 130 years ago, back in 1877. The great forces of the river's waters dramatically caused a change in direction that left behind an oxbow significant in a multitude of ways since its origins.

The locality was known at one time as Horseshoe Lake, then Cutoff Lake and finally as Carter Lake, a long and narrow lake split by the boundary for Nebraska and Iowa, somewhere in the middle of the thing.

Birds did not care about any political boundaries but utilized habitats that were a vital haven for breeding or a fine spot to settle in during a seasonal migration. In the decades subsequent to its origin the variety of habitats at this unique riverplace present some distinctive history of ornithology for a particular place along the lower Missouri River.

Cutoff Lake in 1890

A reporter, probably Sandy Griswold with the Omaha Bee newspaper, lamented the decline of the lake environs - its "State of Innocuous Desuetude" - in the summer of 1890, mentioning its loss of a reliable source of water from the hills to the west because of the railroad tracks that were changing the setting, the costly option of pumping water to supplement the lake which was not carried out due to its cost, and the nefarious activities at saloons and joints south of the lake and on the island, which would have been Carter Lake, Iowa. Local residents wanted the place restored to what they considered to be its former greatness.

A prose picture of the lake was given with the article:

"The lake is not attractive to look upon from a distance and the tramp across dusty roads and over the railroad rights of way that separate the city from the water is not exhilarating, but once fairly out on the lake and all such annoyances are forgotten. Over to the north and on the Iowa shore is a beautiful shore. The bluffs rise up out of the evening mists, while broad shafts of sunshine from low rifted clouds blazon summit and slope and glen with bands of life and leave belts of sombre shade between. To the northwest is seen a mass of green farms and meadows, reaching almost to the water's edge, with glimpses here and there of white cottages surrounded by groves and trees. To the south and west is the city, enveloped in smoke and dust, the twinkle of the electric lights marking the principal buildings and locations, but the eye finds no pleasure in this view. The attraction is in the direction of those other avenues, the wide grass-carpeted thoroughfares that branch hither and thither in every direction and wander to seemingly interminable distances. The scenery is not striking or picturesque. There are no scarred and wrinkled precipices, nor grove-plumed promontories, nor orange groves, nor gondolas lying idle upon the water, nor rugged cone-shaped crags with ruinous castles perched way up toward the drifting clouds. It is simply a pleasing, inviting spot, leaving which one wonders that corporations and commissioners will go to such great expense to fashion unfavorable locations after nature and fail to improve the work that nature has so well begun." - by Anonymous

Oology

In the mid-1890s - a decade long gone and yet not forgotten - some bird watchers realized that the Missouri River oxbow was a fine place to look for birds. It was an era where bird identification often relied on having a specimen held in one's hands. Starting in 1894, collecting egg sets was the result.

During the wonderful pinnacle for breeding, Cutoff Lake drew enthusiasts interested in birds, which at this time in ornitological history meant they collected bird eggs. At the river oxbow, G.W. Sabine and B.E. Griffiths took away precious things which are now part of a museum's collection of zoological items because the eggs - devoid of any contents - were important enough to be kept in a collector's collection.

This interest of the era - obviously enhanced by a ready availability - occurred also in June 1895, July 1987, May and June 1898 and June 1899 as well. Eggs of the following species - stark reminders of a former time - are part of the expansive collection at the University of Nebraska State Museum:

Cutoff Lake setting as shown on map issued in 1893 by the Missouri River Commission.

• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Yellow-breasted Chat
• Bell's Vireo
• Wilson's Phalarope
• Brown Thrasher
• Least Bittern
• Yellow-headed Blackbird
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Common Moorhen
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Yellow Warbler

The egg sets convey what was present at the lake during those long gone times of the first bird history for an oxbow along the wandering Missouri River.

After the Century

Further intimate and celebrated details given about the lake were expressed in April, 1901, when that master of outdoor prose, Sandy Griswold, was the descriptor.

The gist of the article: "There is more real outdoor sport out at Cut-Off lake to the square foot than is to be found about any similar body of water in the world... ." This is glowing account of pleasures of outdoor recreation which could be enjoyed differently at Carter Lake. The details are best appreciated by reading about "Cut-Off lake's unique citizenship" as they were originally described.

Cut-off Lake Marshes

"A marshy tract near a river cutoff north of Omaha is so thickly grown up with cattails and reeds that a boat cannot be used to advantage; the water is too deep for boots. Wading up to your waist in water with mud and reeds, cattails, tules, pondweed and duckweed in strenuous and exhausting but very interesting with birds numerous and nesting. Wading much of the time was in water about 2 meters high (about shoulder height) and not infrequently deeper holes. The region is simply alive with birds," wrote the celebrated naturalist and photographer, Frank Shoemaker in his special reminiscences from the early 1900s.

Summer birds were observed at Cut-off Lake by Shoemaker during the early years of the 20th century, comprised 21 species for what must have been a arduous summer outing on July 4, 1902.

American Coot, American Goldfinch, Bank Swallow, Bell's Vireo, Brown Thrasher, Common Yellowthroat, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Towhee, Field Sparrow, Gray Catbird, House Wren, Indigo Bunting, Marsh Wren, Orchard Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Warbling Vireo, Willow Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Yellow-headed Blackbird.

August 23 1902

"I went to Cut-off Lake this evening after evening hours, to ascertain whether there were any of the young of the long-billed marsh wren in picturable condition. I found to my regret that I was about two days late; I examined four nests from which the young had just flown. I had a fine chance to study the parent birds, for they were very worked up, their young, no doubt, concealed in the rushes nearby. I believe that I saw one young wren; but the rushes were thick, and I could not follow up.

"Neuroptera present in great number and variety; I am definitely impressed with the beauty of these insects which I have never studied.

"Bird notes are almost nil. I saw in all four Least Bitterns, more than on any trip this year; three pairs of goldfinches; a Black-billed Cuckoo with a large insect in its bill; a solitary kingfisher, flying a hundred feet up, going at its best speed and screeching fit to kill; a Pied-billed Grebe, sporting in the water where Trostler and I have seen them so often, and have searched so diligently and fruitlessly for a nest. Sky overcast; weather cool and windy. I had waded most of the time in water to my waist; the water was cold, and I was chilled through; but that never bothers me."

These are the six species noted in the naturalist's notes: American Goldfinch, Belted Kingfisher, Black-billed Cuckoo, Least Bittern, Marsh Wren, and Pied-billed Grebe.

These are images taken by Frank Shoemaker at Cutoff Lake, and are part of the Shoemaker Collection at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Click on the thumbnail image to see a larger version of the picture in a separate browser window.
Nest of long-billed marsh wren.	Sora rail nest with eggs.	View of one of the marshes adjoining Cutoff Lake.	Cut-off Lake.	Nest of King Rail.	Three young Least Bitterns in a nest.

1909 in the Water

June 19

"Spent 3 to 5 p.m. today at Cut-off Lake, all in the little marshy tract north of the streetcar line just before reaching the site of Carter White Lead works. A clear, hot, windy day; so windy that my bird list was cut down to those I saw, instead of including as usual those to which my attention was attracted by hearing their notes- 14 species.

"Six nests of red-wings; no young yet.

"Three Least Bitterns; eggs: 4,3,2. Found several nests in process of building.

"A nest of King Rail; of rushes, just above water level among cattails and tules, the water being more than knee deep. There were five eggs, and four young just hatched, but active enough to pile out and swim about bravely. Took two photographs of the nest, under difficulties. The young birds were coal black, like young coots, for which I at first mistook them."

June 20

"Found one of the parent birds near the King Rail's nest, but could not locate even one of the young birds, of which there are six in the region, there remaining in the nest three eggs.

"Found three more nests of the Least Bittern, and several of the Red-winged Blackbird.

"Got nearly exhausted in the swamp; wading to the waist in water with mud and reeds, cattails, tules, pondweed and duckweed, on a hot day, is strenuous, but very interesting with birds numerous and nesting.

"Failed to have noted having picked up in Cut-off, on the 19th, a mature Least Bittern; it was three feet to the side of my course, and was trying to pass itself off as a stick! I have read of this habit, but never before have I had it demonstrated. It took a bit of doing to take two photographs of the bird while I held it in my hand, but I managed; after which it flew away."

July 10, 1909 - 3:30 to 7:30 p.m.

"Cut-off Lake; crossed East Omaha bridge; followed river on Iowa side to Douglas Street Bridge.

"Surprised to find water about two feet deeper in marshes than it was when I photographed nest of King Rail June 19. Nests of Least Bitterns all destroyed, but probably after the young had hatched. Several nests of Least Bittern with eggs found on higher points; some of these possibly replacing destroyed nests? Have never seen any indication of second nesting after a brood was raised.

"No long-billed Marsh Wrens seen.

"Waded some of the time in water to my armpits; part of this experience on the Iowa side."

Waters of the lake were consistently an attraction to birds, but any notes of their occurrence was intermittent. There are some few observations in the mid-1920s, but only a few species are among the annals of the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union.

Waterbird Census - Again and Again

In the spring of 1928, a focused effort started that continued for a few years and which indicates the variety of migrant and breeding species at what must have been a period distinct in the ornithological history of the oxbow.

Mr. L.O. Horsky conducted a census on March 10 for the U.S. Biological Survey. Another count detailed in the NOU Letters of Informations was carried out by Robert Overing. His efforts were responsible for defining the lake's avifauna for the period, as others also visited the lake, probably because of what could be seen and appreciated by the birders.

On April 18, A.H. Jones, from Hastings, noted what species were about. The following day, Dr. C.A. Mitchell compiled his list of species.

Another issue of the Letter of Information in July 1928, profoundly indicated the value of the lake for a bunch of birds. On page 5 of the typed pages, the list of species and numbers noted on a particular date were given for May 9 and six other census dates through mid-June. The water bird censuses were done by Robert Overing and other members of the Omaha Nature Study Club.

This survey effort continued, with a profound number of counts. Other participants noted as contributors with the published notes about species for particular dates, were Misses Mary and Emma Ellsworth, Fred Eastman, L.O. Horsky, C.A. Mitchell, Dr. J.B. Bostick, Mrs. Florence Steuneberg, Mrs. Jessie Dettman, W.W. Scott and Florence Taylor. Each person provided their individual assistance for this ongoing study of birdlife at a particular locality.

Counts were continued into the summer and fall, and beyond. During 1928, eleven surveys were done from June 30 to October 19. Once the bunch got started, they contributed into 1929 and into 1932, a huge amount of time that was a dedicated effort to continue their endeavor to denote what species were at the lake scene. This is a unique and especially valuable contribution to Nebraska ornithology, especially by Mr. and Mrs. Overing, whom did the majority of the counts.

The following table lists the 82 species noted, and the number of times they were counted during the surveys.

Common Name	1928	1929	1930	1931	1932
Snow Goose	-	2	2	-	1
Canada Goose	-	1	3	1	1
Gadwall	5	3	3	-	-
American Wigeon	6	7	7	1	-
American Black Duck	-	1	-	-	-
Mallard	6	5	2	-	-
Blue-winged Teal	11	11	12	1	-
Northern Shoveler	11	9	11	-	-
Northern Pintail	8	5	4	1	-
Green-winged Teal	1	-	-	-	-
Canvasback	2	2	-	-	-
Redhead	5	5	2	-	1
Ring-necked Duck	-	2	-	-	-
Lesser Scaup	14	11	13	1	1
Long-tailed Duck	1	-	-	-	-
Bufflehead	4	-	-	-	-
Common Goldeneye	-	1	1	-	2
Common Merganser	2	6	-	-	-
Ruddy Duck	3	2	2	-	-
Red-throated Loon	-	2	1	-	1
Common Loon	1	-	-	-	-
Pied-billed Grebe	13	14	13	1	2
Eared Grebe	5	2	1	-	-
Western Grebe	2	1	-	-	1
American White Pelican	2	2	-	-	-
American Bittern	6	4	4	-	-
Least Bittern	7	5	3	-	-
Great Blue Heron	8	1	6	-	-
Green Heron	6	1	3	-	-
Black-crowned Night-Heron	-	1	1	-	-
Northern Harrier	-	1	-	1	-
King Rail	-	1	1	-	-
Virginia Rail	2	-	-	-	-
Sora	1	4	3	-	-
Common Moorhen	5	7	9	-	-
American Coot	24	21	20	1	1
Black-bellied Plover	1	-	-	-	-
Semipalmated Plover	3	-	-	-	-
Killdeer	5	-	13	1	1
Black-necked Stilt	1	-	-	-	-
Spotted Sandpiper	-	3	3	-	-
Solitary Sandpiper	5	2	-	-	-
Greater Yellowlegs	4	-	-	-	-
Lesser Yellowlegs	7	-	5	-	-
Marbled Godwit	1	-	-	-	-
Semipalmated Sandpiper	4	-	-	-	-
Least Sandpiper	4	-	2	-	-
White-rumped Sandpiper	5	-	2	-	-
Pectoral Sandpiper	6	-	2	-	-
Long-billed Dowitcher	-	2	-	-	-
Wilson's Snipe	3	1	3	-	-
Wilson's Phalarope	1	-	-	-	-
Franklin's Gull	-	1	-	-	-
Herring Gull	2	3	10	-	2
Least Tern	5	5	9	-	1
Black Tern	7	4	10	-	1
Forster's Tern	2	1	1	-	-
Belted Kingfisher	1	-	4	-	-
Downy Woodpecker	-	-	-	1	-
Hairy Woodpecker	-	-	-	1	-
Northern Flicker	-	-	-	1	-
Eastern Phoebe	1	-	-	-	-
White-eyed Vireo	1	-	-	-	-
American Crow	-	-	-	1	-
Barn Swallow	3	-	-	-	-
Black-capped Chickadee	-	-	-	1	-
White-breasted Nuthatch	-	-	-	1	-
Marsh Wren	1	-	1	-	-
Cedar Waxwing	-	-	1	-	-
Yellow Warbler	-	-	2	-	-
Yellow-rumped Warbler	1	-	-	-	-
Prothonotary Warbler	1	-	-	-	-
Louisiana Waterthrush	1	-	-	-	-
American Tree Sparrow	-	-	-	1	-
Song Sparrow	1	-	-	-	-
Dark-eyed Junco	-	-	-	1	-
Dickcissel	-	-	1	-	-
Red-winged Blackbird	3	2	1	1	-
Eastern Meadowlark	-	1	-	-	-
Western Meadowlark	-	-	1	1	-
Yellow-headed Blackbird	3	-	-	-	-
Common Grackle	2	1	-	-	-

Notes of Summer Surveys in 1930

The following notes for the June 28, 1930 census were included with the survey results in the Letter of Information, provided in a letter submitted to Myron H. Swenk, the Secretary-Treasurer of the NOU, and editor of the letter.

"This census was marked by an interesting experience. I watched from the road the four King Rails, the two American Bitterns, and the Black-crowned Night Heron feeding together in a nearly dry slough near Carter Lake. To secure a closer view I slipped through reeds and mud till I came to the open space where the birds were. The Rails had gone; the Night Heron immediately saw me and flew to another marshy spot across the road; the two Bitterns eyed me with outstretched necks and heads, and then flew away separately. I sat down on a convenient muskrat house to await developments. The Night Heron was the first to return. It circled overhead, evidently saw me, flew away, and did not come back. Next two of the King Rails came out into the open and preened their feathers. One of the Bitterns also returned before I began to search the slough for nests. I found a partially constructed nest of dry reeds, and as long as I was near it a King Rail scolded me so continuously that I judged the nest belong to that species.

"The nest of the Western Meadowlark found near Carter Lake on the N.O.U. field trip, on June 3 contained three downy young. On the 14th I feared the nest might have been damaged by a mowing-machine, but the three young were unharmed and nearly feathered. On the 21st of June I found they had left the nest. On June 14 I found a Dickcissel's nest containing 3 Dickcissel eggs and two Cowbird eggs. I removed the latter. On June 21 the nest was abandoned and contained but one Dickcissel egg, which was still there on June 28. I took another Cowbird's egg from a Yellow Warbler's nest on May 25. The Cowbird laid two eggs in the Warbler's nest before the Warbler laid any. After I removed the Cowbird eggs the Warblers reconditioned their nest and laid four eggs in it by June 8. I do not know whether they raised young or not, as the nest was empty on my next visit, June 18. I found 21 Long-billed Marsh Wrens' nests during June, but none contained either eggs or young while under my observation."

The notes are short but they convey a true sense of the effort taken to observe the birds and their breeding activities.

Contributed details from July 23, included a sighting of a pair of Florida Gallinules with six young.

This season was the basic end of the waterbird census's done by Mr. Overing. There are additional records of species at the lake environs, but none are similar to what had been reported during the three-year focus on the natural history of the resident birdlife. Further dates of occurrence were based on migration lists by the Omaha Nature Study Club, with a few reports by Mr. Overing.

Bird species documented during this five-year period comprise a distinctive list that conveys how the lake waters attracted variety during different times of the year. Additional analysis would provide further insight into the chronology of the birds' occurrence, numbers counted, conditions of habitat at the time, and other aspects of the site's avifauna.

Shooting Birds Illegal "Birds make tempting targets for young men and boys, armed with the popular small caliber rifles, but the law forbids shooting them. "And the lawyer who raises the point that the shot that wounded a schoolboy on Sunday was fired across a state boundary line is not helping his case. "The law also provides for such contingencies, and it is a crime to shoot birds in Iowa as well as in Nebraska. "Furthermore, Carter Lake and Carter Lake park constitute a bird sanctuary, named for Omaha's great bird lover, 'Sandy' Griswold, a true sportsman, and birds of any sort are supposed to be safe from shooters there at all times. "It might not be out of the way for the authorities to take full notice of all the elements in this case." — Omaha Morning Bee-News, May 1936.

Bird Sanctuary in the 1930s

The prevalence of birds at the lake brought it a unique designation during this period of time. The place was dubbed a bird sanctuary in recognition of the lifetime achievements of Sandy Griswold's writing about birds in the local newspapers during a career that spanned four decades.

Some Omaha sportsmen afterwards had a lasting memorial to a preeminent sporting comrade of the outdoors. A bird sanctuary at Carter Lake was first recognized by an Omaha city ordinance. Prominent men of the city, George Brandeis and Thomas Kimball, were on a committee of 50 folk that raised funds to place a memorial monument or marker in the city park now at the former Missouri River oxbow.

Dramatic Changes Wrought by Park Development

In the summer of 1937, a group of people envisioned Carter Lake as a site for development of recreation. Apparently it providing a haven for birds did not suit their idea of something valuable.

The Carter Lake Development Society had a five year plan ... and the efforts were under the supervision of the "national park department," according to Omaha World-Herald newspaper accounts. Labor for the "improvements" was supplied by the Carter Lake CCC, with about 170 men at work.

"The CCC men have built roads, drives, cut down rough banks of the lake, planted trees and shrubs by the thousands. They have set up picnic stoves, built rustic benches, erected bathing houses, developed the famous one thousand foot beach."

The work apparently started two-and-a-half years prior to August, 1937.

"A place of beauty, where the CCC boys have spent much labor, is the lagoon, once a waste place."

This beauty was being subsidized by an agreement between the utilities district and the city of Omaha were 200 million gallons of water were pumped in the lake, each year, at the cost of $2000.

Dredging was an important part of the development effort. The development society was asking the Omaha city council that operations with an Omaha Parks dredge, halted due to a lack of funds, be resumed. The Parks commissioner Hummel, said costs for operating the dredge was about $275 or $300 a month, and a crew of five men was required, according to the news article.

The situation was in such a flux, that the Omaha World-Herald weighed in with an editorial:

"There should be no difficulty about the city council releasing funds to insure the continuance of the development of Carter lake. This project, on which the federal government is spending large sums of money, and which ahs kept hudreds of men busy for months, is Omaha's best bet for a beautiful playground. The city contribution is absurdly small."

According to the writer, the park, including Nebraska and Iowa areas, would cover 1600 acres of "lake shore land." Once again its features are best conveyed by the words of the time:

"Its bathing beaches will accomodate 10 thousand persons. It will have picnicking facilities in blue grass meadows under the trees for thousands of persons. There will be good fishing. There will also be many playfields for the recreation of young and old."

The development work was apparently about half done, "so that the whole grand scheme is apparent, the project looms as one of the finest within the city's grasp." An a latter page in the same issue of the newspaper, there were three pictures given about the project, including one of the bath-house and the dredge. Included in the caption, was a mention that an expected $1 million was expected to be spent on the project.

"When this development of the Carter lake area is completed, we will have one of the finest parks between Chicago and the Pacific coast." — L.W. Trester, president of the development society

Terns and Plovers in 1940

When Least Terns and Piping Plovers were nesting in 1940, their were noted by R. Allyn Moser and F.W. Haecker on June 10th. The nesting site was "a dredged sand fill with an irregular contour," according to an article in the Nebraska Bird Review. "Growing there are a few young willows, cottonwoods, and tumbleweeds. On the ground can be found many small pieces of driftwood, broken clam shells, and variously sized pebbles." It was originally surrounded by water on only two sides, but then became completely surrounded.

A Piping Plover nest was first located, then later two additional plover nests and six of the tern. Observations on the number of eggs present, and the fate of the breeding birds were also made on July 3 and 8th, with daily visits then made.

There were ten plovers known to be present. Only three tern nests were located.

Forgotten Bird Haven

For several decades after the bird census effort circa 1930, the oxbow lake was a place rarely visited by birders. During the period from 1950 to 2000, there are only 48 known species. There are only three known records for the Red-shouldered Hawk from 1958, then a few species in 1979 through 1985, and this is the case despite a focused effort to integrate any available observations into a database so they might become part of the ornithological record.

Any recognition of the place as a designated bird sanctuary was forgotten, and there was nothing to indicate its former status.

Current Birdlife

There was an increase in the information to consider during the 1990s, when 42 species were known to occur, mostly waterfowl which obviously would be attracted to the waters of a still lake on the river's floodplain.

Although any effort to indicate the species known to occur at Kiwanis Park or Carter Lake or Levi Carter Park or Iowa West Ranch has fluctuated greatly - depending on the efforts of local bird-watchers - there is still a known variety of birds present, attracted to the lake and surrounding environs, which are now mostly mown grass and cottonwood trees and a lake devoid of any vegetation which once attracted so many waterbirds. On a summer's day, the obvious sighting might be a ski boat rather than a rail or bittern.

There have, however, been 97 species noted during the last ten years, as shown in the following table of species, given in an archaic taxonomic sequence. The value given is the number of records which provide a rough indicator of relative occurrence.

Common Name	Carter Lake	Iowa West Ranch	Levi Carter Park
Greater White-fronted Goose	2	-	1
Snow Goose	3	-	-
Ross's Goose	1	-	-
Cackling Goose	3	-	2
Canada Goose	34	-	7
Trumpeter Swan	4	-	-
Tundra Swan	1	-	-
Wood Duck	16	-	7
Gadwall	6	-	-
American Wigeon	2	-	-
Mallard	42	1	10
Blue-winged Teal	3	-	-
Northern Shoveler	9	-	4
Northern Pintail	1	-	-
Green-winged Teal	2	-	-
Canvasback	2	-	-
Redhead	2	-	-
Ring-necked Duck	8	-	1
Lesser Scaup	11	-	2
Bufflehead	1	-	-
Common Goldeneye	11	-	2
Hooded Merganser	12	-	1
Common Merganser	6	-	4
Ruddy Duck	9	-	-
Wild Turkey	-	3	-
Common Loon	2	-	-
Pied-billed Grebe	9	-	1
Horned Grebe	4	-	-
Western Grebe	1	-	-
American White Pelican	4	-	-
Double-crested Cormorant	14	-	1
Great Blue Heron	12	-	1
Great Egret	1	-	-
Turkey Vulture	-	2	1
Osprey	1	-	-
Bald Eagle	17	-	4
Red-tailed Hawk	1	-	12
Rough-legged Hawk	1	2	1
American Kestrel	2	1	8
Merlin	1	-	-
Peregrine Falcon	2	-	-
American Coot	13	-	-
Killdeer	5	-	2
Spotted Sandpiper	2	-	1
Greater Yellowlegs	1	-	-
Franklin's Gull	3	-	-
Bonaparte's Gull	2	-	-
Ring-billed Gull	18	-	5
Herring Gull	3	-	-
Glaucous Gull	2	-	-
Forster's Tern	1	-	-
Rock Pigeon	3	-	5
Mourning Dove	2	2	9
Great Horned Owl	-	-	1
Common Nighthawk	3	-	-
Chimney Swift	3	1	-
Belted Kingfisher	2	-	3
Red-headed Woodpecker	1	2	-
Red-bellied Woodpecker	-	1	1
Downy Woodpecker	1	1	10
Hairy Woodpecker	-	2	-
Northern Flicker	1	3	12
Willow Flycatcher	-	1	-
Least Flycatcher	-	1	-
Western Kingbird	1	-	1
Eastern Kingbird	1	-	1
Blue Jay	1	2	3
American Crow	1	3	12
Purple Martin	6	-	-
Tree Swallow	1	-	-
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	-	-	1
Bank Swallow	1	-	-
Barn Swallow	4	1	3
Black-capped Chickadee	-	5	5
White-breasted Nuthatch	-	2	2
Brown Creeper	-	-	1
House Wren	-	3	1
Golden-crowned Kinglet	-	1	1
American Robin	3	2	11
Gray Catbird	-	1	-
European Starling	3	3	15
Cedar Waxwing	-	-	1
American Redstart	-	1	-
Ovenbird	-	1	-
Common Yellowthroat	-	3	1
Chipping Sparrow	1	-	1
Song Sparrow	-	1	-
Dark-eyed Junco	-	1	6
Northern Cardinal	1	3	9
Indigo Bunting	-	1	-
Red-winged Blackbird	3	1	7
Common Grackle	2	2	8
Brown-headed Cowbird	1	-	1
Baltimore Oriole	-	2	1
House Finch	-	-	1
American Goldfinch	2	4	3
House Sparrow	2	1	4

The records list indicate there has been a dramatic decline in breeding species, as Least Terns or Piping Plovers would obviously not now find any haven for nesting. Other waterbirds would never occur during the breeding season.

The lake is still an interesting place to watch birds. The wetland habitats essential for a greater variety of birds may be gone as there are no breeding Least Bitterns of Marsh Wren - but some appreciation of Missouri Valley avifauna is still provided. It is still a fine spot to see some Bald Eagles, watch some winter mergansers and enjoy the antics of a flock of Canada geese, or the lazy flights of gulls.

The future for this lake, obviously once a natural riverine oxbow, but now basically a lake along the river will depend on the desires of local stakeholders. There is a friends group working to maintain the waters, but as far as birds are concerned, there is little attention apparently being given to managing lake levels for their benefit. Birds will occur but the diversity or variety will be severely constricted by decisions made which do not consider avian requirements during the breeding season or spring and autumn migration periods.

It is best to visit the place to get your own understanding of the local bird life. More than one visit would be a most suitable means to convey any perspective. Further birdly highlights will certainly occur.

Carter Lake Once Nimrod Paradise

Old-Timers Bagged Plenty of Fowl There - Too Many Hunters Spoiled the Broth Though.

Now a Bird Reserve

By Howard Wolff.

The old timers can lament over "the good old days of duck hunting" and tell the youngsters about those phantom flocks numbering well into the thousands.

They can tell "us kids" about the memorable shoots of old when gun barrels became so hot from continued firing that often it was necessary to draw the firing piece through the water to cool it off sufficiently to continue the slaughter.

And the general trend is always a lament. And we youngsters, those of us who have known the thrill of the double kill, or have shivered in willow-covered blinds, can lament along with them.

Yet our laments are generally second handed, for we knew not the sport of the days that have passed, never to return. And yet again, we have a bit of crying to do ourselves.

Carter Lake Closed.

And our wail concerns Carter lake, only a few years ago so very fertile a spot for duck shooting enthusiasts; so very popular; often so munificent in its returns.

No longer is the early-morning silence shattered; no longer must the winged voyagers scan with wary eye the suspicious clots that may hold men - and their destruction-belching guns. For all is peaceful, all is tranquil, now. In 1926 Carter lake was made a bird refuge. Guns were silenced for all time, and here the wild fowl may rest undisturbed in their annual migrations for the northlands into southern waters.

Many of us, the younger shooters, received our early raining at Carter lake. It used to be a great spot for the kids. Mornings in season would find boys there in droves, hoping for a random shot, vying with the older men in seeking game.

The general bag ran to mud hens, but an occasional teal or now and then a mallard or widgeon was reward to repay the loss of sleep. And then, "when the flight was on," there were ducks for all. Even the poorest shot among the kids was sure to spot enough on these mornings to send the hot blood coursing through his young body in exhilaration.

Hunters in Danger.

But towards the end it became unsafe. Too many hunters lining the banks, with others out in the lake in boats. too many random shots with ever the possibility of maiming or even killing unfortunate nimrods. Finally, in 1926, it was all stopped. And today, the birds have a safe sanctuary. Yet it has been a great loss to the kids, who now have no place handy to do their shooting, and for that I lament.

Here in the great Mississippi-Missouri basin, finest for duck shooting in the world, there should be sport for all. Those fortunate enough to belong to shooting clubs, or able to take weekly jaunts into the sandhills, can always get their quota.

But the occasional hunters are just out of luck. Lakes within an easy radius of Omaha are now privately supported by gun clubs, while river shooting is generally out of the question for the youngsters.

While Carter lake offered its possibilities, the kids were given an opportunity to serve their apprenticeships. But that is closed to all shooting now. And again I lament. Not that it isn't a fine thing, as it is, but my laments are for the kids.

February 17, 1929. Omaha Sunday World-Herald 64(20): 3-B.

First-Ever BioBlitz Identifies New Species at Spring Creek Prairie

The first BioBlitz conducted at Spring Creek Prairie found many new and interesting features of nature at the 808-acre tract of native and replanted prairie, woodlands and other habitats for flora and fauna.

About 50 volunteers participated during a 24-hour period on September 19-20, according to Marian Langan, director at Audubon's Spring Creek Prairie, south of Denton, Nebraska. Volunteers came from many local communities, and included scientists from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Doane Collage in Crete, Creighton University in Omaha, and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Everyone contributed their expertise to sample the biological diversity.

"Efforts of the volunteers brought together a quilt of many pieces," of nature, Langan said. "The future of tallgrass prairie depends on what people put into its maintenance," and the surveys helped to understand prairie and reasons for its conservation.

Activities such as the BioBlitz - and numerous educational activities at the center for thousands of school kids, especially from Lincoln Public Schools - can "get people excited about the values of tallgrass prairie," Langan said. "Many people have fallen in love with prairie." Knowing more about Spring Creek Prairie can help with conservation of nearby prairie areas by showing the variety of species which occur.

"Prairies are such an amazing landscape!," she said. "Many people are exposed to biodiversity typically from a television program, and don't realize the actual variety of a prairie." Langan has been director at Spring Creek Prairie for ten years, and still "learns something new every time" she ventures out among the grass and woods.

The subtle, and exciting features of Spring Creek Prairie were obvious during the weekend.

Abundant Biodiversity Birds: noted by observers and/or captured in mist nets for banding. American Crow American Goldfinch; 52 banded* American Robin Barn Swallow; 2 banded Barred Owl; during owl hike Bell's Vireo; 1 banded Blue Jay; 1 banded Brown Thrasher; 2 banded Chimney Swift Clay-colored Sparrow; 2 banded Common Yellowthroat; 5 banded Dickcissel; 3 banded Downy Woodpecker; 1 banded Eastern Bluebird Eastern Kingbird Eastern Meadowlark Eastern Phoebe Eastern Screech-Owl; during owl hike Eastern Towhee; 1 banded Flycatcher Gray Catbird; 18 banded Great Blue Heron Great Horned Owl; during owl hike House Wren; 7 banded Killdeer Least Flycatcher; 1 banded Lincoln's Sparrow; 1 banded Mourning Dove Northern Cardinal; 1 banded Northern Flicker Red-bellied Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Red-winged Blackbird; 4 banded Rose-breasted Grosbeak; 2 banded Sharp-shinned Hawk Turkey Vulture White-breasted Nuthatch Wilson's Warbler; 5 banded Mammals: small mammal traps, some left out overnight were used to capture sample animals. The highlight of the weekend was a Least Shrew, a new species for the prairie. Other species noted were a meadow jumping mouse, white-footed mouse and harvest mouse. Larger species were not given any particular attention, but coyotes were so obviously notable during the starry, outside night. Plants: at least five new plant species were added during a six hour search on Saturday by Kay Kottas, assisted by Rob Wikel. This includes a horsetail, euphorbia, goldenrod and clematis. The area plant list was already at 370 species, many of them found during an intensive two-year survey, and other intermittent visits by Kottas. Butterflies: about fifteen species were denoted during a survey conducted Saturday by Ted Burk, and otherwise during the first day of the blitz. The species seen: Cabbage White, Orange Sulphur, Clouded Sulphur. Eastern Blue-tailed, Monarch Butterfly (with 93 counted), Red Admiral, Little Wood Satyr, Great Spangled Fritillary, Painted Lady, Regal Fritillary, Pearl Crescent, Silver-spotted Skipper, Sachem, Checkered Skipper, Tawny-edged Skipper. Insects: a "Rainbow Scarab" dung beetle rolling a log-shaped coyote scat at least 10x larger than itself; also, grasshoppers and crickets. On Sunday, burying beetles, flies, arachnids, and a katydid were noted. Herptiles: a garter snake and a brown snake.

On Saturday, a diversity of butterflies were recorded by Ted Burk, an entomologist at Creighton University, who came for the weekend but whom has also conducted previous surveys for these species at this prairie and others - including Nine-Mile Prairie west of Lincoln and Allwine Prairie Preserve and Bauermeister Prairie near Omaha - for six years.

"All in all it was a good day," he said. Though the peak time for butterflies was a few weeks ago, there were good results though it was late in the season. It seemed to be a peak of migration of the Monarch Butterflies, on their way to southwest Mexico, Burk said.

"Butterflies are a good indicator for invertebrates, and closely associated with plant communities," he said. As dark descended, people lingered near the nature center waiting to see what might be drawn to the blue-light placed near the nature center to see what it might attract.

Volunteer Participation

Some participants came early and left late. Several erected tents, or slept inside the nature center.

On Saturday night - which was calm, clear and autumn cool with the vivacious stars of the Milky Way blazing in the sky-dome - people appreciated a chance to view Jupiter, its color and moons through a telescope.

During the owl hike, led by Mary Bomberger-Brown, imitated calls brought a hearty response from a Barred Owl, perhaps wondering what was imitating its "who-cooks-for-you" call. Subtle yet distinctive was a Great Horned Owl towards the west. Off in the distance was the hardly heard, yet distinctive screech-owl, noted as a number of people gathered around a fine camp-fire.

For this night on the prairie, there was a gathering around the flame and glow of the fire in a pit near the woods. An "engineered" placement of logs achieved the maximum, yet subtle fire. There were stories that can only be told at such a scene of camaraderie, with talk of the wampuscat, that led to tales of its purported prey, the side-hill gouger - the results of its presence so readily obvious on dunes in the sandhills - and the bird which preys on the predator, the gillyloo bird. The discussion wandered into the wonders of the elusive wood snipe, and how to best note its presence using a burlap bag strategically placed upon a trail among the trees. Smores were tastefully enjoyed and discussed, especially how an errant, though mysterious owl might warm chocolate for the marshmallows in the morning sun, to provide the treat of one day.

As any camp-fire is a great place for stories, there was another contributed version of a man's date and biological specimens derived from the time when treatment was given to cats for their medical malady and how the results are still biological specimens.

Only a few saw the shooting stars that marked the night. Some looked through a night-vision device to try to perceive the eyes of some critter about in the dark of the prairie night.

The people that stayed on the scene were up early on Sunday.

Birdly Excitement

The second day was heralded first by the call of the Killdeer, which was soon followed by the entre of cars bringing forth volunteers before there was any sun on the eastern horizon. Breakfast was first, enjoyed by a few as pink touched the few clouds of another autumn Sunday.

"Beautiful! Beautifu!," exclaimed Josef Kren, as he noted two Wilson's Warbler's caught in mist nets among the woods near the nature center on Sunday morning. "It's a good weekend," he proclaimed as the two birds were carefully removed and placed into a container to be analyzed before getting released. Five of these warblers were banded during the weekend, which was another time of the many when Kren has banded thousands of birds at the place during the past seven years. Only recently have there been birds found which he previously banded.

While Kren and his helpers measured, weighed and then placed a band on more than 100 birds during the weekend, Dr. Paul Johnsgard provided interesting tidbits of natural history for the different species, all which were "beautiful neotropical migrants."

"I never turn down a chance to come to Spring Creek Prairie," Johnsgard said. The professor has traveled around the world to study birds - and recently was a major participant in an exhibition celebrating the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin, and had visited the Galapagos Islands - yet the weekend event was "a better reason than most" to contribute his comments. Besides leading a bird hike on Sunday morning, he also helped with the butterfly survey on Saturday, which was an opportunity for him to learn something new about the natural history of species at the prairie, he said.

The number of birds captured, allowed several photographers to get up-close images of the colorful birds, with several people enjoying the chance to hold the bird for viewing before it was released back to the wild.

BioBlitz Success

"It was awesome to have people come together and work for prairie conservation," Langan said. "There was a sense of community over the weekend," with many different volunteers present and able to meet others that have also helped at different times during the year.

The BioBlitz at Spring Creek Prairie was made possible through grant funds from Toyota, provided to the National Audubon Society through the "TogetherGreen" volunteer initiative, and then given to the local Audubon center.

"I was very pleased with the results of the BioBlitz," Langan noted. "We plan to have one again."

A similar event was also held at Rowe Sanctuary, on 18-19 September, Langan said.

BioBlitz Pictured

Capturing a bug while "sugaring for moths" on Saturday night.

Volunteers looking at a specimen from the days' collecting, Saturday night.

Josef Kren extracting a Downy Woodpecker from a mist net on Sunday morning.

Looking at some birds captured in the mist nets on Sunday morning.

Dr. Paul Johnsgard during the Sunday morning bird hike.

Removing a small mammal from a trap so it can be identified before it is released.

Marian Langan holding a captured small mammal.

Chicago Skyscraper Gets Award for Being Bird-Friendly

A skyscraper being built in Chicago has received an award for incorporating features that will make it bird-friendly.

The Aqua Tower - designed by architect Jeanne Gang and her firm, Studio Gang Architects - includes an undulating exterior and will use fritted glass, which is etched to make it easier for birds to see.

The architectural firm received the Proggy award from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. "The American architect Louis Sullivan coined the phrase 'form follows function,'" said Ingrid E. Newkirk, PETA president. "In the Aqua Tower, form follows compassion."

PETA provided a letter of congratulations to the firm, which will also receive a framed certificate.

Chicago is in the forefront in addressing the impacts of bird strikes. They were the first U.S. city involved in the Lights Out Program, according to the Chicago Audubon Society, with about 25 buildings now taking part in the program. In 2007, the city issued a design guide for new construction and renovation.

In an article recently published in the Financial Times of London, Jeanne Gang, along with others, discussed bird-friendly building design and factors that can reduce bird mortality.

Birds striking glass windows causes the deaths and injuries to millions of birds across the United States each year.

This article was published first at the Blogger News Network.

Expedition Explores Natural History of Mongolia

A summer expedition to Mongolia was a complete success according to the men that traveled from the central plains of North America to the eastern Asia country to investigate the unique and different features of natural history and to evaluate the presence of different diseases and how they may have an influence on public health.

Typical mountains in the region visited by the expedition. Two photographs courtesy of Pete Hosner. Additional photographs shown within the text as thumbnails are courtesy of the expedition members. Click on the image to go to a larger size.

During a recent conversation with Dave Tinnin, Gabor Racz and Terry Haverkost - associated with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln – each conveyed the distinctive events of the expedition. Comments from Pete Hosner, the ornithologist and graduate student at the University of Kansas, were provided by email.

This trip was a year later than planned. The original intent was to start a three-year period of study in 2008, but due to troubles with transportation of expedition materials, the research started this summer instead.

The UNL men left May 25th on a plane flight, east 25 hours to Seoul, in South Korea. Then it was onward to Ulaanbantor, the national capital of Mongolia where the entire party gathered before departure into the distant country.

Much of the essential gear needed for the survey tour was already present in the country, being stored from its prior arrival. Supplies included gallons of peanut-butter important as a bait for traps used to lure small mammals, they noted.

Minimal food was shipped in, according to the group, with many of the essential food staples bought at western-style stores present in the country's capital. A couple of larger provincial capitals also sold needs for the roving crew, which started with 18-20 but settled to from 10 to 16. Bought locally were pasta, rice, onions, potatoes, cabbage and some vegetables, they said. Butchered goats and sheep provided meat.

The party left the capital city early in June to drive and camp about the Gobi Desert region in the south of the country, staying at six sites to explore the local vicinity, continually until July 18-19.

Gobi Desert Days

Four vehicles transported the research crew from the capital to other regional, urban centers and on to the primary camps.

Transportation along primitive roads was provided by a military transport truck, one or two Russian-made mini-buses and a land-cruiser.  It was a difficult environment for vehicles, said Gabor. "The roads were rough, dusty and sandy, and the gasoline was usually of a poor quality, often having been shipped to local centers, and stored in rusty tanks."

The roadways were often spread wide on the land, as when a particular track became too rutted, the path spread outward, with an area of ruts occasionally being a mile in width because drivers would establish new tracks, "destroying land along the corridor," the researchers noted.

An independent contractor provided the vehicles and a driver that also took care of the vehicles. The transportation was organized with the help of the National University of Mongolia, which was closely involved in the project.

The first portion of the overland journey was about 550 kilometers from the capital to Dalanzagad, and then onward to Gobi Gurvan Sayhan, a national park which was the primary place for the groups' research. The Ikh Bogd region to the north, was also an area investigated.

Local Sustenance

The local food "required some getting used to," Racz said, especially noting that there was no concept of refrigeration. "It took a while to get used to the simple diet."

A sheep or goat that was butchered locally by the residents, was usually dried and made into jerky. Milk was usually made into a dry sour cheese.

The hired cook - using two kerosene stoves - usually made a goat stew for every meal, with fried bread often included. The only variety was a stew made from sheep meat.

The local means were quite limited. Eggs were available a couple of times to add a bit of variety.

Gobi Gurvan Sayhan Park

Local habitats of this national park - which was the primary research region - included desert grassland, marsh, small areas of forest and some uplands which were alpine grassland. The researchers found that most of the grasslands were well grazed, and in noting the features of the forests, realized they were more brushy due to the dry climate, rather than being large trees with a predominant canopy.

The three UNL researchers all agreed upon the success of this year’s efforts.

About 873 specimens of small mammals were procured, which was twice as many as were expected. These were mostly voles, jerboas, pikas and a few rabbits. Skins were prepared as scientific voucher specimens from the trapped specimens, with tissue samples also taken.

There were 2100 samples of parasites procured, with about a third of the animals being infected and providing a documented source.

Based upon sampling or observations from each area visited, there were about 180 different species of birds noted.

As for herptiles, there were 180 or so records, even though there are few known species in the country.

"Over the course of the trip we recorded about 120 species," of birds, Hosner said. "Birding in Mongolia is all about habitat diversity, as any single habitat has only 10-20 birds species. However, slight differences in habitats (i.e., rock outcroppings vs. no rock outcroppings, bare earth vs. grass vs. shrubs) added up to provide a decent number of birds for such a dry and northerly area. The most similar areas in the United States are the high plains of Wyoming, Montana, and the Great Basin.

Adult Lammagier and chick at a nest.

"For notable bird records, we had one vagrant, the Black Drongo, which is the second report in the country, and is an overshot migrant from further south. Some of the typical interesting birds of the region included Mongolia's only breeding endemic, the Mongolian Accentor, Mongolian Ground-Jay, Altai Snowcock, Demoselle Crane, Mongolian Lark, and Saxaul Sparrow. Birds of prey are very common, and Mongolia has some of the largest populations of birds like Saker Falcon, Lammagier, Cinereous Vulture, and Griffons. 

"On the down side, we really missed out on the waterbirds of the country. Mongolia has numerous basin salt lakes that contain great diversity and numbers of waterfowl, migrant and breeding shorebirds, and Gulls and Terns. There has been a long drought, and many of these lakes (including every one we were near) have completely dried up, which is a great concern for conservation of some bird species like the Relict Gull" which breeds in colonies on saltwater lakes. This gull is classified as vulnerable on the 2009 IUCN Red List.

Precise Localities for Specimens

GIS coordinates - denoting a precise latitude and longitude - were most useful for indicating the place where a specimen had been collected, as local place names varied. Some historic Russian military maps from 1950 provided geographic particulars, but local residents were often confused by the designated names. The accepted place name may have been revised, and a recognized spelling was often different in comparison language of the current communities.

The local residents did not depend on maps, but their movements were based on an intimate familiarity with the land and the places they traveled.

Personal Highlights

Each of the men shared a particular highlight of their time in the country, when they agreed how easy it was to lose track of time when the only indication of the daily chronology were the regular field notes marking the changing days:

Terry Haverkost: He had been checking small mammal traps in the forest, and had to stop along the way to buy a goat from a local Mongol family. After drinking an offered "airag," or fermented mare's milk drink that tasted like sour milk and was chunky as well, he also took advantage of an opportunity to ride a two-humped camel. The animal was agitated, and despite being led along, decided to move ahead and make its own way. When the saddle slipped off, its user followed. This was his first and only time to have had the distinct experience of falling from a camel, anywhere in the world.

Dave Tinnin: winds of the great Gobi desert seemed to never end. At one camp - while within a somewhat sheltered compound for a few days - the bothersome winds blew at 50-70 kilometers per hour, spreading sand and making for some harsh outdoor conditions.

Gabor Racz agreed that strong winds were a prominent feature of the Asian lands. The tents often flapped in the strong winds, poles were bending under the pressure of the gales, and on occasion stakes were pulled from the ground. "It was often difficult to sleep due to the flapping of the tents," he said.

Windy conditions also were hazardous to the cameras being used to record essential images for the expedition. Solar chargers were part of the expedition gear, and were vital to recharging batteries. Digital cameras were typically used, and at the end of the harsh times, only two cameras still worked. A couple of generators among the gear could provide a means to recharge batteries, or were used to provide light for taking notes or studying specimens when there was insufficient natural illumination.

Pete Hosner’s "favorite site visited was the top of Ikh Bogd Mountain, one of the largest mountains in the country, well over 13,000 ft. At the top of the mountain there was still snow in July, and a lush alpine meadow with many flowers and butterflies typical of the Rockies or Alps, not what one expects in Mongolia. We even had Asian Rosy-Finches up there, which are close relatives of the North American species, and similar in their habits."

Future Research

The grant from the National Science Foundation which supported this expedition, provides for three years of field work in Mongolia.

The basic information needed is knowing what is present in the areas surveyed, said Tinnin. Although there had been some limited scientific work in the latter 1990s, there were still some places in the park not previously surveyed.

The three investigators agreed on the importance of letting people know about the natural diversity present, and how the findings of the expedition could help with efforts to conserve the natural features of the region.

Mongolia is twice the size of Texas, and in the southern region visited, the mountainous terrain has numerous plateaus which are very isolated, where it is "poorly understood" what fauna is present, said Racz. Knowing more about these areas is essential in realizing the effects of population isolation, the genetic variety of diversity, and simple basics such as species composition at different places.

Changing Conditions

Although further analysis of results will be done to clarify the results of the first season of field studies, there are some preliminary indications.

In particular, the men realized that some species that might have been expected based on historic records, they no longer occur. In other instances, species formerly present may occur in lesser numbers.

Habitats are also changing. For example, a large, shallow lake shown on maps from the past, is no longer present, apparently having dried up due to an ongoing drought which has endured for several years, perhaps because of climate change, they said.

Alpine environments, especially meadows, are disappearing, seemingly from drying out in a climate with reduced precipitation.

This initial season of the expedition has started the evaluation of natural history of the Gobi region. Its findings can have a vital role to determine how known Asian ecosystems are changing due to human impacts and a changing environment.

Instances of Known Bird-Strikes Surpasses 200 at Qwest Center Omaha

When the first two sorry-looking carcasses of Clay-colored Sparrows were found at the Qwest Center Omaha, there was no realization at the time of how dangerous the place was to migratory birds. Two records of death were nothing in the larger scale of ongoing mortality caused by the building. There were more instances of bird strikes during the many months subsequent to 8 May 2008. The place has been visited more than a hundred times to determine how deadly the glass wall of the structure is for migratory birds.

The place is a proverbial "wall of death," causing the demise or injury to a vast array of species, time and time again ... and on and on during this period of investigation into how buildings at Omaha are deadly for migratory birds.

Although there are records only for the past year and a half, without doubt, bird mortality has occurred ever since the building construction was completed and the facility open in September 2003. There are no available records for the five years prior to 2008, but current conditions reflect a situation which has been the same ever since the place was built.

Since day in May in 2008, there has been quite a variety of events associated with the place and it has been an vastly interesting display of how deadly a building can be for migratory birds, and especially how officials responsible responsible for a building's management respond to the bird strike issue.

This is a list of the 201 known instances of bird-strikes, with all but a few having taken place along the west side of the structure, located on the lowlands near the Missouri River, which is a primary breeding zone and migratory corridor for a variety of bird species. Information given in this list is the date when the species was noted as a carcass or disabled bird stunned enough to be occur for a period of time sufficient for observation and notation:

05/08/2008 - Clay-colored Sparrow 05/08/2008 - Clay-colored Sparrow 05/10/2008 - Indigo Bunting 05/10/2008 - Indigo Bunting 05/10/2008 - Nashville Warbler 05/10/2008 - White-throated Sparrow 05/11/2008 - Palm Warbler 05/13/2008 - Clay-colored Sparrow 05/14/2008 - American Redstart 05/18/2008 - Tennessee Warbler 05/19/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 05/20/2008 - Yellow Warbler 05/21/2008 - Baltimore Oriole 05/21/2008 - Indigo Bunting 05/22/2008 - American Robin 05/23/2008 - Indigo Bunting 05/23/2008 - Palm Warbler 05/23/2008 - Willow Flycatcher 05/24/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 05/24/2008 - Eastern Wood-Pewee 05/25/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 05/25/2008 - Tennessee Warbler 05/26/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 05/26/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 05/26/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 05/26/2008 - Ovenbird 05/26/2008 - Tennessee Warbler 05/26/2008 - Willow Flycatcher 05/29/2008 - Tennessee Warbler 05/29/2008 - Tennessee Warbler 05/30/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 05/30/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 05/31/2008 - Gray Catbird 06/02/2008 - Indigo Bunting 06/04/2008 - Gray Catbird 06/06/2008 - Indigo Bunting 06/07/2008 - Wilson's Warbler 06/09/2008 - Gray Catbird 06/10/2008 - Chimney Swift 06/10/2008 - Chimney Swift 06/10/2008 - Indigo Bunting 06/24/2008 - Chimney Swift 06/27/2008 - Cedar Waxwing 06/27/2008 - Rose-breasted Grosbeak 07/13/2008 - Common Grackle 08/08/2008 - Chimney Swift 08/08/2008 - House Wren 08/17/2008 - Chimney Swift 08/21/2008 - Mourning Dove 08/31/2008 - Mourning Warbler 08/31/2008 - Northern Waterthrush 08/31/2008 - Ovenbird 09/03/2008 - Wilson's Warbler 09/04/2008 - Nashville Warbler 09/06/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 09/06/2008 - Mourning Dove 09/06/2008 - Nashville Warbler 09/06/2008 - Nashville Warbler 09/06/2008 - Wilson's Warbler 09/13/2008 - Warbler 09/15/2008 - Clay-colored Sparrow 09/15/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 09/16/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 09/16/2008 - Song Sparrow 09/25/2008 - Blue Grosbeak 09/25/2008 - Brown Thrasher 09/25/2008 - Clay-colored Sparrow 09/25/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 09/25/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 09/25/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 09/25/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 09/25/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 09/25/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 09/25/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 09/25/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 09/25/2008 - Orange-crowned Warbler 09/26/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 09/26/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 09/26/2008 - Mourning Warbler 09/26/2008 - Ovenbird 09/27/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 09/27/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 09/27/2008 - Nashville Warbler 09/27/2008 - Nashville Warbler 09/28/2008 - Clay-colored Sparrow 09/28/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 09/28/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 09/28/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 09/28/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 09/28/2008 - Sedge Wren 09/29/2008 - Clay-colored Sparrow 10/01/2008 - House Wren 10/01/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 10/01/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 10/02/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 10/03/2008 - Common Yellowthroat 10/05/2008 - Dark-eyed Junco 10/08/2008 - Warbler 10/08/2008 - Warbler 10/10/2008 - Clay-colored Sparrow 10/10/2008 - Clay-colored Sparrow 10/10/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 10/10/2008 - White-crowned Sparrow

10/15/2008 - Orange-crowned Warbler 10/16/2008 - Indigo Bunting 10/18/2008 - Song Sparrow 10/20/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 10/20/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 10/20/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 10/20/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 10/20/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 10/21/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 10/21/2008 - Swamp Sparrow 10/26/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 10/28/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 10/28/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 10/29/2008 - White-throated Sparrow 10/30/2008 - Orange-crowned Warbler 11/01/2008 - Lincoln's Sparrow 11/02/2008 - Dark-eyed Junco 11/02/2008 - White-throated Sparrow 11/16/2008 - American Tree Sparrow 11/20/2008 - Dark-eyed Junco 04/27/2009 - Sparrow 04/30/2009 - Ruby-crowned Kinglet 04/30/2009 - Sparrow 05/04/2009 - Lincoln's Sparrow 05/05/2009 - Clay-colored Sparrow 05/05/2009 - Lincoln's Sparrow 05/07/2009 - Gray Catbird 05/07/2009 - Lincoln's Sparrow 05/08/2009 - Lincoln's Sparrow 05/10/2009 - Mallard 05/12/2009 - Orange-crowned Warbler 05/13/2009 - Grasshopper Sparrow 05/15/2009 - Rose-breasted Grosbeak 05/18/2009 - Baltimore Oriole 05/18/2009 - Baltimore Oriole 05/18/2009 - Swainson's Thrush 05/18/2009 - Swamp Sparrow 05/19/2009 - Baltimore Oriole 05/19/2009 - Chipping Sparrow 05/20/2009 - Clay-colored Sparrow 05/20/2009 - Grasshopper Sparrow 05/20/2009 - Tennessee Warbler 05/22/2009 - Baltimore Oriole 05/22/2009 - Common Grackle 05/22/2009 - Nashville Warbler 05/24/2009 - Rose-breasted Grosbeak 05/25/2009 - Common Yellowthroat 05/25/2009 - Gray Catbird 05/25/2009 - Tennessee Warbler 05/26/2009 - Indigo Bunting 05/28/2009 - Common Grackle 05/31/2009 - Clay-colored Sparrow 06/01/2009 - Common Grackle 06/01/2009 - Common Yellowthroat 06/01/2009 - Indigo Bunting 06/02/2009 - Common Grackle 06/04/2009 - Mourning Warbler 06/06/2009 - Rock Pigeon 06/13/2009 - Indigo Bunting 06/22/2009 - Mourning Dove 07/13/2009 - Indigo Bunting 07/15/2009 - European Starling 07/27/2009 - Mourning Dove 07/27/2009 - Unknown Passerine 08/02/2009 - Orchard Oriole 08/12/2009 - American Redstart 08/12/2009 - Mourning Dove 08/14/2009 - Black-capped Chickadee 08/17/2009 - Mourning Dove 08/17/2009 - Yellow-billed Cuckoo 08/20/2009 - Yellow Warbler 08/24/2009 - Ruby-throated Hummingbird 08/26/2009 - Northern Waterthrush 08/27/2009 - Mourning Warbler 08/28/2009 - American Goldfinch 08/29/2009 - Common Yellowthroat 08/31/2009 - Mourning Dove 09/04/2009 - Wilson's Warbler 09/05/2009 - Wilson's Warbler 09/10/2009 - Chipping Sparrow 09/11/2009 - Wilson's Warbler 09/12/2009 - Northern Waterthrush 09/12/2009 - Northern Waterthrush 09/12/2009 - Northern Waterthrush 09/12/2009 - Wilson's Warbler 09/13/2009 - Common Yellowthroat 09/13/2009 - Northern Waterthrush 09/13/2009 - Wilson's Warbler 09/13/2009 - Wilson's Warbler 09/13/2009 - Wilson's Warbler 09/13/2009 - Yellow-billed Cuckoo 09/14/2009 - Wilson's Warbler 09/14/2009 - Wilson's Warbler 09/15/2009 - Common Yellowthroat 09/15/2009 - Common Yellowthroat 09/15/2009 - Mourning Warbler 09/15/2009 - Northern Waterthrush 09/15/2009 - Wilson's Warbler

There are certainly additional occurrences which have not been documented for reasons including:

1) Removal of the bird prior to any visit, though these have been made very early in the morning; this situation will have an especially notable difference now that Qwest Center officials are removing any birds in the morning when the security man makes his 6 a.m. patrol.

2) Birds which may have struck the glass and fallen upon the roof areas above the entryways; obviously any birds on a roof-top could not be seen from the ground level; on an occasion when inside the building, and taking a look at the roof spots, there were aged carcasses seen. During mid-September 2009, a warbler flew from away from one of these roof-tops sites, as seen from the ground level. This was interpreted as a strike occurrence, though it was not documented.

3) Dates when visits were not made for one reason or another, especially when it was rainy, thus hampering an outing because a bicycle has been used as the primary means of transportation.

Strikes have been noted on 107 different days. Those dates with the greatest number of available records are:

Date — Number Noted

09/25/2008 — 12

05/26/2008 — 6

09/13/2009 — 6

09/28/2008 — 6

09/15/2009 — 5

10/20/2008 — 5

09/06/2008 — 5

09/27/2008 — 4

09/26/2008 — 4

05/10/2008 — 4

09/12/2009 — 4

05/18/2009 — 4

10/10/2008 — 4

And other dates with lesser numbers

This list readily shows how deadly it has been for birds at the Qwest Center Omaha during mid-September 2009, when 15 strikes were recorded on three days.

There have been 46 species documented as having struck the building, with warblers and sparrows among the types of birds noticed most often. This is a list of the species noted, with the number of available records:

Common Yellowthroat - 27 known instances Lincoln's Sparrow - 25 Wilson's Warbler - 13 Clay-colored Sparrow - 12 Indigo Bunting - 12 Mourning Dove - 7 Nashville Warbler - 7 Northern Waterthrush - 7 Tennessee Warbler - 7 Baltimore Oriole - 5 Chimney Swift - 5 Common Grackle - 5 Gray Catbird - 5 Mourning Warbler - 5 Orange-crowned Warbler - 4 Dark-eyed Junco - 3 Ovenbird - 3 Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 3 White-throated Sparrow - 3 American Redstart - 2 Chipping Sparrow - 2 Grasshopper Sparrow - 2 House Wren - 2

Palm Warbler - 2 Song Sparrow - 2 Swamp Sparrow - 2 Willow Flycatcher - 2 Yellow Warbler - 2 Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 2 American Goldfinch - 1 American Robin - 1 American Tree Sparrow - 1 Black-capped Chickadee - 1 Blue Grosbeak - 1 Brown Thrasher - 1 Cedar Waxwing - 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee - 1 European Starling - 1 Mallard - 1 Orchard Oriole - 1 Rock Pigeon - 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 1 Sedge Wren - 1 Swainson's Thrush - 1 White-crowned Sparrow - 1

Each species listed, except the European Starling and Rock Pigeon are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, though in the case of bird strikes, the significance of this has not yet been determined.

Each day is an unexpected situation, with different numbers and combinations of species that vividly reveal how migration along the Missouri River valley is a deadly affair, with some birds struck dead in their attempt to navigate the deadly gauntlet of human constructs.

Qwest Center Omaha Officials Work to Avoid Responsibility

It seems somewhat ironic for this number of instances to have been determined on a day when a new realization came about on how dedicated Qwest Center Omaha officials are to quickly dispose of birds to convey a sense that no strikes occur. As noted elsewhere, they have required that security personnel remove any birds as a part of their routine of patrolling the building perimeter, something which has apparently been underway for a couple of weeks, according to comments made by a security guard on the 15th.

Deaths and injuries to migratory birds will however, continue unabated here as based on several perceptions. Qwest Center Omaha officials do not appear to have any intention to address the situation in order to reduce or eliminate bird strikes. The executive director will not respond to any inquiries, and the woman chairman of the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority, the oversight committee of the facility, has not responded to repeated phone messages.

The situation continues to be an educational example on how bird strikes are dealt with by officials. The situation is deplorable because of the people knowingly ignoring ongoing suffering and misery which the building is causing to so many birds.

Early Morning Strike

The following is a picture that illustrates - albeit poorly as it was very dark (about 5:30 a.m.) and there was a chance to only get one picture before the warbler flew away - the latest bird strike at the Qwest Center Omaha. Thankfully, the bird was able to get away before its fate might worsen.

Disabled warbler at the west side of the Qwest Center Omaha. September 17, 2009.

Early morning view of the west side of the Qwest Center Omaha.

A security official was walking around the west side of the building at 5 a.m. Then WOWT showed up for a first news segment, and I visited with the videographer for a short time about the numerous bird strikes which occur, and gave him a way to get some further information. When I took a final look about the west side, another security guy said I should not be riding my bike there as I might run into someone. So I walked.

Building Locale Deadly to Hummingbirds on Similar Date

An interesting tidbit regarding the finding of fatalities of bird strikes in the Omaha area was noted on September 13.

In the morning a dead Ruby-throated Hummingbird was noted in the plaza area of the Central Park Plaza building. The location was noted and a picture was taken. In looking into previous records for this species, it was surprising to find that a Ruby-throated Hummingbird had been found dead at the same exact place a year ago, on September 13, 2008.

Hummingbird noted in 2008.

Hummingbird noted in 2009.

What is was that brought this species to the same place on the same date and with the same result is a mystery of nature that will have to remain unexplained.

Live Birds Going Into Trash at Qwest Center Omaha?

"Hopefully it’s dead."

These simple words are very telling in regards to the ongoing bird strike situation at the Qwest Center Omaha.

This morning – 15 Sep 2009 – just after having taken a picture of a another warbler carcass at the glass wall on the west side of the Qwest Center Omaha, a security man came up and made the above comment when he picked up the carcass of a warbler so it could be thrown into the trash. The comment was heard but I was so dumbfounded that I asked what twice – because a skycrane was running a short ways away and making a bunch of noise – so he said wait a moment, and once the warbler was in the trash receptacle he came back and repeated the statement. He added: "Sometimes they flop around."

What this indicates to me is that the guard – a person hired by Qwest Center Omaha officials - is doing just as the officials told the company to do each morning, based on my asking the guy a few questions. He said they are supposed to throw away any birds they find and this is being done first thing in the morning and again at 7 a.m.

The disgusting thing this indicates is that all birds are probably being thrown into the trash. This could likely include live birds, which were stunned and disabled upon striking the glass wall along the west side of the Qwest Center Omaha and had not yet recovered to a degree sufficient enough to escape. With sunrise coming later the possibility of stunned birds being present is very likely. And I read yesterday, that rails can be stunned for hours before they may recover so they may seem dead but are actually not.

The despicable thing this also point to is the sorry depths Qwest Center Omaha officials will go to avoid taking any responsibility for the more than 200 bird strikes at this building in 18 months. There were five carcasses today. There were nine carcasses yesterday morning, left over from the weekend.

The Fish and Wildlife Service asked Qwest Center Omaha officials a year ago – at a meeting and in a letter – to address the situation. The request was ignored.

Back in June, when I asked Roger Dixon, the director of the facility to comment on the many bird strikes/deaths occurring, he responded with [this in an email]:

"Last year you were observed by a key staff person of MECA taking a bird carcass from a bag and placing it on the ground, then taking a photograph of this bird claiming it had flown into our facility. It is apparent you have no problem in staging so called "bird takings" due to our facility. You have no credibility, and so I will no longer respond to your inquiries."

This is a blatant lie as it has no truth. I have never staged a bird strike occurrence so this comment is slander!

And the most recent action to having a security firm deal with the bird carcasses lying about means Qwest Center Omaha can place any blame for illegally handling birds or carcasses onto a third party, the security firm.

Based on the time last autumn when FWS officials that grilled me on whether I had a permit to handle or possess migratory birds, it would seem that anyone handling a bird that is alive or dead would need to have a permit.

The security guard was not aware of this as no one had informed him of this until I mentioned it this morning, and suggested he contact the FWS for further information. I’m sure the FWS officials will say that no permit is required to throw away a dead bird.

I sure wonder how the FWS would respond to live birds getting thrown into the trash. Perhaps the birds may recover soon enough to fly out the portal, but perhaps the bag gets taken out, closed up and a bird would get KILLED.

By the way, the only birds I may handle are disabled birds which may be picked up and moved to a safer place so they don’t get run over and smashed or killed when crushed by an ignorant pedestrian. Sure I should have a permit, but I don’t and won’t because in my view, I do not any permit from any agency in order to help an injured bird.

(I consider the FWS hypocrites because they only selectively enforce the taking aspect of the MBTA. This is discriminatory and means that millions and millions of birds die because the agency does nothing about bird strikes. Yet they will fine an energy company hundreds of thousands of dollars for a few eagle deaths (not to demean eagles but to indicate the selective enforcement.) which is a regular practice of the agency. If it was me, I wouldn't pay any fine because you can't charge one entity with a knowing violation, and ignore many others with known violations based on the same law.)

So the birds continue to strike the glass wall at the Qwest Center Omaha and die with great regularity as autumn migration is underway.

Yet nothing is being done.

Qwest Center Omaha officials are apparently doing whatever they can to avoid any responsibility.

The FWS – in this case I call the agency the Federal Whatever Service – has not followed through to get something done at the Qwest Center Omaha. There has been no public sentiment expressed by people interested in birds – other than me – about the essential need to reduce bird strikes in Omaha.

The whole situation at the Qwest Center Omaha is despicable! It is deplorable the misery and pain the injured and dead birds suffer after striking something when the situation could be changed and there could be a great reduction in strikes.

But someone has to do something first ...

And for those who say I should quit whining and do something about it, perhaps you could ask officials at Creighton and the Central Park Plaza about recent contact I've made with them. Or perhaps you can take a look at the OPPD building and see where they have put up screening on some windows and how this has helped to reduce mortality (and I would be remiss in taking any claim for this as one FWS person did inform them of my findings so something was done this spring. I am continuing to keep them informed about recent strikes.) Or ask Union Pacific (with nearly 50 strikes at the UP Center) why they aren't doing anything and yet when they were informed of the situation, they expressed a cavalier attitude when the situation was discussed with them yesterday.

If you are not helping the situation, you have no basis for throwing accusations at me.

Two dead warblers as seen on the morning of 15 Sep 2009. This image was included with the above email sent to federal officials and the NEBirds forum.

Billy Marsh a Prominent Member of Omaha's Historic Bird Enthusiasts

In considering essentials of the bird history for the Omaha vicinity, there are the obvious two men with their prominence as news men writing their regular articles for the local papers. Less obvious was a local resident and family man, that nonetheless had a profound role among the regular watchers of birds at the various wild places formerly present around the river city.

Billy Marsh was known by Sandy Griswold and Miles Greenleaf. The latter wrote about Marsh's 50th birthday in 1917, and also featured the bird watcher in a "Bird Lore" column in an August 1931 issue of the Omaha Bee-News. The words he wrote which were in the paper may have changed during the passing years, but the essential, yet vital aspect of the character had not changed.

"More than 20 years ago there was an aggregation of comparatively young men who strode forth each Sunday on West Center street, rain or shine, winter or summer, to get great gulps of fresh air and to broil steaks and other larder over hardwood coals in Paddock's grove. A very popular member of this party, and considerably the most advanced in years — although that would be hard to prove even now — was Billy Marsh.

"In that outfit of hoofers were to prominent Omaha attorneys, a nationally known New York journalist, a millionaire, Billy Marsh and the author of these lines. There were 'strays' from time to time — but the aforementioned comprised the regular crew."

Greenleaf described Mr. Marsh as a "bird-nut," always carrying a pair of field glasses and the requisite note book for taking notes, a habit that originally started in 1886, and described by Greenleaf back in 1917.

"And those bird records, day by day, sweltering summer or howling blizzard — have been kept up through all these years by Billy Marsh and can be seen today at his home at 4157 Davenport Street. He is a successful and retired business man but the birds are still his buddies."

The sighting of a lark during a "mean January" was definitely "something" Greenleaf wrote with an understanding of this bit of significance.

"So Billy Marsh commenced in untold wonders — and has been doing so ever since. He never urges anybody to study birds. All he says, when he finds someone who appreciates the pleasure and value of walking, is" — "'If you like walking — birds add so much to the hike!'"

Greenleaf mentioned that he learned his own birding skills — which became a prominent subject for his extensive writings — from Marsh, as well as Dr. Solon R. Towne and aided by Prof. Myron Swenk.

Though Billy Marsh has not ever been a person featured in the bird history for Nebraska as presented by the state's ornithological society, his legacy is prominent in its own unique, and subtle fashion. Certainly if his notebooks were known, they would tell of bird species and places where they would never been seen during the historic era. The notes would convey features of natural history that will never again be a part of any outdoor enthusiasts time under the open skies.

The bit of written information available, conveys the efforts of a man dedicated to knowing the birds, and getting others involved in their study and appreciation. It is hard to fathom the many Sunday walks and the observations appreciated to an extent that so many notes were kept on the observations of such a multitude of outings.

The diminutive Marsh was a "big man" in the history of bird study for Nebraska, though his legacy has been little known and celebrated.

Billy Marsh Birdologist and His Notebook

Forty Years' Study of Wild Life Around Omaha.

By Miles Greenleaf.

"I consider Mr. Marsh the best posted man on small birds and wild bird life in this part of the country, although he may have competitors unknown to me. It is certain, however, that Mr. Marsh's deep interest in the welfare of our feathered friends has resulted in great good to the entire community, for his converts are many. For this we owe him a considerable debt of gratitude." - Dr. Solon R. Towne, President of the Nebraska Audubon Society.

Next Wednesday, November 14, "Billy" Marsh will celebrate his fiftieth anniversary. He will celebrate it by going out into the woods somewhere and mixing up with nature. Since he does that same thing every day of his life, his semicentennial trek will be nothing new.

Although a member of the Nebraska Audubon society, and in good standing, he has never attended a meeting and displays his remarkable interest in the birds by mingling with them, yet there has never been a time when funds were needed for bird conservation that Billy's check book was not unsheathed.

Ever since he was old enough to trudge alone through the woods or over the fields in an around Omaha, Billy has kept a complete record of the birds he saw on such expeditions, and these old records, now in precious possession of his wife, are convincing evidence of the sincerity of his love for the songsters.

Began at 10 Years.

The first bird record was taken by Billy Marsh when he was 10 years old, but the beginning of his complete data on such trips came in 1883, when at the age of 16. This and succeeding censuses taken for several years included - think it of Marsh! - not only the names of the birds seen, but also the number of eggs taken from nests! He blushes when shown those records now, but, as he explains:

"Every boy was collecting eggs in those days, and nobody ever tried to have us stop it. All I can say in my own defense is that I only took one from each nest, and did it with a spoon, so that the human odor might not cause the old birds to leave."

The youthful Marsh made his records in an old-fashioned "composition book," and they were kept up, day by day, until the end of the month, when the account was totalled to show the number of varieties and the number of specimens seen or taken.

In Billy's Note Book.

In these old composition books are notations to tickle the memories of other "old-timers" of Omaha, for some of the spots mentioned by Billy during his ornithological tramps have long since been forgotten by those titles.

For instance, there was "the Island" - known thus to every outdoor lad of thirty-five years ago, and which was a strip of land cut off by the Missouri river near where the east end of the Locust street viaduct now touches. Billy is still tramping that locality, although the "Island" has since lost its identity. He has a "shack" on Carter lake and prowls the underbrush in search of strange birds almost every weekday. Sundays, it must be explained, he investigates Elmwood park and the Pappio creek district.

Then there was "Redick's Grove" - where a youthful Marsh made many an iniquitous haul of eggs for his collection. This forest centered at the spot now occupied by the Clarinda Apartments at Farnam Street and Turner Boulevard and extended all along the creek once once running through that territory, clear and beyond the present Leavenworth Street.

Extending south from Leavenworth, as it now lies, and west from Twentieth street to the crest now occupied by Hanscom park, was another "jungle" beloved of the boys of Marsh's character, and they called it "Brewery Woods," according to Billy's bird book. There used to be an old brewery in the middle of these woods from which they got their now prohibited monicker.

"Whitney's Woods" was another paradise for the bird lovers of that day, and it covered that part of present Omaha centering in the tract recently given to the city by Dr. Harold Gifford for a public playground, lying between Davenport and Cass streets, Thirty-third to Thirty-fifth. Here, as in other now heavily populated "wildernesses," was nothing at all but nature, for but very few hardy pioneers had moved out "so far from town," when Billy Marsh was a boy.

Among other entries are those of explorations at "Griffin's Farm," which lay about half a mile southwest of the Field Club of today, and at Lyon's Inn. It would appear that Billy's spelling was at fault in the later item, for the Lion Inn was on Center street more than a quarter century ago, near the present entrance to West Lawn cemetery, and had the big figure of a lion hanging outside as a sign. It backed up into deep woods full of birds and nests.

Poor Farm Woods.

Then there was "The Graveyard" - Twenty-fifth and St. Mary's avenue; the Cottonwoods" - probably lying along the river down south; the "Poor Farm Woods" - where the north section of the Field club golf links now extend, but which was than a trackless forest; the "Deaf and Dumb Woods" - near the present site of that institution - and many other localities mentioned in Mr. Marsh's first bird hunt records.

While the youthful Billy was laying the foundation of his present startling knowledge of birds and their habits, he accumulated one of the best collections of eggs to be found in Nebraska, but he isn't bragging about it much. The collection still is in his home at Forty-second and Davenport streets, but seldom sees the light o' day.

But while these eggs were being gathered the knowledge thus acquired has made him an authority, and so he feels it might be forgiven. Among the nests seldom found in these parts, but discovered by young Marsh were those of the Swamp Sparrow and Golden Crowned Thrush. The latter, better known as the Oven Bird, is often heard in the woods in summer, but seldom seen, and so cleverly hides its nest that few are ever discovered.

Some of the old fashioned names for common birds noted in Marsh's first records are interesting to amateur ornithologists of today, having long since been discarded. There is the "Black Throated Bunting" - now the Dickcissel; the "Yellowbird" - now the Yellow Warbler; and the "Crow Blackbird" - now the Bronzed Grackle. Grass Finch, Lark Finch and Titmouse are names you seldom hear about Omaha nowadays - but Little Billy found 'em.

His Museum at Home.

The inside of Billy Marsh's room in his present home looks like that of some great bird museum. The walls are covered with photographs taken by himself of birds, nests and eggs, while there are scores of specimens of the birds and their nests - the latter only taken when the songsters have finished with them.

Himself an ardent hunter in season, Mr. Marsh is rampant on the subject of bird protection and conservation. Not only will he not shoot a single shell except in accordance with the governmental laws on the subject, but stands willing to "turn up" anybody who does, friend or foe. And yet he is one of the best wing shots in Nebraska.

The birds are Bill's best friends, and in the winter, when he is taking suet around the woods to place in the "station" provided by him for the feathered folk of that season - they seem to know him and follow him like pets through the glades.

Although he collected eggs in his youth, you can bet that his sons don't! They have been taught differently. The oldest Harry, is in the officers' training school at Fort Omaha and the youngest, Billy Jr., is of just the age of his father when Billy, Sr., started his first bird records. And Billy, Jr., is doing likewise. Flora, the daughter, a young Brownell Hall miss, spends most of her spare time outdoors - again like her daddy.

William Marsh is 50 years old next Wednesday - but he acts more like 15 - for which fact he thanks the outdoors and the fresh air. And as far as his enviable record as a natural historian is concerned, you would never have learned even as much as is included in this story except by the stealth and underhanded ways of the writer - for Billy never talks about himself.

November 11, 1917. Omaha Sunday World-Herald 53(6): 1-M.

Update of World Bird Names Released

A new version of the list of names for world birds has been released and continues to present prominant advances in understanding the taxonomic relationship for the earths avifauna.

"World Bird List 2.2 contains 10,347 species classified in 39 Orders, 224 Families (+6 Incertae sedis) and 2197 Genera," according to the website of the International Ornithological Committee. Thirteen species had been added, and six deleted as they were determined to be extinct.

The "alignments of New Guinea bird names with the preferences of the working group of experts," Gill noted as being one of the more significant changes in the update. Phil Gregory, was especially helpful with doing changes for the new version, with contributions on "a master list of the birds of New Guinea and Bismarck Archipeligo."

The biggest challenge: "Restructuring the classification of babblers including Sylviidae babblers and white-eyes based on major DNA papers, but only to a provisional working list that is now getting helpful feedback," Gill said in an email. The bird list presents a provisional classification of these species, with further features needing to be considered in their taxonomy.

And, the taxonomy of the trogons was resequenced in the manner typical to the regular updates of classification, released by any ornithological authority.

As for the next list of the proper names for world birds, "Lots to go!!," Gill said in reference to the need to be adding new species.

Scoping Meetings Discuss Future of Missouri River Ecosystem

Scoping meetings held during August and early September from Helena, Montana to Saint Charles, Missouri are facilitating discussions about the future of the Missouri River and restoration of its associated environs.

At the meeting held at Omaha, Nebraska on August 31, officials of the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) and Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) presented a summary of activities associated with the Missouri River Ecosystem Restoration Plan.

A representative of the FWS opened the meeting held at the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus. Included in the attendees were a number of ACE staff to provide further information, answer questions and record comments by those present at an afternoon and evening session. Several members of the implementation committee were also present.

The motto of the program: One River - One Vision, has a "mission statement" of taking a "collaborative approach to develop a single, comprehensive and integrated plan for Missouri River mitigation, recovery and restoration" across a ten-state region of the north-central U.S.

Planning also involves 29 American Indian tribes which have reservations in the river basin.

FWS Presentation

Wayne Nelson-Stastny, with the FWS, spoke first, describing key facets of the Missouri River and its expansive basin. Among the important points were the human changes to the riverine channel due to development which dates as far back as the early 1830s when snags were removed to facilitate steamboat travel, followed by authorization and construction of a navigation channel, construction of several dams to control flows and other dramatic efforts which permanently altered the character of the river and its floodplain.

The ecosystem restoration plan is the resulted of federal legislation enacted in December 2007, which has three primary goals, to mitigate for the drastic changes to the river environs, recover from these alterations and to "restore the ecosystem to prevent further declines of native species."

"We need to look backward to understand the river's past," Nelson-Stastny said, and "look forward to understand restoration."

There are four key aspects to the plan:

1). Consider ongoing programs and actions related to mitigation, recovery and restoration;

2). Identify priorities for mitigation, recovery and restoration;

3). Outline a long-term adaptive management approach for restoration of the river; and

4). Guide future program and site-specific action development.

Science and the public need to drive this effort, Nelson-Stastny said. The plan, targeting management of the river for the next 30-50 years, "cannot be developed in a good way without input from the public." Any efforts need to be "sustainable decisions."

Phases of the Plan

The restoration plan is being done in different phases, spread across an 8-10 year planning process, with the four distinctive phases being:

1). Initiate Planning - scheduled to be completed in 2009; the scoping meetings are the primary facet of this phase.

2). Study affected environment - completed in 2012

3). Consider alternatives - completed in 2014

4). Select a plan and develop a draft environmental impact statement which will undergo a public review, with a subsequent final EIS; completed in 2016.

Each of these primary phases include distinct steps towards achieving the end result.

The effort is currently in Step 2 of Phase One: establish the study rationale and focus, as presented by Randy Sellers, a project leader from the Omaha District of the Corps of Engineers. Other project leaders include Jennifer Switzer, from the ACE Kansas district, and Nelson-Stastny, representing the FWS.

The public scoping meetings are an opportunity for interested parties to "look at things systematically - from a holistic perspective," Sellers said.

The period to provide comments on the initial phase of this program is December 1, 2009.

Additional information on the project are available at a regularly updated website.

The cost of this endeavor is about $4-4.5 million per year, Sellers said.

Further Meetings to Discuss River Future

Two additional public scoping meetings on the future of the Missouri River have been scheduled. One will be held September 17 at the Harper Center, Creighton University in Omaha and another September 18, at the Sioux City Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.

The meetings are meant to facilitate "public discussion, deliberation and input" from Iowa and Nebraska residents. A summary of the discussions will be provided to the Corps of Engineers for consideration in further planning.

Both meetings will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and anyone attending must be able to be present the entire scheduled time. Pre-registration is required to attend, and can be made by contacting Stephen Perigo at 402.238.4156 for the Omaha meeting, and HShew at 402.280.2646 for the meeting at Sioux City. There is no fee to attend, and lunch will be provided.

This article was originally published at www.bloggernews.net.

August 2009 Bird Strikes at Omaha Surpass Tally From 2008

August of 2009 was a much deadlier month for birds at Omaha. There were a substantially greater number of known bird strikes, with 54 noted, compared to 29 in 2008.

Julian Date	Aug 2008	Aug 2009
213	-	1
214	-	1
220	-	2
221	3	-
224	-	2
226	-	1
229	-	4
230	1	-
232	-	2
233	-	1
234	2	-
235	-	3
236	4	2
238	6	5
239	3	7
240	-	14
241	4	3
242	-	5
243	-	1
244	6	-

With a protocol which meant an irregular schedule due thunderstorms on 2-3 mornings, being out-of-town, or when the occurrence of strikes was reduced, some times a look-about was done only every other day, so there were probably twice as many strikes in comparison to last year.

The following is a comparison of the days during August in 2008 and 2009 when bird strikes were known to have occurred.

The deadliest day for birds during the month was when there were ca. 40,000 Purple Martins at the Martin Mecca Midtown at the Nebraska Medical Center Campus. Based on repeated observations at this roost, the birds using the locality seemed to be newly arrived and not familiar with the setting. Three-fourths of the strikes noted at this particular event, resulted in the mortality of the bird. While trying to move some disabled birds from the driveway so that they would not be run over by vehicular traffic, other birds struck the walkway glass and fell to the pavement.

Qwest Center Continues as a Deadly Place for Birds

Although the extent of strikes is skewed towards the multitude of martins at the roost (where the building owners quickly undertook some initiative to address the situation), the Qwest Center Omaha continues to be the deadliest building on Omaha for migratory birds, with at least a dozen more birds dying at the west side of this structure - comprised of a glass wall - which can obviously be called a "wall of death" for birds because of the endless and ongoing number of strikes known to occur, with 180 documented through the end of the month, with 46 species that are known to have hit the glass.

Building officials have done nothing to address the situation at this publicly-owned building, and have actually ignored U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requests to address the issue to reduce or prevent mortality of birds protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, an international treaty meant to protect birds, but which in the case of bird-strikes, its provisions are being ignored.

Building	Aug 2008	Aug 2009
1200 Landmark Center	1	4
Central Park Plaza	-	1
First National Tower	-	2
Gottschalk Freedom Center	4	-
Harper Center, Creighton University	-	1
Holland Center for Performing Arts	-	3
Kiewit-Clarkson Skywalk	15	19
Kiewit-Clarkson South Skywalk	-	2
Omaha Public Power District Energy Plaza	-	2
Qwest Center Omaha	7	13
Redfield & Company Building	-	1
Union Pacific Center	1	4
Zorinsky Federal Building	-	2

Greater Extent of Species

There was also an increase in the number of species noted during August in 2009, with 17 species noted, in comparison to 11 during the month a year ago.

Species Name	Aug 2008	Aug 2009
Sora	-	1
Mourning Dove	1	5
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	-	2
Common Nighthawk	1	-
Chimney Swift	2	-
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	-	1
Willow Flycatcher	-	1
Purple Martin	15	21
Black-capped Chickadee	-	1
House Wren	1	-
Yellow Warbler	-	2
American Redstart	-	1
Ovenbird	1	-
Northern Waterthrush	1	2
Mourning Warbler	3	2
Common Yellowthroat	-	1
Hooded Warbler	1	-
Wilson's Warbler	1	5
Dickcissel	-	1
Common Grackle	-	6
Orchard Oriole	-	1
House Finch	1	-
American Goldfinch	-	1

The Black-capped Chickadee, found mid-month as a carcass at the Qwest Center Omaha, had not been previously noted as the victim of a bird strike. Neither had the Orchard Oriole, found at the same building early in the month.

The same general method has been used each of two months being considered, with the same localities visited - including a greater focus on what may be happening at the Nebraska Medical Center Campus - in order to evaluate which species and how many strike Omaha buildings. The observed results of the strikes - mostly bird carcasses - have been photographed to document the occurrence.

Each strike noted since May 2008 has been a violation of the taking provision of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which in each case is not being enforced by the responsible federal agency ... the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which has repeatedly and consistently ignored this cause of bird mortality.

As of August 31, 2009, there have been 609 known bird strikes in east Omaha, although the extent of the bird strikes is undoubtedly much greater, but not known due to the drastic limitations and lack of resources required to conduct more expansive surveys that would better indicate the overall numbers of birds that have been struck dead in Omaha.

And... the bird strikes will continue unabated in the river city and elsewhere.

Several Severe Thunderstorms Impact Sandhills Flora and Fauna

Several severe weather events including thunderstorms with large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes have had local impacts on flora and fauna in the sandhills of northern Nebraska.

There has been one or more storm each month during June through August.

At Valentine NWR south of Valentine in Cherry county, "We have now had three hailstorms in this area for the summer that lasted long enough/had large enough hail to cause damage," said Mel Nenneman, a Fish and Wildlife Service biologist at the refuge.

After the June 13th storm, he observed some dead birds, including the Mourning Dove, Barn Swallow and Eastern Kingbird, all in the vicinity of the refuge headquarters. "No surveys were conducted after the storms went through, and there were no dead waterbirds observed, but we didn't have time to go look everywhere.

"I have not observed any dead birds from the most recent storm (August 9th), but the worst of the hail did not hit the refuge," Nenneman said. "Our maintenance man indicated that the area just west of the refuge was hit hard enough that all the vegetation is beat down, broken off, or stripped of leaves. This damage is similar to damage observed after the 13 June hailstorm that hit the refuge in a couple of places.

"While I don't have a widespread survey or good numbers on bird mortalities from these storms, the observations of dead birds after the June storm would suggest that there was very likely some bird mortality from this most recent storm, especially in the area west of the refuge. Given the nature of the damage to vegetation (west of here in the most recent storm, two areas on the refuge in the June storm), any bird caught in the path of the severe hail would be very lucky to survive, unless they were able to hunker down in a plum thicket or cedar tree."

Weather Reports

The North Platte office of the National Weather Service typically prepares a summary report following severe weather. They include known instances of precipitation amounts, wind and hail. If tornado damage is reported, office staff may visit the affected area to investigate further, and may include pictures of the damage.

"We’ve had a lot of severe weather this summer," said Debra Blondin, a meteorologist in the North Platte office. "It is relatively unusual to have the severe weather continue to occur at this frequency for this long into the summer season. Part of the reason for this is that a very strong upper level low pressure remained stationary over the Great Lakes region keeping western Nebraska under a northwest to southeast oriented jet stream. This ‘northwesterly flow’ is usually a very active pattern for us. It is also a ‘cooler’ pattern because it allows the cooler air from Canada to filter into the area. Normally by late June and early July, the jet stream is into North Dakota and southern Canada leaving western Nebraska in hot and dry conditions."

June Storm Reports

Severe weather on June 13 including extensive rain, strong winds, hail and a tornado. Rainfall amounts varied from one to three inches in the Cherry county area. Winds reached 30 mph.

Hail varied from pea-sized at south of Valentine and north of Elsmere; marble-sized south of Cody; quarter-sized southwest of Valentine, in the refuge area; and one-inch diameter in the same vicinity. A tornado was report south of Merritt Reservoir.

A graphic map of this information shows the areas of the severe weather.

Image of the Crookston supercell, as shown at the National Weather Service web site.

July Weather

On July 16, an EF2 tornado with winds reaching 118 m.p.h. was reported south of Crookston. "Numerous large tree limbs were snapped off throughout" the Robert Kruger ranch, the weather service reported. Building damage was also noted.

Southern Cherry county and Hooker County had a severe storm on July 23rd, with a second storm in the eastern sandhills..

The weather service reported: "STORMS INITIALLY FORMED OVER SOUTHEASTERN CHERRY COUNTY AND NORTHERN HOOKER COUNTY...WHERE SEVERAL REPORTS OF HAIL...SOME AS LARGE AS TENNIS BALLS IN SIZE WERE OBSERVED. THE STORMS CONTINUED TO THE SOUTH...WHERE CONTINUED REPORTS OF LARGE HAIL WAS RECEIVED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. ALSO...A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS OBSERVED 11 SOUTHWEST OF MULLEN FROM THIS STORM. THE STORM CONTINUED SOUTH INTO PORTIONS OF KEITH...MCPHERSON AND LINCOLN COUNTIES AND EXHIBITED STRONG ROTATION ON RADAR...WHILE NO TORNADOES WERE REPORTED...ONCE AGAIN VERY LARGE HAIL WAS OBSERVED," according to meteorologist Shawn Jacobs.

In the Mullen vicinity, hail measuring from 1 inch to 1.75 inch were reported at different localities. Hail reaching an inch in size was also reported in central Brown county, eastward to south of Bassett and into western Holt county, near Amelia.

Reports of this storm can be visually noted on a map of the local storm reports.

A severe storm also occurred in the Valentine NWR area on July 28th, Nenneman said. Details of this storm are not available.

August Weather

A severe storm of long duration occurred from central Cherry county eastward to northern Holt county on August 8th. Hail that measured 1.5 inches in diameter were reported by the public in the Valentine area. A wind gust at nearby Merritt Reservoir reached 60 m.p.h., with hail to the westward measuring from pea-sized to an estimated 1.5 inch diameter. Southeast of the refuge, in the immediate vicinity of the refuge, the public reported "golf ball sized hail accompanied by damaging winds estimated to be in excess of 60 m.p.h.," according to the weather service report.

Although there is very little direct evidence of bird mortality from this weather, the information from the June storm at the refuge, indicates that hail did cause bird deaths. Similar mortality could be expected from the other severe storms mentioned that had large hail, so there likely has been ongoing and repeated instances of bird deaths occurring throughout the summer breeding season.