Mid-October Birdlife of a Section of the Lower Missouri River

A ten-day period of bird observations at sites along the lower Missouri River indicate the variety of species which occur in the diverse array of wildlife habitats present in the valley.

A variety of observations occurred from October 6-17 from Desoto NWR (west of Missouri Valley Iowa), and southward to Hamburg Bend WMA, near Nebraska City indicate the many avian species present at the different publicly accessible habitats.

Autumn sunrise. October 10, 2010.

Wetlands have been especially prevalent during this autumn season, because of greater than normal water releases from Gavins Point Dam, and the higher flows have flooded many lowland places adjacent to the primary river channel, of which only a few have been observed with attention given to the birds which were present.

There have not been any particular attention given to surveys which would indicate the various types of birds which occur, but a unique combination of reports provide the details needed to recognize the autumn avifauna of 2010.

Notes of particular importance were derived from these places, primarily in Nebraska:

• Bird counts done at Desoto NWR and noted as weekly bird counts, as well as the Big Sit on October 10th
• Birder visits to Boyers Chute NWR
• Daily surveys from 9-11 October at the Horseshoe Lake Flats including Nathans Lake, in the immediate vicinity of the Boyer Chute refuge
• Birders visits to Hummel Park, Carter Lake, Big Lake on the north side of Council Bluffs in Iowa, Mandan Park and flats to the east along the Missouri River, the La Platte Bottoms (October 9, 10, 11 and 16th), Schilling WMA east of Plattsmouth (October 10th by Clem Klaphake), and a sole visit to Hamburg Bend WMA (limited report by Keith Dyche) which is a state-managed Corps of Engineers mitigation site south of Nebraska City.

Overall there are more than 350 distinct records available for comparison and evaluation.

The overall species list was developed from these observations as reported online or as compiled from personal sightings. All of the records were integrated into a database which provided the details essential in developing an overall indication of the birds present since habitats visited ranged from oxbow lakes, flooded lowlands, a lowland lake, river-side woods and timber on the river valley bluff.

Species Diversity

There were at least 94 species noted during this mid-October period. Numbers varied and the distribution varied, but the overall tally is indicative of the diversity of this particular section of the Missouri Valley.

The following table summarizes the spatial occurrence of the bird observations. The numbers given are the composite tally for the species during the period of evaluation. A zero (0) value indicates a species was present, but no count was made.

Common Name	Desoto NWR	Boyer Chute NWR	Horseshoe Lake Flats	Nathans Lake	Hummel Park	Carter Lake	Big Lake Park	Mandan Flats	Mandan Park	La Platte Bottoms	Schilling WMA	Hamburg Bend WMA
Canada Goose	618	-	149	-	-	-	16	-	-	-	-	-
Wood Duck	580	-	-	1	-	-	3	-	-	2	-	-
Gadwall	12	-	-	21	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
American Wigeon	35	-	4	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Mallard	565	-	137	8	-	16	-	-	-	75	-	-
Blue-winged Teal	695	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	90	-	-
Northern Shoveler	0	-	12	-	-	-	-	-	-	21	-	-
Northern Pintail	707	-	85	-	-	-	-	-	-	221	-	-
Green-winged Teal	0	-	1	8	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Canvasback	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Redhead	-	-	-	6	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	-
Ring-necked Duck	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	15	-	-
Lesser Scaup	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Common Goldeneye	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Common Merganser	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Ruddy Duck	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Ring-necked Pheasant	0	-	5	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Wild Turkey	260	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Pied-billed Grebe	12	3	38	14	-	1	-	-	-	12	-	-
Horned Grebe	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
American White Pelican	78	-	111	5	-	-	-	-	-	30	15	230
Double-crested Cormorant	34	-	-	4	-	-	-	-	-	49	-	-
Great Blue Heron	52	-	62	-	-	-	-	-	-	7	3	-
Great Egret	14	-	56	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	23
Snowy Egret	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Cattle Egret	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Green Heron	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Turkey Vulture	0	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Osprey	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	1	-
Bald Eagle	7	3	10	1	-	-	-	-	-	33	2	-
Northern Harrier	3	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Sharp-shinned Hawk	5	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Cooper's Hawk	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Broad-winged Hawk	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Swainson's Hawk	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Red-tailed Hawk	8	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
American Kestrel	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Merlin	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Sora	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
American Coot	0	-	8	2079	-	-	25	-	-	1169	-	-
Killdeer	36	-	60	2	-	-	1	-	-	14	15	-
Solitary Sandpiper	18	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Greater Yellowlegs	37	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Lesser Yellowlegs	10	-	5	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Wilson's Snipe	-	-	6	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Ring-billed Gull	0	5	313	23	-	-	-	-	-	28	3	-
Herring Gull	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	30	-	-
Rock Pigeon	0	-	25	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Mourning Dove	0	-	1	2	-	-	-	-	-	5	-	-
Great Horned Owl	0	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Barred Owl	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Belted Kingfisher	0	-	4	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	-
Red-bellied Woodpecker	0	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	1	-
Downy Woodpecker	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	-	-
Northern Flicker	0	-	-	-	5	-	2	1	3	-	-	-
Eastern Phoebe	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Blue Jay	0	-	1	-	2	-	1	-	2	-	-	-
American Crow	0	-	2	-	-	-	2	-	2	-	-	-
Horned Lark	-	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8	-
Tree Swallow	0	-	-	1100	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-
Cliff Swallow	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Barn Swallow	0	-	250	25	-	-	-	-	-	55	-	-
Black-capped Chickadee	0	-	-	-	5	-	2	-	3	-	-	-
White-breasted Nuthatch	-	-	-	-	4	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Brown Creeper	-	-	-	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
House Wren	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Winter Wren	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Sedge Wren	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Marsh Wren	-	-	6	2	-	-	1	-	-	5	-	-
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Eastern Bluebird	-	-	1	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-
American Robin	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	2	-	-	-
Northern Mockingbird	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
European Starling	0	-	22	-	-	-	8	-	-	14	-	-
Yellow-rumped Warbler	0	-	-	-	0	-	9	4	-	-	-	-
American Redstart	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Common Yellowthroat	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
Eastern Towhee	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Vesper Sparrow	-	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Savannah Sparrow	-	-	5	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	20	-
Fox Sparrow	-	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Song Sparrow	-	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4
Lincoln's Sparrow	-	0	25	3	0	-	-	-	-	2	-	4
Swamp Sparrow	-	-	1	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	7
White-throated Sparrow	-	0	-	-	0	-	-	8	4	-	-	-
Harris's Sparrow	-	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
White-crowned Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0
Dark-eyed Junco	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Northern Cardinal	0	-	-	-	2	-	-	1	2	-	-	-
Red-winged Blackbird	-	-	3485	60	-	-	25	-	-	635	-	-
Common Grackle	0	-	25	-	95	-	1	-	2	2	-	-
Brown-headed Cowbird	-	-	7	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
American Goldfinch	0	-	2	-	11	-	-	2	-	-	-	-
House Sparrow	0	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

The number of species present during the period is a pertinent indication for the bird diversity in the valley during this season. Migration is underway, and a birds' presence and extent can change each day.

There may have been a greater species tally if all of the species seen at a particular place were noted. This is a common short-coming of bird reports which continues to minimize the actual bird diversity of places because observors do not make an effort to denote all species present.

Highlights of particular significance include:

• Late season individual Pied-billed Grebes, floating atop the waters in their search for a tasty morsel, including a half-sized youngster noted at the Horseshoe Lake Flats which was prominent because of its lesser size than the others of its ilk
• Lingering numbers of the majestic Great Egret, including a bunch of at least 34 on October 11th at the Horseshoe Lake Flats
• More than a dozen Bald Eagle of varying ages at the La Platte Bottoms, in association with the waterfowl; there were 14 on October 9th, and a dozen, two days later; they seemed to prefer lurking at the edge of the area and often were noted only after an extended period of observation when they took flight
• Pervasive flocks of the American White Pelican, floating along and predominant upon the waters
• Numerous American Coots especially consistent at Nathans Lake, providing an attractive scene for people driving past, with some of them seen taking pictures of the bird congregation
• A few late season shorebirds at the wetlands of the Horseshoe Lake Flats; a personal highlight were the Wilson's Snipe, subtle in their presence
• About a thousand Tree Swallows on the October 11, sitting placidly on the power lines on the south side of Nathans Lake, making it a relatively easy task to count them in groups present on different sections of the wires
• A fine variety of sparrows occurring at the end of the period
• The feathered mite, a.k.a Winter Wren, in the woods along Ponca Crek at Hummel Park, and also at the bluffs of Mandan Park

With the particular details available, there could be further particulars recognized, but suffice it to say, there are a number of fine places along the river this autumn where wild birds have found a haven.

Tree Swallows on the powerlines on the south edge of Nathans Lake. October 11, 2010.

American Coots at Nathans Lake. October 17, 2010.

A variety of wild lands have been utilized by a diverse array of birdlife, and the surveys during the period as least indicate a diversity which is known only because of the interest of birders which took the time to get out and look about, then to note their observations. Nearly all of the sightings are based upon observations for which there was no remuneration to the person whom spent their time and funds to visit a place, observe the birds and then compile and report their sightings.

This effort provides a glimpse of the valley birds, but is not comprehensive, nor complete in any manner. Only with a better focus on species occurrence and distribution at a greater number of places during a wider variety of times - without a reliance on the typically scattered and irregular observations of local birders - but instead through a an effort of particular focus will the avifauna of this and other portions of the Missouri River environs be known in some detail. It will require a thorough consideration to get thorough and accurate details in order to sufficiently convey the value of local habitats and indicate the details needed to show their importance.

Formerly flooded field with hunter walking to the refuge lands, on October 17th. This is the same place as the image with the geese, at the start of this article.