Spring Avifaunal Diversity Apparent at Localities of Eastern Nebraska

During a few weeks of early spring in eastern Nebraska, bird surveys at various localities indicate the variety of species which occur. Repeat surveys were done at three particular places, with only one or two visits to some other sites.

Woodland along Ponca Creek at Hummel Park. A frisbee golf course with mown "fairways" is being placed in this area, along the nature trail.

Information on bird species and numbers present was gathered at:

• La Platte District: La Platte Bottoms, just north of the confluence of the Platte River and Missouri River; this wetland locale continues to have standing water and moist mudflats attractive to a special diversity of species;
• Fontenelle District: Fontenelle Forest, which is always a magnet for birds and the people which observe them; this was the only locale not personally visited;
• Southeast District: Spring Lake Park has a fine woodland at its northwest section which always has an interesting group of birds;
• Carter Lake District: includes Carter Lake, Levi Carter Park and the pond in its northwest corner, Iowa West Ranch (in Iowa) which was not visited but notes were kept on species heard or seen from across the lake, and Kiwanis Park;
• Ponca Hills District: Hummel and N.P. Dodge parks, as well as Longs Hill, northward from Ponca Creek
• Horseshoe Lake District: the primary sites visited were Nathans Lake and the Horseshoe Lake Flats, with a couple of records from Boyer Chute NWR.

During each survey, each and every species observed was recorded, along with a count of the number present. A standard route and count method was used each time.

Information presented online by other Nebraska birders was included in this compilation, in order to prepare a more thorough list of the bird life. A special thanks to those individuals whom took the time to note each species observed and the number present.

Repeat Visits

Several visits were made to the following places, with all species receiving equal attention:

• La Platte District: nine bird record dates, with surveys on six dates between 2 April and 2 May.
• Carter Lake District: 15 visits from 30 March to 3 May; all but two visits were bird surveys.
• Horseshoe Lake District: thirteen dates with bird records, with surveys done on ten occasions.

This analysis is based upon 686 records, as evaluated using a relational database program.

Missouri Valley Avifauna

Overall, there were 144 species documented at the six "districts" where several surveys were done. Each locality had a different number of bird types:

La Platte District: 69 species

Carter Lake District: 70 species

Horseshoe Lake District: 86 species

In the following list, the value indicates the number of each species counted. Where a zero value is given, there was no indication given on how many were present by an other observer.

Common Name	La Platte District	Fontenelle District	Southeast District	Carter Lake District	Ponca Hills District	Horseshoe Lake District
Snow Goose	-	-	-	4	-	-
Canada Goose	4	4	-	39	2	43
Wood Duck	-	2	2	76	9	3
Gadwall	26	2	-	-	-	22
American Wigeon	-	-	-	-	-	2
Mallard	7	-	2	98	2	13
Blue-winged Teal	255	8	-	49	2	217
Northern Shoveler	90	6	-	39	-	98
Northern Pintail	-	-	-	-	-	2
Green-winged Teal	7	-	-	-	-	10
Redhead	2	-	-	-	-	-
Ring-necked Duck	10	-	-	4	-	9
Lesser Scaup	-	2	-	14	-	2
Hooded Merganser	-	-	-	-	-	2
Ruddy Duck	-	-	-	7	-	-
Ring-necked Pheasant	-	-	-	-	-	9
Wild Turkey	-	4	7	-	1	-
Common Loon	1	-	-	-	-	-
Pied-billed Grebe	7	1	-	5	-	11
Horned Grebe	1	-	-	-	-	-
American White Pelican	-	-	-	-	-	73
Double-crested Cormorant	-	-	-	9	5	46
American Bittern	-	-	-	-	-	2
Great Blue Heron	1	-	-	-	1	9
Great Egret	-	-	-	-	-	23
Snowy Egret	-	-	-	-	-	2
Cattle Egret	-	-	-	-	-	3
White-faced Ibis	14	-	-	-	-	-
Turkey Vulture	2	6	3	-	7	4
Osprey	-	-	-	-	-	1
Bald Eagle	2	-	-	-	-	10
Cooper's Hawk	-	1	1	-	-	-
Broad-winged Hawk	-	-	-	-	1	-
Red-tailed Hawk	-	1	1	1	-	1
American Kestrel	-	-	-	1	-	6
Merlin	-	-	-	1	-	-
Peregrine Falcon	-	-	-	-	-	2
Virginia Rail	-	-	-	-	-	2
Sora	-	-	-	-	-	3
American Coot	685	4	-	5	-	546
Semipalmated Plover	33	-	-	-	-	5
Killdeer	14	2	-	5	-	16
Spotted Sandpiper	1	3	-	3	-	2
Solitary Sandpiper	-	-	-	-	2	-
Greater Yellowlegs	3	-	-	1	-	2
Willet	6	-	-	-	-	4
Lesser Yellowlegs	85	1	-	-	-	89
Marbled Godwit	-	-	-	-	-	1
Sanderling	-	-	-	-	-	1
Semipalmated Sandpiper	67	-	-	-	-	17
Baird's Sandpiper	9	-	-	-	-	3
Dunlin	4	-	-	-	-	2
Short-billed Dowitcher	-	-	-	-	-	5
Long-billed Dowitcher	200	-	-	-	-	-
Wilson's Snipe	4	-	-	-	-	-
Wilson's Phalarope	287	-	-	-	-	13
Franklin's Gull	-	-	-	-	-	32
Bonaparte's Gull	1	-	-	-	-	-
Ring-billed Gull	-	-	-	6	-	30
Forster's Tern	3	-	-	-	-	6
Rock Pigeon	-	-	-	3	-	4
Mourning Dove	4	2	1	40	3	5
Barred Owl	-	-	2	-	-	-
Chimney Swift	-	7	4	2	-	-
Belted Kingfisher	-	-	-	-	-	1
Red-headed Woodpecker	-	4	-	-	2	-
Red-bellied Woodpecker	-	2	2	-	4	-
Downy Woodpecker	-	3	3	2	3	1
Hairy Woodpecker	-	1	-	-	1	-
Northern Flicker	-	2	1	5	3	4
Pileated Woodpecker	-	-	-	-	1	-
Least Flycatcher	-	5	-	1	0	-
Eastern Phoebe	-	1	-	-	2	-
Great Crested Flycatcher	-	3	-	-	1	-
Western Kingbird	1	-	-	12	0	-
Eastern Kingbird	-	-	-	-	0	-
Yellow-throated Vireo	-	-	-	-	0	-
Blue-headed Vireo	-	2	-	-	-	-
Warbling Vireo	-	2	1	3	-	-
Blue Jay	-	3	3	3	13	2
American Crow	-	-	-	-	3	2
Horned Lark	1	-	-	-	-	2
Purple Martin	-	-	-	11	-	-
Tree Swallow	60	30	-	335	10	260
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	-	30	-	2	-	-
Bank Swallow	5	-	-	10	-	-
Cliff Swallow	2	-	-	10	-	15
Barn Swallow	62	20	-	54	-	36
Black-capped Chickadee	-	6	4	2	6	-
Tufted Titmouse	-	1	2	-	1	-
White-breasted Nuthatch	-	4	3	1	8	-
Carolina Wren	-	-	-	-	1	-
House Wren	-	8	4	2	14	1
Winter Wren	-	-	-	-	1	-
Sedge Wren	-	1	-	-	-	-
Marsh Wren	-	1	-	-	-	2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	-	8	10	1	-	-
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	-	3	-	-	1	-
Eastern Bluebird	-	4	-	-	-	-
Swainson's Thrush	-	8	4	-	9	-
Hermit Thrush	-	-	-	-	2	-
American Robin	4	2	20	324	16	15
Gray Catbird	-	5	-	-	2	-
Brown Thrasher	-	12	9	5	0	2
European Starling	1	8	2	247	17	14
Cedar Waxwing	-	6	-	-	-	-
Orange-crowned Warbler	-	8	-	-	0	-
Nashville Warbler	-	2	-	-	-	-
Northern Parula	-	3	-	-	0	-
Yellow Warbler	-	-	-	1	2	3
Yellow-rumped Warbler	10	16	-	23	18	43
Palm Warbler	-	6	-	1	1	1
Black-and-white Warbler	-	10	1	-	1	1
American Redstart	-	3	-	-	-	-
Northern Waterthrush	-	6	-	-	2	-
Louisiana Waterthrush	-	3	-	-	-	-
Kentucky Warbler	-	1	-	-	-	-
Mourning Warbler	-	-	-	-	0	-
Common Yellowthroat	-	6	-	-	2	1
Spotted Towhee	-	1	1	-	-	-
Eastern Towhee	-	6	1	-	0	-
Chipping Sparrow	-	4	-	42	5	2
Clay-colored Sparrow	-	3	1	-	0	-
Field Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	1
Vesper Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	9
Savannah Sparrow	-	-	-	-	0	5
Song Sparrow	-	3	-	-	-	-
Lincoln's Sparrow	1	12	-	-	12	-
Swamp Sparrow	-	4	-	-	0	-
White-throated Sparrow	-	42	17	15	24	-
Harris's Sparrow	-	1	-	-	3	-
White-crowned Sparrow	1	-	-	-	0	-
Northern Cardinal	-	4	6	8	11	-
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	-	8	-	-	0	-
Red-winged Blackbird	30	5	-	42	2	250
Eastern Meadowlark	2	-	-	-	-	1
Yellow-headed Blackbird	-	-	-	-	-	5
Common Grackle	8	-	3	287	-	35
Brown-headed Cowbird	6	6	3	12	4	17
Orchard Oriole	-	1	-	-	-	-
Baltimore Oriole	-	-	-	3	1	-
House Finch	-	-	-	2	-	-
American Goldfinch	-	16	2	11	5	10
House Sparrow	-	4	2	4	5	7

Further details can be derived from the bird observations which convey the changes in the presence and extent of species on different days during the period. This information also indicates the range of occurrence and relative extent of occurrence. Some species were always noted, while others were only seen once or a few times.

The values in the following table also indicate the number of each species observed on a particular date for the six districts, as indicated by the Julian Date, a standard means of evaluating species occurrence.

Common Name	89	91	92	99	102	106	107	109	110	112	113	114	115	116	117	118	119	120	121	122	123
Snow Goose	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	1
Canada Goose	7	20	13	30	27	4	18	-	35	-	24	-	22	-	29	-	29	4	14	-	16
Wood Duck	19	30	-	28	19	-	23	-	26	-	33	-	21	-	22	-	24	-	22	-	20
Gadwall	-	-	65	-	15	2	4	-	13	-	22	-	-	-	-	-	8	20	10	6	4
American Wigeon	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-
Mallard	17	33	7	29	41	10	20	-	33	-	43	-	18	-	36	-	24	-	29	7	22
Blue-winged Teal	-	1	65	23	89	135	18	-	240	-	359	0	42	-	70	-	33	175	57	80	106
Northern Shoveler	154	110	175	11	106	225	154	-	322	-	83	0	40	-	55	-	38	25	6	65	38
Northern Pintail	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-
Green-winged Teal	-	-	30	3	1	5	-	-	3	-	8	-	-	-	1	-	5	5	4	2	-
Canvasback	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	4	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Redhead	-	-	-	4	-	-	-	-	3	-	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-
Ring-necked Duck	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	8	1	2	-	6	-	2	5	2	5	3
Greater Scaup	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Lesser Scaup	325	135	10	15	17	-	9	-	14	-	13	-	4	-	6	-	10	-	-	-	-
Bufflehead	20	10	5	5	3	1	-	-	6	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Hooded Merganser	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-
Ruddy Duck	225	90	14	20	41	-	60	-	30	-	10	-	3	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	4
Ring-necked Pheasant	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	3	-	1	-	3	-	4	-	2	-	2	-	1
Wild Turkey	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	1	-	-	-	1	-	1
Common Loon	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Pied-billed Grebe	-	-	5	32	2	7	2	-	10	-	10	-	8	-	4	-	3	3	7	4	2
Horned Grebe	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	9	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Eared Grebe	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	6	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
American White Pelican	-	-	-	-	95	-	55	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	36	2	35	-	-	-	-
Double-crested Cormorant	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2	-	17	-	1	-	-	-	8	-	14	-	33
American Bittern	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Great Blue Heron	-	-	3	-	3	2	1	-	2	-	5	-	3	-	5	-	1	1	1	-	2
Great Egret	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	6	1	-	-	-	-	-	23	-	-	-
Snowy Egret	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Cattle Egret	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	1	-	2	-	-	-
Green Heron	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
White-faced Ibis	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	14	-	-	-
Turkey Vulture	-	-	2	-	-	-	1	-	2	-	3	-	-	-	1	-	3	2	-	-	-
Osprey	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-
Bald Eagle	-	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	1	-	-	-	-	4	1	4	1	2
Northern Harrier	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Sharp-shinned Hawk	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Cooper's Hawk	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Red-tailed Hawk	-	-	1	-	-	1	1	-	4	-	3	-	2	-	2	-	-	-	1	-	-
American Kestrel	-	-	-	-	1	1	1	-	4	-	6	-	6	-	4	-	-	-	-	-	3
Merlin	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Peregrine Falcon	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1
Virginia Rail	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Sora	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	1
Common Moorhen	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
American Coot	35	35	950	925	137	325	116	-	566	-	319	0	165	-	138	-	145	235	141	450	127
Semipalmated Plover	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	38	-	-	-
Killdeer	3	5	20	-	4	3	2	-	7	-	8	-	2	-	2	-	9	6	3	8	7
Black-necked Stilt	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Spotted Sandpiper	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	3	-	2
Greater Yellowlegs	-	-	-	-	-	5	-	-	6	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	3	2	-	-
Willet	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	6	4	-	-
Lesser Yellowlegs	-	-	5	-	-	10	-	-	20	-	49	57	7	-	9	14	8	20	60	25	38
Marbled Godwit	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Sanderling	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Semipalmated Sandpiper	-	-	6	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	29	30	25	-
Baird's Sandpiper	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	7	-	5	-
Dunlin	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	4	-	-
Short-billed Dowitcher	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	-	-	-
Long-billed Dowitcher	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	100	100	-	-
Wilson's Snipe	-	-	17	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	-	-
Wilson's Phalarope	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	28	-	-	7	-	2	12	250	25	4
Franklin's Gull	10	-	-	-	365	-	29	-	-	87	70	30	-	-	-	-	27	-	-	-	5
Bonaparte's Gull	-	-	-	-	-	26	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Ring-billed Gull	-	-	11	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	28	-	1	-	9	-	15	-	11
Forster's Tern	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9	-	-
Rock Pigeon	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	5	-	-	-	-
Mourning Dove	5	3	-	3	3	-	8	-	2	-	12	-	9	-	9	-	15	3	13	1	10
Chimney Swift	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-
Belted Kingfisher	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Downy Woodpecker	-	-	-	-	2	-	2	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	1
Northern Flicker	1	1	-	1	3	-	4	-	3	-	2	-	5	-	2	-	4	-	1	-	2
Least Flycatcher	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Eastern Phoebe	2	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Western Kingbird	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	12	-	-	1
Loggerhead Shrike	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Warbling Vireo	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3
Blue Jay	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	3
American Crow	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-
Horned Lark	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	1	-	-	-
Purple Martin	-	-	-	35	4	3	-	-	1	-	1	-	3	-	-	-	4	-	3	-	4
Tree Swallow	-	-	-	-	-	75	465	-	425	-	202	-	220	-	275	-	5	5	140	55	205
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	-	-	-	-	-	-	10	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2
Bank Swallow	-	-	-	-	-	-	10	-	-	-	10	-	5	-	-	-	-	-	10	5	-
Cliff Swallow	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0	-	5	-	5	-	5	2	10	-	5
Barn Swallow	-	-	-	-	-	-	15	-	10	-	30	-	25	-	10	-	4	2	16	60	60
Black-capped Chickadee	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-
White-breasted Nuthatch	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
House Wren	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	2
Marsh Wren	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Eastern Bluebird	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
American Robin	75	123	1	79	80	-	73	-	93	-	332	-	56	-	90	-	90	1	86	3	77
Brown Thrasher	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	3	-	3	-	2
European Starling	50	30	-	55	61	-	47	-	72	-	121	-	59	-	98	-	63	1	56	-	44
Yellow Warbler	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0	-	-	-	-	2	-	2
Yellow-rumped Warbler	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	-	4	-	5	-	-	-	4	-	2	10	44	-	16
Palm Warbler	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1
Black-and-white Warbler	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Common Yellowthroat	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Chipping Sparrow	-	-	-	-	2	-	2	-	4	-	3	-	4	-	4	-	4	-	16	-	20
Field Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-
Vesper Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	-	5	-	-
Savannah Sparrow	3	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5
Lincoln's Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
White-throated Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	-	8	-	3
Harris's Sparrow	-	-	-	-	1	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
White-crowned Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Dark-eyed Junco	15	7	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Northern Cardinal	2	3	-	2	-	-	5	-	1	-	-	-	1	-	3	-	2	-	2	-	2
Red-winged Blackbird	15	12	80	10	52	-	22	-	57	-	77	-	49	-	55	-	47	10	158	20	35
Eastern Meadowlark	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	1	-
Yellow-headed Blackbird	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	2	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	4
Common Grackle	35	35	7	35	82	-	128	-	55	-	137	-	107	-	66	-	107	2	75	6	74
Brown-headed Cowbird	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	10	-	20	-	3	-	5	-	12	1	6	5	6
Baltimore Oriole	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2
House Finch	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	2	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-
American Goldfinch	-	3	-	-	2	2	2	-	2	-	-	-	9	-	2	-	7	-	2	-	10
House Sparrow	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	-	0	-	7	-	-	-	4

There were no occurrences which seem to have a particular degree of prominence. Several observations added new species to the overall avian diversity for a particular site, with highlights from Spring Lake Park, the Carter Lake vicinity (which after the fish removal last year, had a dearth of the Belted Kingfisher), Nathans Lake and the ever-changing Horseshoe Lake Flats.

A lone shrike sitting atop a tree at Nathans Lake was a prominent sighting early in the season. The Snow Goose at Carter Lake cannot fly due to an injured wing. Seeing a pair of Hooded Mergansers was a fine sight at the Horseshoe Lake Flats. Various warblers here and there were always a joy to see. Etc., etc.

It is interesting to realize the variety in reported observations. A visit in the morning might denote species which were not present later in the day, or vice versa. An outing to one part of a site would record a list of species including some not present at another portion of the locality during the same time.

During the period, water levels were relatively consistent at the La Platte Bottoms, whereas about the historic Horseshoe Lake, the extent of water increased once water levels along the Missouri River increased following an increase in releases from Gavins Point Dam in latter April.

Black-necked Stilt at the La Platte Bottoms;
This was a highlight of the season; picture taken April 20, 2011.

Further specificities can be derived from the myriad of details gathered by local birders during this particular spring season of migration and arrival of summer residents. And there will be additional particulars indicated as spring in the Missouri River land continues to reveal the wonderful variety of birds which occur within the region.