Dickcissel Days at Audubon Prairie Preserve

Bird observations have been kept on a daily basis during several recent visits of a working purpose to the native prairie preserve owned and maintained by the Audubon Society of Omaha. This place is north of Omaha along Bennington Road, about a half-mile east of 72nd Street.

The prairie is now lush and newly verdant with grasses and so many other plant species surging forth with their warm-season growth. This place is of utmost importance, as one vital link among a key portion of the overall area. To the south are residential properties with some bits of woodland and mown lawns. To the west is a replanted grassy space which was formerly cropland. Its northern edge is a marked by a line of free-growth trees. Beyond the north side of the property is an agricultural field. Construction is now underway here on houses among another suburban development.

While working to remove unwanted vegetation — yellow sweet clover — from among the plant growth of the prairie during the first days of July, any birds heard or seen were recorded every day to indicate what species were present and to provide a perspective of birdlife on a daily basis. Observations were primarily between 6 and 9 a.m. CDT.

No day had a similar tally of species.

The most regular and appreciated sounds where those of the Dickcissel. Several pair of Dickcissels live here. During the morning hours their song is continually heard spaced at places the males have found appropriate. Deep within the grasses they certainly have hidden nests. An adult carrying food was well seen on July 6th.

During the first two visits two students — from a local university — were apparently gathering details about the territoriality of these birds. Research is great, but when they were seen throwing sticks at a territorial Dickcissel on my initial visit, they crossed a line indicating that they were not following proper research protocol. When the "stick approach" did not work they reverted to multiple plays of an playable version of this birds song, using a cell phone or some other electronic device. The guy and gal were obviously harassing the Dickcissels so they could get results for their day afield!

Nothing was said to them despite my aggravation at their aberrant and unacceptable behavior.

Sublime among the grasses were Common Yellowthroat pairs. They have chosen a breeding season space deep among the grasses of this upland prairie. Their voice is another bit of the morning orchestra of birds sounds that were heard.

Also appreciated was the sublime Eastern Meadowlark. Their evocative song wasn't heard very often, but their calls were appreciated and they were seen flitting about a few instances.

It was early in July, yet seasonal movements are underway, as indicated by visiting American Bitterns, a rather unexpected species for Douglas County. A local birder was intrigued by the possibility of observing this species which is missing from his extensive list for this area along the Missouri River. Passing flocks of bluebirds had most likely raised their young in the vicinity and are now transient across the landscape.

Common Name	7/2/2014	7/3/2014	7/4/2014	7/6/2014	7/7/2014
American Bittern	- -	- -	3	1	1
Turkey Vulture	1	- -	3	- -	- -
Cooper's Hawk	1	- -	- -	- -	- -
Red-tailed Hawk	- -	- -	1	- -	- -
Killdeer	1	2	1	1	2
Mourning Dove	2	1	1	2	2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	- -	1	1	2	1
Belted Kingfisher	1	- -	- -	- -	- -
Downy Woodpecker	1	1	1	1	- -
Northern Flicker	1	- -	- -	- -	1
Eastern Kingbird	1	1	1	- -	- -
Blue Jay	2	1	1	2	1
American Crow	- -	1	- -	3	1
Barn Swallow	9	3	3	3	3
Black-capped Chickadee	1	1	4	2	2
White-breasted Nuthatch	1	- -	1	1	- -
House Wren	2	3	3	3	4
Eastern Bluebird	2	1	14	6	- -
American Robin	2	6	2	2	3
Gray Catbird	- -	1	2	- -	- -
Brown Thrasher	1	1	- -	1	1
European Starling	1	- -	1	- -	3
Common Yellowthroat	2	3	3	3	3
Chipping Sparrow	1	- -	1	- -	1
Field Sparrow	1	1	1	1	1
Northern Cardinal	2	1	3	2	1
Indigo Bunting	- -	- -	- -	1	1
Dickcissel	5	5	5	6	5
Eastern Meadowlark	2	3	1	1	1
Common Grackle	- -	- -	2	2	4
Brown-headed Cowbird	2	2	1	2	2
Baltimore Oriole	2	- -	2	- -	- -
American Goldfinch	1	2	2	2	1
House Sparrow	2	2	3	2	- -

During these five days of July as the heat and humidity descended upon the landscape, there were 34 species seen or heard while traversing the prairie in search of yellow sweet clover to yank out or otherwise eradicate. Pulling worked most times, but on a regular basis, the stalk broke so the root remained. Some of the plants were so-welled established that it was not possible to pull them from the ground. Their tenacity with the soil made the work much more strenuous, as there were moments when an attempt to extradite was nothing more than a useless strain with the result being a breaking of the stalk to just get rid of the above-ground portion of the clover plant. The larger plants are a great challenge to pull from the ground, and although the plant may be removed, it is a great strain to remove the entire plant, including its root, well buried and anchored in the soil of this prairie.

The primary removal effort was amidst the south part of the prairie, where intent was given to eradicate every one of these weedy species. The effort then continued northward, along the edges of the expansive extent of flowering plants.

There is an obvious difference upon the crest of the hill for this prairie on its hilltop crest. To the south, the unwanted clover is sparse. To the north, the clover plants are thriving in such an extent that manual removal would be a task that could not in any manner be completed this season, and not even next year because there are so many of the yellow sweet clover, a biennial plant. Seed set this season will sprout next year, and there will be an ongoing occurrence of those vivacious plants.

While working on weed removal for the Audubon Society of Omaha, the intent was to remove woody vegetation from their eastern fenceline, and then find and remove yellow sweet clover plants wherever they were growing among the prairie. This goal was only partially achieved because there are so many clover plants present, so there was no potential to achieve an eradication. There was some success in limited portions of the prairie. However, the worst infestation of clover comtinues in the northwest quarter of the property and nothing was done during my hours afield to suitably deal with its weed infestation.

A special thanks to society for the opportunity to work at their prairie.

My personal apologies to the resident Dickcissels for disturbing their place, including a disruption of their habitat by removing plants and otherwise altering their summer life. Dramatic vegetative changes are not appreciated by birds at this time of the season when key elements of plants provide essential cover for nests with young.

Prairie Conserved for Decades by Fricke Family

A family that settled along the valley of Big Papillion creek in the 1850s Nebraska territory, continues to protect a bit of the native prairie present when they arrived to their new home.

Settlers left the Missouri River valley and headed westward a few miles to a setting of high rolling prairies and several groves of good timber, according to the land survey done in June 1856. Along the Papillion creek, the land was "unsurpassed in fertility" so it was rapidly settling and already had "some quite well improved farms."

Frickes, immigrants from Prussia were soon also getting involved in farm agriculture. In 1857, William Fricke purchased more than 1000 acres in what became known as the Papillion community, in Sarpy county, Nebraska. The land already had a value of $40 per acre, according to the 1885 Atlas of Nebraska. Fred Fricke arrived in 1858, according to the chronicles.

A couple of years later, William Fricke added to his place through a "military exchange" with the widow of William N. Fitzgerald for 120 acres. A second transaction on October 1st, also transferred 120 acres to Francis Fricke from Joel Lewis, a private in Captain Shelton's Company, Virginia militia, war of 1812.

Andrew H. Fricke acquired 40 acres through a government claim in 1861.

The family was established in the area, and by 1889, William and Fred Fricke were prominent land-owners northeast of Papillion.

An area of particular interest associated with the natural legacy of the family is within section 24, township 14 north, range 12 east, according to the standard details associated with property within Nebraska. By 1920, the indicated owners were Francis H. Fricke and Henry J. Fricke.

The family continued to raise crops, cattle and kids through the subsequent decades. The Fricke Farm homestead was situated west of the creek valley, along 72nd Street. The house built by Frederick and Elizabeth Fricke is a "treasure" wonderfully denoted by a historic photograph.

Further generations of Fricke's continued upon their land in eastern Nebraska. Consider the ongoing agricultural efforts by Milton Sr. and Verna Fricke. Later, Milton Jr. was well recognized for distinctive farming efforts, with Charles and Leon also involved with the expansive farm.

During the early years of the 1980s, another interest that appreciated natural settings in the valley of Papillion Creek, visited and expressed their perspective associated with the relic lowland prairie of just a few acres. Through the years it has continually provided a fresh crop of native hay.

Their is a big bunch of history associated with the Fricke Farm, well explained in other sources, including a book on the families' history.

Teachers at Fricke Prairie in the 1980s. Photo courtesy of Phil Swanson.

Prairie Appreciation

In the early 1980s, there were some unexpected birds at the prairie place on the Fricke land. This somehow got the attention of metro bird-watchers, and they came to the farm to see what was could be seen.

Phil Swanson, a resident in the vicinity of the Fricke farm, first visited in late 1981, and kept records of his bird observations. He'd noticed the creek on the east side of 72nd street, got permission from the owners, and visited a few times, along with binoculars and an interest in watching. Milton Fricke was also interested in what birds were about, so Swanson provided him details from visits at the farm, including the ponds and prairie eastward towards the creek. There were walnut trees in the front yard of the Fricke place, which also attracted different sorts of birds.

There were numerous subsequent visits, primarily from 1981 through 1989, according to records kept by Swanson. Birds were the primary interest but personal events were well remembered.

Among the birds, which would have also been seen by Milton Fricke while riding horseback to the prairie which was a pasture for cattle, were bobolinks, dickcissels and meadowlarks. When urban development was sparse, the prairie was burned to promote its growth. More recently it has been annually mowed for hay.

Birds at the Fricke Farm.

Photos courtesy of Phil Swanson.

Swanson remembers when Milton Fricke picked flowers from among the prairie grasses to present a colorful bouquet to his wife, Joann. On one occasion a feisty bull among the dairy cattle, started head-butting the volkswagon bus being driven by Swanson, requiring him to drive away from the scene. Milton later quipped that he would have hit the bull with a 2x4 to the head, Swanson said.

During the early 1980s, a spurt of interest occurred, with visits made to denote the bird fauna and native flora. Other metro birders also visited, perhaps due to the enthusiasm of Andy Saunders, the naturalist then associated with Fontenelle Forest, who was excited about the occurrence of bobolinks nearby.

On their first visit, birders Loren and Babs Padelford stopped at the farm house, then drove down through pastures and field to the prairie. He'd heard about the place from Saunders. They visited a few times in 1987 to 1993, enjoying the grassy setting, in addition to observing the birdlife.

"We have enjoyed visiting the prairie and are pleased that the family has kept it as a native prairie," said Jim Kovanda, who has visited the site along with his wife Sandy and others.

On the lowland, designated as a floodplain by government officials, the 15 acre prairie with its summer birds is still present, subtly changed but still representing the original prairie setting indicated in the 1850s.

"We will not alter the prairie as long as we own the property," said Charles and Marian Fricke, the current owners along with Milton Jr. and Joann Fricke. The family obviously continues to appreciate the 15 acres of living history among their hundreds of acres along Papillion Creek, most of which is agricultural cropland.

Area birders continue to occasionally enjoy the bird life of this bit of natural heritage.

To get a personal perspective a recent visit to the site occurred in early June, 2014. There was no great variety of birds. It was a special time spent tramping upon a prairie which has never been plowed. It was a heritage walk among plants that convey the original setting of this land. It is not very often when there is an opportunity to walk on land relatively unchanged for 150 years.

The bit of prairie has changed. Management regimes have made a difference. The local setting has had an influence on how the overall features of the adjacent landscape. In 2006 the farm homestead along 72nd Street was sold due to increasing urbanization and commercial development is now prevalent. A Sam's Club store is currently being built near where the farmstead had been, Swanson said. New housing tracts occur to the west and south.

Powerline corridor in the vicinity of Fricke Prairie. June, 2014.

Despite continual nearby changes, this bit of land, associated with decades of agricultural use is still appreciated and enjoyed in many subtle ways, including interest in its flora and fauna.

"It would be interesting to see what the insect diversity is in the prairie," said Loren Padelford.

The Fricke family was honored in 2008 at the "Reflection Ball" held to indicate their legacy associated with the Papillion community.

In 2014, the Fricke family was one of the first two honorees for Heritage Farm designation by the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben Foundation. This award recognizes 150 years of property ownership by the same family.

Fricke Farm - Yearly Tally of 170 Species

Common Name	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	2 Jun 2014
Snow Goose		0 *
Canada Goose							0
Wood Duck		0								5
Gadwall		0
American Wigeon		0
Mallard		0													1
Blue-winged Teal		0
Northern Shoveler		0
Northern Pintail		0
Green-winged Teal		0
Canvasback		0
Ring-necked Duck		0
Lesser Scaup		0
Bufflehead		0
Common Goldeneye		0
Hooded Merganser		0
Common Merganser		0
Ruddy Duck		0
Ring-necked Pheasant	0
Northern Bobwhite		0								1	0	1
Pied-billed Grebe		0
Horned Grebe		0
Double-crested Cormorant		0
American Bittern		0
Great Blue Heron		0								0	2	1
Great Egret					0
Snowy Egret	0
Little Blue Heron					0
Cattle Egret							0
Green Heron		0
Turkey Vulture		0										1
Osprey						0
Bald Eagle		0
Northern Harrier		0
Sharp-shinned Hawk					0
Broad-winged Hawk			0
Swainson's Hawk						0
Red-tailed Hawk	0									1	1				1
Rough-legged Hawk		0
American Kestrel	0									0
Merlin									0
Sora		0
American Coot		0
Semipalmated Plover						0
Killdeer		0								1	1				2
Spotted Sandpiper			0
Solitary Sandpiper		0								1
Greater Yellowlegs		0
Willet			0
Lesser Yellowlegs		0								0
Upland Sandpiper			0
Hudsonian Godwit				0
Semipalmated Sandpiper						0				2
Western Sandpiper						0
Least Sandpiper					0
White-rumped Sandpiper						0
Baird's Sandpiper						0
Pectoral Sandpiper						0				2
Dunlin						0
Stilt Sandpiper							0
Short-billed Dowitcher									0
Long-billed Dowitcher		0
Wilson's Snipe		0
Wilson's Phalarope						0
Franklin's Gull			0
Ring-billed Gull			0
Herring Gull			0
Least Tern						0
Black Tern								0
Rock Pigeon	0														40
Mourning Dove	0														4
Yellow-billed Cuckoo		0
Black-billed Cuckoo	0
Great Horned Owl	0
Common Nighthawk		0
Chimney Swift		0
Belted Kingfisher	0										1
Red-headed Woodpecker		0					0				0
Red-bellied Woodpecker		0
Downy Woodpecker	0
Hairy Woodpecker		0
Northern Flicker	0										1
Olive-sided Flycatcher					0
Eastern Wood-Pewee		0
Least Flycatcher		0
Eastern Phoebe				0
Western Kingbird		0					0	1
Eastern Kingbird		0
Loggerhead Shrike		0								1	1
Northern Shrike						0
Bell's Vireo		0
Blue-headed Vireo								0
Warbling Vireo		0
Philadelphia Vireo	0
Red-eyed Vireo		0
Blue Jay	0
American Crow	0
Horned Lark	0
Purple Martin		0
Tree Swallow				0
Northern Rough-winged Swallow		0
Bank Swallow		0
Cliff Swallow						0		0		1
Barn Swallow		0													2
Black-capped Chickadee	0
House Wren		0										0
Sedge Wren		0					6	0		5		0
Marsh Wren								1	0
Golden-crowned Kinglet							0
Ruby-crowned Kinglet			0
Eastern Bluebird								0
Veery								0
Swainson's Thrush						0
Hermit Thrush	0
American Robin		0								0					4
Gray Catbird		0
Brown Thrasher		0								0
European Starling	0														2
Cedar Waxwing						0
Tennessee Warbler		0
Orange-crowned Warbler		0
Nashville Warbler		0
Yellow Warbler		0
Yellow-rumped Warbler		0
Palm Warbler									0
Blackpoll Warbler		0
American Redstart					0
Northern Waterthrush								0
Kentucky Warbler						0
Common Yellowthroat		0								0	1				1
Wilson's Warbler						0
Canada Warbler									0
Eastern Towhee					0
American Tree Sparrow	0
Chipping Sparrow		0
Clay-colored Sparrow			0
Field Sparrow		0
Vesper Sparrow		0									2
Lark Sparrow			0
Savannah Sparrow		0
Grasshopper Sparrow		0								1		1
Le Conte's Sparrow		0
Fox Sparrow	0
Song Sparrow	0						0	0		1	2	1			1
Lincoln's Sparrow		0
Swamp Sparrow		0
White-throated Sparrow		0
Harris's Sparrow	0
White-crowned Sparrow		0
Dark-eyed Junco	0
Northern Cardinal	0
Rose-breasted Grosbeak		0
Blue Grosbeak									0	1
Indigo Bunting		0
Dickcissel		0								0	2	0		0	4
Bobolink		0									2
Red-winged Blackbird		0												0	35
Eastern Meadowlark		0													2
Western Meadowlark	0
Yellow-headed Blackbird			0
Rusty Blackbird		0
Common Grackle		0													6
Brown-headed Cowbird		0
Orchard Oriole		0
Baltimore Oriole		0										1
Purple Finch		0
House Finch													0
Pine Siskin	0
American Goldfinch	0									0					2
House Sparrow	0
* A zero (0) value indicates the occurrence of the species, but no record of numbers present was kept.

 

Flora of Fricke Prairie

Compiled by Dr. Paul Christiansen; list prepared in July 1982 by professor David M. Sutherland (University of Nebraska at Omaha) that included nomenclatural changes and any additions, based upon a visit along with Andy Saunders. Nonnative species are indicated by an asterisk (*).

Grasses

Big bluestem, Andropogon gerardii

Little bluestem, Andropogon scoparius

Sideoats grama, Bouteloua curtipendula

Scribner panic grass, Dichanthelium oligosanthes var. scribnerianum

Acuminate panic grass, Dichanthelium acuminatum var. acuminatum

Canada wildrye, Elymus canadensis

Junegrass, Koeleria pyramidata

Porcupine grass, Stipa spartea

Squirrel-tail grass*, Hordeum jubatum

Smooth brome*, Bromus inermis

Kentucky bluegrass*, Poa pratensis

Sloughgrass, Spartina pectinata

Sedges, Carex brevior and others

Spikerush, Eleocharis species

Downy Phlox at Fricke Prairie in June, 2014.

Composites

Rosin weed, Silphium integrifolium

Compass plant, Silphium laciniatum

Goatsbeard*, Tragopogon dubius

Black-eyed susan, Rudbecia hirta

Yarrow, Achillea millefolium

Canada goldenrod, Solidago canadensis

Missouri goldenrod, Solidago missouriensis

Daisy fleabane, Erigeron strigosus

Floodman thistle, Cirsium floodmani

Musk thistle*, Carduus nutans

Dandelion*, Taraxacum officinale

Sow thistle*, Sonchus species (sp.)

Indian plantain, Cacalia tuberosa

Gayfeather, Liatris pycnostachya

Yellow coneflower, Ratibida pinnata

Big-toothed sunflower, Helianthus grosseserratus

Showy sunflower, Helianthus laetiflorus

Hawkweed, Hieracium longipilum

Groundsel, Senecio platensis

Purple coneflower, Echinacea angustifolia

Many-flower aster, Aster ericoides

Pussy-toes, Antennaria neglecta

Wormwood, Artemisia ludoviciana

Ox-eye, Heliopsis helianthoides

Legumes

Red clover*, Trifolium pratense

Yellow sweetclover*, Melilotus officinalis

Black medic*, Medicago lupulina

Wild pea, Lathyrus palustris

Silver-leafed scurf pea, Psoralea argophylla

American vetch, Vicia americana

Purple prairie clover, Petalostemon purpureum

White prairie clover, Petalostemon candidum

Bush clover, Lespedeza capitata

Lead plant, Amorpha canescens

Other Families

Turk's cap lily, Lilium canadense subspecies michiganense

Turk's Cap Lily at Fricke Prairie, summer 1983.

Pictures courtesy of Dave Sutherland.

Canada anemone, Anemone canadensis

Meadow rue, Thalictrum dasycarpum

Prairie phlox, Phlox pilosa

Mustard*, Brassica sp.

Pepper-grass*, Lepidium densiflorum

Penny-cress*, Thlaspi arvense

Bindweed, Convolvulus sepium

Onion, Allium canadense

Golden Alexanders at Fricke Prairie in June 2014.

Golden alexanders, Zizia aurea

Spiderwort, Tradescantia bracteata

Dogbane, Apocynum sibiricum

Wild rose, Rosa arkansana

Wild strawberry, Fragaria virginiana

Tall cinquefoil, Potentilla arguta

Cinquefoil*, Potentilla norvegica

Sour dock*, Rumex crispus

Whorled milkweed, Asclepias verticillata

Blunt-leaved milkweed, Asclepias amplexicaulis

Butterfly milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa

Common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca

Sullivant milkweed, Asclepias sullivantii

Horsetail, Equisetum laevigatum

Wild groundcherry, Phsalis virginiana

Flowering spurge, Euphorbia corollata

Bastard toadflax, Comandra umbellata

Birdsfood violet, Viola pedatifida

Water hemlock, Cicuta maculata

Common blue violet, Viola of papilionacea group

Skullcap, Scutellaria sp.

Pale-spike lobelia, Lobelia spicata

Blue-eyed grass, Sisyrinchium campestre

Fringed loosestrife, Lysimachia ciliata

Gaura, Guara longiflora

Represents 82 species. Additional grass species expected to occur include Indian grass and switchgrass, according to Dr. Sutherland.