Rare Hybrid Geese at Squaw Creek NWR

A rare occurrence of a hybrid goose was first reported at Squaw Creek NWR on March 4th. The Wachiska Audubon Society of Lincoln, Nebraska was visiting the the goose was first observed and reported.

The Ross's Goose x Blue Goose hybrid was noted by the group and identified by ornithologist Paul Johnsgard, according to a member of the society. This was the first time he has seen this sort of hybrid during his decades of observing waterfowl.

The goose was about the same size as a Snow Goose but "had the head shaped like Ross's with some blue 'warts' on the bill, according to an Audubon member.

This one goose was among the throng of Snow Goose present.

On March 10th, two birders from Missouri visited the refuge and noted several hybrid geese.

"While Steve Kinder and I were observing a small flock of Snow Geese beside the auto tour loop around Squaw Creek NWR we noticed that among these Snow Geese were four/five of the geese that were intermediate in size between the regular Snow Geese and the nearby Ross's Goose. Also, their bills were intermediate, showing a pinkish tinge and a reduced 'grinning patch.' It looked to us as though they were hybrids (Snow X Ross's)." — Larry Lade

The descriptions do not quite match, especially in regards to size, so it is possible that different birds were seen on the two occasions.

There have been several previous reports of this hybridization mix having occurred.

Accounts of White Cranes on the Plains

Among the historic chronicles there is an occasional mention of the white crane. Most times it refers to the demise of these large birds, and a few details of how it occurred.

With some of the accounts, there may be enough to indicate that the white crane was the Whooping Crane. One item of particular significance was the bird's wingspan. Cranes and egrets have the following length from tip to tip of the wings:

Whooping Crane: 7.5 feet

Sandhill Crane: 7 feet

Great Blue Heron: 5.5 to 6.5 feet

Great Egret: 55 inches

With this measurement known, it is possible that among the following news accounts, there are previously unknown records indicating the occurrence of the large Whooping Crane. Other details are also helpful in making an evaluation.

1880s

"A white crane was recently caught at Hickory Grove, Iowa and on its bill there was a young turtle firmly fastened. The bird was a huge specimen, measuring seven feet from tip to tip, but it was almost starved to death. While stalking around on the prairie it had stuck its bill completely through a small turtle, but could not get the turtle off again, and in this condition had remained for days. When discovered it was fed, but it died within two days." — June 24, 1880; Saline County Journal 10(21): 4.

"Two large sea birds or cranes, white as the driven snow, sailed over the city this forenoon with tail feathers pointing northward." — August 10, 1881. Waco Evening News 1(24): 3. In the City News column.

"Mr. C.H. Crawford succeeded in shooting a large white crane a few days ago. As a practical shootist our friend C. is hard to beat." — April 9, 1884; New Ulm Review 7(14): 3. From Minnesota.

"Mr. George Sheidle, one of our old settlers, shot a white crane of a very rare kind on his place southwest of town. He presented it to I. Niemoller. It measured from tip to tip of wings, 7 feet, six inches, from beak to tip of claw, 5 feet, 9 inches; weight 16 pounds.— May 7, 1884; Columbus Journal 15(2): 3. From Nebraska

This bird report was included in the Platte Center community news column as submitted by "T" the correspondent. It is another example of a likely report of the whooping crane.

"Wm. Walker has a white crane that measures ten feet from tip to tip of wings." — May 20, 1885. Columbus Journal 16(4): 3. From Nebraska.

This locality is near the central Platte River, a known migratory stopover for the big cranes.

"A large white crane is on exhibition in the window of a Lincoln drug store. The bird was found on the prairie north of that city by W. Messenger, who dispatched it with his buggy whip, it having been previously wounded by hunters, evidently. It measured 8½ feet from tip to tip of wing, and has been mounted." — May 20, 1886, McCook Tribune 4(51): 2. From Nebraska.

"All crops look fine over the Frisco, and consequently everybody feels good. Today an immense white crane was killed two miles southwest of Leon by Mr. Pettitt and brought to town. It was a beautiful specimen of the long-legged family. An Eagle representative was in town and as the folks thought him somewhat of a bird man they presented it to him. It will be prepared and stuffed." — July 12, 1889; Wichita Eagle 11(47): 1. From Kansas.

1890s

"Lemuel S. Bennett living on the farm of W.D. Wyman three miles east of Cambria last week shot a large white sand hill crane on the ponds near his house. It measured seven feet six inches from tips of wings, stood five feet six inches in height and weighed eighteen pounds; this is the largest one ever captured by any one in this vicinity and was therefore quite a curiosity. — April 17, 1890; Saline County Journal 20(16): 3.

This readily fits the description of a Whooping Crane. The account was in the "New Cambria Chatterings" column submitted by the Jewell, the community correspondent.

"A white crane measuring eight feet from tip to tip was shot and brought into Guthrie, Monday." — November 6, 1891; Wichita Daily Eagle 15(147): 4. From Oklahoma.

"A.N. Reed shot a crane at his place, three and a half miles northeast of Central City, Monday, measuring eight feet from tip to tip of the wings." — April 26, 1897; Omaha Daily Bee, page 3.

1900

"White Crane Killed at Orlando.
"Guthrie, O.T., Nov. 6. — The Oklahoma aid says Thursday evening of last week Rev. R.L. Morton shot and killed a white crane. It was the largest ever seen in this country. From the tip of one wing to the tip of the other it measured over eight feet and from the end of the beak to the feet it measured over five feet. It was a very fine bird, pure white except the tips of the wings, which were black. Mr. Morton gave the bird to Sheriff Rinehart, who was here Friday to take to Guthrie to have it mounted." — November 7, 1900; Wichita Daily Eagle 33(148): 3.

Undoubtedly a Whooping Crane, based on size, feather coloration, and the date and location of occurrence.

This sample gives an intriguing glimpse of what other items may still be lurking among the pages of papers from the Great Plains region.

Lakeside Rocking Underway at Carter Lake

The industrialization of Carter Lake is well underway. Massive amounts of rock are now being dumped along the shoreline. Its a noisy place, diesel fumes are prevalent and access points are closed.

At least there are no boats yet, so a fine variety of waterfowl remain. This will probably change this weekend with warmer weather!

Significant Bibliographic Milestone Achieved in Bird Research

A significant new milestone has been reached in research underway on the history of birds of America northward from Panama. The 4000th bibliography item was entered into the database late on the afternoon of March 6th, while adding another newspaper record for the Passenger Pigeon, of wild pigeon as they were more typically called.

There were three more items then also added as some other found articles were also integrated into the recordset that includes more than 450 items from historic papers of North America, starting -- thus far -- in 1724.

Other interesting facts can be considered, as given here in a terse manner.

There are 134,000+ records in the dataset, from 11473 sites, though there are duplicates for a similar locale to allow temporal differentiation.

The records date from ca. 10000 B.C. to about 125 years ago, and convey details for 1748 recognized species.

More than 1400 narrative sources with bird records are included, which represent travelogues, journals, diaries, etc.

More could be said about the early records from the first bird journals, and how Forest and Stream needs further consideration because of the minutiae in those pages which are difficult to deal with because of the entire magnitude, where an item of significance might comprise just a few lines of typeset. An early index indicates the items of particular interest.

The 450+ items from a myriad of newspapers provides 1407 distinct records thus far, representing 179 distinct valid species with the vast majority for passenger pigeons, with some many tidbits of unique history. There are 41 states represented. Especially valuable have been issues of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, the Farmer's Cabinet, the Jeffersonian, Liberty Tribune and Pittsfield Sun. Don't forget the various New York City rags and their asundry mix.

There needs to be some recognition given to the editors of these papers which presented a fine variety of bird-related stories.

There is a story of when a penguin (great auk) was shot in New England in 1732, and as the shootist Ebenezer Hovey tried to retrieve his prize, he fell into the water and drowned, but was remembered by a report of the event issued on a page of the Rhode Island Gazette.

How many notes regarding birds got an editor's attention and were published because one or another of the hunters got shot and died afield?

Have you read about how telegraph wires caused the deaths of many wild pigeons as reported in the autumn of 1873? There are almost 1750 distinct records amongst this compilation, which can convey a time when the first actual observation of the species occurred.

Did you see the story about the albino Bobolink singing in the meadow above Amherst?

Is Boggy Swamp still extant on Long Island?

Etc. Etc. and so forth and so on.

The compilation of information is not available anywhere else in the world, other than one personal computer. This project was started in 1996.

What an unsurpassed endeavour of profound interest it has been! It has been possible only because of the grand effort by many librarians and others to provide digital versions of historic newspapers in a format that can be easily searched and seen online.

If only the observations as documented could be mapped according to the county of known occurrence. Now that would be grand indeed.

There are though, further treasures of bird lore to find and consider despite whatever ...

Wildbird Articles in a California Weekly

Intermittently during a few years, the Pacific Rural Press presented a feature article about wild birds. The brief text typically gave only a few details on the natural species and some descriptive information. An decent-sized illustration was included with each.

This weekly was published by Dewey & Co., with W.B. Ewer the principal editor in 1874, and at least through September 1878.

There were 23 articles of interest found during a review starting with the January 4, 1873 edition, and through the December 25, 1880 edition. Some issues were not available at the online archive. Featured on the front page were:

Crow blackbirds. — 10/10/1874 — Pacific Rural Press 8(15): 225.

The passenger pigeon. — 11/21/1874 — Pacific Rural Press 8(21): 321.

Common magpie. — 12/12/1874 — Pacific Rural Press 8(24): 369.

California condor. — 1/30/1875 — Pacific Rural Press 9(5): 65.

The king-bird. — 2/27/1875 — Pacific Rural Press 9(9): 129.

Wilson's Snipe. — 5/22/1875 — Pacific Rural Press 9(21): 337.

A desirable ally [rose-breasted grosbeak.] — 8/7/1875 — Pacific Rural Press 10(6): 81.

Our bird illustration [blue grosbeak]. — 9/18/1875 — Pacific Rural Press 10(12): 177.

The blue-jay. — 7/22/1876 — Pacific Rural Press 12(4): 57.

Red-headed woodpecker. — 10/21/1876 — Pacific Rural Press 12(17): 265.

Purple-grackle. — 11/25/1876 — Pacific Rural Press 12(22): 345.

Broad-winged buzzard. — 12/9/1876 — Pacific Rural Press 12(24): 337.

Large-horned owl. — 1/13/1877 — Pacific Rural Press 13(2): 18.

Reed-bird, or bob-a-link. — 2/10/1877 — Pacific Rural Press 13(6): 81.

Great red-breasted rail. — 2/24/1877 — Pacific Rural Press 13(8): 114.

Ruffed grouse. — 3/24/1877 — Pacific Rural Press 13(12): 178.

Red-tailed buzzard. — 5/5/1877 — Pacific Rural Press 13(18): 273.

The fish-crow. — 6/2/1877 — Pacific Rural Press 13(22): 337.

The snowy owl. — 7/21/1877 — Pacific Rural Press 14(3): 33.

The shrike, or butcher bird. — 9/8/1877 — Pacific Rural Press 14(10): 145.

The hairy woodpecker. — 9/28/1878 — Pacific Rural Press 16(13): 193.

A group of penguins. — 5/3/1879 — Pacific Rural Press 17(18): 289.

The Australian bustard. — 6/14/1879 — Pacific Rural Press 17(24): 385.

Articles about domestic fowl are not included.

These articles are not a significant contribution to bird history of the region, but still obviously indicate an increasing interest people had in various birds during these years.

Mysterious Two-headed Eagle from 1723 Mexico

A newspaper report from 1724 conveys an intriguing account of a mysterious "spread-eagle" from Mexico. The bird was shot, captured and then mounted which is nothing unusual. The significance of its abnormal anatomy meant it was sent to the King of Spain. Other indicated details convey a unique situation, which was eventually indicated by a newspaper article.

The reality is either a figment of a rich imagination or a condition of genetic mutation never since denoted in annals of the myriad of sources about birds which comprise any consideration of historic ornithology.

This is the actual account as published. The letter S replaces the archaic use of the letter F as was the norm in print topography during this era, with a couple of other trivial and obscure edits:

"Extract of a Letter from Cadiz, dated Sept. 8, 1723.

"The Vice King of Mexico, who came on board the Azougue Ships, brings to the King of Spain a dead Spread-Eagle, which was shot thro' the Right Wing and Side by a Spaniard, as it was talloning a Faun near a Place called Gaxaca, who sent it to this Vice King, Eighty Leagues to Mexico. It remained Four Days alive. The Vice King ordered above 500 Indians well-skilled in Game, to ply all the Country for the flown Spread-Eagle, and promised a Thousand Pieces of Eight to the Person who brings it alive. This is a young Bird, not bigger than a middling Turkey, of the common Colour of an Eagle, but a larger Breast and Shoulders than ordinary, out of which spring Two Necks Seven or Eight Inches long asunder. On each Neck there is a perfect Head of an Eagle, nearly proportioned to each other, save that the Right Head has the Beak something stronger and sharper towards the Extremity. It was seen he watcher with one Head, while he fed and preyed with the other, and used both either Way. It has its Feathers still, except what fell off from the Right Head and Neck, through the Mismanagement of the Person who endeavoured to cure it. The Right Head faces, thro' his Blunder, to the Left Side, otherwise it would form as it lies the Imperial Arms. As no History makes mention of such a Bird, the Admiration is very great, it having always been supposed that the Eagle was first painted with Two Heads on the Devision of the Roman Empire, with out any Intention to allude to the reality of such a Creature. It made so much Noise In America, that the Notaries Publick lived on the Attestations taken of it for some Weeks."

If the bird taken was actually capturing a fawn, it must have been a large species of raptor, especially as it reached the size of a mid-sized turkey.

It is possible that Gaxaca could refer to Oaxaca.

Whatever the truth, the account is certainly a profound bit of lore conveyed by a relative few words on a the page of a newspaper published nearly 29 decades ago in Pennsylvania. This is one of the earliest articles about birds available from the newspaper chronicles of America.

There are numerous depictions of the two-headed eagle from past times.

Chimney Swallows Captured for Shootists

Though wild pigeons were prominently used as targets for shootists during the latter 1870s, a bit of an article indicates another species that was obviously also suitable. It was smaller in size and would have a completely different response upon release from capture, but they were still of enough interest to be captured by devious means. The little bblack birds were especially vulnerable during the autumn when they congregated while migrating southward.

A bit of news in a regional paper reveals a glimpse of the taking of the chimney swallow.

"At Bowling Green, Ky., recently two men secured 3,576 chimney-swallows in one evening, to be used at a shooting match. Modus operandi: Put an empty bed-tick over the top of the chimney and start a fire below."

These details are from a news item issued in September, 1878 which gave no indication whether or not this was a normal endeavor. Further details could have provided a unique perspective on this completely distinct report regarding the taking of Chimney Swifts at this time in Kentucky.

This is just one more detail of historic ornithology to appreciate, as issued in a newspaper decades in the past.