Some Game Bird Prices at Rock Island

History of market prices as especially presented on the pages of the Rock Island Argus, convey some interesting details for wild birds ready to be bought.

Market prices were indicated by the newspaper starting at least in 1870. There were no found mentions of wild birds being sold, though domestic chickens, turkeys and geese were available for purchase.

There are several dates when the prices associated with the Rock Island Market are presented upon a newspaper page, under the banner: Rock Island Market, starting in the early 1870s. The subtitle was Poultry, with three items of interest indicated. They were Prairie Chickens, Snipe and Quail.

Valuations were given, as considered for January 1877 through May 1878, as discovered by searching the pages of this newspaper, as available at the Chronicling America website.

Records considered are from January 21, 1877. Those, of final consideration are from May in 1878. During this period, the prices in the market for prairie chickens, snipe and quail never changed.

Prairie Chickens: 25 @ 30 c each

Snipe: 1.00 @ 1.25 per dozen

Quail: 1.00 @ 1.25 per dozen

The valuation did not change for the dates.

Thus, the historic importance is lesser, since, there are only a few dates available and no indicated variety in pricing. Other locales associated with the prices of game in local markets are much more expressive, and thus more important to any consideration of historic ornithology.

A page-by-page evaluation of each issue will certainly indicate more details for the game market at Rock Island, and contribute further to historic ornithology, especially for the upper Mississippi River region.

Original Poetry. Spring.

How pleasant 'tis in early spring,

To hear the pretty robin sing;

To hear the cooing of the dove,

Which fills our hearts with warmest love.

 

To see the pretty grass so green,

Oh, what a soul refreshing scene!

The sight of birds and insect's gay,

The lovely warble of the jay.

 

The red bird with his mellow sound,

While tripping lightly o'er the ground,

Creating joy where'er he goes,

Just like the fragrance of the rose.

 

The lark which rises up so high,

His song the sweetest when most high;

The goose which takes its northward coarse,

With wing so strong and croak so hoarse.

 

The pigeon with unwearied wing,

Gives token of an early spring;

The cat-bid with its changing tone;

The bull-frog with his mighty moan.

 

The ant begins its summer toils,

The lazy serpent then recoils;

The daffo with its yellow hue,

Peeps forth to greet the earliest dew.

 

The Easter flowers next appears,

To note the passing of the years;

And all is joy, and all is love,

Reflected from our home above.

Vox.

April 5, 1860. Belmont Chronicle 4(15): 1.

Sunday Outing at Levi Carter Park

Sunday, November 9th was a fine morning so much of the hours were spent bicycling about Levi Carter Park and local environs, looking around and doing a bird survey as well.

Geese Awaiting Transfer

The flock of seven Toulouse geese that hang around Kiwanis Park are waiting for their seasonal transport to warmer winter settings. They are to be moved to winter quarters at N.P. Dodge Park, according to Brook Bench, director of Omaha Parks and Recreation. The birds are expected to be moved by Thanksgiving.

Hybrid Goose

An unusual hyrid goose was noticed among a flock of Canada geese and a single Toulouse Goose foraging on the grass next to the lake at the southeast portion of the park. Its parentage is not known.

Tire Disposal

The usual thrown away tire present at the park was much greater than usual at the north parking lot, near the boat dock. The number in this pile will be added to the 501 already that have been hauled away by park staff, since January 1, 2014.

Dirtwork at Public Works Facility

These are several views of the dirtwork being done along Carter Lake Boulevard by the Omaha Public Works Facility, at their debris holding facility.

The Corps of Engineers is requiring Omaha Public Works to mitigate for previously placing fill in wetlands, yet this very recent dirtwork appears to be doing more of the same. The cattails are an obvious indication of a wetland.

Trash Removal

The final task of the morning, and the visit, was to remove some trash from the northwest pond, natural wildlife area. Most of it was along the railroad tracks, and either newspaper or plastic.

Bloviating Political Candidates

These political candidate signs indicate how politicians are so full of hot air. A city of Omaha ordinance requires timely removal of this sort of trash real soon after the elections, but that obviously is not being done. This group is eastward of 45th and Hamilton Street, adjacent to the playground of Walnut Hill School, while bicycling past, and also while removing aluminum trash from the city streets. Signs go up quick, but can be removed so slow, and sometimes it takes a local resident to finally do the job!

State Game Agency and R-Project Review

This email was received 4 November from the Nebraska Game and Parks in response to an inquiry on the r-project.

"Thank you for your email inquiry below dated Monday, October 27, 2014. Each year, we review over 1,000 different projects following a similar review process for each one. We are considering conducting a public webinar in order to give citizens a better understanding of how we conduct environmental reviews. However, we do not plan on using a hearing on any particular issue to explain this process. Individuals are welcome to contact us regarding our involvement in a given project, and we are certainly willing to explain what our role has been.

"For the R-Project, staff of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) have been involved in more than 15 meetings, conference calls and site visits with the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and other project specialists to discuss the project’s potential impacts on endangered and threatened species and other species of concern. NPPD presented the “Project Area” to NGPC and USFWS staff for the first time on December 12, 2012 and requested input. At this initial meeting, an inquiry was made regarding the location of the transmission line through the Sandhills, and we asked if they could consider a completely different “Project Area” that wouldn’t go through the Sandhills. We pointed out some different ideas and suggestions on a map. NPPD’s response was that they were following the directive from the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) to build a line that generally went from the Gerald Gentleman Station (GGS), to a substation near or in Cherry County, and then east to tie into Western Area Power Association’s Ft. Thompson to Grand Island line in the general Holt/Antelope/Wheeler County area. We do not have an opportunity to partake in the SPP’s decision-making process regarding the general location of transmission lines designed to meet regional needs, such as the R-Project.

"After the initial meeting, NGPC and USFWS staff had an opportunity to review the “Project Area” in more detail, and determined there were specific areas of concern pertaining to wildlife. This information was provided to NPPD during two separate meetings in 2013. NPPD took this information into consideration, along with all their other routing criteria, as they narrowed the “Project Area” down to “Project Corridors.” As we recommended, the “Project Corridors” were sited away from some of the densest populations of American burying beetles, and away from some of the larger wetland clusters. We also advised that areas of highest bird use around Birdwood Creek be avoided, but this was not entirely possible. Given the general location of the project and the other criteria NPPD must consider, all sensitive wildlife areas and natural habitats cannot be avoided. Additional meetings were held prior to NPPD’s selection of the preferred and alternative routes.

"As previously mentioned, NGPC staff expressed concern regarding this project’s placement through the Sandhills. However, we do not have regulatory authority when it comes to protecting the Sandhills. Consequently, there is not a mechanism for us to prevent the project from going through this landscape. As we do with all projects, we recommend constructing along existing corridors or in areas with existing disturbance. We have worked with NPPD to develop measures to avoid and minimize impacts to listed species to the extent possible. Mitigation for all unavoidable impacts on endangered and threatened species will be required and will result in a net benefit for the affected species.

"As required by statute, the Nebraska Power Review Board consulted with us on this project pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat §37-807(3) of the Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act. An environmental review letter was issued on September 11, 2014, and a minor correction to the letter was issued on September 22, 2014.

Weed Removal from Happy Hollow Trail Barriers

A viny and rank growth of weeds on barriers along the Happy Hollow recreational trail on the east side of Memorial Park, was somewhat removed by staff of the Omaha Parks and Recreation Department at the end of October.

There were a some places where the crawly vines had completely covered the metal barriers, so city workers arrived to address the situation, following the end of the growing season. Much of the street-side vegetation was removed by the city of Omaha workers, with at least a primary portion of the metal barriers newly visible from the adjacent boulevard.

In some places the work was, however, done in quite a shabby manner. Numerous barren vines remained, sticking through the barriers in several places. Elsewhere, vines were not entirely removed as they could have been. After the city work, the creek side of the barriers still had numerous weedy growth still clinging to them. Some of the tree and shrub plantings put in places associated with creek channel changes, had many threads of vines threatening the free-growth of the foliage, which was paid for by Omaha residents.

Thankfully, some of the plants which sprouted and tried in their own manner along Happy Hollow Creek were not cleared. Especially the sunflowers, which are a nice bit of natural flora to enjoy, and which some birds also do appreciate.

Since the work done by paid employees was not complete, and thus not suitable, on Sunday afternoon, November 2^nd, my volunteer effort for a part of the afternoon was to remove more of the weedy vines. Special attention was given to where the unwanted plants were threatening the preferred plantings. During the time at the scene, many people went past along the trail, and they were mostly clueless about what was going on. At least one neighborhood resident, with a unique awareness, did stop and chat for a minute or two, and expressed her appreciation and verbal thanks for what was being done.

Next time this sort of weed-pulling may occur, the gloves worn need to provide better coverage for the wrists, to avoid unnecessary skin damage from the abrasive plant stalks. The red lines and a bit of more expressive vivid wounds were because the weeds were pulled from among the late-season grass, from off the planted trees and shrubs, and away from the barricades structures. Sometimes the yanking was easy, other times there was assistance needed, and that was done with small clippers — as borrowed — and appropriately pulled from the pocket to snip one or many vines. There is no resultant pain but only time will heal the multiple abrasions.

My effort was to done improve the setting along Happy Hollow Creek, which very few people make an effort to do. There is no way that suitable attention and maintenance will be done by City of Omaha workers, despite many requests asking them to give the trail some attention, and in a timely manner.

A pile of removed debris was left by a sign along the trailway. What happens with it may be seen in coming days? There was no change in its extent on Monday, mid-morning, though it shrank a few inches in height due to plant drying.

The work needed along this trail is still no not done. More weeds need to be removed. More preferred plants need some attentive care. One obvious thing ... the work will certainly not be done by City of Omaha workers!

There is an obvious need for further volunteer efforts. For example, it would have been nice if the parks officials had coordinated with work with the Dundee - Memorial Park Neighborhood Association. Volunteers could have helped remove the unwanted vegetation, including some tree trimming/removal of trash trees along the creekway and perhaps some a park cleanup.

During this outing, some tree limbs here and there along the sidewalks of Underwood Avenue were also appropriately trimmed, to provide the legally required eight feet of clearance for someone traversing the pedestrian right-of-way, whether while walking or bicycling. The small pieces of branches were also languishing along the way on Monday, November 3^rd.

Pile of weedy vines that were removed from a section of a barrier.

Supposed Rain Garden Asset a Mess in Dundee

Many hundreds of thousands of dollars were recently spent to improve the street-scape of the central Dundee business district. Streets and sidewalks were improved. Multiple large trees were torn down and new saplings planted. There are new benches to sit on. A huge rock adorns one public area, as if it is something important? It certainly does not indicate anything of significance!

A key feature of the project was a supposed rain-garden, at the northwest corner of 50th Street and Underwood Avenue.

It is a forlorn and though not forgotten, continues to be a spot amidst the Dundee business district to mess with, since its final condition has not yet been met, though there have been many different things done to achieve some a whole bunch of nothing.

Looking now at this itty-bitty space at the intersection, there is nothing more than a bunch of landscape chips, a pile of dirt, a piece or two of plywood covering a hole, and an orange barrier fence and cones with OPPD lettering indicating they are there for purposes of the Omaha Public Power District. On the adjacent sidewalk, there are marks for utilities. Work was done to provide a new power connection cabinet for the nearby traffic signals.

There are no plants growing, except for one weed. It is no sort of a green space. There is, alas, no way that this place is contributing in any sort to reducing storm-water runoff, as intended by a plan presented and accepted by residents.

It seems somewhat disingenuous that the City of Omaha paid some contractor to construct a feature that is not actually in the condition as indicated by published plans. There was supposed to be a variety of plants, including,

It is not certain if and when this will occur, and this feature will become an asset to the central Dundee business district.

View on November 1st.

Chain Lake and Wetlands Threatened by Industrial Powerline

Chain Lake is a remote wetland in southern Holt county, eastern Sand Hills, which through a wonderful juxtaposition was visited many times to record the wildbirds present. Just to its south, and extending into Garfield county is another extensive wetland, with Rush lakebed adjacent to this place.

Each of these wetlands are habitat havens, as they have been for decades and changing centuries.

Now, an industrial powerline — The R-Project — is being proposed by the Nebraska Public Power District which would slice through the setting associated with these three wetland places.

NPPD has not indicated what legislation gives them permission to construct the so-called "r-project" and they have made no known attempt to convey what factors they have considered in determining the "preferred" corridor for this project which will impact so many miles of sandhill's terrain.

The company is dictating to the residents what will happen. The land-owners have not been given any option other than to accept the dictates of the company, which has made decisions based also upon perspectives made by bureaucrats associated with the Southwest Power Pool.

Chain Lake Bird Survey Dates

1990 27 February: 1 4 March: 13 13 March: 2 17 March: 7 21 March: 15 25 March: 3 28 March: 1 30 March: 10 31 March: 1 4 April: 8 17 April: 14 22 April: 25 27 April: 7 3 May: 19 9 May: 17 11 May: 2 14 May: 1 15 May: 12 16 May: 7 22 May: 1 23 May: 42 31 May: 16 5 June: 1 13 June: 30 22 June: 24 25 June: 1 5 July: 30 14 July: 35 15 July: 3 25 July: 29 10 August: 25 18 August: 18 28 August: 1 6 September: 29 14 September: 19 19 September: 24 28 September: 18 5 October: 19 12 October: 1 14 October: 11 31 October: 11 12 November: 5

1991 with a focus primarily on shorebird occurrence 7 April: 2 14 April: 2 20 April: 1 21 April: 4 27 April: 9 5 May: 14 12 May: 7 22 May: 7 23 May: 1 29 May: 9 7 June: 3 12 June: 2 20 June: 3 4 July: 5 12 July: 6 20 July: 8 27 July: 5 15 August: 10 26 August: 6 1 September: 8 18 September: 5 30 September: 3 The values indicated are the number of species recorded for the given date. Not all species were denoted, since the intent was to record waterfowl and shorebird occurrence. These surveys were done by Loren Blake, an avid birder that lived on a ranch west of Chambers, in southern Holt county. These records are part of his legacy for this area of the Sand Hills.

There have been 114 species recorded at this location, based upon more than 675 distinct records:

• Greater White-fronted Goose: a total of 132 on three dates in April 1990
  
• Canada Goose: 419 during April to May, then July to November, 1990
  
• Gadwall: 114; March through October 1990 with a peak count of fifty on 13 June 1990
  
• American Wigeon: 104; March through May 1990, and then early in October; peak count 75 on 30 March 1990
  
• Mallard: 1314; several counts of more than 100, with 300 denoted on 12 November 1990
  
• Blue-winged Teal: 135 on thirteen counts from mid-April to late-September
  
• Northern Shoveler: 285 from seventeen dates of occurrence, with greatest numbers from 30-50
  
• Northern Pintail: 760 for seventeen counts; mid-April was the when there were 120 present on two dates
  
• Green-winged Teal: 133; primarily from mid-March to later in April, 1990
  
• Redhead: 91 from nine dates of record; largest count 30 on 22 June 1990
  
• Ring-necked Duck: 23, from three dates, two in March and one in October, both in 1990
  
• Lesser Scaup: 237, from March 21 to May 9, 1990
  
• Bufflehead: 17, denoted on two spring visits
  
• Common Goldeneye: 21 in March 1990
  
• Hooded Merganser: 2 on 31 March 1990
  
• Common Merganser: 166, with 150 seen on 3 March 1990
  
• Ruddy Duck: 37 associated with seven dates
  
• Sharp-tailed Grouse: 1
  
• Greater Prairie-Chicken: 17
  
• Pied-billed Grebe: 2, with one seen on two days, one in March and the other in July, both during 1990
  
• Horned Grebe: 10 on 21 March 1990
  
• Eared Grebe: 2 on 31 May 1990
  
• American White Pelican: 60 on seven date
  
• Double-crested Cormorant: 55 on nine dates
  
• Great Blue Heron: 1
  
• Cattle Egret: 1 on 9 May 1990
  
• Bald Eagle: 63, with counts of 20 (13 March 1990), 12 (17 and 21 March 1990) and 10 (mostly adults on 4 March 1990)
  
• Northern Harrier: 3, with only one seen on three different dates
  
• Swainson's Hawk: 2
  
• Red-tailed Hawk: 4, with only one seen on four different dates
  
• American Kestrel: 4, with only one seen on four different dates
  
• Prairie Falcon: 2
  
• American Coot: 142, associated with twelve dates, the peak number being 100 on 22 April 1990
  
• Sandhill Crane: 12 on 31 October 1990
  
• Black-bellied Plover: 1 on 16 May 1990
  
• American Golden-Plover: 6 on 14 September 1990
  
• Semipalmated Plover: 11 in 1990 and 22 in 1991, based upon ten records, with the largest number (15) seen on 27 April 1991
  
• Piping Plover at Chain Lake: one on 20 April, one on 27 April and one on 5 May, all in 1991 for this threatened species in Nebraska
  
• Killdeer: 28 in 1990 and 699 in 1991; a breeding season resident as indicated by at least 140 dates of occurrence; peak number 84 on 01 September 1991
  
• American Avocet: 4 in 1990 and 22 in 1991 from eleven counts; there were eleven present on 1 September 1991, as seen by Loren Blake
  
• Greater Yellowlegs: 1 in 1990 and 5 in 1991
  
• Lesser Yellowlegs: 14 in 1990 and 88 in 1991
  
• Willet: 1 in 1990 and 13 in 1991
  
• Spotted Sandpiper: 10 in 1990 and 51 in 1991
  
• Upland Sandpiper: 5 in 1990
  
• Long-billed Curlew: 1 in 1990
  
• Marbled Godwit; six in mid-April 1990
  
• Sanderling: 56 in 1990 and 1 in 1991
  
• Semipalmated Sandpiper: 13 in 1990 and 338 in 1991
  
• Western Sandpiper: 11 in 1990 and 31 in 1991
  
• Least Sandpiper: 14 in 1990 and 33 in 1991
  
• White-rumped Sandpiper: 275 in 1991
  
• Baird's Sandpiper: 45 in 1990 and 288 in 1991
  
• Pectoral Sandpiper: 3 in 1990
  
• Dunlin: 1 in 1991
  
• Stilt Sandpiper: 7 in 1990 and 117 in 1991
  
• Buff-breasted Sandpiper: 6 in 1990
  
• Short-billed Dowitcher: 4 in 1990 and 9 in 1991
  
• Long-billed Dowitcher: 38 in 1990 and 52 in 1991
  
• Wilson's Phalarope; numerous records, with a count of 1000 on 27 April 1991 and other counts of 200 or more in May of the same year
  
• Red-necked Phalarope: 20 in 1990 and 4 in 1991
  
• Franklin's Gull: 4
  
• Bonaparte's Gull; five in late May 1990
  
• Ring-billed Gull: 67
  
• Black Tern: 17
  
• Mourning Dove: 15
  
• Great Horned Owl: 7
  
• Common Nighthawk: 2
  
• Red-headed Woodpecker: 8
  
• Downy Woodpecker: 3
  
• Northern Flicker: 11
  
• Least Flycatcher: 5
  
• Western Kingbird: 8
  
• Eastern Kingbird: 9
  
• Loggerhead Shrike: 2
  
• Warbling Vireo: 1
  
• Blue Jay: 1
  
• Black-billed Magpie: 1
  
• American Crow: 4
  
• Horned Lark: 9
  
• Tree Swallow: 1
  
• Northern Rough-winged Swallow: 16
  
• Barn Swallow: 13
  
• Black-capped Chickadee: 3
  
• House Wren: 4
  
• Eastern Bluebird: 50
  
• Mountain Bluebird: 2
  
• Swainson's Thrush: 2
  
• American Robin: 13
  
• Northern Mockingbird: 1
  
• Brown Thrasher: 5
  
• European Starling: 8
  
• American Pipit: 102
  
• Yellow Warbler: 2
  
• Yellow-rumped Warbler: 2
  
• American Tree Sparrow: 1
  
• Chipping Sparrow: 6
  
• Field Sparrow: 1
  
• Vesper Sparrow: 3
  
• Lark Sparrow: 8
  
• Lark Bunting: 1
  
• Savannah Sparrow: 3
  
• Grasshopper Sparrow: 1
  
• Lapland Longspur: 50
  
• Dickcissel: 1
  
• Red-winged Blackbird: 8
  
• Eastern Meadowlark: 1
  
• Western Meadowlark: 14
  
• Common Grackle: 3
  
• Brown-headed Cowbird: 4
  
• Orchard Oriole: 1
  
• Baltimore Oriole: 4
  
• Red Crossbill: 8
  
• American Goldfinch: 8
  

The bird diversity associated with Chain Lake extends to the south in association with other nearby wetlands.

To place an industrial powerline with it towers and hanging wire hazards across the different wetlands present south of Chain Lake indicates a lack of concern for wildbirds or some other sort of ignorance by NPPD officials.

References

Blake, L.E. 1988. Connecticut warbler. Nebraska Bird Review 56: 99. Blake, L.E. 1989a. Sprague's pipit. Nebraska Bird Review 57: 32. Blake, L.E. 1989b. Winter wren. Nebraska Bird Review 57: 96. Blake, L.E. 1989c. Black-headed grosbeak. Nebraska Bird Review 57: 96. Blake, L.E. 1990a. Nesting trumpeter swans. Nebraska Bird Review 58: 106. Blake, L.E. 1990b. Buff-breasted sandpipers. Nebraska Bird Review 58: 107. Blake, L.E. and J.E. Ducey. 1990. A comparison of historic and modern birdlife at an eastern Sand Hills lake in Nebraska. Nebraska Bird Review 58: 100-104. Loren B. Blake and Jim Ducey. 1991. Birds of the eastern Sand Hills in Holt County, Nebraska. Nebraska Bird Review 59: 103-132. Ducey, Jim and J. Schoenenberger. September, 1991. Some birds of the Pony Lake area of the eastern Sandhills, Nebraska. Nebraska Bird Review 59: 55-58.