Conservation the New Focus for Management of a Short-grass Prairie Tract in Colorado

A recent purchase of a large ranch in east-central Colorado will provide a unique opportunity to manage an extensive area of short-grass prairie - with riparian areas and playa-wetlands - for the benefit of a large variety of flora and fauna.

In March, The Nature Conservancy purchased for $10.3 million, the 23,300-acre Smith Ranch in Lincoln County, which was transferred to the Colorado State Land Board to create a 49,061-acre working cattle ranch in conjunction with adjacent holdings already owned by the state agency.

"Members of the recently formed Central Shortgrass Prairie Partnership are excited that the project will help conserve hundreds of playa lakes which are critical for migratory birds, particularly waterfowl," according to a TNC press release. The playas are also home for the Plains Leopard frog, with streams providing "excellent habitat" for the tiny Arkansas Darter fish.

"The conservation of the Smith Ranch provides significant opportunities to conserve this prairie gem teeming with at least 218 playas" said Mike Carter, coordinator of the Playa Lakes Joint Venture. "Playa lakes may be the most important wetland habitat type for waterfowl in the region hosting up to 20 species during winter and migration season."

Additional funding of $828,000 for the project was recently awarded to The Nature Conservancy by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. Funding is for conservation and management of 1,903 acres of outstanding playa and wetland resources at the 49,236 acre Steel's Fork project site.

"Protection and restoration of this ranch will contribute significantly to the migration, wintering and breeding needs of priority migratory birds in all four of the National Bird Plans as well as other wetland-dependent species," said the FWS summary for the grant.

Riparian and wetland area. All photographs courtesy of Chris Pague, TNC.

Head of creek in the summer showing a no-grazing condition.

"The more than 200 playas in this, the western part of their prairie distribution, are dry most of the time," said Frogard Ryan, Central Front Range Grasslands Project Director for The Nature Conservancy. "After big rains they fill and suddenly support an unbelievable number of amphibians, invertebrates, and of course birds. When the filled playas correspond with spring or fall migration, they can host dozens of species of birds in large numbers. These playas are now managed to assure that wildlife benefits in addition to livestock.

"Burrowing owls and mountain plovers will be a focus of the ranch's management. These species are relatively common on the ranch and we want to see that they have the opportunity to always thrive here."

Additional changes in management, Ryan said, will be beneficial to migratory and nesting birds:

• About 2,000 acres of riparian area and wetlands formerly used mostly by foraging cattle will now benefit birds as well as the livestock. These areas will be fenced to increase plant diversity as well as woody vegetation.
• Restoring a playa wetland that had been dug-out and used as a cattle tank.
• Removal of old ranch material from 12 acres of wetland and riparian area.
• Changing the grazing regime to increase the height of grassland cover, making prairie areas more useful to Grasshopper Sparrows and Lark Buntings.

"While assuring that our legal obligations are met for water management, there is considerable flexibility in when water levels are raised and lowered in 2 small reservoirs," Ryan said. "These reservoirs will be managed to maximize the benefits to shorebirds, waterfowl, marsh birds, and wading birds. During migration there are hundreds of ducks, geese, coots, white pelicans, and other species that use these lakes."

"The ranch has populations of Northern Pintail, Mallard, Lesser Scaup, American Wigeon, Redheads, and will provide benefits for at least 12 NAWCA priority species including Western Grebe, American White Pelican, Sandhill Crane, Long-billed Curlew, Red-headed Woodpecker and Yellow-headed Blackbird, as well as at least 44 additional priority species from existing national and PLJV plans," according to the NAWCA grant summary.

"This is an exciting opportunity," the TNC press release said, "to manage a landscape with concrete goals that will result in a sustainable ranching operation that also demonstrably achieves conservation success for many bird species that depend on changes in management like those proposed on the Steel's Fork Ranch."

The management plan will be developed through a cooperative effort of the Colorado State Land Board, TNC, a representative from the agricultural community, with assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Fish and Wildlife Service and other experts.

The Steel's Fork tract "will be run according to a management plan for the working ranch to co-exist with ways to showcase Lincoln County as recreation and wildlife destination."

"The State Land Board is proud of this opportunity to demonstrate how ranching and conservation can work together for future generations," said Britt Weygandt, Director of the Colorado State Land Board.

"The nearby Bohart Ranch is a model that works with a similar framework and has been a successful cow/calf operation," according to the Conservancy. "The Bohart Ranch easily made the switch from private ownership to public ownership and is now under management by a local ranching family."

TNC has a 25-year conservation oriented management lease on the Bohart ranch, according to the group's press release.

Project partners will restore habitats to establish a "welcome mat" for species that depend on healthy wetlands and riparian areas.

"I am deeply grateful to the many local ranching families who have worked and treasured the prairie," said Ryan. "As a result of their hard work we have one of the most intact regions of prairie on the Western High Plains where conservation and ranching objectives are compatible. I look forward to learning from neighbors and residents about the area and exploring collaborative opportunities that will benefit the community, ranching and nature."

Within two years, The Nature Conservancy will establish an easement to prevent any future development on the recently purchased ranch.

"The 23,389 acre perpetual conservation easement will protect the portion of the ranch containing the majority of the Steel's Fork drainage including ca. 50 playas covering ca. 235 acres, ca. 13 stream miles, ca. 1,058 acres of marshes, other emergent wetlands, spring fed wet meadows, two reservoirs and three ponds," said the FWS grant summary. "The wetlands are intermixed with ca. 22,096 acres of native prairie that has never been converted to cropland."

A management lease option will provide complete management control to TNC. The State Land Board will contribute a six-month lease for a planning and restoration period. TNC will then acquire a 25-year management lease, according to the FWS grant application.

TNC will then sublease the agricultural management to a ranching family, according to the press release.

Shortgrass prairie area.

Upper reservoir area at Steel's Fork Ranch.

The Steel's Fork site, according to the TNC, "is the Eastern anchor in the Peak to Prairie project, an ambitious effort being undertaken by Colorado Open Lands and The Nature Conservancy, with support and participation of numerous local and state agencies and organizations, to conserve and link a landscape stretching from Cheyenne Mountain across the plains of eastern Colorado. The vision is to conserve this large intact prairie landscape, maintain military and agricultural uses and keep historic ranches intact while also conserving critical plant and animal habitat and providing extensive opportunities for recreational access."

New partners involved with the NAWCA portion of the project include the Colorado State Land Board, Sanborn Duck Club, Cheyenne Zoo, Tax Credit Connection (TCC), Hunter White Foundation, and Denver Botanical Gardens.

"The Sanborn Duck Club, formed in 1925, represents a group of 20 families from Colorado Springs," said TNC press release. "The Cheyenne Zoo, TCC and the private donors feel the project will provide benefits to their supporters and catalyze local efforts to place lands under conservation easements."

Additional partners, which did not providing matching funds were the Colorado State Land Board, Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resource Conservation Service, and Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory.

Extensive benefits for the public - identified by the federal grant application - as a result of this project include:

"Science staff will use the ranch as a model for grazing and wetlands management and share those lessons throughout their network. Downstream ranchers will benefit from better managed waterways which provide better sediment and flood control. The ranch will remain a working cattle ranch which is critical to the economy and culture of the area. The hunting community will benefit from access to high quality waterfowl habitat and the improved health of local waterfowl populations. The SLB and TNC will make the ranch available for school field trips, hunting and educational outreach efforts; the Sanborn Duck Club has been hunting the ranch since 1925 and plans to continue using the parcel for hunting outings and gatherings, as well as provide waterfowl monitoring. TNC is also pursuing including the property into an emerging Birding Trail project by RMBO, which is an effort to create local eco-tourism economic activity such as in nearby Lamar."

Bird Species Recovery Champions Named

The national office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced the 2007 "Recovery Champions," with particular recognition for efforts to conserve birds.

"Recovery Champions are Fish and Wildlife Service employees and partners who are making significant contributions to the recovery of native endangered or threatened species."

Holly B. Freifeld, Ph.D

Vertebrate Recovery Coordinator

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Honolulu, Hawaii

Hawaiian Petrel, Laysan Duck, Mariana fruit bat, and Newell’s Shearwater

"Dr. Holly Freifeld’s Recovery Champion award is the result of her exemplary contributions to the recovery of the Newell’s shearwater, Hawaiian petrel, Laysan duck, and Mariana fruit bat. Over the years, Freifeld has brought together diverse government agencies and non-government organizations to work towards the recovery of these endangered Pacific Island species. Her leadership ability in brokering close and significant working relationships with partners outside the Service while maintaining focus on significant recovery actions embodies the skills required to show success in recovering these severely imperiled species."

John Christian

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fort Snelling, Minnesota

Whooping Crane

"John Christian’s Recovery Champion award is based on his dedication to the recovery of the whooping crane. His tireless efforts have brought together a diverse group of partners to create an organization that has led a reintroduction and recovery effort for the crane. This endeavor has overseen raising young whooping cranes to providing intensive flight training at Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin, and through long and occasionally dangerous trips, leading the endangered birds to their wintering grounds in the Florida peninsula. These efforts have resulted in a substantial growth in the population of the species, including milestone events such as the first successful nesting and fledging of a whooping crane east of the Mississippi River in over 80 years."

Nebraska Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program

Fish and Wildlife Service

Grand Island, Nebraska

Least Tern, pallid sturgeon, Piping Plover, and Whooping Crane on the central Platte River

"The Nebraska Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program has made important contributions to the recovery of whooping cranes, least terns, piping plovers, and pallid sturgeon on the central Platte River. The collective hard work of the Program has resulted in the restoration and enhancement of over 7,000 upland and wetland acres as well as nearly 50 miles of improved river habitat. Through tireless labor and extensive outreach efforts, the restoration of the central Platte has become a national model for success. The Program has brought together diverse government agencies, non-government organizations, landowners, and volunteers to work towards the recovery of several listed species as well as provided benefits to a range of native plants and animals."

Missouri River Recovery Program

Threatened and Endangered Species Section, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Yankton, South Dakota

Least Tern, pallid sturgeon, and Piping Plover on the Missouri River

The Corps, through the Missouri River office, has made exemplary contributions towards the recovery of the least tern, piping plover, pallid sturgeon, and other species of the Missouri River. The Corps is successfully implementing one of the most comprehensive and geographically challenging endangered species monitoring and recovery programs ever conceived. Monitoring of more than 2,500 miles of reservoir shoreline and hundreds of river miles involves tremendous teamwork among a diverse group of biologists, summer employees, and other stakeholders. Activities include research and monitoring, habitat restoration, nest protection, weekly surveys of bird productivity, and captive propagation efforts. Also noteworthy is the implementation of an ambitious and comprehensive outreach program that engages all Missouri River basin stakeholders."

Nora Rojek

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks, Alaska

Steller’s Eider

"Since 2003, Nora Rojek has coordinated the Steller’s eider recovery project near Barrow, Alaska. In 2005, nesting was documented for the first time since 2000. Successful nests were also documented in 2006 and 2007. Under Rojek’s guidance, scientific knowledge of Steller’s eider breeding ecology has substantially advanced, and she has accomplished numerous high-priority tasks identified by the Steller’s Eider Recovery Team, including support for the Alaska SeaLife Center’s efforts to establish a captive breeding flock. Rojek’s efforts have brought together diverse government agencies, non-government organizations, and individuals to work towards the recovery of the species. It is in large part through her ability to attain this level of cooperation among all stakeholders that the Steller’s eider is coming back from the brink of extinction."

Tuula Hollmen, DVM

Alaska SeaLife Center, Seward, Alaska

Steller’s Eider

"With the support of a staff of technicians and animal husbandry experts, Dr. Tuula Hollmen is recognized for her management and leadership in Steller’s eider research and recovery projects. As manager of the Eider Program at the Alaska SeaLife Center, Hollmen has played a pivotal role in efforts to establish a captive flock of Steller’s eiders for use in future reintroduction plans. In addition, she has pioneered and collaborated on many other important eider recovery efforts, including a Reintroduction Feasibility Analysis to help determine whether to use reintroduction as a recovery tool for the species. Working with aviculturists from other regions and countries, as well as colleagues in the Service, Hollmen and staff have pioneered species-specific husbandry techniques. In 2007, the first Steller’s eider raised in captivity in North America, if not the world, was hatched at the Alaska SeaLife Center."

"The Recovery Champion award not only recognizes the exceptional conservation accomplishments of the honorees, it also provides the public with a unique opportunity to learn about endangered species conservation," said Dale Hall, director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. "These Recovery Champions are extraordinary conservationists dedicated to protecting and restoring our nation?s wildlife and ensuring that future generations of Americans enjoy the natural treasures we experience today."

Information from www.fws.gov

Birds Will Benefit From Grant for Beetle Conservation

A federal grant to help protect saline wetlands for the imperiled Salt Creek tiger beetle is also expected to be beneficial to birds.

The $385,911 grant from the Fish and Wildlife Service will be used to help purchase an 80-acre tract of wetlands north of Lincoln.

The property has the "potential to provide habitat for migrating bald eagles, least terns and piping plovers," said Ted LaGrange, a wetlands biologist with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. "It also will provide potential habitat for over 200 other bird species, including migratory shorebirds and waterfowl" that occur on saline wetlands north of Lincoln.

The variety of migratory birds forage on the food resources that occur at wetland habitats, and use the places as a resting stop. Some species remain to nest during the breeding season.

"The 80 acre tract contains 25 acres of saline wetlands and 40 acres of saline hydric soils currently without wetlands that have the potential to be restored back to saline wetland," LaGrange said. "A stream crosses a corner of the property. Since this project will result in the restoration of saline wetlands, stream habitat, and associated uplands it will have other significant benefits in addition to providing habitat for the Salt Creek tiger beetle.

"Since a large portion of the property is on the floodplain it will provide for flood storage and conveyance. Also, due to its close proximity to the City of Lincoln, the site has the potential to provide significant recreational and educational benefits. These other uses will be managed to ensure that they are compatible with the wildlife and endangered species using the site."

Local non-federal sources will provide matching funds for the federal grant.

"The exact source of match funds has not be identified yet," said LaGrange, "but we anticipate using funds from a Nebraska Environmental Trust grant administered by the City of Lincoln. We may also use some funds from the non-federal partners" in the Saline Wetlands Conservation Partnership.

Negotiations to purchase the tract will be initiated soon, LaGrange said. If negotiations for the 80-acre parcel are not successful, then a similar tract will be sought. This will require Fish and Wildlife Service agreement, he said.

The grant is provided through federal Section 6 funds, which are used for acquisition of habitat for endangered and threatened species.

Only three small remnant populations of the Salt Creek tiger beetle occur on the a few remaining saline wetlands. More than 80% of the saline wetlands that once occurred in Lancaster County no longer exist, according to the FWS news release.

Cooperative Initiative Promotes Interest in Birds

An initiative to promote birding, habitat conservation and citizen science across the country was recently announced by the Fish and Wildlife Service, in cooperation with the Laboratory of Ornithology at Cornell University.

The Birding Initiative will help show the broad audience of birders the link between the birds they watch and the important habitats protected in the National Wildlife Refuge System, according to a press release issued by the federal agency. "The Birding Initiative's 14-member Birding Team is exploring new ways to enhance birding on national wildlife refuges."

The team is comprised of the following individuals, who participate to varying degrees, according to Kevin Kilcullen, who helps coordinate the initiative in FWS headquarters office: John Schaust - Wild Birds Unlimited, George Petrides, Sr. - Wild Bird Centers, Kenn Kaufmann, Alicia Craig, Paul Baicich, Jim Williams, Wayne Peterson, Karla Hart, Bill Thompson III, David Whitehurst, Nancy Millar, Greg Butcher, Jon Andrew (FWS), and Dwight Cooley (FWS).

"The team is working on identifying how refuges can improve the quality of bird watching experiences,” Kilcullen said, “as well as making information about the latest sightings more easily available to avid bird watchers.”

The initiative will be coordinated by the headquarters' Visitor Services office, “which coordinates nationally Refuge System wildlife-dependent recreation programs, including birding,” Kilcullen said. “We work with these individuals to identify best practices and ideas for improving our birding programs.”

“Active projects underway include bird feeding stations at a few refuge visitor centers and education programs. We expect that more refuges will benefit from this program over the next 2-3 years. For example, our agreement with the Cornell Lab will help promote the use of e-Bird and other educational programs they offer.

“Discussions are already underway regarding nest watch programs, the celebrate urban birds education program, opportunities for refuge visitors to participate in citizen science projects, and the broader availability of eBird Trail Tracker, an online, interactive network of computer kiosks where birders can record sightings, consult video field guides and check seasonal lists of birds.”

Refuges in the southeast region – such as Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge – “are piloting the bird feeding station projects at visitor centers. We will also be sharing information with refuges around the country from the Cornell Lab, which include Celebrate Urban Birds education materials and Nest Watch projects.”

This initiative will “raise awareness among birders of opportunities and conservation programs on units of the National Wildlife Refuge System and help them fully appreciate the importance of refuges in the lives of their favorite wildlife.”

"Bird watching has never been more popular. With so many people across the country enjoying the wonders of birds, we are committed to providing them with great wildlife viewing opportunities at national wildlife refuges across the country," said Dale Hall, director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. Wildlife observation is one of the six priority public uses of the National Wildlife Refuge system.

"Joining forces with the world-renowned Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology in support of birding, bird conservation and citizen science is a natural fit for both organizations," Hall said.

The initiative was launched by the Fish and Wildlife Service in 2006.

Feral Cats Eat Birds

This letter was published March 23, 2008, in the Public Pulse of the Sunday World-Herald 143(25): 8B.

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Rather than having spay and release efforts for feral cats, there should be a hefty bounty that would ensure their complete removal.

These predators eat wild birds, with some researchers saying that billions of our avian friends die each year nationwide.

Birds have many important roles in the environment, whereas cats have become established through carelessness and ignorance.. Those groups and people working to protect cats need to realize how cats cause the unneeded demise of many birds.

Save our wild birds by completely getting rid of the feral cats! And put a bell on your domestic cat if it goes outdoors.

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A scientific study showing the impact of feral cats on wild birds.

"...These ratios are sufficiently low that even if individual cats only rarely predated birds, the total predation rate in a region may be sufficiently high to adversely impact bird populations. Moreover, the uniformly high cat densities may result in consistently high predation rates..."

The webpage for an option which is preferable to releasing feral cats back into the environment.

The Effects of Free-ranging Cats on Birds in Wisconsin: Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative Issues and Guidelines

Canadian Birder Receives Recognition for Decades of Banding Owls

The recipient of the 2008 Champion of Owls award has spent more than six decades banding a plethora of owls and other birds in Canada.

Dr. C. Stuart Houston received the award – being one of several nominees – from the Center for Biological Diversity in late February at the annual awards event, held at the International Festival of Owls in Houston, Minnesota.

Stuart Houston holding a Great Horned Owl. Photo courtesy of Dr. Houston.

Houston banded his first birds in 1943, working for Ducks Unlimited Canada. As a youth, "Ducks Unlimited (permit no. 00077) paid me 10 cents, then 20 cents per duck banded,” he said.

Through the end of 2007, 136,479 bands had been placed on 209 species in Saskatchewan, with authorization by permit 00460, the second lowest number active for the banding program managed by the Canadian Wildlife Service in Ottawa.

The year 2008 will be his 66th year of banding birds near his home in Saskatoon, and Mary Houston, his wife’s 57th year.

Houston mentioned several values to banding efforts:

1) Most important is the publicity that helped people realize that owls have a niche in nature. Owls were being shot, but 25 years later Saskatchewan farmers realized the value of owls in the natural scheme.

2) Mentoring and educating youth about the natural world; several helpers have become professors of zoology or ornithology, one became the Saskatchewan Minister of the Environment, and one became Canada's Minister of State for Science and Technology in Ottawa. Others have played prominent roles in conservation.

3) Returns from banded birds provides details needed to determine how long owls may live. Early on one owl lived a record 13 years, then another lived for 20 years, and one old owl was around for 26 years.

4) The large number of recoveries and encounters provided data showing that owls will live longer if born in a year with larger prey populations that allow the fledged young to remain in the area where born. Otherwise, many go elsewhere, moving up to 1000 km southeast into the Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska.

Houston’s wife of more than 56 years has been essential help in the banding effort, Houston said. She also helped with extensive banding of colonial waterbirds as well as banding thousands of tree swallows and bluebirds, and more than 5000 Bohemian Waxwings. About half of the Bohemian Waxwing band recoveries for North America resulted from rings she placed on the waxwings, Houston said with pride in his voice.

Several subpermittees have also provided essential assistance during the years, with a number eventually achieving the skills and knowledge to receive their own banding permit.

The cooperation of local farmers has been essential in banding the local owls, Houston said. Landowners would locate nests, get permission from their neighbor the land owner and then tell us about them so we visit them to band the young.

In the 1940s, Bill Horseman was instrumental in getting Houston started in owl banding. Horseman was a high school student earning cash by trapping weasels, muskrats and beavers. Bill noted Great Horned Owl nests in trees along his trapline, and asked Houston if he would be interested in banding the owlets. That first season, 22 young in ten nests got aluminum rings on their legs. This effort received recognition in the continent summary in Audubon Field Notes. Fifty young were banded the following year and 150 the year after that. From this experience, Houston realized the value of organizing farmers to find nests.

"It has required a lot of driving and hours to band the birds," Houston said. "This could not have been done without the help of farmers and a good team that spelled me off by climbing the most difficult trees."

Mary and Stuart Houston. Photo by Dan Varland, as published in Wingspan, the newsletter of the Raptor Research Foundation.

Each May weekend, the banding team would start at 5 a.m. Saturday and go to midnight Sunday. Days were long at that latitude, Houston explained. Additional banding was done in early mornings and late evenings. "We worked from south to north and rarely had to change our itinerary to avoid rain."

"We covered a lot of country and met many nice people," he said. "Some farmers would provide a meal that would be a welcome change from our packed sandwiches. We stayed in small town hotels overnight. Our major cost was the gasoline for our 4-wheel-drive vehicle.

Dr. Houston started his medical career in family practice in 1951, but after nine years spent four years of study to become a radiologist. "It helps to have discretionary income, since banding birds has become an extremely expensive hobby, with no financial recompense."

During the many years of banding owls, there were no serious mishaps or accidents, Houston said. "We would do dangerous things very carefully and safely."

The most dangerous time for Houston was the cold day when a fledgling owl flew into the middle of the South Saskatchewan River. "I had to retrieve the bird before it floated too far down river," he said, "so I removed everything but my under-shorts and swam to get the owl. I was blue and hypothermic by the time I got back to the shore. That episode could have been fatal to both of us." And the owl was put back safely into its nest.

Houston has found that six out of 100 adult female owls will strike the climber. One Great Horned Owl pair nested for years in the cupola of an old barn. To protect its young in a light drizzle, the adult remained in place, covering her young to keep them dry. The climber seized the rare opportunity. He threw Houston's jacket onto the far side of the adult owl, to prevent her from flying out the open window. The owl was diverted back into the barn and fluttered down to the floor of the loft, heading straight for the farmer, Bill Cochrane. Bill enveloped the owl and the falling-off jacket in his arms as he went down onto his knees. A shout of triumph was followed by cries of pain, as the owl sank all eight claws into Cochrane's belly, Houston said. Although thick winter clothing prevented the claws from penetrating into his peritoneum, he was taken to the hospital for a tetanus shot.

Other highlights of Houston’s career include:

• Recognition as an Officer of the Order of Canada for his outstanding national service to Canada
• Writing 51 papers on owls
• Writing reviews of six books on owls
• Publication of 11 books, included Eighteenth-Century Naturalists of Hudson Bay in 2003
• Recipient of awards from the American Ornithologists’ Union and Raptor Research Foundation

Dr. Houston is currently working on a two-volume work on the birds of Saskatchewan, and continues to have a great interest in bird history of the north lands of America.

This coming season he will continue the sixth season of his latest project, wing-tagging of nestling Turkey Vultures, with a team of helpful and enthusiastic people. Please watch every Turkey Vulture you see. If it has a wing-tag, read or photograph the number and report it to the banding office. Information is irretrievably lost unless every bird band or marker is reported promptly. Phone without charge to 1-800-327-2263, giving details of when, how, and exactly where it was found.

Banding Records

Of the 209 species, bands have been found for 82, including several thousand for some of the species:

Total Number Banded (1943-2007) - Species With Band Recoveries - Total to end of 2007 - Percent of All-time Recoveries in North America

5512 - American White Pelican - 263 - 4.8%

4674 - Double-crested Cormorant - 267 - 5.7%

84 - Great Blue Heron - 3 - 3.6%

247 - Black-crowned Night Heron - 5 - 2.0%

26 - Snow Goose - 5 - 19.2%

53 - Canada Goose - 9 - 17.0%

5 - Tundra Swan - 1 - 20.0%

17 - Gadwall - 2 - 11.8%

85 - American Wigeon - 14 - 16.5%

2 - American Black Duck - 2 - 100.0%

2022 - Mallard - 419 - 20.7%

1501 - Blue-winged Teal - 72 - 4.8%

77 - Northern Shoveler - 7 - 9.1%

642 - Northern Pintail - 93 - 14.5%

82 - Green-winged Teal - 4 - 4.9%

94 - Canvasback - 27 - 28.7%

378 - Redhead - 80 - 21.2%

5 - Ring-necked Duck - 1 - 20.0%

17 - Lesser Scaup - 1 - 5.9%

113 - White-winged Scoter - 7 - 6.2%

11 - Bufflehead - 3 - 27.3%

148 - Common Goldeneye - 9 - 6.1%

5 - Common Merganser - 1 - 20.0%

5 - Western Grebe - 1 - 20.0%

265 - Turkey Vulture - 32 - 12.1%

609 - Osprey - 28 - 4.6%

78 - Bald Eagle - 4 - 5.1%

453 - Northern Harrier - 5 - 1.1%

250 - Cooper's Hawk - 4 - 1.6%

34 - Northern Goshawk - 1 - 2.9%

4805 - Swainson's Hawk - 184 - 3.8%

1004 - Red-tailed Hawk - 47 - 4.7%

4143 - Ferruginous Hawk - 69 - 1.7%

330 - Golden Eagle - 34 - 10.3%

1050 - Am Kestrel - 14 - 1.3%

1011 - Merlin - 14 - 1.4%

804 - Prairie Falcon - 9 - 1.1%

745 - American Coot - 28 - 3.8%

110 - Least Sandpiper - 1 - 0.9%

19 - Pectoral Sandpiper - 1 - 5.3%

1330 - Franklin's Gull - 4 - 0.3%

20448 - Ring-billed Gull - 432 - 2.1%

9855 - California Gull - 206 - 2.1%

395 - Caspian Tern - 7 - 1.8%

3107 - Common Tern - 25 - 0.8%

46 - Mourning Dove - 1 - 2.2%

7638 - Great Horned Owl - 580 - 7.6%

102 - Snowy Owl - 6 - 5.9%

160 - Northern Hawk Owl - 1 - 0.6%

14 - Burrowing Owl - 1 - 7.1%

19 - Barred Owl - 1 - 5.3%

177 - Great Gray Owl - 7 - 4.0%

710 - Long-eared Owl - 9 - 1.3%

30 - Boreal Owl - 3 - 10.0%

909 - Northern Saw-whet Owl - 9 - 1.0%

21 - Hairy Woodpecker - 1 - 4.8%

109 - Northern (Yellow-shafted) Flicker - 2 - 1.8%

40 - Eastern Kingbird - 1 - 2.5%

407 - Loggerhead Shrike - 2 - 0.5%

201 - Blue Jay - 16 - 8.0%

1285 - Black-billed Magpie - 45 - 3.5%

590 - American Crow - 12 - 2.0%

97 - Common Raven - 3 - 3.1%

1133 - Purple Martin - 8 - 0.7%

19986 - Tree Swallow - 36 - 0.2%

628 - Barn Swallow - 1 - 0.2%

1114 - Black-capped Chickadee - 8 - 0.7%

7959 - Mountain Bluebird - 21 - 0.3%

425 - American Robin - 8 - 1.9%

5179 - Bohemian Waxwing - 44 - 0.8%

218 - Chipping Sparrow - 1 - 0.5%

2574 - White-throated Sparrow - 2 - 0.1%

318 - Harris' Sparrow - 2 - 0.6%

502 - Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow - 2 - 0.4%

4905 - Slate-colored Junco - 4 - 0.1%

1229 - Common Grackle - 66 - 5.4%

396 - Purple Finch - 5 - 1.3%

314 - House Finch - 1 - 0.3%

3203 - Common Redpoll - 5 - 0.2%

38 - Hoary Redpoll - 1 - 2.6%

998 - Pine Siskin - 2 - 0.2%

943 - Evening Grosbeak - 3 - 0.3%

131,267 - Total recoveries from 82 species through the end of 2007 - 3365 - 2.6%

There are several highlights from this banding effort. The longest living owl banded was a Great Horned Owl which died when it was 20 years and 8 months of age.

Distant recoveries include:

• a Common Tern from Aitutaki, Cook Islands (9435 kilometers (km) southwest of the place where banded)
• a Pectoral Sandpiper, shot on its breeding grounds along the Jana River deep in Siberia, 5700 km WNW;
• a Franklin's Gull at Puerto Caldera, Chile, 9475 km south; Ospreys in Colombia and Ecuador;
• Swainson's Hawks in El Salvador, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay and 18 from Argentina

Dr. Houston has noted than there have been no returns for 127 of the species banded. "Surprisingly, I have not had a recovery from the 276 Short-eared Owls, 458 House Wrens, or 568 Lincoln's Sparrows banded."

Canadian Surveyor Bayfield Visits With Audubon on Labrador Journey

Some interesting notations in the handwritten journals Captain Henry Wolsey Bayfield regard a period in 1833 while conducting a survey for Canadian nautical charts - such as geographic features and water depths - along the northern shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The survey crew was sailing along in the Gulnare, a two-masted schooner, with its name apparently derived from the name of a slave in "The Corsair," an 1814 poem by Lord Byron.

It was June 1833, when the survey ship was near Natashquan Point, by the mouth of the river with the same name on the coast of the gulf, in eastern Quebec, northward from Anticosti Island. Bayfield noted there were several other boats about one particular day, and wrote about this in his journal entry.

"Saturday, 22 June 1833. ... "Found 6 American Schooners belonging to East Port in the State of Main[e] all belonging to one person who is here with them. We also found another American Schooner here, the Ripley of Eastport, employed in a very diff't way having Mr. Audubon onboard, the Naturalist, with several young men, two of them medical students of Boston. Mr. J.J. Audubon Senior; J.W. Audubon junior, his son; Thos. Lincoln, Marine; Jos'h Cooledge, Mate of the Ripley; Geo. G. Shattuck, Boston, Medical Student; Will'm Ingall, Do. Do.; -- Emery, Master of the Ripley. These take the departments of Botany &c. &c., in short they collect everything. But Mr. Audubon has come principally for the purpose of studying the habits of the water Fowl with which the Coast of Labrador abounds and to make drawings of them for his splendid work upon the Birds of America. He sent his Card onb'd with a polite note & I received him onboard and we found him a very superior person indeed. It is probable we shall meet often as he proceeds along the coast which we are going to Survey.

"Rain all the remainder of the day.

"Sunday, 23 June 1833. Light breezes SSW and foggy wea'r in the early part of the day but cleared before Noon. Sent Mr. Bowen to Survey the small harbour &c. Obs'd for latitude. Returned Mr. Audubon's visit and was delight with his drawings, the Birds being represented of the same size as when alive, and most beautifully painted. P.M. obs'd for Time & diff'e Longitude, also for true bearing. Variation & Angles for the Survey of this small Anchorage. At Night the wind hauled more towards the SE with fog & drizzling rain.

"In walking over the Islets & rocks of the mainland to day we found large massed of snow remaining in every part. Nevertheless 10 or 12 species of Flowers were seen.

"Monday, 24 June 1833." ... "Three hundred vessels are said by the owner of the American schooners to be employed in the Fisheries upon this Coast averaging 75 Tons & manned by 50 men to each Six Vessels, equal to 2,500 men. Of these one half are French, one forth British, and the rest American. Each Vessel takes away one with another about 1500 Quintals of Cod Fish of 112 lbs. pr. Quintal. The Fish average about 4 pounds in weight being small on this Coast. We heard from the Americans about the Eggers to day, a set of people whom we now for the first time heard spoken of collectively as a body. We had previously no idea of the extent of the 'Egging business' as our informant termed it. It appears that in some seasons 20 small schooners or shallops, of from 20 to 30 Tons, laod with Eggs from this coast. Halifax is the principal market for them where they at times fetch a much higher price than Hens' Eggs. They are stowed in the hold in bulk and kept for several weeks without any preparation. These men, the Eggers, combine together and form a strong company. They suffer no one to interfere with their business, driving away the Fisherman or anyone else that attempts to collect Eggs near where they happen to be. Might makes right with them, it is clear, they have arms and are said by the Fishermen not to be very scrupulous in using the,. As soon as they have filled one Vessel with eggs they send her to market, others follow in succession so that the Market is always supplied but never overstocked. One Vessel of 25 tons is said to have cleared 200 pounds by this 'Egging Business' in a favourable Season.

"Tuesday, 25 June 1833" ... "Mod'e breezes SSW to SE hauling round to the latter point during the day which was remarkably fine. At Noon Obs'd for Latitude & P.M. for Time and Rates. Also 24 Lunar Distances. Employed calculating observations and Mr. Bowen plotting the Harbour. Mr. Hamilton getting wood, water, & looking for Brooms diffic't to be had.

"The small fishing schooners without square topsails succeeded in beating out to day the ater being perfectly smooth, but one of them got on a rock in the entrance and might have suffered if the Tide had not been rising & floated her off. The whole of these schooners anchored under Natashquan Pt. about 5 miles from us to Fish. There remained with us only Mr. Audubon's Vessel which being of 106 Tons & drawing between 9 & 10 feet did not I supposed like to attempt to beat out. At night the weather became overcast & the breeze freshened from the SE with squalls of rain, previously to this it had been very warm with thousands of moschettoes onboard." ...

"Friday, 28 June 1833." ... "About 2 oClock the American Sch'r Ripley weighed and made sail and we followed him in about 5 minutes. The wind had backed round to the Southw'd of the West whilst we were weighing and was still hauling round to the Southw'd by degrees. The Ripley barely weathered the East Pt. and got out, we were less fortunate for the wind headed us just as we came to the Pt. and obliged us to tack within 10 fathoms of it." ...

A subsequent entry also mentions the famed ornithologist. Both met up again when at Havre du Gros Mecatina (Grand Mecatina Harbour).

"Sunday, 21 July 1833. Strong breezes SW and squalls of wind & rain occasionally. We started early as usual and at 1/2 past 8 AM arrived at Grand Mecattina Point and proceeded to the third Islet off it to the Sew'd/ Mr. Bowen arrived soon after and we remained on the island 'till Noon and obs'd for Latitude through the fog which came on at 10 AM with a very fresh Gale from the SW.

"Just as we arrived the Ripley Mr. Audubon's Schooner hauled in round the islands intending to Anchor in Grand Mecattina harbour but not knowing the place they ran into Portage Bay instead. At 1 P.M. Mr. Bowen & I ran for shelter under double reefed sails and were received with the greatest kindness by Mr. Audubon, his Son Mr. Audubon junior, the other gentlemen of the party and the Captain of the Ripley, Mr. Emery. Mr. Audubon kindly invited us to dine and we passed a very pleasant afternoon with him & his party and encamped in the evening in the same cove.

"Mr. A--'s kindness did not stop here, understanding that we were in danger of being short of provisions before we could complete the Survey back to the Gulnare, he offered me every assistance in his powers and I accepted of a Ham and some potatoes which last were kindly offered by Mr. Emery. I purchased from the latter three days allowance of Bread and Beef for the party which set me quite at ease on the score of provisions." ...

There was an additional entry in the journal for the following day:

"Monday, 22 July 1833. Light westerly wind and fine morning, commenced our return Survey taking leave of Mr. Audubon &c. at 6 AM. In passing out between the islands and Grand Mecattina point we encountered a tremendous Sea left by the recent SW gale. The waves not only hid the Boats from each other but even the tops of the mountains could not be seen when we were in the hollow of the Sea. We got in among the islets at 9 AM and continued the Survey within our former route." ....

In subsequent years, the captain was also involved in nautical surveys at Prince Edward Island, Gaspe Peninsula, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island.

There were a few bird notes from the six extant journals kept by Bayfield - a record of his 44-year career - which were made only during periods in 1829 to 1835, although he was involved in nautical surveys from 1827 to 1856.

Captain Bayfield's notes add a bit of additional history of interest for the Labrador journey made by the now-renowned bird man, John James Audubon.

French Explorations of 1714-1725 Along the Missouri River, Louisiana Territory

Intrepid French explorers were among the first foreigners to come to northeast coast of America, fishing and exploring along the Atlantic Ocean. As their travels spread further inland, voyageurs paddling about western lands described a great unexplored interior of the continent. Occasional reports sent via a long and tenuous route back to the home country gave details of the new France territory.

Native peoples, dramatic scenery, wild animals and colorful birds were sometimes described and these details provide some of the original natural history for the North American continent.

Ongoing explorations established routes for trades on the continental waterways. In 1608, Samuel de Champlain established a fur trading post that became Quebec, in Canada. Further travels then established the French presence in the territory of the Mississippi valley and its northern tributaries.

By 1667, French fur traders - the "coureurs de bois" - braved weather, natural hazards and resident tribes to maintain the trade supply in places along the big muddy tributary flowing from the west from the Mississippi River.

The French name given for this river was described in the chronicles: "Concerning the River called Pekitonoui, ... coming from the northwest." Notes mention the confluence as having "tangled masses of trees" and a rapid current. A few Indian villages of the "Messouri" were noted along the river west of its confluence.

The name Pekitonoui signifies muddy water, and the flow was prominent to navigators for miles downstream from its confluence with the Mississippi River. Earlier French maps had however used other names to describe the river. Examples are "Riviere des Osages" or "Riviere des Ourmessourites" or "Riviere des Emissourites." The latter two are in reference to the native tribe of Messouri people.

With ongoing explorations and trade expansions, and based on a reconnaissance of the Mississippi river in 1682, Rene Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle, or commonly just known as La Salle, claimed for the French all the lands drained by the Mississippi river and its tributaries. It was named Louisiana in honor of King Louis XIV. During this journey, members of this expedition party placed upon prominent trees at prominent locations, durable metal markers stating French dominion over the vast lands.

Claims of the native tribal clans were simply not considered and any right to ownership by the local residents was basically ignored.

Along the Muddy River

Along the Missouri, a bit of birdly history in the Louisiana domain revolves around Frenchman Etienne de Veniard, sieur de Bourgmont, born in Normandy in April 1679.

Bourgmont was a soldier in the "Troupes de la Marine" in the fall of 1702. Years later, after having been sent to America, Bourgmont had military troubles due to a disastrous event with two Indian tribes. Ensign Bourgmont deserted the service in August 1706, disappearing from Fort Ponchartrain at Detroit. One reason mentioned for his leaving was to pursue a woman, La Chenette.

This French man was known to have wandered around for years south of the Great Lakes country. He then moved to the main village of the Messouri people to marry a fine maiden that lived at the village situated at the Grand River where it flowed into the Missouri river.

Bourgmont did not forget to share the results of his service for the home country. Following an exploration during the summer of 1713, he sent back as an official description of the Louisiana country. His chronicle was called "Exact Description of Louisiana, of Its Harbors, Lands and Rivers, and Names of the Indian Tribes That Occupy It, and the Commerce and Advantages to be Derived Therefrom for the Establishment of a Colony." The details included a map showing some local rivers, creeks or islands with a native language name. A river map shows the many places identified by the Frenchmen.

Some history from nearly three centuries ago, for the region along the lower Missouri River, includes:

* "Some leagues further up, on the left as you ascend, is the great Missouri River, so famed for its swiftness. Its water is always muddy, and especially in the spring," ... (Norall 1988, page 108).

* "Higher upstream is the wide river called by the French and by the Indians the Nibraskier [Platte], a tributary that flows from the northwest and west-northwest (Norall: page 108-109).

* "Let us continue to ascend the Missouri. ... one hundred leagues higher up ... One hundred leagues farther up the Missouri divides into two forks. That on the right as well as that on the left is called by the Indians Nidejaudeg (Running Water, i.e., Niobrara River), which the French translate as Smoky river, because the sand blows like smoke and makes the water of the river all white and full of sediment. It is very rapid and frightening at the time of the flood waters. It is best ascended at low water and descended in time of flood (Norall: page 109).

Fur-traders and trade men established a solid French presence on the Missouri river. Trade meant trade power among the tribes. Through various dealings through exploration, commerce or government tasks, Bourgmont knew the Osage, Kansa, Padoucas (Apache) and the Pawnee tribes. This frontier Frenchman was the first to explore this western prairie region of the Missouri river.

In March to June 1714, another of his explorations was a journey ascending the Missouri river from its confluence with the Mississippi to the Platte and beyond. Departure was 29 Mar 1714. The results are given in "La Routte qu'il faut tenir pour monter le riviere Missoury" or chronicles titled "The Route to be Taken to Ascend the Missouri River."

Better notes for the 1714 trip are available for the area in the Kansa-Oto territory. In June, the expedition was going up the Missouri river through the country northwards towards the flat water river now better known as the Platte.

Leagues were used in the navigational log as a measurement for the distances traveled, the distance usually a league equal to 2.76 miles. For the many twists and bends of the everlasting, shifting Missouri river channel, a league was estimated as equal to about 4.5 miles of distance, according to some historians.

Selected Notes ...

* Monday 4th. West-northwest two leagues; then a little river enters, which we call the river of the little Kansas [=Nemaha River]; in front of this river there is an island of willows, with a great prairie, in the shape of a loop (Norall 1988 - page 122).

* Wednesday, 6, and (Thursday), 7. Halted.

* 8th: big prairie to the east, bluffs to the west for a quarter of a league, an island of a quarter of a league [Fair Sun Island or Sun Island or Sonora Island site), bluffs of the same length to the west [east of current Peru], great prairies to the east [mouth of Nishnabotna river].

* Saturday, 9, and Sunday, 10. Halted. [McKissock Island that includes "Chauve Island" that translates to Bald Island].

* 11th: island three quarters of a league long, prairie that makes a sweeping curve [cf. Lone Tree prairie at Peru bottoms], bluffs of red earth.

* 12th: prairie of a quarter of a league, with an island of 10 arpents [cf. Frazers Island; to the east is Four le Tourtre, or "oven the tourtre", an area of prairie at Bakers Oven Islands].

* 13th: bluffs, two little streams (Spring Creek or Weeping Water Creek?; L' Eue Que Pleure = Weeping Water], "prairies appear, with an island afterward, on the same side; this island is covered with willows and about six arpents in length" [Keg Island area], prairie to the west, a prairie half a league long toward the east and an island.

* 14th: an island, a prairie of two leagues and at the end a bare cape, two islands in the middle of the river, to the west a little river [perhaps Pigeon creek, Raikes creek area], an island.

* 15th: a series of hills covered with open stands of trees [area of King Hill also called Calumet Point and north a four mile distance to Queen Hill or Rock Bluff Point near the south end of Tobacco Island].

* Saturday, 16. North one league; at the start, an island of half a league [Tobacco Island]; to the west a prairie of one league, at the end of which the river [Platte] of the Pani (Pawnee) is found. Its mouth is wider than the Missouri at that point (Norall 1988 - page 123).

The journey continued for a short unknown distance upriver from the confluence of the turbulent Platte. There were not any journal entries after June 16th that record the route or events.

These notes that are from nearly three centuries in the past set a scene. The French man Bourgmont had some interest in observing the wild birds, especially one that might provide an evening's meal.

The wild scene along the Missouri river would have been rich in bird life on the summer days of June. Meadowlarks would dwell on the rich grass prairies. Earthen river banks would harbor nesting swallows. Wooded islands would have little warblers and a myriad of other songbirds. Bare sandbars were a haven to a great variety of water birds. Even thought there weren't any actual bird notations, the narrative is a fine chronicle regarding bird habitats on the river setting so many decades ago!

Once the report was finally received back in France, a rough map of the Missouri channel was drawn later by a cartographer to correspond with the voyage. It shows the Osage river, the Missouri village and the Kansas river, spelled in french, of course. Many islands are noted in the lower river sections.

As a result of the report's success, a commander of the French services requested that Bourgmont be awarded the "Cross of St Louis" in recognition for valiant service to his country.

With his continued residence in the Missouri river country, written communications, even the few transported great distances into the remote western country, brought government instructions and responsibilities. Trade and contact with the Indians was an important and ongoing task.

The establishment of Fort d'Orleans in the winter of 1723-24 at the confluence of the Grand River with the Missouri river, created a primary outpost for the French in their vast western lands of the continent.

The search for information on local tribes and any valuable resources continued.

A subsequent exploration involved a lengthy and involved trip west. In late June 1724, the Frenchman traveled into the Smoky Hill river country to meet with the Apache tribe of the open plains.

Soon after the departure from the fort, Bourgmont mentioned that the Indians brought back to camp six turkeys they had taken. It was the 4th of July 1724 in the lower Missouri river valley. This game bird was also noted on 8 July. Later on the journey, on October 11-12th, turkeys were noted along the rivers and streams, when the French party was in the area which is now northeastern Kansas and southeastern Nebraska.

Bourgmont sighting of the turkey provides some of the first known written observations of birds in the lands west of the Mississippi River. The brief details of his account, though much too short, are another contribution of the tradition for early French explorers writing about bird-life of the Louisiana territory.

Influence of the French is apparent with the names given to particular places. The Petite River Platte was west of Fort D'Orleans. Explorers named places like the French Bottom with St. Michael's prairie at Saint Joseph, Missouri. A French attribution was the origin for the name of Weeping Water creek. Later river maps show Chauve Island and the Oven Island prairie. Papillion Creek in east-central Nebraska, is French for Butterfly creek.

The chronicles of the French are an important first contribution to the ornithology of the Missouri river valley. Many of their first written accounts of history present details of bird life from French North America, before there was a United States of America.

The legacy for country men loyal to France is apparent in details available for natural history notes made centuries in the past. And the essential role of these voyageurs obviously continues with place names still in regular use on modern-era maps.

References

John Finley. 1915. The French in the Heart of America. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. 431 pages.

Raphael N. Hamilton, S.J. 1970. Marquette's Explorations: the Narratives Reexamined. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. 275 pages.

Frank Norall. 1988. Bourgmont, Explorer of the Missouri, 1698 - 1725. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln. 192 pages.

Another Owl Species Noted for Spring Lake Park

A sighting of the Great Horned Owl has added an additional species to the tally of wildbirds noted at historic Spring Lake Park, in southeast Omaha.

The big owl was noted on 15 March 2008 during a morning bird survey.

After an evaluation of the overall species tally for this locale, it became apparent this was a record of occurrence for a new species in the park environs. The Great Horned Owl is the 103rd species that has been noted by records dating back to the 1920s.

Most of the bird species have been noted since 2000.

During the most recent walk about, an owl was first flushed from the northern portion of the park woodlands. The bird flew northward, and was then flushed again and flew southward, just above the treetops, instead of going further north, which would have required flying over a major Interstate thoroughfare.

When returning to the portion of the park closer to F Street, an owl was again seen in the distance, and with the help of a spotting scope, was identified as a horned owl.

South of F Street, another owl was seen, and was also identified with the assistance of the scope. It was a Barred Owl, which has been noted at the park on several previous occasions.

The northern section of Spring Lake Park is predominantly woodland.

"Although Spring lake is disturbed in some parts, it still contains many old red and bur oaks, some beautiful shagbark hickory, some beautiful stands of red haw, and many vines, particularly blue bead and moonseed vine," according to Dr. David Sutherland, a botany professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Especially notable are "good stands of herbaceous flora such as Eupatorium purpureum, Helianthus hirsutus, Cacalia atriplicifolia, and Teucrium canadense."

"Springlake is a unique city park because it contains remnants of original forest," Sutherland said. "I have long felt that the park is an under appreciated treasure."

This is a list of the species and the decade observed for the modern-era period at the park. The value given indicates the number of times a species was noted during a particular year.

Common Name	1979	1986	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2008
Snow Goose *	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Canada Goose *	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Wood Duck	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Wild Turkey	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	1	-	-	1	-
Double-crested Cormorant *	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
American Bittern	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Great Blue Heron	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2	-	-	-	-
Great Egret *	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Turkey Vulture	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	6	-	-	-	-
Bald Eagle *	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Sharp-shinned Hawk	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	6	-	-	-	-
Cooper's Hawk	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Red-tailed Hawk	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	7	3	1	1	1
American Kestrel	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	1	-	-	-
Killdeer	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
American Woodcock	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	-	-	-
Franklin's Gull *	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Ring-billed Gull *	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Rock Pigeon	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	8	1	1	-	-
Mourning Dove	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	20	7	3	1	1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Eastern Screech-Owl	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Great Horned Owl	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Barred Owl	-	-	-	-	2	1	1	3	1	-	-	1
Common Nighthawk	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2	-	-	-	-
Chimney Swift	-	-	-	-	1	1	1	9	1	-	-	-
Red-headed Woodpecker	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	5	1	-	-	-
Red-bellied Woodpecker	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	21	8	2	2	1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Downy Woodpecker	-	-	-	-	2	-	1	21	6	1	2	1
Hairy Woodpecker	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	7	3	1	-	-
Northern Flicker	-	-	-	-	2	-	2	22	6	-	-	-
Olive-sided Flycatcher	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Eastern Wood-Pewee	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	3	-	-	-	-
Least Flycatcher	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-
Eastern Phoebe	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Great Crested Flycatcher	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	4	1	-	-	-
Blue-headed Vireo	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Warbling Vireo	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Philadelphia Vireo	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Red-eyed Vireo	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	2	-	-	-	-
Blue Jay	-	-	-	-	2	-	2	21	6	-	2	-
American Crow	-	-	-	-	2	-	1	17	2	-	-	1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Barn Swallow	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	3	-	-	-	-
Black-capped Chickadee	-	-	-	-	2	-	2	22	7	1	2	1
Tufted Titmouse	-	-	-	-	2	-	1	13	1	-	-	-
Red-breasted Nuthatch	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
White-breasted Nuthatch	-	-	-	-	2	-	2	22	8	-	2	1
Brown Creeper	1	-	-	-	1	-	-	11	5	1	-	-
Carolina Wren	-	-	-	-	3	-	-	7	4	1	1	1
House Wren	-	-	-	-	1	-	2	8	-	-	-	-
Winter Wren	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	6	6	3	1	-
Golden-crowned Kinglet	1	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	5	-	-	-	-
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Swainson's Thrush	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-
Hermit Thrush	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-
American Robin	-	-	-	-	2	-	2	21	5	-	1	1
Gray Catbird	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	7	1	-	-	-
Brown Thrasher	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	4	1	-	-	-
European Starling	-	-	-	-	2	-	1	16	6	-	1	-
Cedar Waxwing	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-
Tennessee Warbler	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-
Orange-crowned Warbler	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Nashville Warbler	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Yellow Warbler	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Yellow-rumped Warbler	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	1	-	-	-	-
Black-throated Green Warbler	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Black-and-white Warbler	-	-	-	-	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
American Redstart	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Ovenbird	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	1	-	-	-
Common Yellowthroat	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Wilson's Warbler	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Scarlet Tanager	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Spotted Towhee	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Eastern Towhee	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	-
American Tree Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-
Chipping Sparrow	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	6	1	-	-	-
Field Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Fox Sparrow	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	2	-	-	-	-
Song Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Lincoln's Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
White-throated Sparrow	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	9	2	-	-	-
Harris's Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-
White-crowned Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Dark-eyed Junco	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	11	7	1	1	1
Northern Cardinal	-	-	-	-	2	-	2	21	7	1	1	1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Indigo Bunting	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	3	-	-	-	-
Red-winged Blackbird	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Rusty Blackbird	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Brewer's Blackbird	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Common Grackle	-	-	-	-	2	-	1	10	1	-	-	-
Brown-headed Cowbird	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	6	-	-	-	-
Baltimore Oriole	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2	-	-	-	-
Purple Finch	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	8	3	-	-	-
House Finch	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	4	2	-	1	-
Common Redpoll	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Pine Siskin	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
American Goldfinch	-	-	-	-	3	-	1	19	5	1	2	1
House Sparrow	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	16	4	-	-	-
* Indicates a species typically seen in the air space above the parkland.

This list was prepared using records contributed by a couple of members of the Audubon Society of Omaha, Nebraska.

The first bird note from this locale was the Red-bellied Woodpecker noted in November 1925. Several additional records from the 1930s noted these species: American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Carolina Wren, Dark-eyed Junco, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red Crossbill, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker, and White-breasted Nuthatch.