Habitat of Wood Creek and Happy Hollow Creek Continue to be a Bird Haven

View of the Elmwood Park Ravine on 4 May 2008.

Woodland habitat along two creeks in midtown Omaha continue to be a haven for an interesting variety of birds.

Wood Creek flows through the south and eastern edge of Elmwood Park, then splits under Dodge street and continues along the western edge of Memorial Park. Happy Hollow Creek is on the east edge of Memorial Park and the Brownell-Talbot school grounds.

It was July 11, 1909 when Frank Shoemaker, a extraordinary naturalist visited the grounds of Elmwood Park and noted in his personal journals that 18 species were present.

This was the first known visit by bird enthusiasts and just the beginning of a tradition for outings to the park lands.

There were numerous visits from 1913 through the 1930s, by bird watchers such as the dedicated newsman Miles Greenleaf, sportsman Billy Marsh, and others, including members of the Audubon Society.

The history is noted in occasional articles in the local newspapers.

The educational value of birds was the reason for a bird census conducted April 29, 1916 at the park, "by Miss Alice Hill, supervisor of drawing in the schools, and Miles Greenleaf, both of the Audubon" Society educational committee. It was part of the group's "Teaching the Teachers" campaign. There were 36 species noted, including the unusual sighting, then, of a rarely seen Scarlet Tanager.

Bird records from this count can be compared to records from similar dates in the modern era.

Comparison of tally of birds at Elmwood Park - 1916 & 2008. The value is the number seen. No numbers were available for the 1916 count.

Common Name	4/29/1916	4/27/2008	4/29/2008	4/30/2008
Canada Goose	- -	- -	2	- -
Wood Duck	- -	8	2	1
Green Heron	- -	1	1	- -
Turkey Vulture	- -	1	- -	- -
Red-tailed Hawk	0	- -	- -	- -
American Kestrel	0	- -	- -	- -
Mourning Dove	0	6	- -	1
Barred Owl	- -	- -	- -	1
Chimney Swift	- -	3	- -	- -
Belted Kingfisher	- -	1	- -	- -
Red-bellied Woodpecker	- -	2	- -	1
Downy Woodpecker	0	1	1	1
Hairy Woodpecker	0	- -	- -	- -
Northern Flicker	0	1	1	1
Eastern Phoebe	0	1	1	- -
Eastern Kingbird	0	- -	- -	- -
Red-eyed Vireo	0	- -	- -	- -
Vireo	0	- -	- -	- -
Blue Jay	0	5	2	- -
American Crow	0	- -	- -	- -
Horned Lark	0	- -	- -	- -
Tree Swallow	0	- -	- -	- -
Barn Swallow	- -	6	- -	- -
Black-capped Chickadee	0	2	- -	2
Red-breasted Nuthatch	- -	2	- -	1
White-breasted Nuthatch	0	1	2	1
House Wren	0	3	3	- -
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	0	2	2	2
Eastern Bluebird	0	- -	- -	- -
American Robin	0	6	6	6
Northern Mockingbird	- -	1	- -	- -
Brown Thrasher	0	- -	4	1
European Starling	- -	3	- -	- -
Cedar Waxwing	0	- -	- -	- -
Orange-crowned Warbler	- -	2	- -	- -
Yellow-rumped Warbler	0	3	6	- -
Palm Warbler	- -	1	- -	- -
Scarlet Tanager	0	- -	- -	- -
Eastern Towhee	0	- -	- -	2
Chipping Sparrow	- -	4	- -	- -
Field Sparrow	0	- -	- -	- -
Vesper Sparrow	0	- -	- -	- -
Grasshopper Sparrow	0	- -	- -	- -
Song Sparrow	0	- -	1	- -
Lincoln's Sparrow	- -	- -	1	- -
White-throated Sparrow	0	2	3	5
Harris's Sparrow	0	- -	- -	- -
Northern Cardinal	0	10	2	4
Western Meadowlark	0	- -	- -	- -
Common Grackle	0	14	6	- -
Brown-headed Cowbird	0	- -	- -	- -
Baltimore Oriole	- -	- -	- -	1
Pine Siskin	- -	- -	4	2
American Goldfinch	- -	5	2	3

Notably absent now are the Horned Lark, Eastern Bluebird and Grasshopper Sparrow, species of open country or grasslands.

Pine Siskins at a seep area at Elmwood Park, 28 April 2008.

Tree removal was the concern in March 1919 when the park commissioner and the park foreman were removing an extensive number of trees. The writer of the editorial noted Elmwood Park was the "best public bird and nature preserve in possession of the city of Omaha."

Crows feeding at the 12 feeding stations with suet were the topic of discussion in January 1923. The wire soap-racks nailed to the trees, were filled each Sunday, according to the bird editorial in the Sunday World-Herald.

The renowned sports writer Sandy Griswold wrote about the January 1927 bird census, which included Elmwood Park. The 2.5 hour count was "taken by Mary and Emma Hillsworth, Dr. C.A. Mitchell and L.O. Horsky, members of the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union. Most prevalent were the long-tailed chickadee and tree sparrow, along with the White-breasted Nuthatch, cardinals and juncos..

Bird nests were the topic of the May 1931 Bird Lore column. The big excitement was the nest of the Red Crossbill, which was destroyed by wind of a storm. A Field Sparrow nests was located between hole no. 1 and hole no. 3 on the golf course. There was also a towhee nest carefully hidden under a log, with "cigaret stubs, cigar butts, wrappers from chewing gum and all that sort of thing were all around the nest."

The Bird Lore column of the October 1931 Sunday Bee, discussed the winter birds of the park, and the expectation of the Winter Wren to be coming soon. The writer recalled their excitement of seeing redpolls, Red Crossbills and White-winged Crossbills.

In August 1934, there was a report of the observation blind financed for $1,500 by members of the Ad-Sell League. It was located "on a sort of peninsula just south of Dodge street between two branches of the Elmwood ravine," and the surrounding terrain was "left untouched - a wild scramble of bushes, underbrush, weeds and grass - ideal for birds." There were 33 species noted as using the water pool and feeding mounds, according to a story in the Omaha Sunday Bee-News. The blind burned down in December 1940.

History wanes during the 1940s and the following three decades. The park was apparently the destination for students of the ornithology class at nearby University of Nebraska at Omaha, and occasionally by birders.

Fledgling Wood Duck on Wood Creek, 5 May 2008. There have been no subsequent sightings of fledgling ducks in the area.

Mallard pair at Wood Creek, 9 May 2008.

The tradition got a fresh start in the late 1980s, when Clyde and Emma Johnson, moved into the neighborhood, and went on regular walks in the park, noting their birdly observations during their forays. Birders in the neighborhood continue to visit the woodland bird haven along the creeks, and document their sightings.

Overall, the results of these birders' efforts is that about 180 species have been documented in Elmwood Park, and its midtown creeks. There are more than 2800 records for these locales.

Number of species noted during particular periods shows no consistency, with values quite different based on extent of effort, number of available records, and other variables.

Time Period - No. of Species

1910s - 100

1920s - 39

1930s - 57

1980s - 87

1990s - 126

2000s - 102

Now absent, though historically present include the Northern Bobwhite, Tree Swallow, Bank Swallow, Yellow-breasted Chat, Lark Sparrow, Dickcissel, Bobolink, and both meadowlark species.

The Wood Duck is now prevalent, though it was not noted during any of the visits in the 1910s and 1920s. A greater variety of vireos and warblers have also been recorded.

Some of the species seen in the 1990s, though not seen subsequently include the Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Merlin, American Coot, Killdeer, a lesser variety of warblers, Orchard Oriole and Red Crossbill.

There have been 105 species documented along the creeks since 2000.

Tally of Elmwood-Memorial Birdlife - 2000 to 2008. The value given is the number of times noted.

Common Name	Wood Creek, Elmwood Park	Elmwood Park	Shadow Lake, Elmwood Park	Elmwood Park Ravine	Happy Hollow Creek	Memorial Park	Wood Creek, Memorial Park
Greater White-fronted Goose	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	1	- -
Canada Goose	4	4	- -	- -	- -	1	- -
Wood Duck	12	12	4	14	14	- -	3
Mallard	6	6	3	1	7	- -	- -
Blue-winged Teal	- -	2	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Wild Turkey	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Pied-billed Grebe	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Green Heron	2	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Turkey Vulture	1	4	1	2	- -	4	- -
Osprey	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	1	- -
Sharp-shinned Hawk	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	2	1
Cooper's Hawk	- -	2	- -	- -	1	- -	- -
Red-tailed Hawk	2	8	- -	4	2	3	2
American Kestrel	- -	5	- -	- -	- -	1	- -
Spotted Sandpiper	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Rock Pigeon	- -	4	- -	1	- -	2	- -
Mourning Dove	5	13	5	15	7	3	5
Eastern Screech-Owl	- -	- -	- -	- -	1	- -	- -
Great Horned Owl	- -	1	- -	- -	1	- -	- -
Barred Owl	- -	3	1	5	- -	- -	- -
Common Nighthawk	- -	3	- -	- -	- -	5	- -
Chimney Swift	- -	7	- -	4	2	10	3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	- -	1	- -	- -	1	- -	- -
Belted Kingfisher	1	3	- -	1	- -	- -	- -
Red-headed Woodpecker	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	1	1
Red-bellied Woodpecker	9	11	10	11	6	1	5
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	- -	6	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Downy Woodpecker	8	14	8	15	10	4	8
Hairy Woodpecker	1	5	- -	1	- -	- -	- -
Northern Flicker	4	12	2	11	2	3	3
Olive-sided Flycatcher	- -	2	- -	- -	1	- -	- -
Eastern Wood-Pewee	- -	2	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Least Flycatcher	2	3	2	5	1	- -	1
Eastern Phoebe	7	3	1	3	- -	- -	- -
Great Crested Flycatcher	- -	2	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Eastern Kingbird	1	2	- -	- -	- -	1	- -
Blue-headed Vireo	- -	2	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Warbling Vireo	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Red-eyed Vireo	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Blue Jay	10	18	5	16	4	7	13
American Crow	- -	14	- -	2	3	7	4
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	- -	2	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Cliff Swallow	- -	2	- -	1	- -	- -	- -
Barn Swallow	1	10	- -	3	- -	5	3
Black-capped Chickadee	9	16	11	14	8	6	17
Red-breasted Nuthatch	1	9	8	4	2	3	- -
White-breasted Nuthatch	8	17	10	12	4	1	7
Brown Creeper	2	10	2	2	1	- -	1
Carolina Wren	4	2	1	2	- -	- -	- -
House Wren	5	8	1	9	1	- -	1
Winter Wren	5	- -	21	1	- -	- -	- -
Golden-crowned Kinglet	3	1	2	2	- -	- -	- -
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	4	2	2	5	2	- -	1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	- -	- -	- -	1	- -	- -	- -
Veery	- -	- -	- -	1	- -	- -	- -
Swainson's Thrush	1	2	1	5	1	- -	1
Hermit Thrush	1	1	- -	4	1	- -	1
Wood Thrush	- -	- -	- -	1	- -	- -	- -
American Robin	12	22	17	21	16	17	16
Gray Catbird	4	7	1	6	- -	- -	4
Northern Mockingbird	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Brown Thrasher	1	4	- -	3	1	1	- -
European Starling	5	19	1	12	5	9	13
Cedar Waxwing	1	2	- -	1	- -	2	- -
Tennessee Warbler	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	1
Orange-crowned Warbler	1	3	- -	2	- -	- -	- -
Nashville Warbler	- -	2	- -	- -	1	- -	- -
Northern Parula	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Yellow Warbler	- -	3	1	2	2	- -	- -
Chestnut-sided Warbler	- -	2	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Magnolia Warbler	- -	- -	- -	1	- -	- -	- -
Yellow-rumped Warbler	6	4	1	6	11	- -	2
Palm Warbler	1	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Black-and-white Warbler	- -	2	- -	4	1	- -	- -
American Redstart	1	3	- -	1	- -	- -	- -
Prothonotary Warbler	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Louisiana Waterthrush	1	- -	- -	1	2	- -	- -
Common Yellowthroat	2	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Hooded Warbler	- -	- -	- -	1	- -	- -	- -
Wilson's Warbler	- -	2	- -	1	- -	- -	- -
Spotted Towhee	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Eastern Towhee	- -	1	- -	1	- -	- -	- -
American Tree Sparrow	- -	- -	- -	1	- -	1	- -
Chipping Sparrow	2	8	- -	1	3	10	2
Clay-colored Sparrow	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Field Sparrow	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Fox Sparrow	- -	2	1	- -	- -	- -	1
Song Sparrow	4	6	6	2	- -	- -	- -
Lincoln's Sparrow	1	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
White-throated Sparrow	2	4	2	7	3	- -	2
Harris's Sparrow	- -	1	- -	1	- -	- -	- -
White-crowned Sparrow	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Dark-eyed Junco	6	14	9	10	5	8	7
Northern Cardinal	13	18	14	20	9	7	15
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	- -	5	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Indigo Bunting	1	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Red-winged Blackbird	1	1	- -	- -	1	- -	- -
Common Grackle	6	12	1	9	7	6	8
Brown-headed Cowbird	- -	3	- -	4	3	1	1
Baltimore Oriole	4	3	4	5	1	- -	2
Purple Finch	- -	3	2	1	- -	1	2
House Finch	1	7	- -	4	3	6	1
Pine Siskin	3	3	1	2	- -	- -	- -
American Goldfinch	8	12	5	13	8	7	9
House Sparrow	3	15	- -	3	1	3	2

This spring, a Hooded Warbler present among the fine trees of the Elmwood Park Ravine, was a new addition to the bird list for the locale. Other notables have been the Northern Mockingbird, Prothonotary Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Magnolia Warbler, Indigo Bunting.

Reforestation area at Elmwood park, 15 May 2008. The new sign has not yet been installed.

Wood Ducks are a common species, but the apparent demise of the one young noted, indicates a lack of breeding success this season.

Conditions for the birdlife along the creek is expected to improve with one particular change in management of a small area of the park. A tract along the upper road, along the south side of Wood Creek, is being designated as a reforestation area, instead of a meadow in the making. The change will allow tree growth to develop which will slightly increase the extent of the woodland. Park management made the change in response to the suggestion of a local resident, since little or no active management effort will be needed for trees to regrow, whereas establishing a meadow would require time and money to establish a suitable growth of grasses typical of a meadow.

There is also some consideration being given to creating some small reforestation areas along the east side of Wood Creek, in the ravine area; with the possibility of planting native shrubs and other vegetation. A small area on the west side already has a regrowth of a variety of volunteer trees.