Comparing Birds of Middle-May at a Missouri Valley Locale in Nebraska

The 2010 spring bird count for Sarpy County provided an unexpected opportunity to compare those species present of a current early May-time to some years min earlier history, and actually from more than a century earlier in the historic record.

The newest outing started early on the morning of 8 May 2010, a brief time after sunrise when the temperature was 39^o and there was a wind of ca. 16 m.p.h. After a direct drive though the morning streets of Omaha, we arrived at our river-bottom destination. Then there was a robust walk along the trails of the amply moist bottomlands of Fontenelle Forest.

This was certainly not a new destination for watching for birds, as many other avian enthusiasts had walked these grounds to search for spring migrants and seasonal residents, for an unknown number of times.

This particular Saturday, was however, another spring-day and a particularly fine time to determine which bird species were once again about in the forest.

There was fine variety, special for the day, but with a latter consideration, details of former history indicated what there had been in former years, many decades earlier in valley time.

Whatever the means, the song-id, based upon attentive listening and looking, was the most important detail. There were a bunch of birds seen, noted and enjoyed with the details determined for the county count. But there was more to the information derived from the observations of the people contributing their time for the spring survey.

While considering the particulars for the bird history for these bluffs and lowland of the Missouri, it was quite a nice realization that there were other visits to this important birding region. Based a investigation of the historic ornithology for this locality, visits during previous years occurred on:

• 6 May 1916, as derived from the notes of Ralph Dawson, a bird enthusiast from Lincon, visiting because of the gathering of others with a similar interest
• 8 May 1915, based on observations during an annual field day of the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union
• 9 May 1908, in association with a list of species derived from an outing by the NOU
• 11 May 1918, as also derived from the devoted bird watchers gathered for a meeting of the NOU

The survey well-done in 2010, was not associated with any particular entity, but did occur on the first day of the weekend recognizing International Migratory Bird Day.

Birding group at Fontenelle Forest, May 8, 2010.

Birds of a Missouri Valley Spring

After a brief preliminary hike upon arrival, group leader Justin Rink and I met up with several other enthusiasts volunteering their time to participate in the spring bird survey, with other folks at some of the different count places in the county. Trails through the forest were considered and assigned by coordinated Rink, as he got the people to hike particular trails and to make sure they provided him notes of what was seen.

Other participants included Jim and Sandy Kovanda, Phil Swanson, as well as Paul, Brian and John Hula, and others.

My route, as birder Rink was also my ride, was along a route based upon his decision. This was very suitable, as, based on his attuned ear and as his eastern wood forest experience meant so many more species were noted. My role was to write them down.

Our foray, including a detour around the flooded lowlands on the eastern extent of the great marsh - which meant finding a gigantic morel mushroom on the Gifford Point WMA - and onward through the woods of the bottoms in search of bird life. The primary result was a bunch of great species of spring, but also some particular attention to three teens and three dogs fishing at Hidden Lake.

Illegal fishing at Hidden Lake, May 8, 2010.

Three teens fishing - with their three errant dogs - and seen casting their bait into the waters at the south end of Hidden Lake, conveyed two obvious conditions which were readily not allowed at the riverine lake, though the miscreants were oblivious to the fact.

After more looking about, me and the apparent master of identifying birds from distinctive songs in the forest, next went forth up to the uplands of the grand forest lands. More bird notes were kept, as antics and calls indicated more species of the spring variety.

Our hike was - upon later consideration - completely reminiscent of former times way beyond any personal experience, but still readily similar to times more than a century ago in the same place. The former view did not really mean anything, and in no way meant any difference to the days' singing of a new spring. On several occasions, birds were deciding among themselves the boundaries of territories, and at least a couple of times, were obviously mating as a pair starting a new generation.

Overall, it was just a great day of giving attention to the birds which were about. As a minion to the master, my role was to mark down the species readily noted. The tally was nourished by attuned ear of Mr. Rink, and the final notable comment is to express a hearty thanks for his providing a ride and teaching some subtleties of bird identification.

Justin Rink also returned later in the day, and noted an additional eight species.

Historic Comparisons

An interesting list of a comparative nature can be derived from the surveys reported during the current and former years. The modern tally indicates the species from Fontenelle Forest and associated landmarks northeast of Bellevue. Earlier times at Childs Point, had their own focus, and as now known, the particulars on the number of species seen during May days in a particular year were:

• 2010: 94 species, at Fontenelle Forest, Gifford Point and Camp Wakonda
• 1908: 89 species at Childs Point
• 1918: 80 species at Childs Point
• 1915: 75 species at Childs Point
• 1916: 47 species at Childs Point

Overall - based on a composite list for different years at the Childs Point and Fontenelle Forest area - there were 140 species observed and noted by a whole array of people that have watched birds using this realm.

Denoted for these few particular days of May migration along in the Missouri River valley have been the following species.

Common Name	1908	1915	1916	1918	2010
Canada Goose	-	-	-	-	xx
Wood Duck	-	-	-	-	xx
Mallard	-	-	-	-	xx
Blue-winged Teal	xx	xx	-	xx	xx
Northern Shoveler	-	xx	-	-	-
Ring-necked Pheasant	-	-	-	-	xx
Wild Turkey	-	-	-	-	xx
Northern Bobwhite	xx	-	-	-	-
Pied-billed Grebe	-	-	-	-	xx
Double-crested Cormorant	-	-	-	-	xx
American Bittern	-	xx	-	-	-
Great Blue Heron	-	-	-	xx	xx
Green Heron	xx	-	-	-	-
Turkey Vulture	xx	-	-	-	xx
Cooper's Hawk	-	xx	-	-	-
Red-shouldered Hawk	-	xx	-	-	-
Broad-winged Hawk	xx	-	xx	xx	xx
Red-tailed Hawk	-	-	-	-	xx
American Kestrel	xx	-	-	xx	-
Sora	-	-	-	-	xx
American Coot	-	-	-	-	xx
Semipalmated Plover	xx	-	-	-	-
Killdeer	xx	-	-	xx	-
Spotted Sandpiper	-	-	-	-	xx
Solitary Sandpiper	xx	-	-	-	xx
Ring-billed Gull	xx	-	-	-	-
Mourning Dove	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	xx	-	-	xx	-
Black-billed Cuckoo	-	xx	-	-	-
Great Horned Owl	-	-	-	-	xx
Barred Owl	-	-	-	-	xx
Common Nighthawk	-	-	-	-	xx
Chimney Swift	xx	xx	xx	-	xx
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	-	-	-	xx	xx
Belted Kingfisher	xx	xx	xx	xx	-
Red-headed Woodpecker	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Red-bellied Woodpecker	-	-	-	-	xx
Downy Woodpecker	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Hairy Woodpecker	xx	xx	-	-	xx
Northern Flicker	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Pileated Woodpecker	-	-	-	-	xx
Eastern Wood-Pewee	xx	xx	-	-	-
Acadian Flycatcher	-	-	-	xx	-
Willow Flycatcher	-	-	-	xx	-
Least Flycatcher	xx	xx	-	-	xx
Eastern Phoebe	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Great Crested Flycatcher	xx	xx	-	xx	xx
Western Kingbird	-	xx	-	xx	-
Eastern Kingbird	xx	-	-	-	xx
Loggerhead Shrike	-	xx	-	-	-
White-eyed Vireo	xx	xx	xx	xx	-
Bell's Vireo	-	-	xx	xx	-
Yellow-throated Vireo	xx	xx	-	xx	xx
Blue-headed Vireo	-	-	-	-	xx
Warbling Vireo	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Red-eyed Vireo	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Blue Jay	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
American Crow	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Horned Lark	xx	xx	-	-	-
Purple Martin	xx	-	-	-	-
Tree Swallow	xx	xx	-	xx	xx
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	xx	-	-	xx	xx
Bank Swallow	xx	xx	-	-	-
Barn Swallow	xx	xx	-	xx	xx
Black-capped Chickadee	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Tufted Titmouse	-	-	-	-	xx
Red-breasted Nuthatch	xx	xx	-	-	-
White-breasted Nuthatch	xx	xx	-	xx	xx
Carolina Wren	-	-	-	xx	-
House Wren	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Sedge Wren	-	-	-	-	xx
Marsh Wren	xx	-	-	-	xx
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	-	-	-	xx	xx
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Eastern Bluebird	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Gray-cheeked Thrush	xx	-	-	xx	-
Swainson's Thrush	-	-	xx	xx	xx
Wood Thrush	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
American Robin	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Gray Catbird	xx	xx	-	xx	xx
Brown Thrasher	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
European Starling	-	-	-	-	xx
Cedar Waxwing	xx	-	-	-	xx
Blue-winged Warbler	xx	xx	-	-	-
Golden-winged Warbler	-	-	-	xx	-
Tennessee Warbler	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Orange-crowned Warbler	xx	-	xx	xx	xx
Nashville Warbler	-	-	-	-	xx
Northern Parula	-	-	-	-	xx
Yellow Warbler	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Chestnut-sided Warbler	--	--	--	-	xx
Magnolia Warbler	xx	-	-	-	-
Cape May Warbler	-	-	-	xx	-
Yellow-rumped Warbler	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Black-throated Green Warbler	-	-	-	-	xx
Yellow-throated Warbler	-	-	-	-	xx
Palm Warbler	-	xx	-	xx	-
Blackpoll Warbler	-	-	-	xx	-
Cerulean Warbler	xx	-	xx	xx	-
Black-and-white Warbler	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
American Redstart	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Prothonotary Warbler	xx	xx	-	xx	xx
Ovenbird	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Northern Waterthrush	xx	xx	-	xx	xx
Louisiana Waterthrush	xx	-	-	xx	xx
Common Yellowthroat	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Canada Warbler	xx	-	-	-	-
Yellow-breasted Chat	xx	xx	xx	xx	-
Summer Tanager	-	-	-	xx	xx
Scarlet Tanager	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Eastern Towhee	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Chipping Sparrow	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Clay-colored Sparrow	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Field Sparrow	xx	xx	xx	xx	-
Lark Sparrow	xx	xx	-	xx	-
Savannah Sparrow	xx	xx	-	-	-
Grasshopper Sparrow	xx	-	-	-	-
Fox Sparrow	-	xx	-	-	-
Song Sparrow	xx	xx	-	xx	xx
Lincoln's Sparrow	xx	xx	-	xx	xx
Swamp Sparrow	xx	xx	-	-	-
White-throated Sparrow	xx	-	-	xx	xx
Harris's Sparrow	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
White-crowned Sparrow	xx	xx	-	-	-
Northern Cardinal	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Blue Grosbeak	xx	-	-	-	-
Indigo Bunting	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Dickcissel	xx	xx	xx	xx	-
Red-winged Blackbird	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Eastern Meadowlark	-	-	-	-	xx
Western Meadowlark	xx	xx	xx	xx	-
Rusty Blackbird	-	xx	-	xx	-
Common Grackle	xx	-	-	xx	xx
Brown-headed Cowbird	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
Orchard Oriole	-	-	-	xx	xx
Baltimore Oriole	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx
House Finch	-	-	-	-	xx
Pine Siskin	-	xx	-	-	-
American Goldfinch	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx

Prominent differences are apparent, especially in comparing 1908 to 2010. There were more waterbirds noted in the latter year, and wider variety of woodpecker species. Notably different was having the two owls during the 2010 spring bird count, though not at all for any of the previous surveys, likely because of them being done during daytime?

There was a greater diversity of sparrow types noted by the earlier surveys.

A particular note is that the Western Meadowlark noted for each of the historic presentations, did not occur, nor would it have been any way expected during the 2010 survey. Some of the other historically noted species, may occur, but variances in the season are one applicable reason that were not seen or heard during the spring bird count.

Most interesting, in spite of any indication of any number of species, is being able to even compare what had been seen in decades past to what was present on a weekend now gone by.

Each species seen was one to appreciate and enjoy during another spring in the river valley.