Spring Birdlife of East Omaha Parklands

Birdly sounds are so obviously prevalent these days of middle May in the scenes and settings of eastern Omaha, that after a superb outing to the forest at Fontenelle, it seem proper to give some attention to other places amongst the urban setting. Especially prevalent, have been the songs — voices of neighbors — by migrant and resident species in the natural spaces, especially at some particular park places.

During a long weekend, some particular effort was made to visit some of the prominent Omaha parks to survey the birds, and see what they what doing.

On the mornings of May 14-16, when conditions were finely suitable to looking for what birds were present, walk-abouts were made at various localities within the following parks, with notes kept on the species seen, and how many could be detected.

• Mandan Park: including the park and the flats along the Missouri River, on its east side.
• Spring Lake Park: primarily the woods north and south of F Street, though a drive-by look was done at the southern portion of the tract.
• Elmwood Park: this superb area for bird watching includes numerous sites, including the ravine, Shadow Lake, the forlorn pines, and the arboreal habitat of the golf course.
• Memorial Park: from Happy Hollow Creek on the east to Wood Creek on the west, it was all walked.
• Levi Carter Park and Carter Lake: a short list derived from a drive-through on a Sunday morning.
• N.P. Dodge Park: a Sunday morning hike to the river, and a traverse of the great field.
• Hummel Park: notably along Ponca Creek, up into the hills with its bit of prairie, the Grand Hollow, camp ground and the manicured place for picnicers.

It was all good, filled with song and sightings of profound and distinct coloration among the trees and skies, and a few ancillary and unexpected views.

Plethora of Birds

There were more than 70 species denoted during the three-day period. The tally may be considered as small in comparison with other places — whatever — as the numerous birds certainly appreciated having a place for their existence, and it was a fine time looking and finding.

In this list, the survey results have been grouped into localities, and the value is the number of each species counted. It was a challenge to identify each song heard and bird seen, but it was forged from my best efforts, derived from experience and observation, assistance for id on a couple of bird species, and a focus to accurately convey what was present at each place.

Common Name	Mandan Park	Spring Lake Park	Elmwood Park	Memorial Park	Levi Carter Park	N.P. Dodge Park	Hummel Park
Canada Goose	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Wood Duck	-	-	21	12	1	-	-
Mallard	-	-	4	1	5	1	-
Wild Turkey	-	2	-	-	-	1	1
Green Heron	-	-	1	-	-	-	-
Turkey Vulture	-	1	-	-	-	1	-
Cooper's Hawk	-	-	1	-	-	-	-
Red-tailed Hawk	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Killdeer	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Rock Pigeon	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Mourning Dove	-	-	5	3	4	1	1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Chimney Swift	2	4	1	2	8	-	1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	-	1	-	-	-	-	1
Red-headed Woodpecker	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Red-bellied Woodpecker	1	1	1	1	-	-	2
Downy Woodpecker	1	2	2	1	-	1	2
Northern Flicker	1	-	1	-	1	1	-
Eastern Wood-Pewee	-	1	-	-	-	2	2
Least Flycatcher	-	2	4	1	-	1	-
Eastern Phoebe	-	1	1	-	-	-	1
Great Crested Flycatcher	1	4	-	-	-	2	-
Eastern Kingbird	-	-	1	-	-	2	-
Warbling Vireo	2	1	3	1	-	5	-
Red-eyed Vireo	6	7	-	-	-	-	4
Blue Jay	-	1	-	-	-	1	2
American Crow	1	-	-	-	-	1	-
Purple Martin	-	-	-	-	7	-	-
Tree Swallow	2	-	-	-	25	-	-
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Cliff Swallow	-	-	-	-	25	-	-
Barn Swallow	-	2	2	2	10	4	-
Black-capped Chickadee	2	3	6	2	-	-	4
Tufted Titmouse	1	1	-	-	-	-	-
Red-breasted Nuthatch	-	-	1	-	-	-	-
White-breasted Nuthatch	2	2	-	1	-	1	7
Carolina Wren	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
House Wren	6	4	9	1	-	10	11
Eastern Bluebird	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Swainson's Thrush	-	4	3	1	-	-	-
American Robin	6	8	46	41	50	11	7
Gray Catbird	1	1	5	3	-	1	-
Brown Thrasher	-	2	3	2	-	-	-
European Starling	2	-	-	7	12	17	1
Cedar Waxwing	-	-	17	-	-	-	-
Tennessee Warbler	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Nashville Warbler	-	1	3	2	-	-	2
Yellow Warbler	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Yellow-rumped Warbler	-	-	2	2	-	-	-
American Redstart	4	3	-	-	-	3	4
Ovenbird	-	-	-	-	-	-	2
Northern Waterthrush	-	-	1	1	-	-	-
Common Yellowthroat	1	1	-	-	-	2	1
Summer Tanager	-	-	-	-	-	-	2
Scarlet Tanager	-	-	-	-	-	-	2
Eastern Towhee	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Chipping Sparrow	-	2	9	9	-	-	4
Clay-colored Sparrow	-	-	2	-	-	-	-
Lark Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
White-throated Sparrow	1	2	1	-	-	-	-
Northern Cardinal	5	4	5	6	-	2	6
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	-	-	-	-	-	6	1
Indigo Bunting	4	4	-	-	-	6	7
Red-winged Blackbird	-	-	-	-	5	8	-
Common Grackle	4	6	46	34	30	2	-
Brown-headed Cowbird	3	6	1	1	-	7	2
Orchard Oriole	-	-	-	-	-	6	-
Baltimore Oriole	1	-	8	1	-	5	3
House Finch	-	-	4	3	-	-	-
American Goldfinch	2	2	3	2	-	2	3
House Sparrow	-	3	3	-	-	2	-

The variety of habitat at these places is indicative in the diversity of the bird list. Some of the sites had species not seen elsewhere, indicating particular places of importance. Trees and floodplain at N.P. Dodge Park is suitable for the Yellow Warbler, whereas the pines at Elmwood Park are perfect for the Red-breasted Nuthatch. Always a novelty to appreciate, were the single Ruby-throated Hummingbird, noted at two places, as they took a rest on a twig high atop a barren tree.

There was a bit of sublime enjoyment, seeing a pair of Summer Tanagers, whilst elsewhere in the woods, the Scarlet Tanager also sang from the tree-tops, its notable proclamation of being home for the breeding season.

An Ovenbird walking along a branch, was a special treat, as it was nice to see a live bird going about its day, rather than the carcass of one dead after striking some building in downtown Omaha, which is when this species is most typically noted.

Expressive little Indigo Buntings were vivacious bits of blue or drab as they darted about at the edge of some of the forest habitats. Their song is ...

Spring Birding in the Missouri River Valley

As a visitor walking about, it was easily and so specially apparent that each and nearly every bird conveyed in its a dramatic and particular manner, the joy of the season. So many songs, each loudly expressed. Wow! And what? Other avifauna — maybe somewhat less boisterous or dramatically expressive — were going about the day in their regular manner of existence.

The sounds of a natural place were especially enjoyed along Ponca Creek at Hummel Park, where the noises of civilization were muted and occasionally forgotten as the birds were the main music of the morning. Anyone could have listened to them sing, if they cared to take the time.

There could be something said about the highlights, but alas, that will not happen. Every bird is important, each occurrence is significant, all the habitats are important, and everything should be done to conserve these places for other birds which will hopefully occur. There is no reason for some deranged tree-cutter - as recently occurred at Hummel Park. What caused some person to take a chain-saw and cut down for some perverse reason, so many trees, enough to change it so drastically ... the multitude of mounds of dead trees are especially obvious in contrast to the otherwise green view in the woods.

The economic value of these places for birdlife is not even known, nor realized, and is certainly under-appreciated. If a dollar amount was attributed to the habitat for each day of a species' occurrence, there is a great significance to these places. Each and every day should be indicative of what natural habitats provide to birdly residents and visitors, as shown by the list of species denoted during the three-days of surveys conducted in mid-May 2010, about the environs of the river city.