Spring migration is now an exciting and vibrant time in the green spaces of the Missouri River valley. The variety of birds present has especially been notably appreciated at several parks in the Omaha vicinity. Some places have been visited by once during the period of interest, but the warblers at Towl Park have attracted a number of visitors interested in seeing the wildbirds.
Omaha parks that have been visited during this surge of migration, include:
- Carter Lake and Levi Carter Park, including the Northwest Pond Natural Wildlife Area. Levi Carter Pond, Kiwanis Park with each of the mentioned locales having a separate focus and tally: it was a thorough survey on the morning of 7 May
- Little Elmwood Park: 12 May, because of being in the nighborhood and nobody knows about this bit of green and trees
- Memorial Park (including Happy Hollow Creek on the east side and Wood Creek, Memorial Park on the west side): the first place visited on Saturday, which was also International Migratory Bird Day
- Elmwood Park (including Elmwood Park Ravine; Shadow Lake, Elmwood Park; Wood Creek, Elmwood Park; Wood Creek Pond; North Course Elmwood and Young Park; with each place contributing distinct notes for the overall tally): also traversed during the Saturday morning walk-about
Most significant or this first of the weekend day were the Mallards. They were present on Happy Hallow Creek. A pair was present on Wood Creek, Memorial Park. A drake the Wood Creek portion in the Elmwood Park Ravine was indicative and sublime as it flew-away because of my intrusion. There were then mallards along Wood Creek in Elmwood Park. This is a situation that has been the derivative of past years when a female Mallard decided to stay for the season where nearby water was suitable to raise a brood.
- Towl Park: several visits as indicated by reports on 7-10 May; includes a great multi-species report by Brian Peterson on the 7th, when 26 species were reported on ebird; as well as subsequent reportage by Neal Ratzlaff, Justin Rink (his report indicated that "warblers were literally dripping off the trees and singing everywhere"), and then Chris and Maggie Olson. All of their observations convey the value of this small urban park-space to a fine variety of bird species.
- Rockbrook Park on May 8th (this being only the second known report of birdlife in the chronicles; it was previously visited, personally on 8 July 2013, when a complete list of species was recorded, and previously reported.
- Trendwood Park, along Hell Creek, on 8 May (a rare report of a report to this park at 133rd and Pacific Street; a previous report is available for 5 July 2013 when a complete list of observed species was also personally recorded): 18 species were indicated in the latest terse report.
Efforts by many people have made available the splendor of the spring birds in some Omaha Parks. Missing in this mix are some details, as well as reports from Mandan Park, Spring Lake Park, Adams Park, Fontenelle Park and Hummel Park. Each of these locales have been visited at one time or another by bird entusiasts, but not this spring.
The following are the 91 species noted at these parks. The value indicates the total number of each species denoted, with a zero (0) value indicating that the species was reported but without any indication of their extent.
A thanks of appreciation to local birders which have made this relatively wide-pread report possible.
| Common Name | Carter Lake and Levi Carter Park | Memorial Park | Little Elmwood Park | Elmwood Park | Towl Park | Rockbrook Park | Trendwood Park |
| Canada Goose | 34 | - - | - - | 5 | - - | - - | - - |
| Goose | 7 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Wood Duck | 11 | 7 | - - | 10 | 2 | - - | - - |
| Gadwall | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| American Wigeon | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Mallard | 30 | 5 | - - | 3 | 3 | - - | - - |
| Blue-winged Teal | 61 | - - | - - | - - | 7 | - - | - - |
| Northern Shoveler | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Canvasback | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Redhead | 3 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Wild Turkey | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Pied-billed Grebe | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Double-crested Cormorant | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Great Blue Heron | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Green Heron | 1 | - - | - - | 1 | 0 | - - | - - |
| Turkey Vulture | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - |
| Cooper's Hawk | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| American Coot | 45 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Killdeer | 8 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Spotted Sandpiper | 4 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Lesser Yellowlegs | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Least Sandpiper | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Franklin's Gull | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Ring-billed Gull | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Forster's Tern | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Rock Pigeon | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Mourning Dove | 15 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 0 | - - | - - |
| Chimney Swift | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | - - | - - | - - |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | - - | - - | - - | - - | 0 | - - | - - |
| Belted Kingfisher | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Red-headed Woodpecker | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | - - | 0 |
| Downy Woodpecker | 1 | 1 | - - | 1 | - - | - - | 0 |
| Northern Flicker | 3 | - - | 1 | 3 | 2 | - - | - - |
| Willow Flycatcher | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 0 |
| Least Flycatcher | 1 | 1 | - - | - - | 0 | - - | - - |
| Eastern Phoebe | - - | - - | - - | 1 | 2 | - - | - - |
| Great Crested Flycatcher | - - | - - | - - | 1 | 0 | - - | - - |
| Western Kingbird | 4 | - - | - - | 1 | 1 | - - | - - |
| Eastern Kingbird | 11 | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - |
| Blue-headed Vireo | 1 | - - | - - | - - | 9 | - - | - - |
| Warbling Vireo | 6 | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Philadelphia Vireo | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - |
| Red-eyed Vireo | 1 | 3 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Blue Jay | 1 | 2 | - - | 4 | 5 | - - | 0 |
| American Crow | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Purple Martin | 12 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow | 3 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Barn Swallow | 25 | 3 | - - | - - | - - | - - | 0 |
| Black-capped Chickadee | 4 | 2 | 1 | 5 | - - | - - | - - |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - |
| Carolina Wren | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | 0 |
| House Wren | 4 | 5 | - - | 8 | 1 | - - | - - |
| Swainson's Thrush | 1 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| American Robin | 58 | 113 | 2 | 72 | 6 | - - | 0 |
| Gray Catbird | 3 | 1 | - - | 5 | 4 | - - | 0 |
| Brown Thrasher | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| European Starling | 25 | 17 | 1 | 12 | 0 | - - | 0 |
| Cedar Waxwing | 6 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Golden-winged Warbler | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - |
| Tennessee Warbler | 1 | 2 | - - | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Orange-crowned Warbler | - - | - - | - - | 2 | 2 | 4 | - - |
| Nashville Warbler | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | 2 | - - |
| Yellow Warbler | - - | 1 | - - | 2 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Magnolia Warbler | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - | - - |
| Cape May Warbler | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - | - - |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | 6 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 1 | - - |
| Blackpoll Warbler | - - | - - | - - | 1 | 0 | 1 | - - |
| Black-and-white Warbler | - - | - - | - - | - - | 4 | - - | - - |
| American Redstart | - - | 1 | - - | - - | 1 | 1 | - - |
| Prothonotary Warbler | - - | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - | - - |
| Northern Waterthrush | - - | - - | - - | - - | 0 | 1 | - - |
| Common Yellowthroat | 5 | 1 | - - | 1 | 1 | - - | - - |
| Wilson's Warbler | - - | 1 | - - | 1 | 2 | - - | - - |
| Summer Tanager | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - |
| Chipping Sparrow | 11 | 19 | - - | 35 | - - | - - | - - |
| Clay-colored Sparrow | - - | - - | - - | 2 | 3 | - - | - - |
| Lark Sparrow | 1 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Lincoln's Sparrow | 2 | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| White-throated Sparrow | 2 | - - | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - |
| Northern Cardinal | 1 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | - - | 0 |
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | - - | 1 | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - |
| Indigo Bunting | - - | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - |
| Red-winged Blackbird | 17 | - - | - - | - - | 2 | - - | 0 |
| Common Grackle | 85 | 38 | 3 | 23 | 0 | - - | 0 |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | 11 | 5 | - - | 2 | - - | - - | - - |
| Orchard Oriole | 3 | - - | - - | - - | 1 | - - | - - |
| Baltimore Oriole | 10 | 4 | - - | 3 | 13 | - - | 0 |
| House Finch | - - | 8 | 2 | 1 | - - | - - | - - |
| American Goldfinch | 11 | 7 | - - | 5 | 8 | - - | 0 |
| House Sparrow | 3 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 0 | - - | 0 |
The details conveyed by these reports readily indicate the occurrence and relative distribution of many species and what can be seen by bird enthusiasts with an intent and vocus. Some of the particular highlights include:
- » Carter Lake: the lake continues to be a waterfowl haven, despite the increasing extent of boat traffic. Fledgling Canada Geese and Mallards have already been observed. The recent rains on May 11-12 have certainly increased the extent of water within the lake. There is a need for the City of Omaha Public Works Department to remove the trash from the Northwest pond, for which they are responsible.
- » Midtown Mallards pervasive: along Happy Hollow Creek, at Wood Creek on the West side of Memorial Park, at Elmwood Park Ravine and also along Wood Creek in Elmwood Park. This is the most extensive distribution known for this species at these two parks. Once young were successively raised in along the southern extent of Wood Creek, they have continued to be summer residents. Their occurrence in mid-May 2014 indicated there greatest known distribution because of my numerous surveys when rather than lumping sightings, particular attention was given to micro-habitats so the extent of occurrence was denoted.
- » Canada Goose at Elmwood Park: a pair of these fowl were present at Wood Creek pond, along with three goslings. This is the first occurrence of young among this park space.
- » Cape May Warblers: there were numerous sightings of this species at Towl Park. The Nebraska Ornithologists' Response was to request was to send out a lengthy and detailed form necessary to document the species occurrence. Apparently, the several documented observations have to be approved by someone that could not take the time to visit the place and enjoy the birds in their space.
- » Prothonotary Warbler: the sighting by Justin Rink was a new county record for him, but the species has previously been documented within the county, in particular as a dead bird in downtown.
- » Lark Sparrow: previously rarely seen, its presence continued along the north shore of lake, which would be at Levi Carter Park.
- » Midtown Mallards pervasive: along Happy Hollow Creek, at Wood Creek on the West side of Memorial Park, at Elmwood Park Ravine and also along Wood Creek in Elmwood Park. This is the most extensive distribution known for this species at these two parks. Once young were successively raised in along the southern extent of Wood Creek, they have continued to be summer residents. Their occurrence in mid-May 2014 indicated there greatest known distribution because of my numerous surveys when rather than lumping sightings, particular attention was given to micro-habitats so the extent of occurrence was denoted.
There are undoubtedly other notable observations worth some sort of recognition, but without some perspective, any further comments are dubious, in the least. One particular concern is the lack of previous comparable reports for some of the localities.
Espcially appreciated is the extent of the observations made by the people interested in observing the birds present.
The wonder of the warbler occurrence is especially significant, and its a great spectacle that local birders are attentive and appreciative of the visiting birds. With similar attention, there can only be mor known about the birds of different Omaha parks.