Second Annual Thanksgiving Bird Survey of East Omaha Parks

The second annual survey of birds present at east Omaha parks occurred during on two days following the 2014 Thanksgiving holiday. Weather was especially fine, with temperatures on Friday in the mid 50s. On Saturday it was so pleasant that the entire day could have been spent afield, with the relative warmth and insignificant winds, with the temperature peak in the mid 60s.

Surveys on Friday occurred at Carter Lake and Levi Carter Park, Hummel Park and N.P. Dodge Park.

On Saturday, places of interest, as trod upon by boots on the ground, were Mandan Park and the Mandan Flats to the east along the Missouri River, Spring Lake Park and then, subsequently Memorial Park and Elmwood Park places. Ancillary notes were kept for the Carthage neighborhood, north of Dundee Place in midtown.

A fine variety of wild birds were seen during the hours outdoors. Every record of a bird observed was denoted and then subsequently indicated in an appropriate manner as a database record with stringent limitations associated with species, locale, number, source, etc. Everything has to fit together in a relational manner for the database details, in order to conform with strictures.

These are the results of the wonderful birds appreciated during the hours afield:

Common Name	Hummel District	Dodge Park District	Carter Lake District	Carthage District	Memorial Park District	Elmwood Park District	Spring Lake Park District	Mandan District
Cackling Goose	- -	- -	15	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Canada Goose	- -	- -	2500	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Gadwall	- -	- -	35	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Mallard	- -	- -	760	- -	- -	2	- -	- -
Northern Shoveler	- -	- -	50	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Redhead	- -	- -	20	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Common Goldeneye	- -	1	35	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Hooded Merganser	- -	- -	8	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Ruddy Duck	- -	- -	5	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Pied-billed Grebe	- -	- -	3	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Bald Eagle	- -	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	1
Cooper's Hawk	- -	- -	- -	- -	1	- -	- -	- -
Red-tailed Hawk	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	1
American Kestrel	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
American Coot	- -	- -	750	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Ring-billed Gull	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Mourning Dove	- -	- -	- -	1	- -	- -	7	- -
Red-bellied Woodpecker	1	- -	1	1	- -	4	1	1
Downy Woodpecker	1	2	1	1	1	2	2	2
Hairy Woodpecker	1	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	1
Northern Flicker	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	1	1
Blue Jay	3	1	1	3	1	- -	- -	1
American Crow	- -	2	- -	- -	1	- -	- -	- -
Black-capped Chickadee	5	7	2	2	8	2	2	3
Tufted Titmouse	1	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	1
White-breasted Nuthatch	3	3	1	1	- -	2	3	3
Brown Creeper	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	1
Carolina Wren	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	2
Winter Wren	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	1	- -
Golden-crowned Kinglet	- -	- -	- -	4	4	- -	- -	- -
Eastern Bluebird	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	1
American Robin	- -	- -	2	- -	- -	34	2	1
European Starling	- -	15	18	3	- -	9	- -	- -
American Tree Sparrow	- -	10	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	4
Fox Sparrow	- -	- -	- -	1	- -	- -	- -	- -
White-throated Sparrow	- -	- -	- -	2	- -	- -	- -	1
Harris's Sparrow	- -	8	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
White-crowned Sparrow	- -	2	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
Dark-eyed Junco	1	6	4	6	6	13	1	5
Northern Cardinal	1	1	1	2	- -	1	2	2
House Finch	- -	- -	- -	- -	2	- -	2	2
American Goldfinch	- -	1	2	- -	- -	1	2	2
House Sparrow	- -	2	- -	10	- -	- -	- -	- -

Overall, there were many wonderful moments among the wild birds, as they went about their normal activities of November. More particularly, the 43 different species observed at the different places was different from the 2013 survey, when 46 species were seen.

There was a comparatively lesser number of species present at multiple sites. This is an abbreviated tally of comparisons:

• N.P. Dodge Park: 16 species in 2014 (17 species in 2013); notably missing was the Pileated Woodpecker, with the reason for their absence not known
• Carthage: 13 species about the neighborhood in 2014; only six species were noted during this same period of time in 2013, so obviously the extent of any birds present during this year, was based upon only a limited perspective
• Mandan Park: 10 (13) and Mandan Flats: 12 (18); overall the comparative difference was twenty species in 2014 in comparison to 24 in 2013
• Carter Lake: 11 (12) and its associated Northwest Pond Natural Wildlife Area (8); the twelve species in 2014 compares to 24 in 2014; the weather conditions and extent of open water associated with the lake were a primary factor in the number and species of birds present
• Spring Lake Park - North F Street Woods: 8 (11); overall at the park in 2014 there were twelve species present; the tally for 2013 was 21; the species present as surveyed in a similar manner indicated a dramatic decline in the wild birds present
• Elmwood Park Ravine: 7 (8); ten species in 2014 versus sixteen overall in 2013 for the habitats associated with this park space
• North Hills, Hummel Park: 6 (16); for the district, there were only nine species noted in 2014 versus 19 in 2013
• Memorial Park: 6 (additional species were noted along the east and west side creeks); eight species in the district in 2014 versus only five in 2013); one primary difference between the 2014 and 2013 surveys was closer attention to bird activity among the conifers on the edges of the rose garden.

Further comparative details can be derived in a some manner for these specific surveys. An analysis could readily compare particular species and numbers at a specific locale. Two years of results allow some comparison, but they aren't enough to establsh any sort of trend. There are also enough details sufficient to consider a monthly evaluation, especially for the Carter Lake vicinity.

This information is available in association with a personal database where details have been denoted in specific detail, one record at a time, for past decades.

In regards to this survey, two years of results allow some comparison, but they aren't enough to establsh any sort of trend, though there is no attempt to establish anything other than a perspective of birds present at some place and at some point in time.