Attentive Library Staff at UNO a Treasure

This is an expression of heartfelt gratitude for some staff at Criss Library. After troubles getting information transferred from a portable hard drive to a DVR recordable disc on Thursday, another attempt was made during Friday morning, July 24, 2015. There were some more thwarts during the effort.

It started with having to get change since there were constrictions on needing some particular legal tender for another vending machine. Then the adjacent change machine was out of order. Change to suitable bills was , however, promptly provided at the circulation desk upstairs.

Going back downstairs, the machine with the needed DVR discs was not working. Another trek of stairs ensued to inquire at the circulation desk.

What followed is something that can only be appreciated. What happened was done in a professional, personal and exemplary manner. Once it was realized that the vending machine was not working, several staff members made a huge difference (do not want to be discriminatory or misspell a personal name, so apologies for not including them). There was several folks that deserve recognition for providing assistance, comments, and even a few nice words and going beyond on a task they decided was right in providing service.

They did then indicate that the vending machine was not working, despite it being "worked" to address the problem. The thing was completely inoperational.

Rather than make excuses, they provided alternatives. Now, that is attention to service.

Then, when further issues arose, step-by-step each was resolved. The computer steps, after a personal hitch, worked just great. When it comes to data, mistakes just don't work.

The efforts of the library staff were a special response that could be used to define service because of what they did.

Recognition is needed and that is the purpose of this missive. Also, a huge THANK YOU. So many thanks to Criss Library staff at the University of Nebraska-Omaha for what they have done for me as a patron, and certainly for the multitude of others that rely on this community space to learn and further knowledge.

If it was up to me and there was a suitable option, I’d buy each of the wonderful staff a tasty ice-cream cone on this hot day of July. May their day be special.

Vegetation Removal at UNOmaha During Nesting Season

Vegetation removal was One of the first steps undertaking with work associated with a remodeling project at the plaza of the Henningson Memorial Campanile at the University of Nebraska at Omaha city campus.

During the morning of May 13th several trees and bushes were completely removed, with ground vegetation also stripped to the bare soil.

There were more than six and probably fewer than ten trees removed, which were perhaps 15-20 feet in height.

These trees may have been in use by nesting birds, most notably the American Robin. While noting the scene once the trees had been fallen, there was one and possibly two robins in the immediate vicinity, exhibiting behavior associated with being disturbed. It is an easy assumption that the birds may have been nesting among the trees which were large enough and with suitable branches for a robin's nest and to provide roosts for fledged young.

There have been fledgling robins seen elsewhere in midtown Omaha.

Upon asking the site supervisor if the trees had been checked for nests or young birds, his response indicated that they had not had a qualified person do this task. He was not even aware of the need for any sort of survey. Graham Construction did the removal as a contractor for the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Graham Construction has been involved with the Omaha CSO! project, where strict guidelines are in place - by Omaha Public Works - to ensure that no bird nests or eggs are harmed during the breeding season. Surveys done in this regard where for OPW, not the contractor.

In a similar fashion, University officials would also be responsible at the plaza site. They did nothing that could be determined, despite having professional biologists on campus, within two buildings at the Biology department.

The destruction of the nests and eggs of the vast majority of birds is a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act as well as a similar State of Nebraska statute.

Views of the vegetation demolition site...

Educational Raptor Event at UNO

A unique collaborative event brought raptors to the campus of the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The featured birds were a Barred Owl (named Nahi), an American kestrel (Abilena) and a Broad-winged Hawk (Chinkapin).

Clem Klaphake with Nahi.	Tad Leeper with Abilena.
Michelle Foss with Chinkapin.

Numerous students enjoyed getting up close to the raptors with many cell phone pictures taken by the excited people present.

Volunteers Clem Klaphake and Tad Leeper — who both enjoy teaching others about nature and birds — along with Michelle Foss and Jeanine Lackey of Fontenelle Forest were present to handle the birds and answer the many questions.

The event on Thursday, January 22nd was because of cooperation between The Collaborative at UNO and Fontenelle Forest Raptor Recovery.

The raptor recovery group holds many similar events in Nebraska, with more than 20,000 attendees in 2014. Many volunteers, including a raptor recovery relay team, occur statewide with program efforts extending to Iowa, South Dakota and Colorado. There is a field hospital in Elmwood, Nebr.

"We have had many new educational opportunities since taking over the recovery program," said Brad Watkins, communications director for the Fontenelle Forest Association. There is a monthly "raptors live at the forest," he said. Several display birds dwell in mews along the along the boardwalk east of the nature center in Bellevue, and can be enjoyed by visitors to the forest.

This was certainly the first time there have been birds of prey in the Community Engagement Center on the city campus, and an appreciation for the event was obvious.

First Strike Fatality at UNO Community Center

Having watched its construction, it became obvious that the class on the northern facade of the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center would be a deadly place for birds. It did not take long for a window-strike to occur at this most recently built building at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. A dedication on April 17th marked the official opening of the structure.

On the morning of May 19th, a dead Swainson's Thrush was found beneath window on the north side of the building. The area had been scanned on many previous days, but this was the first time a carcass was located. The bird hit the reflective glass about 35 feet east of the doorway. The death probably occurred on the 18th.

The thrush carcass is in the near-center of the upper photograph, behind the second bit of greenery from the left side.

This is undoubtedly only the first bird-window strike that will result because of the extent of use of highly-reflective glass and due to the placement of landscaping. Numerous trees have been placed northward of the center and will be reflected in the glass panes. They are also at a distance sufficient to be a hazard when birds flew southward from them towards a hard surface which will be mistakenly perceived as a tree.