Martins Gathering Noted in Early 1900s at Midtown Omaha

Photographs taken by a Nebraska naturalist indicate that Purple Martin gatherings occurred in the Omaha area more than 100 years ago.

Among the many glass negatives of the Frank H. Shoemaker Collection at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Special Collections and Archives, with the two given here showing their typical behavior of gathering on the wires. This is typical behavior for the species near their midtown Omaha roost.

Purple Martins. The fall convention; image number A113. Both images courtesy of Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.

Purple Martins assembling for autumn migration; image number B0141 and B0142

There is no date given for any of the photographs. The locality is noted as Omaha, Douglas County.

Based upon the image numbers, it is probable that the pictures were taken circa 1901 or 1902.

Shoemaker was an Omaha resident from 1895 to 1911. He lived in the midtown area, with one regular place of occurrence at the 2900 block of Dewey Street, where there was the "bird room" at the Van Sant residence. His writings includes accounts of birds noted at Hanscom Park and forays to Childs Point.

The home shown in the photograph is very distinctive with its multiple chimneys, roof line adornments and distinctive lighting rod.

These sorts of chimneys are still present at a few historic homes in the Blackstone area of midtown, and may further indicate where the photographs were taken.

The photos indicate martins gathered in urban Omaha more than a century ago, and visually conveys the occurrence which continues so prominently in midtown, as well known for 2008-2010 at the Nebraska Medical Center campus.

New Species Observed at La Platte Bottoms

An American Pipit observed at the Fast Grass Sod Farm east of La Platte is a new addition to the species which have been observed in this area.

On the morning of August 15, Matthew Cvetas, from Evanston Illinois, observed a single pipit from his roadside observation point. In his note posted on the NEBirds forum, he noted that it looked "to be a first year bird with crisp white fringes to its upperparts."

This is the 133rd species noted in this immediate vicinity, known as the La Platte Bottoms.

Also noted on this visit was a single Upland Sandpiper and Buff-breasted Sandpiper. There were eight Upland Sandpipers at the same site, midday on August 13th. Also present have been a Snowy Egret, a Cattle Egret and juvenile Least Bittern.

This sod farm where this bird was seen will be bisected by the highway to be constructed across the landscape east of La Platte.

NDOR Response to Comments on La Platte Bottoms Project

The following is the response - dated August 13, 2010 - received from Monty W. Fredrickson, P.E., Director – State Engineer at the Nebraska Department of Roads. It is presented here to provide their perspective on the pending highway project which will bisect the La Platte Bottoms.

"I am writing in response to your email correspondence dated June 28, 2010 to Governor Dave Heineman. The U.S. Highway 34 project is a collaboration of Iowa and Nebraska. It was developed and reviewed in conjunction with local, state and federal resources for many years under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process which was administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was prepared and approved by the FHWA in 1996. A second DEIS was prepared and approved by FHWA in 2004. A Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) was approved on May 18, 2007 and a Record of Decision (ROD) was signed on December 14, 2007. Through the NEPA process, and subsequently the Clean Water Act Section 404 permit process, several points of public involvement are required to gather comments and address issues of the citizens. Public meetings to discuss the 2004 DEIS were held in Bellevue, Nebraska on January 18, 2005 and in Glenwood, Iowa on January 9, 2005.

"Information gathered from public meetings and comments received from local, state and federal resources agencies involved in the review of the document were considered during the completion of the NEPA process and subsequent design of the U.S. Highway 34 project. No comments were made by the public or resource agencies, such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, indicating the "La Platte Bottoms" was a significant resource.

"Through the NEPA process, a myriad of both natural and human environmental factors are considered, as well as costs and logistics in the development of the alternatives that would address purpose and need for the project. No single resource, such as Migratory Bird Habitat, is weighed higher than other identified resources.

"The Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) and the project consultant have delineated wetland resources along multiple alternatives carried forward through the DEIS to the FEIS process. Wetland impact areas in the various documents vary due to the level of design and method of delineation that was completed at each successive stage of the project development process. Through the draft stages of the NEPA process, wetland determinations are broadly assessed for the alternatives considered. As the NEPA process transitions to final project design, detailed wetland delineations are performed to determine the final wetland impacts resulting from the project. The detailed wetland delineation coupled with continued project design avoidance and minimization efforts reduced the impacted wetland area to 4.97 acres as reflected in the Section 404 Permit issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

"The NDOR will continue efforts to address your concerns as discussed in the meeting with you and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on July 23, 2010."

EPA Comments on Environmental Review for La Platte Bottoms Development

This is the reply received from the Environmental Protection Agency regarding the "so-called" environmental review of the La Platte Bottoms highway project. This federal agency has an oversight role. This email response was received August 6, 2010 in response to an inquiry sent a few days earlier, which had provided two agency staff some web-links to previous pertinent articles already issued on this bird blog.

"The interagency team, which included the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), met multiple times at the site and in the office to discuss the Highway 34 Bellevue Bridge Project. The Corps determined the Clean Water Act (CWA) 404 (b)(1) process was followed and the Nebraska Department of Roads is compliance with the CWA 404 regulations for this project.

"The EPA has reviewed the Final Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Bellevue Bridge Study. EPA's review is provided pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 42 U.S.C. 4231, Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations 40 C.F.R. Parts 1500-1508, and Section 309 of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

"Through the CWA 404(b)(1) process and the NEPA process EPA believes the Nebraska Department of Roads did a good job of minimizing the impact of the construction activities on our natural resources."

Review of Culvert Suitability at La Platte Bottoms Highway Project

The following are replies were received from the Nebraska Department of Roads and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in response to specific inquiries regarding culverts to be constructed in association with the pending construction at the La Platte Bottoms. As both are public agencies, their replies are given here, and presented verbatim, so that anyone else interested in the situations regarding this project can be informed of their response. A notice indicating that any reply would be posted online was also included with the email sent to the NDOR.

Nebraska Department of Roads Response

"The following is a list of culvert structures being constructed as part of the U.S. 34 Missouri River Bridge project that occur within the area that you have identified as the 'La Platte Bottoms.'

• "At project Station 174+24, a 36 in culvert pipe will be constructed to connect the delineated wetland area south of the new Highway 34 to the ag ground north of the new Highway 34 embankment. This culvert is listed as note no. 102 on the attached plan view sheets.
• "At Project Station 188+50, 2-24 inch culvert pipes will be constructed through the new Highway 34 embankment west of the new Harlan Lewis road intersection with Highway 34. This culvert is listed as note no. 103 on the attached plan view sheets.
• "At Project Station 204+16, a twin 6 ft. X 4 ft. concrete box culvert will be constructed through the new Highway 34 embankment connecting delineated wetlands occurring on both sides of the new Highway 34 embankment. This culvert is listed as note no. 104 on the attached plan view sheets.
• "At Project Station 210+55, a 6 ft. X 4 ft. concrete box culvert will be constructed through the new Highway 34 embankment connecting delineated wetlands occurring on both sides of the new Highway 34 embankment. This culvert is listed as note no. 105 on the attached plan view sheets.
• "At Project Station 3210+20 (new La Platte Road East alignment), a 6 ft. X 4 ft. concrete box culvert will be constructed through the new La Platte Road East embankment connecting delineated wetlands occurring on both sides of the new La Platte Road East embankment. This culvert is listed as note no. 108 on the attached plan view sheets.
• "At Project Station 3224+42 (new La Platte Road East alignment), 2-30 inch culvert pipes will be constructed through the new La Platte Road East embankment connecting delineated wetlands occurring on both sides of the new La Platte Road East embankment. This culvert is listed as note no. 109 on the attached plan view sheets.

"Beyond the culverts listed above, there are several other 24 inch culverts used for driveways and at roadway intersections that are placed to convey roadside ditch drainage flows. These culverts would aid in the overall surface water connection within the La Platte bottoms and provide some opportunity for semi-aquatic species to cross through the ancillary roadway embankments.

Fish and Wildlife Service Reply

"Thank you for your interest in wildlife crossings. In Nebraska, we provide general recommendations to facilitate the passage of fish and wildlife species for proposed structures that are to be placed in waterways. We advocate that structures are designed to retain the natural gradient, substrate, and width of stream courses. These recommendations are also included:

• "Incorporate rigorous soil erosion control practices both during and after the proposed construction, including temporary construction activities or any other alignment procedures in order to avoid impacts to fish and other aquatic organisms.
• "Do not alter or install culverts in any way that would result in reductions in current channel width.
• "Structure(s) should be designed appropriately for both terrestrial/aquatic passage as well as for the movement of water.
• "The placement of the structure(s) should be at appropriate elevations so as to not impede terrestrial/aquatic movement.

"Transportation impacts to landscape permeability and the need to assess impacts to and mitigate for wildlife connectivity has been gaining worldwide attention. Wildlife crossings have been incorporated into transportation planning and are designed to reduce wildlife mortality, improve habitat connectivity, and reduce vehicle collisions.

"During the review of the Bellevue Bridge Project, we were unaware of: safety concerns for any federally listed species or the traveling public, observed mass mortalities of any species, low population survival probability for specific species, or public interest/concerns for specific needs for wildlife at the La Platte Bottoms location—all items that would necessitate specific crossing mitigation for a targeted species. However, general mitigation approaches were taken to avoid, minimize, and compensate for permanent habitat impacts for the overall project impacts.

"After a review of proposed culverts for the La Platte Bottoms area provided by the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) on July 28, 2010, we understand that these structures are not functioning as stream crossings, but are being placed to manage and route roadway run-off along, under, and away from the roadway (i.e. cross-drains). It appears from the July 28 culvert information, culvert pipes range in diameter size from 24 inches to 36 inches, and box culverts are sized at 6 feet x 4 feet, (some multi-chambered). For the location, it appears that the distance between structures (observing station numbering) ranges from approximately 5 to 140 feet (total structures = 10). Additionally, the cross-sections provided for the proposed culverts show that the structures will be constructed at or just below the existing ground elevation.

"Numerous species use culverts and concrete box structures, including mice, shrews, foxes, rabbits, river otters, opossums, raccoons, ground squirrels, skunks, coyotes, bobcats, great blue heron, long tailed weasel, and herps (Yanes, et. al. 1995; Brudin III, 2003; Dodd et. al., 2004; Ng et. al. 2004). For small mammals, pipe culverts ranging from approximately 12 to 48 inches in diameter have been found preferable (Clevenger et. al. 2001; McDonald & St Clair 2004; Ruediger & DiGiorgio 2007). Since most of these species also have small home ranges, metal or cement box culverts should be installed at intervals approximately 150-300 meters (Clevenger et. al., 2001). Inadequately sized crossings, insufficient number of crossings, and culvert design are primary causes of poor use by wildlife (Ruediger 2001; Clevenger et. al., 2001).

"We have determined that these proposed structures will be adequate based on our general recommendations and what has been observed in the literature. However, we will monitor the site in the future.

"Thanks again for your interest in this project.

"References

"Brudin III, C.O. 2003. Wildlife use of existing culverts and bridges in north central Pennsylvania. ICOET 2003.

"Yanes, M., J.M. Velasco, and F. Suárez. 1995. Permeability of roads and railways to vertebrates: the importance of culverts. Biological Conservation 71: 217-222.

"Dodd, C.K, W.J. Barichivich, and L.L. Smith. 2004. Effectiveness of a barrier wall and culverts in reducing wildlife mortality on a heavily traveled highway in Florida. Biological Conservation 118: 619-631.

"Ng, S.J., J.W. Dole, R.M. Sauvajot, S.P.D. Riley, and T.J. Valone. 2004. Use of highway undercrossings by wildlife in southern California. Biological Conservation 115:499-507.

"Clevenger, A.P., B. Chruszcz, and K. Gunson. 2001. Drainage culverts as habitat linkages and factors affecting passage by mammals. Journal of Applied Ecology 38: 1340-1349.

"McDonald, W., and C.C. St Clair. 2004. Elements that promote highway crossing structure use by small mammals in Banff National Park. Journal of Applied Ecology 41 82-93.

"Ruediger, B. and M. DiGiorgio. 2007. Safe passage: a user’s guide to developing effective highway crossings for carnivores and other wildlife. USDA Forest Service, Federal Highway Administration, Wilburforce and Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project. 19 pgs."

Nebraska Office of FWS Responds to La Platte Bottoms Inquiry

On July 26th - following a July 12 phone conversation - an email was sent to the Nebraska Field Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, asking several questions regarding the La Platte Bottoms highway construction project. This email request included the following notation: "Note that any information sent or received may be shared on my bird news blog, in order for other people concerned with what is happening at this site, can also be kept informed." Since it was noted up front that the information would be provided on this news blog, here is the reply, received August 6, 2010 from the biologist involved with the project. The text is presented verbatim, though a few sentences not specificially pertinent to the project are not included.
It should be noted here that a Black Tern has been photographed catching fish from the waters at the La Platte Bottoms.

Response by Agency Biologist

"Background--As you know, the Bellevue Bridge project is not just construction of a bridge over the Missouri River, but also includes construction of a new 4-lane highway across the floodplain of the Missouri River from Glenwood, Iowa to Bellevue, Nebraska. The project includes construction of seven interchanges along its length. The bridge portion of the project is proposed upstream and within one-mile of the Missouri and Platte rivers confluence. The project proponent is the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) from Iowa. The Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) took the lead as the nonfederal project sponsor. All of our negotiations were with the FHWA and IDOT, and to a somewhat lessor degree with the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR). We spent a considerable amount of time reviewing and responding to documents prepared to support this major construction project under authorities of the National Environmental Policy Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and Endangered Species Act.

"A major concern of ours was the potential for development to occur in the Missouri River floodplain as facilitated by those seven interchanges along the new four-lane highway (i.e., indirect impacts). We reasonably expected tremendous modification to hydrologic cycles in the Missouri and Platte rivers--rivers whose hydrologic cycles already have been hugely modified through artificial means. With an increase in run-off due to the conversion of crops to concrete surfaces and roofs came major concerns for the potential for contamination of this important confluence area. The Missouri and Platte rivers confluence was previously identified in the recovery plan for the endangered pallid sturgeon as a Recovery Priority Management Area. The pallid sturgeon frequents this area in the spring as it prepares to spawn in the Platte River. Much time was spent connecting the dots to support our concerns as they relate to indirect effects and the pallid sturgeon, but we also advocated for protection and avoidance for other federal trust resources that may be impacted by the proposed construction project. You requested several items in your July 26 E-mail--I have responded to each item below.

"Bald Eagle--Protection of riparian habitat for the bald eagle was an important issue during the course of the project review because the proposed project and its associated development could result in the loss of important feeding and winter roost habitat for the species during the wintertime--this area can remain ice free during the winter. Yes- you are correct that it was listed then, but it has since been delisted. That said, however, bald eagles still receive protection under provisions of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act--we continue to work with project proponents to protect eagle nests and winter roost sites across Nebraska.

"Least Terns and Piping Plovers--I was unaware of records for terns and plovers at the LaPlatte wetlands, but I am not surprised given the nearby location of the Platte River which provides a tremendous amount of sandbar habitat for these species. The wetlands were considered when we evaluated the project effects on federally listed threatened and endangered species. The wetlands provide no nesting habitat for the least tern or piping plover. The wetlands are unlikely to provide feeding habitat for the least tern as it goes dry periodically in the summer and/or freezes solid in the winter and cannot sustain small fish. The site may provide some foraging habitat for adult piping plovers, depending on habitat conditions, but none for broods given the distance from suitable nesting habitat located on the river. Additionally, we had no information that the foot print of the proposed project would result in the loss of these wetlands although indirect impacts could be reasonably expected in the future.

"Shore birds, waterfowl, wading birds--we recognized the importance of the aforementioned wetlands and the other habitats in the confluence area to wildlife species. For that reason, we sponsored the development of the Platte and Missouri River confluence working group whose goal it is to protect habitats in the confluence area including wetlands, riverine processes and functions, and the riparian corridor. Agency and organization representatives in attendance at working group meetings were the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, American Rivers, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Lower Platte South Natural Resources District, Papio-Missouri Natural Resources District, and Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. Others in attendance included the former Nebraska State Director for Senator Ben Nelson's Office who strongly advocated a level of protection and conservation in the confluence area. Efforts were made to identify compatible and noncompatible land uses and sources of funds to acquire land in the confluence area for conservation purposes. There was much discussion about contamination in the confluence area given the extensive commercial industrial land use in the past and the relationship of such potential contamination to land values. The area was viewed as highly developable once the Bellevue Bridge and interchanges were constructed. A Brownfield Grant was prepared and submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency to fund contamination sampling--this was subsequently funded by EPA. Sampling has now been completed and we expect to receive a final survey report this Fall. The outcome of the contaminate survey report will drive land use in the area. Contaminated areas are expensive to remediate and less desirable for purchase for industrial development thereby increasing the confluence area's potential for greenspace, protection of wetlands, and conservation landuses.

"Wetland Mitigation Site--I am familiar with the mitigation site you mentioned in your E-mail--it is the Oreapolis mitigation site. The mitigation site is located near a railway as you point out in your E-mail--we recognize there are some drawbacks with this--primarily disturbance from passing trains. Even so, I think the positive items about the site outweigh the drawbacks. The site is located on a level portion of the floodplain--a site that may be desirable to developers because it is level requiring little dirt work and is located between two river highway crossings (new Plattsmouth and Bellevue bridges) simplifying transportation needs. The site is located within one-mile of the Schilling Wildlife Management area and even closer to a river front property to the north where the private landowners previously expressed an interest in a perpetual conservation easement. The Oreapolis mitigation site is a good addition to these existing areas and helps to enlarge the complex area that includes the Platte and Missouri rivers confluence that is important to the Platte and Missouri river confluence working group as discussed above.

"Migratory Birds--We provide recommendations to project proponents to avoid impacts to migratory birds. Our first recommendation is to do clearing and grubbing outside of the nesting season. If that is not possible, we recommend that surveys for active nests be done by qualified surveyors and that any active nests be avoided. I have no indication that the FHWA, IDOT, and NDOR will not complete such surveys--or follow our recommendations on how to stay in compliance with MBTA. Our recommendations have been discussed frequently with these organizations for several different projects, including the proposed Bellevue Bridge project."

History of King Rail Continues at Vicinity of Platte Confluence

A recent observation of a King Rail at the La Platte Bottoms, continues its history of occurrence in the vicinity of the Platte River confluence.

King Rail at the La Platte Bottoms. Image used with permission of Duane Schwery.

On July 24th, 2010, Kathy and Duane Schwery, of Plattsmouth, noted a single bird east of Harlan Lewis Drive and La Platte Road, and got two pictures of the bird as it walked about the water and marsh vegetation of this season's wetland. Since they reside near La Platte, they have made a number of visits to this locale, and enjoy viewing the wide variety of species present, but had not noted "anything this interesting before," Kathy Schwery noted. Seeing the rail "was a case of being in the right place at the right time."

A few days later, on July 31st, a King Rail was reported at Forney Lake on the Iowa side of the Missouri River, according to the submission by Stephen J. Dinsmore, to the Iowa birds forum available online. There were also three Least Bitterns and the Virginia Rail.

Historic Legacy

History of the King Rail for this region within the valley of the mighty Missouri River, extends back more than 135 years.

The earliest known record for this rail was in October 1874, designated to the general locality of Sarpy County, as reported by Samuel Aughey.

On September 20, 1900, there is a record for Nebraska City, in Otoe County, on the southern side of Cass County.

"Nest of King Rail. Cut-off Lake, Omaha, Nebraska." Image courtesy Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.

A decade later, Frank Shoemaker first noted breeding activity on June 19, 1909 at Cutoff Lake, which is now Carter Lake, at Omaha. He wrote in his journal:

"A nest of King Rail; of rushes, just above water level among cattails and tules, the water being more than knee deep. There were five eggs, and four young just hatched, but active enough to pile out and swim about bravely. Took two photographs of the nest, under difficulties. The young birds were coal black, like young coots, for which I at first mistook them."

The following day, he noted one of the parent birds, with three eggs still in the nest. There were also nesting Least Bitterns in the same area.

"Got nearly exhausted in the swamp; wading to the waist in water with mud and reeds, cattails, tules, pondweed and duckweed, on a hot day, is strenuous, but very interesting with birds numerous and nesting."

In a subsequent letter, this bird enthusiast described his jaunts to the lake.

"Recently my 'walks' have been 'wades' most of the time, for there is a marshy tract near a cut-off which the river made years ago, north of Omaha, in which I have been studying the bird life. It is so thickly grown up with cattails and reeds that a boat cannot be used to advantage; the water is too deep for boots, even if they could be tolerated at this season of the year; and the region is too public for one to discard his sartorial shucks; so if one desires to go over this tract at all, it is simply a matter of getting in, clothes and all, and wading plenty. Much of the time I am in water to my shoulders, and not infrequently I have stepped into a hole and made it unanimous; but fortunately this has not happened when I had my camera on my back. There is no danger if one keeps his wits about him, and the returns on the investment beat any bonanza you ever hear of. The region is simply alive with birds, and during the past few years I have taken over 60 photographs of birds' nests, young birds, etc., in that region - red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds, King and Sora Rails, Least Bittern (a magnificent series of over 30 photographs of this species), long-billed Marsh Wren, Pied-billed Grebe and many others."

At this same locality, another King Rail was noted on May 7, 1929, then again on June 28, 1930. Both reports were in the Letters of Information issued by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union.

Four pertinent records are available for 1939, from Lake Manawa State Park, as reported by Bruce Stiles, for May 19 and 22. The highlight of his observations was a nest with eggs on June 6th. Two birds were noted on June 11th.

In 1967, Mr. and Mrs. Paul T. Heineman, of Plattsmouth, noted a single rail in a small pond at the Plattsmouth Refuge, or what is now known as the Schilling WMA, northeast Cass County.

On July 4, 1997, Babs and Loren Padelford noted one at Waubonsie State Park, in Iowa.

Another record for Sarpy county, was on May 14, 1994, as noted by Neal Ratzlaff.

The closest, and most recent sighting in the Nebraska region was August 5-16, 1997 in eastern Otoe County, as noted by S.J. Dinsmore. There have been regular sightings recently at Squaw Creek NWR, down the Missouri River a distance.

Continual Loss of Wetlands Along Missouri River

At Cutoff Lake, that setting was drastically altered decades ago by land development and other changes, and there was an extensive decline in bird diversity as the wetlands disappeared.

The marsh where the most recent sighting occurred, will be replaced by a highway interchange as Highway 34 construction proceeds.