Spring Avifaunal Diversity Apparent at Localities of Eastern Nebraska

During a few weeks of early spring in eastern Nebraska, bird surveys at various localities indicate the variety of species which occur. Repeat surveys were done at three particular places, with only one or two visits to some other sites.

Woodland along Ponca Creek at Hummel Park. A frisbee golf course with mown "fairways" is being placed in this area, along the nature trail.

Information on bird species and numbers present was gathered at:

• La Platte District: La Platte Bottoms, just north of the confluence of the Platte River and Missouri River; this wetland locale continues to have standing water and moist mudflats attractive to a special diversity of species;
• Fontenelle District: Fontenelle Forest, which is always a magnet for birds and the people which observe them; this was the only locale not personally visited;
• Southeast District: Spring Lake Park has a fine woodland at its northwest section which always has an interesting group of birds;
• Carter Lake District: includes Carter Lake, Levi Carter Park and the pond in its northwest corner, Iowa West Ranch (in Iowa) which was not visited but notes were kept on species heard or seen from across the lake, and Kiwanis Park;
• Ponca Hills District: Hummel and N.P. Dodge parks, as well as Longs Hill, northward from Ponca Creek
• Horseshoe Lake District: the primary sites visited were Nathans Lake and the Horseshoe Lake Flats, with a couple of records from Boyer Chute NWR.

During each survey, each and every species observed was recorded, along with a count of the number present. A standard route and count method was used each time.

Information presented online by other Nebraska birders was included in this compilation, in order to prepare a more thorough list of the bird life. A special thanks to those individuals whom took the time to note each species observed and the number present.

Repeat Visits

Several visits were made to the following places, with all species receiving equal attention:

• La Platte District: nine bird record dates, with surveys on six dates between 2 April and 2 May.
• Carter Lake District: 15 visits from 30 March to 3 May; all but two visits were bird surveys.
• Horseshoe Lake District: thirteen dates with bird records, with surveys done on ten occasions.

This analysis is based upon 686 records, as evaluated using a relational database program.

Missouri Valley Avifauna

Overall, there were 144 species documented at the six "districts" where several surveys were done. Each locality had a different number of bird types:

La Platte District: 69 species

Carter Lake District: 70 species

Horseshoe Lake District: 86 species

In the following list, the value indicates the number of each species counted. Where a zero value is given, there was no indication given on how many were present by an other observer.

Common Name	La Platte District	Fontenelle District	Southeast District	Carter Lake District	Ponca Hills District	Horseshoe Lake District
Snow Goose	-	-	-	4	-	-
Canada Goose	4	4	-	39	2	43
Wood Duck	-	2	2	76	9	3
Gadwall	26	2	-	-	-	22
American Wigeon	-	-	-	-	-	2
Mallard	7	-	2	98	2	13
Blue-winged Teal	255	8	-	49	2	217
Northern Shoveler	90	6	-	39	-	98
Northern Pintail	-	-	-	-	-	2
Green-winged Teal	7	-	-	-	-	10
Redhead	2	-	-	-	-	-
Ring-necked Duck	10	-	-	4	-	9
Lesser Scaup	-	2	-	14	-	2
Hooded Merganser	-	-	-	-	-	2
Ruddy Duck	-	-	-	7	-	-
Ring-necked Pheasant	-	-	-	-	-	9
Wild Turkey	-	4	7	-	1	-
Common Loon	1	-	-	-	-	-
Pied-billed Grebe	7	1	-	5	-	11
Horned Grebe	1	-	-	-	-	-
American White Pelican	-	-	-	-	-	73
Double-crested Cormorant	-	-	-	9	5	46
American Bittern	-	-	-	-	-	2
Great Blue Heron	1	-	-	-	1	9
Great Egret	-	-	-	-	-	23
Snowy Egret	-	-	-	-	-	2
Cattle Egret	-	-	-	-	-	3
White-faced Ibis	14	-	-	-	-	-
Turkey Vulture	2	6	3	-	7	4
Osprey	-	-	-	-	-	1
Bald Eagle	2	-	-	-	-	10
Cooper's Hawk	-	1	1	-	-	-
Broad-winged Hawk	-	-	-	-	1	-
Red-tailed Hawk	-	1	1	1	-	1
American Kestrel	-	-	-	1	-	6
Merlin	-	-	-	1	-	-
Peregrine Falcon	-	-	-	-	-	2
Virginia Rail	-	-	-	-	-	2
Sora	-	-	-	-	-	3
American Coot	685	4	-	5	-	546
Semipalmated Plover	33	-	-	-	-	5
Killdeer	14	2	-	5	-	16
Spotted Sandpiper	1	3	-	3	-	2
Solitary Sandpiper	-	-	-	-	2	-
Greater Yellowlegs	3	-	-	1	-	2
Willet	6	-	-	-	-	4
Lesser Yellowlegs	85	1	-	-	-	89
Marbled Godwit	-	-	-	-	-	1
Sanderling	-	-	-	-	-	1
Semipalmated Sandpiper	67	-	-	-	-	17
Baird's Sandpiper	9	-	-	-	-	3
Dunlin	4	-	-	-	-	2
Short-billed Dowitcher	-	-	-	-	-	5
Long-billed Dowitcher	200	-	-	-	-	-
Wilson's Snipe	4	-	-	-	-	-
Wilson's Phalarope	287	-	-	-	-	13
Franklin's Gull	-	-	-	-	-	32
Bonaparte's Gull	1	-	-	-	-	-
Ring-billed Gull	-	-	-	6	-	30
Forster's Tern	3	-	-	-	-	6
Rock Pigeon	-	-	-	3	-	4
Mourning Dove	4	2	1	40	3	5
Barred Owl	-	-	2	-	-	-
Chimney Swift	-	7	4	2	-	-
Belted Kingfisher	-	-	-	-	-	1
Red-headed Woodpecker	-	4	-	-	2	-
Red-bellied Woodpecker	-	2	2	-	4	-
Downy Woodpecker	-	3	3	2	3	1
Hairy Woodpecker	-	1	-	-	1	-
Northern Flicker	-	2	1	5	3	4
Pileated Woodpecker	-	-	-	-	1	-
Least Flycatcher	-	5	-	1	0	-
Eastern Phoebe	-	1	-	-	2	-
Great Crested Flycatcher	-	3	-	-	1	-
Western Kingbird	1	-	-	12	0	-
Eastern Kingbird	-	-	-	-	0	-
Yellow-throated Vireo	-	-	-	-	0	-
Blue-headed Vireo	-	2	-	-	-	-
Warbling Vireo	-	2	1	3	-	-
Blue Jay	-	3	3	3	13	2
American Crow	-	-	-	-	3	2
Horned Lark	1	-	-	-	-	2
Purple Martin	-	-	-	11	-	-
Tree Swallow	60	30	-	335	10	260
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	-	30	-	2	-	-
Bank Swallow	5	-	-	10	-	-
Cliff Swallow	2	-	-	10	-	15
Barn Swallow	62	20	-	54	-	36
Black-capped Chickadee	-	6	4	2	6	-
Tufted Titmouse	-	1	2	-	1	-
White-breasted Nuthatch	-	4	3	1	8	-
Carolina Wren	-	-	-	-	1	-
House Wren	-	8	4	2	14	1
Winter Wren	-	-	-	-	1	-
Sedge Wren	-	1	-	-	-	-
Marsh Wren	-	1	-	-	-	2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	-	8	10	1	-	-
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	-	3	-	-	1	-
Eastern Bluebird	-	4	-	-	-	-
Swainson's Thrush	-	8	4	-	9	-
Hermit Thrush	-	-	-	-	2	-
American Robin	4	2	20	324	16	15
Gray Catbird	-	5	-	-	2	-
Brown Thrasher	-	12	9	5	0	2
European Starling	1	8	2	247	17	14
Cedar Waxwing	-	6	-	-	-	-
Orange-crowned Warbler	-	8	-	-	0	-
Nashville Warbler	-	2	-	-	-	-
Northern Parula	-	3	-	-	0	-
Yellow Warbler	-	-	-	1	2	3
Yellow-rumped Warbler	10	16	-	23	18	43
Palm Warbler	-	6	-	1	1	1
Black-and-white Warbler	-	10	1	-	1	1
American Redstart	-	3	-	-	-	-
Northern Waterthrush	-	6	-	-	2	-
Louisiana Waterthrush	-	3	-	-	-	-
Kentucky Warbler	-	1	-	-	-	-
Mourning Warbler	-	-	-	-	0	-
Common Yellowthroat	-	6	-	-	2	1
Spotted Towhee	-	1	1	-	-	-
Eastern Towhee	-	6	1	-	0	-
Chipping Sparrow	-	4	-	42	5	2
Clay-colored Sparrow	-	3	1	-	0	-
Field Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	1
Vesper Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	9
Savannah Sparrow	-	-	-	-	0	5
Song Sparrow	-	3	-	-	-	-
Lincoln's Sparrow	1	12	-	-	12	-
Swamp Sparrow	-	4	-	-	0	-
White-throated Sparrow	-	42	17	15	24	-
Harris's Sparrow	-	1	-	-	3	-
White-crowned Sparrow	1	-	-	-	0	-
Northern Cardinal	-	4	6	8	11	-
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	-	8	-	-	0	-
Red-winged Blackbird	30	5	-	42	2	250
Eastern Meadowlark	2	-	-	-	-	1
Yellow-headed Blackbird	-	-	-	-	-	5
Common Grackle	8	-	3	287	-	35
Brown-headed Cowbird	6	6	3	12	4	17
Orchard Oriole	-	1	-	-	-	-
Baltimore Oriole	-	-	-	3	1	-
House Finch	-	-	-	2	-	-
American Goldfinch	-	16	2	11	5	10
House Sparrow	-	4	2	4	5	7

Further details can be derived from the bird observations which convey the changes in the presence and extent of species on different days during the period. This information also indicates the range of occurrence and relative extent of occurrence. Some species were always noted, while others were only seen once or a few times.

The values in the following table also indicate the number of each species observed on a particular date for the six districts, as indicated by the Julian Date, a standard means of evaluating species occurrence.

Common Name	89	91	92	99	102	106	107	109	110	112	113	114	115	116	117	118	119	120	121	122	123
Snow Goose	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	1
Canada Goose	7	20	13	30	27	4	18	-	35	-	24	-	22	-	29	-	29	4	14	-	16
Wood Duck	19	30	-	28	19	-	23	-	26	-	33	-	21	-	22	-	24	-	22	-	20
Gadwall	-	-	65	-	15	2	4	-	13	-	22	-	-	-	-	-	8	20	10	6	4
American Wigeon	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-
Mallard	17	33	7	29	41	10	20	-	33	-	43	-	18	-	36	-	24	-	29	7	22
Blue-winged Teal	-	1	65	23	89	135	18	-	240	-	359	0	42	-	70	-	33	175	57	80	106
Northern Shoveler	154	110	175	11	106	225	154	-	322	-	83	0	40	-	55	-	38	25	6	65	38
Northern Pintail	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-
Green-winged Teal	-	-	30	3	1	5	-	-	3	-	8	-	-	-	1	-	5	5	4	2	-
Canvasback	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	4	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Redhead	-	-	-	4	-	-	-	-	3	-	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-
Ring-necked Duck	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	8	1	2	-	6	-	2	5	2	5	3
Greater Scaup	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Lesser Scaup	325	135	10	15	17	-	9	-	14	-	13	-	4	-	6	-	10	-	-	-	-
Bufflehead	20	10	5	5	3	1	-	-	6	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Hooded Merganser	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-
Ruddy Duck	225	90	14	20	41	-	60	-	30	-	10	-	3	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	4
Ring-necked Pheasant	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	3	-	1	-	3	-	4	-	2	-	2	-	1
Wild Turkey	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	1	-	-	-	1	-	1
Common Loon	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Pied-billed Grebe	-	-	5	32	2	7	2	-	10	-	10	-	8	-	4	-	3	3	7	4	2
Horned Grebe	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	9	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Eared Grebe	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	6	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
American White Pelican	-	-	-	-	95	-	55	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	36	2	35	-	-	-	-
Double-crested Cormorant	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2	-	17	-	1	-	-	-	8	-	14	-	33
American Bittern	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Great Blue Heron	-	-	3	-	3	2	1	-	2	-	5	-	3	-	5	-	1	1	1	-	2
Great Egret	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	6	1	-	-	-	-	-	23	-	-	-
Snowy Egret	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Cattle Egret	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	1	-	2	-	-	-
Green Heron	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
White-faced Ibis	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	14	-	-	-
Turkey Vulture	-	-	2	-	-	-	1	-	2	-	3	-	-	-	1	-	3	2	-	-	-
Osprey	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-
Bald Eagle	-	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	1	-	-	-	-	4	1	4	1	2
Northern Harrier	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Sharp-shinned Hawk	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Cooper's Hawk	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Red-tailed Hawk	-	-	1	-	-	1	1	-	4	-	3	-	2	-	2	-	-	-	1	-	-
American Kestrel	-	-	-	-	1	1	1	-	4	-	6	-	6	-	4	-	-	-	-	-	3
Merlin	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Peregrine Falcon	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1
Virginia Rail	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-
Sora	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	1
Common Moorhen	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
American Coot	35	35	950	925	137	325	116	-	566	-	319	0	165	-	138	-	145	235	141	450	127
Semipalmated Plover	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	38	-	-	-
Killdeer	3	5	20	-	4	3	2	-	7	-	8	-	2	-	2	-	9	6	3	8	7
Black-necked Stilt	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Spotted Sandpiper	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	3	-	2
Greater Yellowlegs	-	-	-	-	-	5	-	-	6	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	3	2	-	-
Willet	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	6	4	-	-
Lesser Yellowlegs	-	-	5	-	-	10	-	-	20	-	49	57	7	-	9	14	8	20	60	25	38
Marbled Godwit	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Sanderling	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Semipalmated Sandpiper	-	-	6	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	29	30	25	-
Baird's Sandpiper	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	7	-	5	-
Dunlin	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	4	-	-
Short-billed Dowitcher	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	-	-	-
Long-billed Dowitcher	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	100	100	-	-
Wilson's Snipe	-	-	17	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	-	-
Wilson's Phalarope	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	28	-	-	7	-	2	12	250	25	4
Franklin's Gull	10	-	-	-	365	-	29	-	-	87	70	30	-	-	-	-	27	-	-	-	5
Bonaparte's Gull	-	-	-	-	-	26	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Ring-billed Gull	-	-	11	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	28	-	1	-	9	-	15	-	11
Forster's Tern	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9	-	-
Rock Pigeon	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	5	-	-	-	-
Mourning Dove	5	3	-	3	3	-	8	-	2	-	12	-	9	-	9	-	15	3	13	1	10
Chimney Swift	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-
Belted Kingfisher	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Downy Woodpecker	-	-	-	-	2	-	2	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	1
Northern Flicker	1	1	-	1	3	-	4	-	3	-	2	-	5	-	2	-	4	-	1	-	2
Least Flycatcher	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Eastern Phoebe	2	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Western Kingbird	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	12	-	-	1
Loggerhead Shrike	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Warbling Vireo	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3
Blue Jay	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	3
American Crow	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-
Horned Lark	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	1	-	-	-
Purple Martin	-	-	-	35	4	3	-	-	1	-	1	-	3	-	-	-	4	-	3	-	4
Tree Swallow	-	-	-	-	-	75	465	-	425	-	202	-	220	-	275	-	5	5	140	55	205
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	-	-	-	-	-	-	10	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2
Bank Swallow	-	-	-	-	-	-	10	-	-	-	10	-	5	-	-	-	-	-	10	5	-
Cliff Swallow	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0	-	5	-	5	-	5	2	10	-	5
Barn Swallow	-	-	-	-	-	-	15	-	10	-	30	-	25	-	10	-	4	2	16	60	60
Black-capped Chickadee	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-
White-breasted Nuthatch	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
House Wren	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	2
Marsh Wren	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Eastern Bluebird	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
American Robin	75	123	1	79	80	-	73	-	93	-	332	-	56	-	90	-	90	1	86	3	77
Brown Thrasher	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	3	-	3	-	2
European Starling	50	30	-	55	61	-	47	-	72	-	121	-	59	-	98	-	63	1	56	-	44
Yellow Warbler	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0	-	-	-	-	2	-	2
Yellow-rumped Warbler	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	-	4	-	5	-	-	-	4	-	2	10	44	-	16
Palm Warbler	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1
Black-and-white Warbler	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Common Yellowthroat	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Chipping Sparrow	-	-	-	-	2	-	2	-	4	-	3	-	4	-	4	-	4	-	16	-	20
Field Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-
Vesper Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	-	5	-	-
Savannah Sparrow	3	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5
Lincoln's Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
White-throated Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	-	8	-	3
Harris's Sparrow	-	-	-	-	1	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
White-crowned Sparrow	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Dark-eyed Junco	15	7	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Northern Cardinal	2	3	-	2	-	-	5	-	1	-	-	-	1	-	3	-	2	-	2	-	2
Red-winged Blackbird	15	12	80	10	52	-	22	-	57	-	77	-	49	-	55	-	47	10	158	20	35
Eastern Meadowlark	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	1	-
Yellow-headed Blackbird	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	2	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	4
Common Grackle	35	35	7	35	82	-	128	-	55	-	137	-	107	-	66	-	107	2	75	6	74
Brown-headed Cowbird	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	10	-	20	-	3	-	5	-	12	1	6	5	6
Baltimore Oriole	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2
House Finch	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	2	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-
American Goldfinch	-	3	-	-	2	2	2	-	2	-	-	-	9	-	2	-	7	-	2	-	10
House Sparrow	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	-	0	-	7	-	-	-	4

There were no occurrences which seem to have a particular degree of prominence. Several observations added new species to the overall avian diversity for a particular site, with highlights from Spring Lake Park, the Carter Lake vicinity (which after the fish removal last year, had a dearth of the Belted Kingfisher), Nathans Lake and the ever-changing Horseshoe Lake Flats.

A lone shrike sitting atop a tree at Nathans Lake was a prominent sighting early in the season. The Snow Goose at Carter Lake cannot fly due to an injured wing. Seeing a pair of Hooded Mergansers was a fine sight at the Horseshoe Lake Flats. Various warblers here and there were always a joy to see. Etc., etc.

It is interesting to realize the variety in reported observations. A visit in the morning might denote species which were not present later in the day, or vice versa. An outing to one part of a site would record a list of species including some not present at another portion of the locality during the same time.

During the period, water levels were relatively consistent at the La Platte Bottoms, whereas about the historic Horseshoe Lake, the extent of water increased once water levels along the Missouri River increased following an increase in releases from Gavins Point Dam in latter April.

Black-necked Stilt at the La Platte Bottoms;
This was a highlight of the season; picture taken April 20, 2011.

Further specificities can be derived from the myriad of details gathered by local birders during this particular spring season of migration and arrival of summer residents. And there will be additional particulars indicated as spring in the Missouri River land continues to reveal the wonderful variety of birds which occur within the region.

Uncertain Future for Swift Chimneys in Eastern Omaha

Chimneys at two eastern Omaha apartment houses face an uncertain future as the buildings are now closed and convey an apparent sense of an unknown future. Will these properties be sold and renovated? Or will their condition deteriorate until they are torn down and the site used for some other purpose? Perhaps a parking lot!

The Canterbury Apartment buildings at Park Avenue and Leavenworth Streets have two large chimneys, one at each building. Use of chimneys here by Chimney Swifts was originally documented in 2003, though any current usage needs to be determined.

Canterbury Apartment buildings. May 2, 2011.
South unit at Canterbury Apartments; morning of 5 May 2011.

The Anderson Apartment House at 24th and Jones streets, which also has a large-sized chimney, is "closed" with signs prominently displayed indicating it is unfit for human habitation. Plywood covers the lower level windows, with other, upper-level windows broken and exposing the buildings interior to the detrimental influence of weather elements.

This building was built when ornate and decorative architectural features were included in a structure's construction. Scroll work adorns the buildings facade along 24th Street, as well as prominently near its primary entry along Jones Street.

On September 20, 2003 about 150 swifts were observed entering this chimney in the evening. On September 3rd and 10th in 2005, 25 and 35 swifts, respectively, were seen using this building as an overnight roost. There were 180 bugeaters noted on the morning of October 4, 2009 when they returned to their roost haven after an initial foray into the skies, which they apparently did not find suitable, so they returned to roost and foray out at a later time of the day.

Anderson Apartment Building. May 2, 2011.

There are numerous other chimneys in the immediate vicinity of each building, but since chimney swift use is known for each location, the loss of the roost sites would have some sort of impact on seasonal gatherings of the swifts despite the occurrence of other suitable roost chimneys.

Eastern Omaha Swifts Chimney Future Uncertain

An apartment house with a chimney well known to Chimney Swifts currently sits abandoned in eastern Omaha.

The Nottingham Apartments, at 33rd and Burt Streets, is a prominent chimney in the neighborhood, and is known to be regularly used by hundreds of swifts during the autumn migration. There were about 350 counted one evening in mid-September 2008.

The building is now uninhabited - with windows and entries boarded over - and has been for sale for several months.

Apartment house chimney on April 20, 2011.

The two adjacent houses to the west are also boarded up.

What the future portends for this apartment houses is uncertain, but the loss of this particular chimney would be a significant loss of a roosting site used by numerous Chimney Swifts. It would also continue the trend in the loss of chimneys in the local area.

Activities at Hummel Park Degrade Forest

There are two activities underway in the hills of Hummel Park which are having a negative impact on its unique forest setting.

Example of the ground disturbance associated with creating a frisbee golf course.

Prominent in this situation is an effort to create a frisbee golf course.

This effort - as noted in October 2009 - was supposedly ended, but during a bird survey a few days ago, two guys were moving things around in the woods to establish the course.

"The city wants us to get this done," they said when asked about what they were doing.

The course is meant to increase visitation to the park.

It is obviously changing the nature of the forest.

Corridors through the woods are being established to provide an open "lane" for throwing a frisbee. Deadfall is being moved to indicate the lane to the participants can have a readily apparent route.

Add in the land clearing for the "throw pads" which have included removal of vegetation and moving dirt around by mechanical means, and creating "artificial piles" of fallen tree limbs.

Additional examples of ground disturbance caused by guys installing the golf course.

There were options present by two years ago to perchance reduce the impact on the woods, but apparently those suggestions were ignored. In the past few days, requests to city of Omaha officials for further information have been completely ignored.

Nature Center Construction

Also during this time in April, it became readily apparent that work associated with the construction of the Hummel Park Nature Center, was also impacting the park woods.

Obviously apparent is a corridor through the woods, southward from the pending building. This change has removed all of the vegetation to create what looks like a path through the trees.

Apparently, this is the corridor for a new water line. There will not be a ditch dug but it will be buried by "careful construction" and the site seeded to typical vegetation.

It was quite fine to be on the site while a city official and the constructors discussed the project, as they all huddled in a close group.

The city man said plants typical of the area would be planted, mentioning grass as the current option.

How does grass replace woodland vegetation? After a few other comments, the official of the Omaha Parks and Recreation Department said he needed to talk with the constructors and that my comments should occur later as they were all "busy."

The corridor created through the woods to allow installing a new water line. the Omaha Parks and Recreation man at the site said grass would be planted here.	Construction site for the new Hummel Park Nature Center.
Talking about the project at the site.	Closure barricade preventing access to the parks picnic grounds. One reason for installing the frisbee golf course was to increase usage of the park. It is not possible to readily use the park if one of its primary public use areas is not accessible. These four pictures taken April 20, 2011.

Hummel Park has been one of the most unique settings in the Omaha park system, but its value is changing because of disregard for its natural value, with more emphasis being given to increased usage by people ignorant of the actual natural importance of the sites features.

Cutting through the woods, creating throw pads for frisbee golfers, destroying native vegetation, not seeding disturbed sites to suitable woodland species, or even expecting that natural regrowth might suffice to get plant growth on sites where the woodland where dramatically altered does not indicate that there was any concern for the unique natural values of this woodland.

Orange Paint Defaces Magnificent Trees in Omaha Park

While doing a bird survey a few days ago at the north portion in Omaha's Hummel Park, very soon after my hike got started it became readily and blatantly obvious that most of the largest and tallest trees along Ponca Creek were marked with orange numbers.

Starting on the east, and increasing digit by digit towards the west, each of the trees had a number, starting with 1, and as was eventually realized, increasing to over 50.

This sort of numbering - as seen in other Omaha parks - indicated a count for the number of trees to be removed for some reason.

These walnut trees in the park's forest environs were not dead. They would probably not pose a threat to the local wildlife if they naturally fell over with age. The reason for them being defaced by paint was not known.

It took one phone call to clarify the situation.

Apparently, there is no other setting where there are so many walnut trees occurring at a single site in Nebraska. In order to document the number of the walnut trees, an official of the city of Omaha, and apparently the state of Nebraska forester(?) visited the place, and marked each tree.

The men involved used orange paint, sprayed upon the bark at about chest height, to derive a count.

They defaced each and every large walnut tree. If anyone might want to get a naturalistic picture of these arboreal wonders, they will now have to make an effort to exclude the markings on the bark.

When an official of the Omaha Parks and Recreation Department was asked about this situation, he suggested they would do something to get rid of the paint.

What that might indicate is not readily apparent.

Using orange spray paint to mark trees to derive a count, does not make sense. To use orange paint to mark trees which are considered to be so distinct and unique is simply inane.

"These trees are so great, lets spray them with orange paint so we can get an accurate count!"

A flag at each tree could have sufficed. Using chalk would have been suitable as a temporary indicator. Etc., etc. Paint should have been the last option, yet it was the people responsible first choice.

When an important resource is recognized, it should never, ever have to be defaced in such a manner when less intrusive options are available.

The trees don't care, but this is a vivid and dramatically blatant example of a complete disconnect in recognizing a completely unique forest land resource in an Omaha park.

To express an opinion, the people involved in marking these wonderful walnut trees should have to do something to mitigate for their ruining the trees appearance.

Bioretention Gardens Pending for Elmwood Park

An area of Elmwood Park will soon be transformed by a project to deal with stormwater runoff from Omaha streets.

General plan for the project in Elmwood Park. Information provided by Public Works department.

The general development plan indicates a linear project site is along the west side of 60th street, and southward from Elmwood Drive. This area is currently lawn which is regularly mowed during the growing season, as well as interspersed trees.

This project will receive stormwater runoff from about 35 acres of housing on the east side of 60th street, according to Ned Tramp, of the Public Works department of the city of Omaha.

The work being done is part of a larger effort to separate sewage and stormwater in the eastern part of the city.

Water going into the stormwater drains will be diverted to the park site, where a pond, three bioretention gardens and several weirs will slow the rate of drainage of the water into Wood Creek, northward in the park.

There will also be a capture basin where trash and grit will captured and kept until it is removed by city workers on a regular basis.

The primary features of the bioretention gardens are flowering plants and different types of grass species.

Planting plans for the gardens - devised by the Big Muddy Workshop Inc. - indicate that sneezeweed, spotted bee balm, little joe-pye weed, prairie spiderwort, swamp milkweed, prairie blazing star, purple coneflower and golden alexander.

Grasses to be seeded are Virginia wildrye, Canada wildrye, western wheatgrass, red top, side oats grama, and little bluestem. These are all native species except for red top.

Preliminary design for the bioretention gardens at Elmwood Park.
Garden A planting plan.	Garden C planting plan.
Garden F planting plan.

Vegetative features associated with the project will create a different habitat setting within the park environs.

Construction is expected to occur in late summer, or early autumn.

Public Works staff worked with the Parks and Recreation Department in developing this plan.

Current views of the project site in Elmwood Park. Pictures taken April 16, 2011.
Looking northward.	Looking southward.	Southern section of the project area.

South Africa Thrills Nebraska Botany Professor

A unique opportunity to visit South Africa allowed Dr. David M. Sutherland a chance to experience and enjoy new sorts of flora and fauna.

Ibis at Capetown	Protea at the Kirstenbosch Gardens
All photographs courtesy of David M. Sutherland, and used with permission

During his two week vacation to the Cape Town vicinity of South Africa - with its distinctive "Fynbos" type of vegetation - he enjoyed the endemic flora and African fauna of the area.

The Kerstenbosch Botanical Gardens were "simply gorgeous," Dr. Sutherland said, "and were a jewel of the city." Especially appreciated were examples of plants such as the representatives of the families Proteceae and Aizoaceae, which are seldom seen in North America.

Two days were spent at the Garden Route Game Lodge, a private facility where a variety of large animals roam the property. There were white rhinos, antelopes, zebras, giraffes and others which could be enjoyed up close. Since the group stayed overnight, there were able to get among the animals during different parts of the day.

Giraffes at the Garden Route Game Lodge

Penguins at Boulder Beach

During a visit to two coastal colonies of African penguins, the visitors were able to get quite close to the birds, which were actively breeding.

At the West Coast National Park, there were the showy flamingos to enjoy.

Black oystercatchers at West Coast Park

Flamingos at West Coast Park

"The idea of going to this area really appealed to me," Sutherland said. The flora, animals and birds in this area are extremely interesting," noting his visit was the "thrill" of a lifetime.

As a retired botany professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Dr. Sutherland is well acquainted with the plants and vegetation of the Great Plains. His only other previous trips overseas were to England.

Dr. David M. Sutherland in Africa.