NOU Spring Field Days and Annual Meeting, Auburn, May 19-21, 2017

Authors

Janis Paseka, Nebraska Ornithologists' UnionFollow

Date of this Version

6-2017

Citation

The Nebraska Bird Review Vol. 85 No. 2 (2017), pp 85-90

Comments

Published by the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union, Inc.

Abstract

The annual meeting of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union was held at the Senior Center in Auburn on May 19-21, 2017, and was organized by Robin Harding and Don and Janis Paseka. About 70 birders attended on a weekend that began wet but finished with more birder-friendly conditions. Our Friday evening program was a presentation by Kevin Holliday, Superintendent of Indian Cave State Park. He mentioned the park’s features including the cave and petroglyphs, St. Deroin cemetery, 22 miles of trails, Missouri River overlook and reconstructed town. He also highlighted the many events held in the park during the year, including living history demonstrations and the new Christmas Bird Count. He spoke about the rebuilding efforts after the 2011 Missouri River flooding, woodland management including prescribed burns, and attempts to eradicate invasive species such as garlic mustard. Field trips on Saturday were led by Shari Schwartz, Joel Jorgensen, Clem Klaphake, Ross Silcock and Justin Rink. Destinations included Indian Cave State Park, Peru Steamboat Trace Trail, Peru Bottoms WMA, Sheridan Cemetery in Auburn, Coryell Park, Wirth Brothers Lake, Twin Oaks WMA and Burchard Lake WMA. On Sunday morning, birders returned to favorite sites.On Saturday evening, Joe Gubanyi, retired Professor of Biology at Concordia University in Seward, introduced us to the American Kestrel Partnership, ... At the brief business meeting, the minutes of the last meeting were approved and the location of the next meeting was announced: fall 2016 in Ogallala. The election of officers for the coming year was held:

Total species count for the weekend meeting was 161. A nest hole being used by Pileated Woodpeckers in Indian Cave State Park was a popular attraction. Other highlights of the meeting were both Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos, species that are becoming increasingly difficult to find. Whip-poor-wills and Chuckwill’s- widow were heard during an evening field trip to Indian Cave led by Shari Schwarz. Six vireo species and 18 warbler species were recorded, and Summer Tanagers were seen or heard in 5 counties.