Nebraska Ornithologists' Union Tri-State Meeting with Iowa Ornithologists' Union and South Dakota Ornithologists' Union, South Sioux City, Nebraska, May 16-18, 2025

Authors

Date of this Version

6-2025

Document Type

Article

Citation

Nebraska Bird Review, volume 93, number 2, June 2025, pp. 77–78.

Comments

Published by the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union, Inc.

Abstract

The NOU Spring Meeting was held at the Salvation Army Western Plains Camp in South Sioux City, Nebraska, in conjunction with the IOU and SDOU, with approximately 180 attending. The organizers of the meeting included Chris Anderson and Mark Schmidtbauer from South Dakota, Tyler Harms and Kevin Murphy from Iowa, and Ruth Stearns, Joel Jorgenson, and Paul Pearson from Nebraska.

A scientific poster session featuring the work of 9 ornithological researchers from UN-Kearney, USD-Vermillion, and Hitchcock Nature Center was held Friday evening. Thanks to Dr. Jacob Cooper from UNK, Dr. David Swanson from USD, and the students who participated.

Field trips were held on Saturday and Sunday at locations in South Dakota including Myron Grove River Access, Adam’s Homestead & Nature Preserve, Union Grove State Park, Dakota Dunes, and North Alabama Bend, and were led by Chris Anderson, Dave Swanson, and Todd Jenson. Among the Iowa field trip locations were Bacon Creek Park, Stone State Park, Broken Kettle Grasslands, Owego Wetlands, and Snyder Bend WMA. Leaders were Tucker Lutter, Rex Rundquist, and Paul Roisen. Nebraska trips included Ponca State Park, Crystal Cove, Basswood Ridge, Kramper Lake, the former Ashford Scout Camp, Buckskin Hills WMA, and the Winnebago WTP, and were led by Mark Brogie, Ed Brogie, Bill Huser, Dave Heidt, and Don Paseka.

Among the 185 species found in Nebraska were Neotropic Cormorant, Mississippi Kite, Black-bellied Plover, Piping Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Red-necked Phalarope, Veery, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Lark Bunting and 20 warbler species, including Golden-winged, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, and Mourning.

. . .

Following the business meeting and dinner, the group was treated to a presentation by Michael Forsberg, a celebrated photographer, author, and conservationist who has dedicated over three decades to capturing and telling the story of wildlife and conservation in the Great Plains through his work. He has recently published a book Into Whooperland—A Photographer’s Journey with Whooping Cranes, and this was also the title of his presentation. Over five years, Forsberg followed the population of wild Whooping Cranes on their journey from the Texas Gulf Coast to nesting grounds in remote boreal forests of Canada’s Northwest Territories. His captivating and personal account was accompanied by stunningly beautiful images.