Nebraska Ornithologists' Union
Date of this Version
9-1999
Citation
Silcock, "Summer Field Report, June to July, 1999" in Nebraska Bird Review (September 1999) 67(3).
Abstract
First of all, I want to thank Joel Jorgensen for helping write these reports for the last few years. Joel has decided to spend his limited free time on Records Committee matters; he is currently Chairman. Over the last few years, Joel has made significant contributions to Nebraska ornithology, particularly through his! meticulous counts of shorebirds in the Rainwater Basin.
This season proved interesting in terms of ranges of breeding birds, as discussed in the accounts. See, for example, Little Blue Heron, the dOWitchers. Black-billed Magpie, White-breasted Nuthatch, Sedge Wren, and the towhees. There seems to be an increasing number of "displaced" birds, either early or late' migrants or birds just in the wrong places. Could this situation result from an increasingly unstable atmosphere? Very late in spring were Hudsonian Godwit and Wilson's Warbler, while very early in fall were Willet, Semipalmated Sandpiper. and Orange-crowned Warbler. Birds in the wrong places were numerous, but significant were a "small race" Canada Goose, ducks such as American Wigeon. Green-winged Teal, Bufflehead, and Common Goldeneye, Mississippi Kite away from Ogallala, adult Golden Eagle eastward, adult American Golden-Plover in July. westerly Least Terns, northerly Acadian Flycatcher, singing mid-June Blue-winged Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chats in Harlan Co, and Henslow's Sparrow in the RWB.
Interesting breeding or possible breeding records involved Eurasian Collared Dove's 2nd breeding location, Long-eared Owl, Pileated Woodpecker, Townsend's Solitaire, and MacGillivray's Warbler.
"Good birds" were King Rail, Lewis's Woodpecker, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Clark's Nutcracker, Hooded Warbler, and Cassin's Sparrow, and, best till last, the White Ibis, only the state's 3rd report, but first with extant documentation. Finally, where were the Baird's Sandpipers? When was the last time only one was reported for the early fall? Presumably the adults went elsewhere.
Comments
Copyright 1999, Nebraska Ornithologists' Union. Used by permission.