As some may already know, the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is a long-term, volunteer-driven bird monitoring program conducted throughout North America. BBS data are used widely by wildlife agencies, researchers and in conservation planning. More information can be found here. Recently, I took over as the state BBS coordinator and …
It has become commonplace in this day and age for any yokel with a blog to provide their “top ten” list of big stories in their particular field/interest at the end of any and every year. Therefore, it is almost obligatory that I run down my list of what I …
The year we humans call 2012 was an amazing year for Bald Eagles in Nebraska. The statewide total of active nests surpassed the century mark. Actually, the final tally was 103. Not bad for a species that was flirting with extinction not all that long ago. Plus, the majority of Nebraskans alive today were …
Usually as we slide into winter here in Nebraska the birding gets a little slow. About this time last year the first Snowy Owls, in what turned out to be an unprecedented invasion, began showing up in Nebraska. This provoked a lot of excitement, but something of this magnitude is not …
On Wednesday afternoon, I received a call from a Mr. Barber who mentioned that his wife found a dead hawk in southern Lancaster County on Friday, 26 October. Not exceptional by itself, except Mr. Barber’s wife noted that it had an atypical appearance. Luckily, a couple pictures were taken and Mr. Barber passed along the photos to …
Fall migration is a great time to find avian rarities. A Sabine’s Gull in Nebraska a few decades ago would have been a “red letter” bird and sparked a great deal of excitement. Sabine’s Gulls are seabirds that breeds in the Arctic. Over time birders have learned how to find this species. Sabine’s Gulls …
West Nile Virus has been around our part of the world for more than a decade. We have become accustomed to its presence in the environment, but this year it is in the news once again because of numerous human cases, primarily in Texas. However, human cases have also been reported …
Note: This post is by a guest contributor, T.J. Walker, who the Wildlife Divisions’s Partners Section District Manager in North Platte. Contact T.J. @ thomas.walker@nebraska.gov First of all, I need to apologize. I had great intentions to do more on this page this year and my busy schedule has prevented that. I …
I get excited when the first of August rolls around because it represents the unofficial start of hummingbird season here in Nebraska. So now is the time to get ready. Hummingbirds do occur in parts of the state during other months, but August through early October is unquestionably the best …
The bird world is changing. It always has been and always will be in a constant state of flux. Some species are declining and withdrawing from parts of their range and others are increasing and expanding their range. While sometimes these population changes are easily explained, such as an introduced …
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