An insignificant patch of woods
Over Mother’s Day weekend, I was visiting some family in Columbus. They had recently moved into an apartment complex on the edge of town and I noticed out their back sliding-glass door that they had a small patch of cottonwoods and willows behind the apartment. Stepping outside, I instantly heard the familiar call note of a Yellow-rumped Warbler, the song of a Baltimore Oriole and the warbling song of a Warbling Vireo. None of those were a surprise by any means, but they piqued my interest.
I sneaked out for a few minutes with my binoculars and walked along the edge of the patch of woods with my kids. There were many Yellow-rumped Warblers in there, and something with an unfamiliar and louder “chip” note. I tracked down the chip note just one of my kids made a loud noise and I caught a very brief glimpse of a little dark-backed bird flying away quickly.
“Jigs up” I thought to myself and we returned to the apartment.
Some “good finds”
Later I found another opportunity and sneaked out again. I instantly saw something working up and down the trunk of a cottonwood, put my binoculars on it and found it to be a male Black-and-white Warbler – excellent find there. Then I went back to where the unfamiliar call note was located and found it to be coming from a Northern Waterthrush — another excellent find, at least for me.
I proceeded to check the patch of woods off and on that evening and the next morning and came up with 18 different species of birds, including five that I consider to be “good finds”. All of that in this insignificant patch of woods surrounded by cropland and urban development, I thought to myself.
A load of diversity
That is spring migration in Nebraska. It is a time when the best habitat can seem totally devoid of birds while a little patch of trees (sometimes literally a single tree or shrub) will be loaded with a diversity of birds. Some are just passing through; they may not be there tomorrow or even an hour later, and you may never find them in that location again. Others are setting up territories for the onset of nesting and will be there until late summer and they or their offspring may be in the same spot next year.
I especially enjoy finding “odd couples”, birds that shouldn’t be found together, but, during migration, are nearly side by side. Less than 20 yards from the Northern Waterthrush (a species typically associated with dense, wet woodlands) I also found Harris’s, Clay-colored and Vesper Sparrows (birds that tend to be found in more open habitat). For some reason, they all found the insignificant patch of woods to their liking as they moved northward.
Insignificant patches
There are lots of insignificant patches of woods across the state, along with plenty of insignificant grasslands, wetlands, and even puddles. During spring migration, each plays a big role in the birds’ efforts to get from point A to point B, providing food and shelter.
May birding can be fantastic, one of the best times of year to find something very rare and very beautiful that you won’t see at other times of the year. So get out there and check out the nearest “insignificant patch of woods” or other habitats nearby and see what you can see.
T. J. Walker
Wildlife Biologist
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
North Platte
“Inside Nebraska’s Water” is a video worth viewing
Water is the life’s blood for much of Nebraska, yet because of legislation that was written before the hydrology of the region was fully understood, some users have a legal right to deplete the water supply for other users and other uses — including maintaining habitat for fish, wildlife and birds.
“Inside Nebraska’s Water” is a fascinating look at the way Nebraska’s rivers and streams connect with underground aquifers to create the state’s hydrological system. The new video, produced by the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District, examines how irrigation from both sources as well as other factors impact the overall system, and why integrated management of the resource is necessary to insure fair allocation.
Anyone with an interest in Nebraska’s water supply — which should include just about everyone — will gain new insight from a few minutes watching this informative video. Click here to view “Inside Nebraska’s Water”.
About the Chicken Dance Trail
The Chicken Dance Trail is actually a collection of great bird watching locations in southwest and south central Nebraska, between the Platte and Republican Rivers. Because the area includes the narrowest section of the hourglass-shaped Central Flyway, the Chicken Dance Trail is uniquely situated for birders. Millions of different birds come through here during spring and fall migrations, making the Chicken Dance Trail one of the best places in the country to see a wide variety of species in a relatively small area.
Our bird watching sites were developed by local naturalists and birding experts and are collected into a series of bird watching “adventures” which are described in detail, along with interactive maps, on our Web site at www.chickendancetrail.com. Other resources include a birding chart, useful birding links, and guides to restaurants, lodging and activities in the area.
Our wildlife and bird watching sites were developed by local naturalists and are collected into a series of “adventures” which are described in detail, along with interactive maps, on our Web site at www.chickendancetrail.com. Other resources include a birding chart, useful links, and guides to restaurants, lodging and activities in the area.
Come and visit and learn why we say, “Birds love this part of Nebraska...and you will too!”
Special Thanks to:
Nebraska Game and Parks, Birds of Nebraska
www.ngpc.state.ne.us/wildlife/guides/birds/findbirds.asp