A Bird's Eye View

Audubon Society of Omaha
A Chapter of National Audubon Society

Volume 29, No. 9 November 2000

Nebraska's Dynamic Landscape:

A Photographic Study

By Clem Klaphake

At the November 9 general meeting, Jim Stubbendieck will discuss the ever-changing landscape in Nebraska. He selected 60-to-130-year-old photographs of our state's landscape, then traveled to rephotograph the same sites. During his talk, he will point out the changes—some dramatic—and discuss the causes of these changes.

Jim's talk will concentrate on the state's rural areas. Photographs depict sites throughout the state, with more in northern and western Nebraska.

Looking at old photos of the Sand Hills and contrasting them to retakes of the same sites today truly shows a different landscape. Even Chimney Rock looks very different today when contrasted with photos from 1898.

In an article by David Ochsner titled "Frozen Images of a Fluid Landscape," Stubbendieck is quoted as saying, "In early accounts of the Sand Hills, there were so many descriptions about vast stretches of sand — a homesteader near Bassett said he could walk on bare sand all the way to town without stepping on a single blade of grass."

Jim said, "The most notable thing I learned from gathering the photos is that they debunk the myth that Nebraska has fewer trees and the land has been overgrazed." Only two photos show a loss of trees, both from forest

fires; all other photos depict larger and thicker stands of trees today.

Since 1997 Jim has been Director of the Center for Great Plains Studies at UNL. He is Professor of Rangeland Ecology in the School of Natural Resource Sciences at UNL and a Research Associate in the Division of Botany at the State Museum. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the UNL and his PH.D. from Texas A & M University.

Jim is the author or co-author of nine books, including North American Range Plants and Weeds of Nebraska and the Great Plains, 107 journal articles, 7 chapters of books and 164 abstracts.

Join us at 7:30 p.m. in the Hanscom Park Methodist Church, 4444 Frances Street, to hear Jim talk about fleeting images of the past and of places lost.

A short business meeting will follow the program, concluding with coffee, cookies and conversation. Field guides for many nature-related topics, T-shirts and other items will be for sale before and after the program. It is not too early to consider Christmas gifts!

Waterfowl at DeSoto NWR — November 18 Field Trip

Frost in the air, a certain feeling in the blood—that's fall. And for our birders, that means ducks and of course Snow Geese.

To aid you in waterfowl viewing, Jerry Toll will lead a field trip to DeSoto NWR on Saturday, November 18. We are to meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Visitor Center.

The wind could be brisk, the air could be frigid, so dress warm. Also, bring something hot to drink. Field guides and a scope, if you have one, along with binoculars, are advised. Bring a friend—participants are not limited to members. We hope to see you there.

November Events

1 (Wed) Board Meeting

6 (Mon) Conserv/Legisl Meeting

9 (Thur) General Meeting

15 (Wed) Naturestudy

18 (Sat) Field Trip

Christmas Bird Counts:

Omaha Area - December 16

DeSoto - December 17

2

Scholarly Notes

by Eric Scholar

Al Gore on the Environment

Finally, he mentions his work to preserve some of our natural treasures by fighting for full funding of the Lands Legacy Initiative by protecting some of America's environmental treasures, including the Florida Everglades and Arctic NWR.

He maintains that as Vice President, he has worked to protect America's rivers and forests as well as forests and biodiversity around the world through various initiatives.

His Plans if Elected

As to his future agenda, Gore plans to address several issues if elected. On the general topic of curtailing global warming and ensuring clean air, he supports ratification of the Kyoto protocol, which he helped negotiate. He supports the Energy Security and Environmental Trust Fund.

This new $150 billion fund will help create a cleaner environment by providing tax breaks and other financial incentives for clean and reliable sources of electricity and long-term greenhouse gas emissions.

He continues to fight for strong environmental standards to reduce soot and smog levels, which were challenged by industry and are now before the Supreme Court. He is an advocate of protection of the ozone layer through continuing the phaseout and transition away from ozone-depleting chemicals.

Vice President Gore is a strong advocate of preserving our public lands and national treasures.

For this purpose he proposes building on a strong record of preservation of open spaces and protection for natural treasures.

He supports full funding for our national parks and plans to stop commercial exploitation of environmentally sensitive land.

Gore wants to expand wilderness areas and national monument designations in sensitive federal areas now underprotected. He supports the current moratorium on road building in 43 million acres of our national forests and wants to expand the proposal to ban new timber sales in the original areas as well as Alaska's Tongass.

As president, Gore claims he will seek to strengthen and fight attempts to weaken the Clean Water Act. He will increase funding for clean water programs, tighten standards, and ensure a more comprehensive watershed approach to improve water quality.

He will continue to fight for increased funding for incentives for farmers who voluntarily adopt comprehensive plans to curb erosion and protect water supplies from pesticide and nutrient runoff.

Gore plans to expand the Conservation Reserve Program that establishes protective buffer strips along waterways and to assist farmers with conservation and environmental efforts.

Gore wants to expand the moratorium on oil and gas drilling off the coasts of Florida and California and make sure no new drilling takes place in these sensitive areas. As president, he will uphold the moratorium on new offshore leasing through 2012 and continue the ban on new leasing in existing national marine sanctuaries.

Al Gore will continue to advocate reforms of the World Trade Organization and new measures to protect the global environment. He believes trade negotiations should include both labor and environmental components in any trade agreements.

Finally, he believes we must carefully weigh the risks and benefits of genetically modified organisms, particularly with respect to food safety and potential environmental impacts.

Last month I presented the environmental views of George W. Bush. This month I will give those of Vice-President Al Gore. Much of this material was excerpted from the candidate's web page and from a recent article that appeared in the Audubon magazine.

His Record As

Vice President

Gore claims several accomplishments in the environmental field, most of them as part of the Clinton administration but also some while he was a senator.

According to Gore, during his vice presidency he helped strengthen clean air protections, in 1997 approving new clean air standards for soot and smog; these more stringent standards could prevent many premature deaths a year and improve the lives of millions of Americans who suffer from respiratory illnesses.

He claims that, with other members of Clinton's administration, he worked to clean up auto emissions by promoting new standards for passenger cars, SUV's and light-duty trucks. He also states that they worked with auto makers to develop fuel efficient vehicles and supported tax credits for energy efficiency.

Gore maintains that he helped lead the administration's safe drinking water initiatives, strengthen the safe drinking water act, and address global warming and international challenges. While a senator, he was an original cosponsor of the Water Quality Act of 1987.

The Vice President takes credit for contributing to toxic waste clean-up.

Continued on page 3

The Omaha Raptor Team

A Committee of ASO

Waterfowl to be Timely Topic at Naturestudy November 15

By Nelli Falzgraf

Big, boldly-colored and beautiful. Compared with tiny passerines constantly flitting among trees, ducks and geese may just be right for laid-back birders, as well as others.

As winter descends, the northern breeding grounds Anatidae migrate to watersheds still free of ice and stocked with plants, insects, mollusks, and fish. Many aquatic birds along the central flyway stop to feed and rest at local lakes.

On Wednesday, Nov. 15, 7:00 p.m. at the Rookery, Heron Haven, Jerry Toll will help us identify waterfowl and discuss the DeSoto Snow Goose count. Please join us and bring slides or information, if you wish. The meeting is open to the public. For questions, call Jerry at 453-9239.

We will not meet in December. In anticipation of spring, we'll sneak a peek at wildflowers in January.

By Alison O'Connor

The Omaha Raptor Team is especially excited about our November general meeting for two reasons, the first being a female American Kestrel and the second a male American Kestrel. We will introduce them and show the beautiful dimorphic difference in this species.

Our female kestrel, shown here with Linda Dennis, came from Salt Lake City and has been with us for a year. "Kidnapped" (in her view) by well-in

tentioned people, she became habituated to humans. Our male kestrel, who came from Iowa and just joined our team in September, is shown with Jenny Henricksen. A first-year bird, he was probably blown from his nest site, damaging his wing.

Watch the midday news on Channel 7, November 8, for a preview introduction to our little falcons. They look forward to meeting you in person Thursday, November 9.

DeSoto Goose Count

The annual goose count will be held on Wednesdays at DeSoto Refuge when the geese have congregated in sufficient numbers.That could be in early or late November.

If you want to help, call Jerry Toll (453-9239)or Mindy Sheets at the Refuge (642-4121, Ext 5405), to find out if we are counting during a particular week.

By Jim McLochlin

ASO now has a strong web presence on the Internet, containing the latest Newsletter, Bird Calendars from previous issues, and more. Present on the Internet for three or more years, it now takes on an easier to remember and find URL (address) at "http://audubon-omaha.org". Just enter everything between the quotes in your web browser.

In the future, look for the web site to be much more, perhaps including ordering of bird seed during our sale, past newsletters, information from the Omaha Raptor Team, and other items the ASO board deems appropriate.

The goal is to attract younger, more computer-oriented persons to join ASO so we can continue to grow and help conserve nature.

We welcome suggestions for improving our content and efficiency. Contact me at 933-0648 or by email at bluebirdbox@cox.net.

Scholarly Notes, Continued from page 2

For additional information on the Vice President's position, please see his web page, www.algore.com. I hope these excerpts have provided an accurate picture of the environmental positions of the two presidential candidates, allowing you to make an informed and intelligent choice in the election.

4

Environmental/ Legislative Action By Ione Werthman

Local Vs.

Corporate Control?

_Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., in town

this month for a lecture at the Holiday Inn, stressed the point that the economy and environment are not at odds. "Good environmental policy is the same as good economic policy." Countries such as Russia, Turkey and Thailand, that have not invested in their environment, have become economic disasters.

And, he went on to say, "While many argue that environmental regulation should be a matter of `local' control, it's not going to work out that way. The real outcome will be corporate control."

Local Control?

No local control came forth to stop the Sand Livestock and Enterprise Partners in Columbus, Nebraska. The company, with no permit from the Corps of Engineers, dug clay from a wetland to line their hog confinement lagoon, backfilling the wetland with fill material. EPA officials and the Clean Water Act were needed to restore the wetland.

For the record: Wetlands are extremely valuable in filtering pollution from our water. The World Resources Institute of Washington, D.C. recently reported in the October 12 Omaha World-Herald that half the world's wetlands were lost in the 20th century. These areas have been converted to agricultural and urban use or are contaminated. Dams, diversions and canals fragment 60 percent of the world's largest rivers, trapping runoff and sediments.

With only about 1% of the water on the planet being fresh water, the Institute predicts that by 2025, half

the world's population will experience water shortages. I agree with Carmen Revenga of the World Resources Institute who says these findings are bad news for the environment and economy.

Local Control?

How do local controllers convince citizens to curb smog to meet the Clean Air standards? In an Oct. 25 World-Herald article, a citizen from Houston, Texas, said he would pack a sidearm if local officials try to ban before-noon use of gasoline-powered yard equipment in his suburb.

The offending proposition grew out of a federal mandate that requires the City of Houston to meet clean air standards by 2007. It's ironic that many in the city blame the Clinton-Gore administration of blackmailing state officials into the smog-reduction plan. In reality, it was the 1990 Clean Air Act, signed by President George Bush, the Governor's father, that forced the changes.

For the record: the Antarctic ozone hole has expanded this year to an area the size of North America, at times reaching the tip of South America.

Local Control?

Government food officials have ordered Kraft Foods to shut down production of taco shells at one plant and recall all taco shells already on the market. These products contain a variety of genetically engineered corn unapproved for human consumption.

A Washington Post story of October 21 reported that the corn, StarLink, was sold by Iowa-based Garst Seed Company. Approved in 1998 by the EPA for animal feed only, it contains a bacterium making it toxic to insects. Grain

elevator operators in Iowa, where 40% of the StarLink was grown, are now fearful that farmers may have failed to identify their corn as StarLink or that other corn may have been cross-pollinated from nearby fields of StarLink seed.

For the record: A recent news report of a large Scandinavian study again indicates many cancers are caused not by genes but by environmental factors— our food, water and air and their contaminants.

Corporate Control

Recent headlines: `#2 and #3 oil companies in America — Chevron/Texaco — Create New Oil Giant'; `Deal to buy IBP {the world's largest meatpacker} Reached' - a deal in which they will share ownership with Archer Daniels Midland Co.; `ConAgra, the Second Largest Retail Food Supplier in North America, adds Big Brands to Larder': Seabord Farms, International Home Foods, and a host of others. Corporate control! More about this later!

It's the Habitat, Stupid

An article in the Oct. 16 Newsweek, "Cloning the Endangered," tells of scientists cloning endangered species, the latest a gaur from India and Southeast Asia. The host is an ordinary cow named Bessie from Iowa.

Bessie's first cloned endangered species offspring will be Noah. Noah will be so-named because, as stated in Scientific American, "He will be just the first creature up the ramp of the ark of endangered species."While a handful of scientists are applying the most advanced technology to reproduce one endangered species at a time, hundreds more are becoming

Continued on page 5

Conservation/Legislative Action,

November Bird Calendar

Continued from page 4

By Babs Padelford

extinct because of habitat loss. Will Noah exist as a wild gaur in Iowa cornfields? Or because of the loss of his natural habitat, will he become a domesticated cow? We could save ourselves a lot of problems if we concentrated on saving habitats!

Missouri River—

Birds and Fish Win One

Thanks to all who called President Clinton asking him to veto the Energy and Water Bill. This Bill contained a rider that would have stopped the Missouri River spring rise water flow plan and jeopardize the survival of our three threatened and endangered species. After the veto of the $23.6 billion Bill, Republicans conceded defeat and dropped the rider, lacking the votes for an override.

As proposed by U. S. Fish & Wildlife and endorsed by conservation groups, the plan would raise spring flows below Gavin's Point Dam to boost spawning, drop flow levels in the summer to create bird and fish breeding habitat. It would also make the river more accessible for small recreation boats downstream and larger recreation boats upstream in the larger lakes behind the dams.

Join us for our next Conservation/Legislative Action meetings at 7:30 p.m., November 6 and December 4 at the ASO Office, 11809 Old Maple Road.

_November brings concentrations of waterfowl and, possibly, some of

the rarer gulls. Following is a partial list of birds that can be found in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa.

Call the Nebraska Birdline (292-5325) for the latest sightings and locations and to report your findings.

Loons: Look for Common, Red-throated (rare), and Pacific (rare) at Lake Manawa, Cunningham Lake, Standing Bear and Carter Lake until lakes freeze.

Waterfowl: Numbers of Ross' Geese are increasing and can usually be found with large flocks of snow Geese at DeSoto NWR.

Look for the more unusual species of ducks, i.e. Greater Scaup, Oldsquaw, Black, Surf and White-winged Scoters, any time until lakes freeze.

Bald Eagles arrive with concentrations of ducks and geese. Some remain around the Platte and Missouri Rivers all winter.

Gulls: Bonaparte's, Ring-billed and Herring Gulls. More unusual—Thayer's, California, Iceland, Glaucous, Black-legged Kittiwake.

Also possible are rarities such as Lesser and Great Black-backed and Ross' Gulls.

Lake Manawa, Cunningham Lake and Carter Lake are best places for gulls in the Omaha area. Branched Oak Lake and Pawnee Lake near Lincoln are better for unusual species.

Northern Shrike replaces Loggerhead Shrike and remains for the winter.

Lapland Langspurs can be found with flocks of Horned Larks, usually just after a snowfall.

The best place to see longspurs is in fields east of DeSoto NWR.

Winter Finches: Purple Finch and Pine Siskin. More unusual species, i.e. Red Crossbill, Common Redpoll, Hoary Redpoll, Evening Grosbeak and Pine Grosbeak, are irruptive migrants and unpredictable.

Look for in cemeteries and at feeders.

Oldsquaw

Northern Shrike

Birdline

For an update on the sightings in the state, call 292- 5325.

Report your sightings after listening to the tape.

Notes from Nature

6

November Hitchcock Raptor Primer

A Quick and Easy Guide to Identifying Probable Species in Flight

By Mark Orsag and Jerry Toll

This guide will not focus on the details of plumage, which can be found in any field guide, but on some of the other keys used by hawk watchers in making identification.

The Red-tailed Hawk is the most abundant species at Hitchcock during October and November. A large, familiar stocky buteo, it soars with its wings in a shallow "V" that starts, not at the shoulder, but at the wrists.

Identification problems at Hitchcock involving this species usually revolve around one of the many and highly variable Red-tailed subspecies.

Distinguishing the dark Harlans Red-tailed from the dark-morph Rough-legged Hawk is probably the most difficult problem faced by hawk watchers at Hitchcock.

The Rough-legged Hawk is similar in size and shape to the Red-tail, but somewhat lankier. The wingbeat is more deliberate and deeper, but slower and less powerful. While most Buteos seen in November will be Red-tails, a few will be Rough-legs.

Look for a dark band at the terminus of the otherwise whitish tail and a dark patch on the wrist that contrasts with an otherwise light-colored underwing. It soars with a shallow "V" at both the shoulder and the wrist.

The Sharp-shinned Hawk and Cooper's Hawk are small accipiters with short rounded wings (that distinguish them from similarly sized falcons with pointed wings) and a proportionately long tail.

Sharp-shinned Hawks are very common migrants at Hitchcock in September and October, and a few continue through in November. Cooper's Hawk migration peaks somewhat earlier than Sharp-shinned and is by far the

less common of the two.

Distinguishing between these two accipiters has always been and remains one of the chief preoccupations of North American hawk watchers.

The Sharp-shinned often soars or glides with its wings thrust forward, making it appear at first glance to be very small-headed or headless. Its larger cousin, the Cooper's Hawk, has a rounded tail and shows its head while soaring.

The Shin usually flaps in short quick bursts, the Cooper's with a stiffer, more driving wingbeat.

The Northern Harrier has been named the "Great Fooler of the Unwary" by East Coast hawk watchers. This is a slim bird with long somewhat narrow wings and a very long tail.

When soaring, flapping, or gliding up high, the Northern Harrier can prove particularly baffling to hawk watching beginners.

The hawk generally soars with its wings held in a strong "V" and glides in a similar posture or with its wings held flat.

Look for intermittent wing strokes during gliding. The Northern Harrier's wing beat has a slow but rhythmic and snapping cadence. It is fairly common at Hitchcock in October and November.

The Bald Eagle, our national symbol, is a huge raptor. Adult Bald Eagles have diagnostic white heads and tails and are easily identified from distances. Identifying dark immatures is more difficult. At Hitchcock, these individuals can easily be confused with the much less common Golden Eagle.

Bald Eagles can hold their wings in a number of different postures when gliding or soaring. One particularly diagnostic habit is for the bird to soar with its wing tips curled downward.

The Bald Eagle's wingbeat accentuates the upstroke, while Golden Eagle's power stroke is the down beat. The Bald Eagle's head also extends farther beyond the leading edge of the wing when in flight, giving the appearance of being larger.

The small American Kestrel is one of the few species posting poor numbers so far this year at Hitchcock. This small falcon's migration also peaks in September. However, a few trickle through in November and December.

American Kestrels display pointed wings, a buoyant and wandering flight style, and a long and often broadly flared tail when soaring. Confusion is possible with both the Sharp-shinned Hawk and the American Kestrel's much less common close relative, the Merlin.

These are six species probably at Hitchcock on any fairly favorable November day. On a good day, we ought to see at least one of the following less common species: Northern Goshawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Golden Eagle, Merlin or Prairie Falcon.

If you find an injured bird of prey, please contact a Raptor Recovery Center volunteer at 402-734-6817 or 402-731-9869.

Audubon at Work - October

By Ione Werthman

Addresses to Remember

President Bill Clinton

The White House,1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Washington D.C. 20500

Senator J. Robert Kerrey

U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510

Phone: (202) 224-6551

Omaha Tel: 391-3411; Fax: (202) 224-7645

Senator Chuck Hagel

U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-2705

Phone: (202) 224-4224

Fax: (202) 224-5213

Omaha phone: (402) 758-8981

Representative Lee Terry

U.S. House of Representatives,Washington, DC 20515

Phone: (202) 225-4155 ; Fax: (202) 226-5452

Omaha phone: (402) 397-9944

Representative Douglas Bereuter

U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515

Phone: (202) 225-4806; fax (202) 225-5686

Lincoln phone: (402) 438-1598

Governor Michael Johanns

Capitol Bldg, Box 94848 Lincoln, NE 68509

Phone: (402) 471-2244; Fax: 471-6031

Mayor Hal Daub

Omaha/Douglas Civic Center

1819 Farnam St, Omaha NE 68183

Phone: 444-5000 Hot Line: 444-5555

National Audubon Society

Membership Application

Memorials

The Audubon Society of Omaha greatly appreciates the memorials it receives.

When sending your gift, please identify the person you wish to memorialize. Please also give the name and addreess of the person to be notified.

The Audubon Magazine and your membership card will be sent to this address:

Name

Street

City State

Zip Code

Introductory Membership

(1st & 2nd Year) - $20

Renewals: 3rd Year - $25;

4th Year - $30 thereafter

Mail to Audubon Society of Omaha

11809 Old Maple Road

Omaha NE 68164

PO 3

7XCH

Bequests

A bequest to Audubon is a gift to those who will succeed us; a gift to secure our natural heritage.

Audubon Society of Omaha, 11809 Old Maple Road, Omaha 68164

Phone: 445-4138

Elected Officers:

President Eric Scholar, 5012 Nicholas St, Omaha 68132 551-5045

1st Vice President Clem Klaphake, 707 Garden Avenue, Bellevue 68005 292-2276

2nd Vice President Ed Higgins, 3717 No. 93rd St, Omaha 68134 572-1957

Past President Lisa Peterson, 4935 Evans, Omaha 68104` 453-9146

Treasurer Garry Mick, 7045 Glendale Avenue, Omaha 68152 571-4648

Recording Secretary Rosemary Holeman, 5805 Hartman Ave, Omaha 68104 455-9919

Corresponding Secy Kathleen Crawford-Rose, 123 Bellevue Blvd So, Bellevue 68005 292-8912

Elected Directors Jackie Scholar, 5012 Nicholas St, Omaha 68132 551-5045

Larry Shackman, 6515 Stones Throw Dr, Omaha 68152 572-6084

Cal Wolf, 13720 Wright St, Omaha 68144 333-8811

Eunice Levisay, 9905 Cady Ave, Omaha 68134 393-0545

Paul Kardell, 1112 South 218th St, Elkhorn NE 68022 289-9864

Jo Bartikoski, 1614 No. 53rd St Omaha 68104 551-6009

Standing Committee Chairpersons:

Conservation Ione Werthman, 11649 Burt St, #011, Omaha 68154 493-0373

Education Brian Jensen, 12430 Bel Drive, Omaha NE 68144 333-6375

Field Trip Jim Kovanda, 8002 So 45th Avenue, Omaha 68157 731-8249

Finance Nelli Falzgraf, 414 Ridgewood Dr, Bellevue 68124 292-9687

Fund Raising Steve Lamphere, 3101 Washington St, #98, Bellevue NE 68005 291-9149

Bird Seed Sale Sally Hansen, 2330 Bell Court #12, Omaha 68144 334-2329

Hospitality DwanDean Leach, 3006 Poppleton, Omaha 68105 346-5769

Membership Jo Wolf, 13720 Wright St, Omaha 68144 333-8811

Natural Areas Mgt Vacant

Nature Study Nelli Falzgraf, 414 Ridgewood Dr, Bellevue 68005 292-9687

Omaha Raptor Team Jenny Henricksen, 4845 So 167 Ave 68135 895-5487

Program Clem Klaphake, 707 Garden Avenue, Bellevue 68005 292-2276

Publication Laurine Blankenau, 3808 Grebe, Omaha 68112 451-3647

Publicity Gary Peterson

Non-Proft Organization

U.S. Postage Paid

OMAHA, NEBRASKA

PERMIT NO. 79

Other Activities:

Speakers Bureau Ione Werthman, 11649 Burt St, #011, Omaha 68154 493-0373

Historian Kathleen Rose, 123 Bellevue Blvd So, Bellevue 68005 292-8912

Audubon Nebr Director Dave Sands, P. O. Box 117, Denton NE 68339.............. (402) 797-2301

NAS Board Member Joyce Wolf, 2535 Arkansas, Lawrence KS 66046 (913) 749-3203

Audubon Society of Omaha

11809 Old Maple Road

Omaha NE 68164