The Region
Featured Bird
Sandhill, Whooping Crane:
Sandhill Cranes gather in huge numbers on the Platte River at night and in cornfields throughout the Rainwater Basin region of the Chicken Dance Trail by day. Whooping Cranes, although endangered, are frequently seen in marshy regions such as the Funk Lagoon in the Rainwater Basin.
Recent sightings and notes of interest
Check here frequently to see what birds are being seen along the Chicken Dance Trail. Click here to add your own sightings.
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Posted By: Tim Smith
Greetings Fellow Birders!,
With the upcoming July 4 weekend, there is a wonderfully quick and easy birding opportunity for those of you that are going to be traveling through Chicken Dance country.
All up and down the Republican River valley, there are bridges that span the Republican River as well as many of the tributaries. These bridges are often located at any of the towns that lie along the river and there are also several of these bridges right on hiway 34. The best things about these bridges are their accompanying colonies of cliff swallows.
Now is the best time to observe a bustling colony of "cliffies" in full swing. These beautiful little colony nesting swallows build their bottle shaped mud nests under many of the bridges along the Chicken Dance Trail. Their numbers can easily exceed over a thousand individuals in one colony. These gregarious little birds are quite tolerant of careful observers and put on a wonderful show for anyone taking the time to stop and watch them for a bit.
Cliffies are quite entertaining for young and old alike. They are fabulous aerialists and their feeding trips in and out of their houses is something to behold. And don't worry about mosquitoes around a cliffy colony. The birds eat them as fast as they can.
Although cliffy colonies can be found anywhere in Chicken Dance country, two of the best I have found are at Macklin Bay on the north side of Swanson Reservior and at the North and South Fork Republican River bridges at Benkelman.
I have attached a photo of a cliffie colony located at Haigler, Nebraska. Although it is not the best picture in the world, I think it conveys the hustle and bustle of a thriving cliff swallow colony
Now the best part. All of these wonderful cliffie colonies are on public right of way! Just pull off of the hiway and enjoy the show. Remember to park safely, be mindful of traffic and have fun.
Later, Tim
Date Posted: 6/20/2009
Posted By: Tim Smith
Here is a rare visitor to this part of the world. An Inca dove! These little doves are very rarely seen this far north and to the best of my knowledge this may be the first documented summer sighting of an Inca in Chicken Dance country.
Sorry about the quality of the photo (I took it through the kitchen window), but at the time I felt that it was more important to document the sighting than to get a great photo. My concerns were proven correct as when I tried to get a really good picture, the little dove took flight.
How about it, anybody else out there have a rare or unique sighting to relate? Let's hear it.
Later, Tim
Date Posted: 6/8/2009
Posted By: diane
Hi there, just had to send something today. I have 3 lazuli male buntings at my feeder this afternoon, quite a nice suprise for me. Yesterday while going out the end road(that's what we always called our driveway when I grew up on the farm). I had to stop and get out to see baby killdeer. What a sight to see. They looked like their parents but just in minature form. They looked so funny with their long legs and a little puff of a body. They clumsily ran into the grass---sure made me laugh. We need some rain up this way had to start watering some of the vegetable garden and farmers got the pivots running too--way to early for this.
Date Posted: 5/17/2009
Posted By: diane
HAPPY MAY DAY!! My sightings have been somewhat of a surprise. I have numerous rufous-sided towhee's this spring and seen numerous white crowned sparrows. The male harris sparrows are really gettings their colors on. The wrens are back along with the brown thrasher--haven't really seen them but I can hear them. Do you think spring is finally here????
Date Posted: 5/1/2009
Posted By: christensen
fly casting in my back yard at 11pm with an audience
Date Posted: 4/15/2009
Posted By: diane
Kim, that photo is a American Kestrel. Wish old man winter would go to bed and let spring come!!! Really nothing new here. Some turkeys went strolling by the marsh this afternoon. Had some visits from ducks and geese there too. There is a pair of bald eagles nesting in a tree down the pasture some and they will swoop the marsh once in a while looking for a duck or two. Few weeks ago one of them must have gotten a snow goose anyway the carcass was white and he would come back and eat on it for awhile till it was gone. Been having a few skunks visiting the feeders at night. One night I had a coon up in the feeder and a skunk and possum down below. Hope things warm up so they will spread out. Got my tomatoes and peppers started and some flowers so I am ready for spring.
HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!! diane from southern Boone county.
Date Posted: 4/10/2009
Posted By: Kim Woods
Testing the photo upload feature here after reports of problems. And if any of you knowledgeable birders can tell me what this is, that would be great...!
Date Posted: 4/9/2009
Posted By: T. J. Walker - District Manager, Wildlife Division - Partners
Tom, Betty and Nancy forwarded this to me for an answer.
Eastern Bluebirds are fairly common in Nebraska during winter, typically in areas with cedar trees (they feed on their berries in winter). While they may not be incredibly common in your area, they could be expected to be found along the Dismal or Loup River systems and are commonly found in winter in Custer and Lincoln Counties in the canyon landscapes with lots of cedars, as well as along the North Platte, South Platte and Platte Rivers.
Keep your eyes open and you may even find Mountain Bluebirds (all sky blue) and Townsend's Solitaires (like a slightly smaller all gray robin) in the same area.
Thanks
Date Posted: 2/9/2009
Posted By: Name: Tom Witt
Hi Ladies, How common is it to see Eastern Bluebirds in the Sandhills this time of year? I think I saw 5 males this am. Tom
Date Posted: 2/9/2009
Posted By: Don Brockmeier
Northern Harrier looking for lunch
Date Posted: 2/8/2009