The Region
Featured Bird
Burrowing Owl:
True to its name, the Burrowing Owl often nests in a hold in the ground provided by prairie dogs, coyotes or badgers. It is most active in the morning and evening, hunting for insects during the day and mammals at night. Look for it especially in the Sandsage Prairie and Loess Canyons of the Chicken Dance Trail.
The Rainwater Basin Adventure
Download a Rainwater Basin Printable Trail Map
If there is a center to Midwest American croplands, it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that it’s Phelps and Kearney Counties, Nebraska. Vast fields stretch out in all directions, on a landscape that’s virtually flat from one horizon to the other. Yet as we arrived the evening before our adventure, the sky turned luminescent salmon and mauve and gold in one of those “big sky” sunsets much of the country has to live without.
Phelps and Kearney Counties are deep inside one of the most unique and fertile bird watching regions of the entire country: the central migratory flyway passing through Nebraska’s Rainwater Basin. Each year, some ten million waterfowl and other birds of all types drop down into this area to feed and restore their depleted reserves in preparation for the next leg of their migration north.
Use buttons to scroll and zoom the map.
Click on stars throughout the map for more information on that area.
Sandhill Cranes and So Much More
We need to get something straight right away. You’ve probably heard of this area in terms of the annual sandhill crane migration. It is unquestionably a magnificent site when these beautiful creatures along with millions of ducks and geese pass through the central Platte River Valley and Rainwater Basin in February, March and April. After you have experienced the world’s largest concentration of these ancient birds, we invite you to experience spotting some of the 257 other varieties of birds that visit and live in this part of the world.
The Rainwater Basin refers to a network of wetlands covering some 4,200 square miles of south and central Nebraska. In good years, these shallow basins fill up with rainwater and snowmelt early in the spring and provide a fertile breeding ground for invertebrates. This, combined with seeds and tubers from the wetlands and waste crops from the thousands of acres of surrounding corn, soybean and wheat fields provide an ideal diet for a wide variety of migrating birds.
But depending on what you’re looking for, spring isn’t the only time for good birding in the Rainwater Basin area.
Approximate GPS Coordinates:
40.443828 N
-99.368098 S
View Google MapsWe’re spending the night in a lovely old bed and breakfast called Das Gasthaus, just up the brick-paved street from the Phelps County Courthouse, a great 1920s-era Post Office and the library. At 5,600 people, Holdrege is a little bigger than many of the surrounding towns and features wide streets with big trees and more than its share of well kept and elegant older houses. Our intention is to arise early in the morning and hit Lake Seldom – said to be a great bird watching area within a stone’s throw of downtown – before getting breakfast and heading out on our Rainwater Basin adventure.
40.431302 N
-99.369793 S
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Lake Seldom
During early spring, see the migrating waterfowl at Lake Seldom and shore birds picking at snails and other crustaceans in the mudflats. Late spring and into summer, birdwatchers walk the trails to see a chat, western king birds, marsh wrens, killdeer, a black-crowned night heron, blue-winged teal, rough winged swallows, common terns and pheasants amongst the red winged blackbirds and other wetlands species.
If we had been earlier in the year, or if it had been wetter, we might have looked for grebe, wood ducks, herons, mallards and other wet-loving birds. As it was, we looked for American kestrel, red-tailed hawks, red-winged blackbirds and blue jays. We could have also hoped to see ring-necked pheasant, Cooper's hawk, killdeer and loggerhead shrike too... but we didn’t.
Still, the sun was rising on a beautiful day, and breakfast awaited.
Learn more about this site at Nebraska Birding Trails.com
Back to map...
40.442081 N
-99.364128 S
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The Cozy Inn
Like a lot of great small town cafés, the entrance to the Cozy Inn is hardly imposing, nor is the interior, hung liberally with farm implement calendars and auction notices. It turns out we could easily have come to breakfast before our trip to Lake Seldom – the Cozy opens at 5:00 in the morning to accommodate early-to-rise farmers.
We had the biscuits (obviously homemade) and gravy, and eggs with sausage. There’s nothing exotic on the menu – just plain country cooking – but you’ll have no complaints about the quality or service.
Approximate GPS Coordinates:40.411862 N
-99.272847 S
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The Road to Sacramento-Wilcox
From Holdrege, we head east on U.S. 6 and 34 and a mile or so out of town turn right on Brewster Road, cross the railroad tracks and turn left on Polyline Road, named for a now-defunct railroad company, angling southeast.
At S Road, you pass by what’s left of the tiny settlement of Sacramento and the Speakeasy Restaurant, which, by the way, is said to be a pretty good steakhouse and dinner destination if you’re still in the area come evening.
A bit farther along, at V Road, we see a sign indicating that the entrance to the Sacramento-Wilcox State Wildlife Management Area is off to our right half a mile. Since this is a wildlife management area, at certain times of the year, birders have to share the open space with hunters, but this morning, we seem to have it all to ourselves.
Sacramento-Wilcox is fairly large as these preserves go, and a great place to get out and walk around. The habitat is varied, with a mixture of forested shelterbelts, short and long-grass meadows, shrubs and wetlands. In non-migratory season, it’s as great a place to look for some of our permanent residents, such as harrier hawks, prairie falcon and northern flicker. This would also be a place for a sharp-eyed birder to spot great horned or eastern screech owls. And, of course, this is exactly where hunters come to look forwild turkeys and ring-necked pheasant.
Learn more about this site at Nebraska Birding Trails.com
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40.399444 N
-99.135904 S
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Prairie Dog WPA
In this part of Nebraska, there are basically three types of public lands pertinent to birding: State Wildlife Management Areas (SWMAs), Federal Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs), and State Recreation Areas (SRAs).
Since we haven’t yet walked off our breakfast, we decide to hit one more site before trying out Brother Jim’s Wilcox Café in Wilcox. To get to the Prairie Dog WPA, we drive through Wilcox (it doesn’t take long) and turn north on State Highway 44. About three miles north of town, turn right on D Road. In another mile, you’re at the southwest corner of Prairie Dog WPA, and as you drive around it, you’ll notice fenced off parking lots with access to the interior.
On the east side of the area, we find the “dog town” for which this particular WPA was named. Although all the prairie dogs disappear when we stop, when we stay still and remain in the car, they begin to pop their heads out of their burrows, and soon the air is filled with their whistling calls. Burrowing owls frequently use unoccupied prairie dog dens for their nests, and although we don’t see any owls today, we’re told they can be spotted here.
Learn more about this site at Nebraska Birding Trails.com
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40367605 N
-99.16985 S
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Lunch at Brother Jim’s
One of the things I particularly like about birding trail adventures is...well...lunch. We especially like non-chains, and if a restaurant ever fit that description, it would be Brother Jim’s Wilcox Café.
Right on the main street, the Wilcox Café, like the Cozy Inn, has an unprepossessing entrance and a snug but dated interior that doesn’t do justice to the good food. Our waitress was chatty and interested in our birding adventure. She suggested the meatloaf special, which was generous and tasty and, as in many of these home style cafes in rural Nebraska, inexpensive.
Approximate GPS Coordinates:40.496374 N
-99.247055 S
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Funk Lagoon
The Funk Waterfowl Production Area (WPA) is one of the largest Waterfowl Production Areas in Nebraska. The wetland and grassland prairie ecosystem provides habitat for diverse native plants and animals. Thousands of snow geese, white-fronted geese, Canada geese and nearly every duck species traveling north through Nebraska stop at the WPA to scavenge for leftover grain in the nearby corn fields and to rest prior to their long trip north. The Funk Peterson Wildlife Trail, a 3-mile backcountry loop trail in the Funk WPA was designated as a National Recreation Trail in 2008. Endangered species such as whooping cranes and least terns also utilize this WPA making the Funk Peterson Trail a unique and excellent visitor opportunity. The trail offers many opportunities to get in touch with nature.
Along the 3 mile backcountry loop trail, you can find a scenic viewpoint, interpretive signs, a handicap accessible wildlife viewing/hunting blind, a 650 foot concrete walkway with tracks imbedded from the local wildlife, and a 150 foot boardwalk that extends into the wetland, that will allow you to get a little closer to nature. Activities include hiking, photography, hunting, and educational opportunities.
To get there, start at Funk and drive north on T road about 3 miles. See a sign designating the Wild Life Management Area. Turn east for approximately 1 mile and see interpretive signs and the trail map.
Learn more about this site at Nebraska Birding Trails.com
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40.486322 N
-99.124188 S
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Axtell and Mosiac
Mosaic, as you may know, is a large charitable organization in support of people with disabilities. Its facility at Bethphage Village in Axtell includes the Miracle of the Prairie Lodge and Retreat Center, on a beautiful campus of big trees and interesting Scandinavian-influenced brick buildings.
Just up the street from the campus is a spot created by Mosaic for the viewing and contemplation of birds and wildlife. Called Lake Siloam, the site features a covered pavilion, wide concrete paths and a dock out over the water. It was obviously made to be easy to use by people in wheelchairs, so it’s a delightful viewing area, with open water likely to attract a variety of ducks, pelicans, grebe and other water-loving birds during the summer. We see only a small group of mallards, and a cloud of red-winged blackbirds, and imagine the bird watching would be better in early morning or evening.
Approximate GPS Coordinates:40.651146 N
-98.985615 S
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Ft. Kearny State Recreation Area
Fort Kearny was originally built in 1848 to protect emigrants along the Oregon Trail, and during the Gold Rush of 1849, some 30,000 people passed through on their way to the gold fields in California. Later, it served as a home station for the Pony Express, but existed only 23 years as an army outpost. If you have the time, there is a great interpretive center at the Fort Kearny State Historical Park, but we’re actually going a few miles east to the Fort Kearny SRA.
From Mosaic, go back to Highway 6 and 34, and turn east. In a couple of miles, you’ll come to the junction where Nebraska 44 separates and turns north toward Kearney (you’ll notice there’s a second “e” in the name of the town; it was a postal mistake made early on and never corrected). Take 44 north. In ten miles or so, you’ll come to the intersection with Road 50A. Turn right. In about four miles, you’ll pass the state historical park, then about two or three miles beyond that, you’ll see a sign to the entrance of the Ft. Kearny SRA.
Ft. Kearny SRA is right on the Platte River, so in season it’s a prime spot for sandhill crane viewing. Although the SRA is large and features a number of camping spots, we’re here to check out the Ft. Kearny Hike-Bike trail and the old railroad bridge across the Platte allowing visitors some really special riparian viewing.
The trail leading up the bridge is wide and flat, so it’s an easy hike. It’s bordered on both sides by big deciduous trees, mostly cottonwood, making it an ideal place to spot some of the woodpeckers that make Nebraska home, such as the downy woodpecker and the hairy woodpecker. You’ll also see red-breasted and white-breasted nuthatches which are native to this part of Nebraska. We spot a black-capped chickadee and a blue jay in the trees, and then step out onto the long wooden bridge.
The bridge allows you to essentially step out into the middle of this extraordinary, ribboned river and partake of a rare observation of this kind of habitat without getting your feet wet. It offers an extraordinarily clear view in both directions, and is certainly not to be missed in migration season.
Learn more about this site at Nebraska Birding Trails.com
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40.509231 N
-98.951325 S
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Minden and Grace Elizabeth’s
We’ve had enough birding for one day and are looking forward to our bed at Grace Elizabeth’s Bed and Breakfast in Minden. From the Ft. Kearny SRA, we go east to the intersection with U.S. 10 and turn south. In a few miles, we come to the outskirts of Minden and Grace Elizabeth’s elegant two-story columns and huge old shade trees.
If you have the time, Minden is a great little town to explore. It is, for example, the home of Pioneer Village, which is one of the most unbelievable collections of “stuff” you’re ever likely to see. Be sure to budget some serious time if you hope to see it all. Minden also has one of the neatest restored opera houses we’ve ever run across, with a fantastic muraled ceiling including thousands of tiny lights. There’s also a beautiful art gallery, displaying changing collections of works of local artists.
As choose between a New York fillet, prime rib or Steelhead trout fillets, menu items grown in Nebraska and prepared fresh at the Red River Steakhouse in Minden, we agree that we found some great birding sites in the Rainwater Basin, one of the country’s most fascinating areas for avian activity. And we promise ourselves we’ll come back in the spring when the migration is in full swing.
The Birds of Central and Western Nebraska
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Bittern, American |
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| Blackbird, Brewer's |
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Blackbird, Red-winged |
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Blackbird, Yellow-headed |
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Bluebird, Eastern |
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| Bluebird, Mountain |
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Bobolink |
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| Bufflehead |
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Bunting, Indigo |
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| Bunting, Lark |
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| Bunting, Snow |
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Bunting,Lazuli |
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Canvasback |
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| Chat, Yellow-breasted |
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Chickadee, Black-capped |
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Coot, American |
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Cormorant, Double-crested |
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Cowbird, Brown-headed |
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Crane, Sandhill |
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| Creeper, Brown |
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| Crossbill, Red |
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Crow, American |
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| Cukoo, Black-billed |
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| Cukoo, Yellow-billed |
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Curlew, Long-billed |
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| Dickcissel |
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Dove, Mourning |
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Dove, Rock |
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| Dowitcher, Long-billed |
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Dowitcher, Short-billed |
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Duck, Gadwall |
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| Duck, Ring-necked |
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| Duck, Ruddy |
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Duck, Wood |
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Eagle, Bald |
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Eagle, Golden |
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Falcon, Peregrine |
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| Falcon, Prairie |
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Finch, House |
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Finch, Purple |
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| Finch, Rosy |
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Flicker, Northern |
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| Flycatcher, Great Crested |
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| Flycatcher, Least |
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| Flycatcher, Willow |
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Godwit, Marbled |
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Goldeneye, Common |
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Goldfinch, American |
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Goose, Canada |
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| Goose, Ross' |
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Goose, Snow |
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Grackle, Common |
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| Grebe, Clark's |
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| Grebe, Eared |
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| Grebe, Horned |
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Grebe, Pied-billed |
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Grebe, Western |
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| Grosbeak, Black-headed |
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| Grosbeak, Blue |
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Grosbeak, Evening |
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Grosbeak, Rose-breasted |
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Grouse, Sharp-tailed |
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Gull, California |
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Gull, Franklin's |
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Gull, Ring-billed |
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| Harrier, Northern |
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Hawk, Cooper's |
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Hawk, Red-tailed |
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Hawk, Rough-legged |
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Hawk, Sharp-shinned |
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Hawk, Swainsons's |
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Heron, black-crowned night |
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Heron, Great blue |
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Hummingbird, Broad-tailed |
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Hummingbird, Rufous |
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Ibis, White |
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Jay, Blue |
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| Jay, Pinyon |
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Junco, Dark-eyed |
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Kestrel, American |
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Killdeer |
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| Kingbird, Cassin's |
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Kingbird, Eastern |
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Kingbird, Western |
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Kingfisher, Belted |
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| Kinglet, Golden-crowned |
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Kinglet, Ruby-crowned |
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| Lark, Horned |
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Lesser Scaup |
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| Longspur, Chestnut-collared |
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| Longspur, Lapland |
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| Longspur, McCown's |
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Loon, Common |
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Magpie, Black-billed |
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Mallard |
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Meadowlark, Western |
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Merganser, Common |
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Merganser, Hooded |
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Merlin |
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Nighthawk, Common |
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| Nuthatch, Pygmy |
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Nuthatch, Red-breasted |
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Nuthatch, White-breasted |
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| Oriole, Northern |
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| Oriole, Orchard |
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Osprey |
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| Ovenbird |
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Owl, Barn |
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Owl, Burrowing |
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Owl, Eastern screech |
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Owl, Great Horned |
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| Owl, Northern saw-whet |
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Owl, Short-eared |
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Owl, Snowy |
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Pelican, American white |
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Pewee, Eastern Wood |
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| Pewee, Western Wood |
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| Phalarope, Red-necked |
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Phalarope, Wilson's |
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Pheasant, Ring-necked |
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Phoebe, Eastern |
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| Phoebe, Say's |
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