Frank H. Shoemaker, "Thedford Bird Records"
Frank H. Shoemaker “Thedford Bird Records,” Thomas County, Nebraska, May 27-June 10, 1903
1 9 0 3
May 27
Thedford to Brownlee
prairie horned lark Wilson's phalarope
wn meadowlark Bartramian sandpiper
killdeer blue-winged teal
Sennett's nighthawk burrowing owl
yellowlegs curlew
dove mallard
grasshopper sparrow spoonbill
lark bunting widgeon
barn swallow Arkansas kingbird
kingbird long-billed marsh wren
prairie chicken red-winged blackbird
yellowthroat kingfisher
cliff swallow American bittern
wn field sparrow goldfinch
wn vesper sparrow sharp-tailed grouse
Baird's sandpiper -31 spp.
Saw also: jackrabbit
prairie dog
pocket gopher
13-striped spermophile
coyote
tracks of deer (white-tailed fairly common here)
Brownlee to Kennedy
Sennett's nighthawk wn vesper sparrow
lark bunting blue-winged teal
red-winged blackbird curlew
wn meadowlark cowbird
prairie horned lark Harris' sparrow
kingbird sharp-tailed grouse
dove bluebird
savanne sparrow coot
Arkansas kingbird killdeer
black tern yellow-headed blackbird
grasshopper sparrow mallard
barn swallow wn lark sparrow
Bartramian sandpiper -25 spp.
We are informed that skunks are fairly common here; that 3 bobcats were killed last year; that a raccoon was taken two years ago.
1 9 0 3
May 27 - continued
Kennedy to Stilwell Ranch
mallard red-winged blackbird
American bittern Wilson's phalarope
wn meadowlark blue-winged teal
Arkansas kingbird solitary sandpiper
horned grebe prairie horned lark
dove gadwall
wn lark sparrow grasshopper sparrow
marsh hawk sharp-tailed grouse
killdeer prairie chicken
barn swallow Sennett's nighthawk -20 spp.
About Hackberry lake, during few minutes before dark
jacksnipe yellowthroat pied-billed grebe -3 app.
1 9 0 3
May 27
Thedford to Brownlee Kannedy to Stilwell Ranch
prairie horned lark horned grebe
wn meadowlark marsh hawk
killdeer solitary sandpiper
Sennett's nighthawk gadwall
yellowlegs
dove Hackberry, few minutes before dark
grasshopper sparrow
lark bunting jacksnipe
barn swallow pied-billed grebe
kingbird
prairie chicken May 28
yellowthroat
cliff swallow Hackberry and Dewey Lakes
wn field sparrow
wn vesper sparrow red-headed woodpecker
Baird's sandpiper white pelican
Wilson's phalarope Forster's tern
Bartramian sandpiper least bittern
blue-winged teal red-breasted merganser
burrowing owl redhead
curlew
mallard May 29
spoonbill
widgeon Dewey Lake
Arkansas kingbird
long-billed marsh wren Franklin's gull
red-winged blackbird
kingfisher May 30
American bittern
goldfinch Clear Lake
sharp-tailed grouse
turkey vulture
Brownlee to Kennedy black-crowned night heron
pintail
savanna sparrow spotted sandpiper
black tern pectoral sandpiper
cowbird
Harris' sparrow Trout Lake & valley
bluebird
coot Virginia rail
yellow-headed blackbird swamp sparrow
western lark sparrow ring-billed gull
1 9 0 3 Cherry county, Nebraska
May 28 To Dewey Lake and back to Stilwell Ranch on Hackberry
barn swallow Morning clear. Rain at 2 p m. Windy later.
wn meadowlark Nests of black tern in water 18 to 24 inches
killdeer deep, 50 feet to 50 yards from shore; noted
red-headed woodpecker sets 1/3 and 1/2 and about 12 nests completed or
kingbird building.
prairie horned lark Photographed nests with eggs, of black tern
red-winged blackbird and pied-billed grebe.
black tern Young mallards.
white pelican (3) A group of Wilson's phalaropes.
Forster's tern Nests observed:
Am. bittern Coot 1/2 1/3 2/5 2/9; one nest 5 deserted.
blue-winged teal Black tern - cited above.
least bittern Pied-billed grebe 1/8 1/7.
yellowthroat Yellow-headed blackbird - number of eggs
yellow-headed blackbird listed as observed: 3 2 1 2 2 4 3 2 4 3
Sennett's nighthawk 2 4 3 2 4 4 0 0 0 2 2 2 4. Sets of 4 are
lark bunting probably complete.
coot Red-winged blackbird 3 2 and several build-
Wilson's phalarope ing or just completed.
dove Had privilege of watching a coot on her nest
gadwall at close range.
pied-billed grebe Many dead turtles along shore. Caught one
red-breasted merganser live snapper with 12-inch shell; examined and
redhead released it.
mallard -25 app. Saw one muskrat.
Innumerable flies and bees observed about
flowers of Antennaria campestris.
Noted several of the light-colored blue racers peculiar to this area.
Found a dead bullsnake with many beetles working on it.
I dug out a small lycosid spider carrying a cocoon. The tunnel, straight down, was 6 inches deep, only 2 inches above water level in the sand.
May 29
Rain last night, and steadily all day; cold north wind.
In the afternoon we went to Dewey Lake, and returning spent some time about the shores of Hackberry Lake; collected plankton with Birge net at various points, also flowers and cacti.
Franklin's gulls were seen at Dewey Lake.
Found n/5 of western meadowlark.
May 30
Clearing. Chill north wind, not strong, most of the day. We enjoyed our first fairly extended trip.
At Clear Lake
western meadowlark Clear Lake, circular and small, is one of
black tern the most alkaline of the lakes in this Cherry
killdeer county group. This is remarkable, since only
wn vesper sparrow a mile to the west, lies Hackberry Lake, with
turkey vulture fresher water than any other.
dove Had my first, and therefore most impressive,
Forster's tern opportunity to sense the depth of invective
yellow-headed blackbird expressed by Forster's terns in welcoming
field sparrow visitors: never a syllable except downright
barn swallow profanity. They are lovely and graceful birds -
red-winged blackbird but, such language!
blue-winged teal Found n/4 of the killdeer, deserted for some
pied-billed grebe reason beyond knowledge. Dr. Wolcott took the
Sennett's nighthawk set, which proved to be unincubated.
black-crowned night heron A nest of the wetern vesper sparrow, with
prairie chicken very young birds, on a vegetated send slope
pintail 50 feet above the lake level.
spotted sandpiper Barn swallows are beginning to build about
pectoral sandpiper deserted shacks, which are too common in this
Am. bittern -20 spp. country cruel to agricultural effort; each is
an emblem of human despair.
Found and excavated another lycosid tunnel in sand near the shore of the lake; 8 inches deep, which is near water level.
At Willow Lake
black tern A nest of the pied-billed grebe, with 7 eggs
yellow-headed blackbird nearly hatched.
Sennett's nighthawk Here Forster's terns again put on a show,
prairie horned lark affording me several cuss-words not before
lark bunting noted.
blue-winged teal
red-winged blackbird Across to Trout Lake
Forster's tern
coot grasshopper sparrow Nest of wn meadowlark;
killdeer wn meadowlark 5 half-fledged young.
wn meadowlark -2 spp. Another lycosid tunnel,
barn swallow 200 feet above water, 9 inches deep.
pied-billed grebe -13 spp.
May 30 - continued
In Trout Lake valley
grasshopper sparrow Nests found:
Forster's tern Red-winged blackbird, in sequence as
red-winged blackbird found - 4 2 4 0 3 1 4.
yellow-headed blackbird Yellow-headed blackbird - 4 4.
blue-winged teal Virginia rail - 9 fresh, 7 incubated.
wn meadowlark gadwall - 9.
Sennett's nighthawk black tern - 1.
marsh hawk Am. bittern - 4.
long-billed marsh wren Forester's tern and pied-billed grebe also
black tern nesting, but nests not examined.
yellowthroat A nest of the American bittern with 4 eggs
black tern was just above water level, lined with fine
Virginia rail grasses.
Am. bittern Nest of gadwall also was lined with grass.
swamp sparrow The nests of Virginia rail were lined with
gadwall coarser grasses.
pied-billed grebe We flushed a flock of 13 prairie chickens,
mallard and were able to note carefully here, as at Clear
ring-billed gull Lake earlier in the day, that the species is defi-
prairie chicken -20 spp. nitely the prairie chickens; not the sharp-tailed
grouse, which also occurs in this area.
On the way back to Stilwell's Ranch on Hackberry Lake
Bartramian sandpiper dove
kingbird wn vesper sparrow n/5 -4 spp.
May 31
Clear; air cold; north wind.
Hackberry lake in the morning, using a boat. No list of birds made.
A visit to a nesting colony of Forster's terns, near the north shore, afforded the following data, number of eggs recorded in sequence as found:
2 1 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 pipped 3 1 3 on old house of muskrat. Nest of rushes, placed 4 to 6 inches above water; cup 1 inch deep, 5 inches across.
Black tern - 1 1; nests of similar construction and placement, shallower.
Yellowheaded blackbirds' nests numerous.
Saw ruddy ducks on Hackberry.
Monahan's Lake in afternoon; no bird list. Found completed nest of western lark sparrow.
1 9 0 3
May 31
Hackberry Lake
ruddy duck
June 1
Big Alkali Lake
eared grebe
white-rumped sandpiper
rough-winged swallow
Simeon to Valentine
bobwhite
blue grosbeak
long-tailed chat
Bell's vireo
Schlegel's Canyon
arctic towhee
long-tailed chickadee
Along the Niobrara
bluejay
orchard oriole
yellow warbler
dickcissel
At Valentine
house wren
desert horned lark
western robin
bluebird (dupl)
catbird
kingfisher
cuckoo sp.
black-headed grosbeak
red-eyed vireo
chipping sparrow
brown thrasher
June 2 - continued
At Fredrick's Peak
rock wren
western warbling vireo
Baltimore oriole
bronzed grackle
June 3
At Valentine
black-and-white creeper
Valentine to Stilwell Ranch
Say's phoebe
indigo bunting
red-tailed hawk
June 5
At Marsh Lake
marbled godwit
green-winged teal
June 8
At Dewey Lake
bluebill
June 9
Approaching Thedford
Swainson's hawk
rough-legged hawk
June 1
Rainy; cold. Started on a long trip in light wagon, with Stilwell driving. Noted at ranch, before starting:
wn vesper sparrow And on the way across fields:
wn meadowlark wn meadowlark prairie horned lark
killdeer wn vesper sparrow cliff swallow
barn swallow -4 spp. grasshopper sparrow barn swallow -7 spp.
Sennett's nighthawk
We passed Monahan's and trout lakes without stopping.
At Big Alkali Lake:
redhead western meadowlark
blue-winged teal coot
killdeer pintail
prairie horned lark black tern
eared grebe spoonbill
white-rumped sandpiper mallard
Wilson's phalarope Franklin's gull
rough-winged swallow yellow-headed blackbird
wn vesper sparrow grasshopper sparrow
dove Arkansas kingbird -20 spp.
Killdeer nests building, and young birds about.
At Simeon:
Bartramian sandpiper pintail turkey vultures
Simeon to Valentine:
bobwhite western field sparrow
lark bunting long-tailed chat
blue grosbeak sharp-tailed grouse
goldfinch Bell's vireo -8 spp.
In Schlegel's Canyon:
arctic towhee long-tailed chickadee -2 spp.
On the Niobrara: (in the rain)
bluejay arctic towhee
orchard oriole long-tailed chat
yellow warbler yellowthroat
vireo sp.? rough-winged swallow
dickcissel -9 spp.
June 2
At Valentine. Cloudy and cold.
house wren wn meadowlark wn robin
desert horned lark dove bluebird
lark bunting wn field sparrow grasshopper sparrow
Arkansas kingbird arctic towhee yellow warbler
bluejay cowbird long-tailed chat
(list continued)
June 2 - continued
At Valentine — bird list continued
- yellowthroat
- kingbird
- catbird
- kingfisher
- spottted sandpiper
- killdeer
- Bell's vireo
- orchard oriole
- cuckoo sp.
- black-headed grosbeak
- red-eyed vireo
- bobwhite
- chipping sparrow
- brown thrasher
- red-winged blackbird
- rough-winged swallow
- goldfinch
- wn lark sparrow -33 spp.
A nest of eastern kingbird building. - A nest of brown thrasher with 4 eggs. - A nest of black-headed grosbeak, 4 eggs, 20 feet up in elm over creek; nest made of dead vines, weedstems and rootlets, much like that of rose-breasted grosbeak. - A nest of yellow warbler.
At Frederick's Peak:
- rock wren
- Bartramian sandpiper
- wn warbling vireo
- blue grosbeak
- Baltimore oriole
- bronze grackle
- Sennett's nighthawk
- barn swallow
-8 spp.
Found a nest of the mourning dove, with 2 incubated eggs.
June 3
At Valentine:
- western lark sparrow
- yellow-shafted flicker
- long-tailed chickadee
- black-and-white creeper
- wn field sparrow
-5 spp.
On the drive south:
- desert horned lark; nest by road, lined with grass; 3 eggs.
- western lark sparrow; nest under rose bush, made of grasses, weedstems,
- red-headed woodpecker (lined with rootlets and horsehair.
- wn lark sparrow; a nest with 3 eggs
- bank swallows; a colony
- turkey vulture
- rock wren
- Say's phoebe
- Cliff swallow colony near Gordon
- indigo bunting
- red-tailed hawk, carrying a snake
- Bartramian sandpiper
- blue grosbeak (near Simeon)
- wn vesper sparrow
-13 spp.
June 4
Warm and sunny. We followed first the north shore of Hackberry, where I took photographs of a young sharp-tailed grouse. - Then we collected plankton with the Birge net, in a pond north of the lake. Afterward, we cut across to
Watt's lake
- killdeer
- black tern
- prairie horned lark
- spoonbill
- blue-winged teal
- mallard
- pied-billed grebe
- yellow-headed blackbird
- red-winged blackbrid [sic.]
- gadwall
- coot
-11 spp.
Nests found:
- pied-billed grebe - 4 1 4
- coot - 8
- killdeer - 2 0
June 5
A lovely day, after our hectic weather.
At Dewey lake:
- ring-billed gull
At Willow Lake:
We watched a red-breasted merganser flutter across it.
At Marsh Lake:
- black tern
- red-winged blackbird
- yellowthroat
- Virginia rail
- black-crowned night heron
- pintail
- long-billed marsh wren
- Wilson's phalarope
- killdeer
- redhead
- Forster's tern
- yellow-headed blackbird
- coot
- blue-winged teal
- mallard
- Am. bittern
- green-winged teal
- long-tailed chat
- prairie chicken
-19 spp.
June 5 - continued
Nests examined:
- red-winged blackbird - 4 4 1 4 4 5 4 4 4 5 0 4 yg bds
- Virginia rail - 5 8
- coot - 10 7 10 13 9 7 8 8
- Forster's terns nesting; nests not examined with i egg
- blue-winged teal 6; took photograph. Also found nest with young; and one
- pied-billed grebe - 4 5
- long-billed marsh wren - 6 2
- yellow-headed blackbird
- black-crowned night heron; nest not examined
- Am. bittern - 2
Species to be added for June 5
- ruddy duck
- marbled godwit
- black-crowned night heron
- gadwall
- spoonbill
-making total for Marsh lake for this date, 24 instead of 19
Also various undetermined sandpipers were seen.
June 6
At Little Alkali Lake:
- horned grebe
- several unidentified duck
We were interested in the red crustaceans, almost microscopic, found there.
At Whitewater Lake:
Observations made, but data missing.
June 7
Spent the morning at Watt's Lake; data missing.
In the afternoon we examined the area north of Clear Lake. We were very much interested in the peculiar attitudes assumed by hog-nosed snakes when distrubed. - Examined many of the small land tortoises common here. -
- long-billed marsh wren
- black tern
- Forster's tern
- yellow-headed blackbird
- coot
- black-crowned night heron
- red-winged blackbird
-7 spp.
June 8
In the morning to Dewey Lake.
- wn meadowlark
- mallard
- boblink
- yellow-headed blackbird
- red-winged blackbird
- lark bunting
- Arkansas kingbird
- Forster's tern
- pied-billed grebe
- Wilson's phalarope
- Bartramian sandpiper
- blue-winged teal
- killdeer
-13 14 spp.
--completed nest of wn vesper sparrow, no eggs.
In the afternoon
At Little Alkali:
- prairie horned lark
- Wilson's phalarope
- green-winged teal
- barn swallow
- Sennett's nighthawk
- yellow-headed blackbird
- red-winged blackbird
- sparrow hawk
- prairie chicken
- bluebill
- grasshopper sparrow
- blue-winged teal
- wn meadowlark
- lark bunting
- widgeon
-15 spp.
kangaroo mice seen as we disturbed pile of dead tules.
At Dad's Lake:
- red-winged blackbird
- wn meadowlark
- yellow-headed blackbird
- bluebill prairie horned lark
- grasshopper sparrow
- Wilson's phalarope
- mallard
- killdeer
- black-crowned night heron
- blue-winged teal
In sandhills south of Dad's Lake:
- wn meadowlark
- wn vesper sparrow
- grasshopper sparrow
- prairie shicken [sic.] -15 spp.
salamanders - "alkali dogs" - common in shallows of alkaline water at Dad's lake
June 9
North of Thedford: list of birds missing, except two first observed here:
- Swainson's hawk
- rough-legged hawk
-2 spp.
Found a nest of sharp-tailed grouse with 6 eggs; set evidently not completed.
June 10
In Thedford area:
- kingfisher
- yellow-headed blackbird
- dove
- wn lark sparrow
- long-tailed chat
- dickcissel
- bronzed grackle
- red-winged blackbird
- coot
- bobwhite
- wn meadowlark
- yellowthroat
- prairie horned lark
- Bell's vireo
- killdeer
- goldfinch
- bank swallow
- cowbird
- bluejay
-19 spp.
As viewed from the railroad, the sandhills seem to end at about Merna.