The Nebraska bird review.

Greater White-fronted Goose: Occasionally birds can be found in mid-winter with Canada Geese; 13 were with a flock of Canadas in Lincoln Co 10 Jan (TJW) and 2 were at HL 14 Jan (LE).Spring arrival of good numbers was early, with 200 at BOL 1 Feb (JGJ, LD) and 100 in Hall Co 3 Feb (PD).Snow Goose: Even in average years there is a small window in Jan when Snow Geese are absent, and despite the mild winter this year, the window persisted, with none reported between 8 and 22 Jan.The 4600 in Lancaster Co 8 Jan (JC, SS) were likely late fall lingerers while 300 at HCR 22 Jan (LR, RH), and 600 in Hall Co 3 Feb (PD) were spring arrivals.By 21 Feb "insane numbers" were moving into south-central Nebraska (JGJ).Occurrence is erratic in the Panhandle; 8 were at Scottsbluff SL 17 Feb (KD).Ross's Goose: Although generally occurring at the same times as Snow Geese, mid-winter occurrences of Ross's Geese are far fewer due to their much smaller numbers.An early arrival date for Ross's was the 20 with newly-arrived Snow Geese in Hall Co 3 Feb (PD).Cackling Goose: A few straggle into early Jan, although 200 were still in Douglas Co, 29 Dec (JR) and 440 at LM 30 Dec (SJD); 20 were at Boystown L, Douglas Co 9 Jan (JR).First arrivals were 600 in Hall Co 3 Feb (PD).The Nebraska Bird Review Vol.80 No. 1 Canada Goose: Many overwinter at favored localities, but migrants boost numbers in fall; best tally was the 19,864 on the Scottsbluff CBC 17 Dec (fide AK).High fall counts are 30,000+.Mute Swan: Reports from the Omaha area persist, with 2 at Boystown L, Douglas Co, 29 Dec and 9 Jan (JR).Trumpeter Swan: Good fall counts were the 35 on the Calamus Res CBC 28 Dec (JJ) and 22 on the LM CBC 31 Dec (fide SJD).A single bird, possibly injured, was on a west Omaha pond 29 Dec (DSt) through 20 Jan (DS, m. ob.).Tundra Swan: None were reported.It is likely that this rare fall migrant is being overlooked among the much more numerous Trumpeter Swans.Wood Duck: Recent years have seen more midwinter reports of this species, mostly in the south and east The 4 such reports this winter brought the total to 24: two were in Lancaster Co 14 Jan (LE), one was at Medicine Creek Res, Frontier Co, 16 Jan (RL), 2 were in Dodge Co 20 Jan (GJ), and 2-3 were in west Omaha 9 Jan-1 Feb (JR).The 24 on the Grand Island CBC 17 Dec (fide CM) was a good count.Mandarin Duck: A free-flying, unmarked male was found at Pier Park, GrandIsland, 14 Dec (SM), and apparently wintered there, with sightings through 29 Feb (LG, SM); a female was also present 21 Feb (TJW).There is a prior Nebraska record for 2010 of one shot by a hunter; it showed no signs of having been in captivity (TJW).A long-standing (20+ years) breeding population exists in Pueblo Co, Colorado (DE).Gadwall: The 575 at LM 30-31 Dec (SJD) was an excellent count for late Dec."Large numbers" wintered on Carter L, Omaha, (JR), although the surprising 170 there 6 Feb (JR) probably included some early migrants; only one bird was found there 6 Jan (CNK).The 20 on HCR 22 Jan (LR, RH) may have wintered also.There are only about 34 records 9 Jan-9 Feb.American Wigeon: Numbers fall rapidly in late Dec, and so the 624 at LM 30-31 Dec (SJD) was a large tally for the date.Rather late was one at Carter L, Omaha, 6 Jan (CNK), and early were 8 there 8 Feb (JR).The only midwinter reports were of singles at HCR 22 Jan (LR, RH) and in Frontier Co 1 Feb (WF).American Black Duck: None were reported; this has become a rare species in Nebraska in recent years.Mallard: Best tally was the amazing 100,000 at Sutherland Res, Lincoln Co, 30 Dec (D&JP), second-highest on record for fall.Blue-winged Teal: One of only 4 records all-time for Dec was one in Lancaster Co 1 Dec (LE).Northern Shoveler: Perhaps only the 3rd instance of overwintering (as opposed to isolated mid-winter reports) away from the North Platte Valley was the surprising 150-270 birds at Carter L, Omaha, (JR,CNK).The only other mid¬ winter report was of 2 in Adams Co 29 Jan (LE).Northern Pintail: Reports were routine for this regular winter visitor, usually found with wintering Mallards.Green-winged Teal: The 294 at LM 31 Dec 2011 (fide SJD) was an excellent count for the late date.A few winter most years, often with Mallards.Vol. 80 No. 1The Nebraska Bird Review 7Canvasback: Overwintering is rare; 1-2 were at Carter L, Omaha, 6-9 Jan and apparently wintered (JR); numbers increased to 40 on 6 Feb (JR).Redhead: There were more reports than usual of this species which is generally rare in midwinter and does not occur every year.Five were at HL 13 Jan (LE), 2 at North Platte 25 Jan (TJW), one at HCR 29 Jan (RSt, MM, EBa), 10 at PL 1 Feb (JGJ, LDi), and one in Frontier Co the same day (WF).The last two sightings may have been early spring arrivals (see Ring-necked Duck).First definite spring arrivals were the 80 at Carter L, Omaha, (JR); one lingered there until 6 Jan (CNK) but was not reported in the interim.A good tally of 322 was still at LO as late as 30-31 Dec (SJD).Ring-necked Duck: Latest in fall were 16 at Carter L, Omaha, 9 Jan (JR), a late date; after that none were reported there until 70 showed up 6 Feb (JR), an early spring arrival date.There were reports fi'om 4 locations 1 Feb, suggesting an even earlier spring arrival, as with Redhead the same day.Reports for 1 Feb were of singles in west Omaha (JR), Frontier Co (WF), and South Sioux City (BFH), and 12 at Boystown L, Douglas Co, (JR).The 310 at LO 30-31 Dec (SJD) was a good count that late.Greater Scaup: The only fall report was the good tally of 46 at LO 30-31 Dec (SJD), while the only spring reports were of a male record early at HL 12 Feb (JC, SSc) and 4 at Carter L, Omaha, 23 Feb (JR).Lesser Scaup: The only overwintering birds were 2-4 in Douglas Co (JR), where wintering rarely occurs.Reports for the state are fewest between 6 Jan-8 Feb; the only such records were of one at HL 14 Jan (LE), one at HCR 29 Jan (RSt, MM, EBa) and 2 at South Sioux City 29 Jan-12 Feb (BFH).Surf Scoter: The only report was of one at Capitol Beach L, Lincoln 2-3 Dec (JGJ, LE).This is a regular but rare fall migrant through mid-Dec.White-winged Scoter: Also a regular but rare fall migrant, 3 were reported:singles at HL 1-9 Dec (LE, DL), LM 9 Dec (PD), and a juv male at LM 31 Dec (fide SJD), a rather late date.Black Scoter: Likely the same bird was at LM 9 Dec (PD) and 16 Dec (PD).This species is also a regular but rare fall migrant.Long-tailed Duck: The two reports of this regular but rare migrant were of a male and 3 ferns at Capitol Beach L, Lincoln, 1 Dec (LE) and of 2-3 at GPD 8 Dec-2 Jan (JJ, MB).The latter sighting is only the 2nd report for Jan away from Keith or Lincoln Cos. Bufflehead: One at Medicine Creek Res, Frontier Co, 16 Jan (RL) was only the 7th midwinter record away from LM, Sutherland Res or GPD.The 385 at LM 30-31 Dec was an excellent late fall tally.Common Goldeneye: The 191 at Scottsbluff SL 17 Feb (KD)was a near-record spring tally; high is 200.Barrow's Goldeneye: None were reported; this is another regular but rare winter visitor, mostly to the North Platte Valley.Hooded Merganser; One at BOL 5 Jan (LE) was tardy; midwinter reports (6 Jan-20 Feb for this species) are uncommon away from LM and Sutherland Res, but this winter 16 were at North Platte SL 16 Jan (TJW), 2 were at HCR 29 Jan (RSt, MM, EBa), and one was at Carter L, Omaha, 6 Feb (JR).Common Merganser: Best count was the 6000 still at LM 30 Dec (SJD); high mid-winter counts are 12-15,000.The Nebraska Bird Review Vol.80 No. 1Red-breasted Merganser: A few straggle late in fall with the flocks of Common Mergansers at LM; 5-9 were counted there 30-31 Dec (SJD).Ruddy Duck: This species overwinters rarely; the 1-2 at Carter L, Omaha, through the period (JR) were only the 3rd report of overwintering.Midwinter reports are also rare; 4 were in west Omaha 1 Feb (JR).One at BOL 5 Jan (LE) was tardy, while a fern there 22 Feb (LE) was early.The 29 at LM 30-31 Dec (SJD) was an excellent tally for the late date.Northern Bobwhite: Best tally was a single covey of 25 in Hall Co 4 Dec (JLL).Recent years have not seen the high counts achieved in the 1970s and 1980s; high count from those years was 387 on the 1989 Norfolk CBC.No bobwhites were seen on the Seward-BOL CBC for the first time since the count began in 1993 (fide JG).Gray Partridge: The only report was of one in Brown Co 15 Dec (RE), near the west edge of the northeast Nebraska range.Ring-necked Pheasant: Reports were routine for this statewide species that varies in abundance from region to region.Sharp-tailed Grouse: Rather surprisingly, 19 on the Crawford CBC 2 Jan was a new species for that count (B&DW).Greater Prairie-Chicken: Best counts were the 139 in Logan Co 30 Dec (SJD) and 102 in two flocks in Hall Co 12 Feb (PD).This species occurs on occasion in winter away from its summer range; one

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