The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is a long-term, volunteer-driven bird monitoring program conducted throughout North America. BBS data are used widely by wildlife agencies, researchers, birders and conservation planners. The program began in 1966 and more information about the BBS can be found HERE. I am the state BBS coordinator and perhaps my principal duty […]
Making sense of eBird’s Canada Goose subspecies
Joel Jorgensen | 8 January 2020 | joel.jorgensen@nebraska.gov eBird (eBird.org), the dominant platform used by birders these days, provide birders the opportunity to report certain birds to recognized subspecies. Birds of Nebraska – Online (BONO) provides detailed information about recognized subspecies in the taxonomy section of each species account. In some instances, though, eBird merges […]
Harlan County CBC – 2019 recap
Joel Jorgensen | 17 December 2019 | joel.jorgensen@nebraska.gov The 12th Harlan County Christmas Bird Count (CBC) took place 14 December 2019. Before going any further, it is important to mention the big change in conditions that took place between the 2018 and 2019 editions of the CBC. Harlan County Lake had been chronically below its […]
The summer of Redheads
Joel Jorgensen | 8 August 2019 | joel.jorgensen@nebraska.gov As the species account on the Birds of Nebraska – Online states, Redheads have been uncommon, albeit casual, summer visitors away from their Nebraska breeding range in the Sandhills. This species has also bred a handful of times in the Rainwater Basin (RWB) in south-central Nebraska. Thus, […]
Magpie map revision – tracking the decline
By Joel Jorgensen | joel.jorgensen@nebraska.gov | 21 December 2018 The Birds of Nebraska – Online has been up and running for nearly ten months. Even though little has changed for what we know about most species, new information for a small number of birds is providing an impetus to update and revise a few species […]
Harlan County Christmas Bird Count Recap
By Joel Jorgensen | joel.jorgensen@nebraska.gov | 21 December 2018 The 11th Harlan County Christmas Bird Count (CBC) took place on 14 December 2018. Weather was excellent with a high around 43 degrees and a low of 19 degrees. Skies were clear and winds were light all day. Thirteen observers recorded a total of 94 species, […]