NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/1349053
106 Nebraskaland • April 2021 M uch of the reason Nebraska claims a large diversity of birds is because the state harbors both eastern and western habitats. One of the best places to see and hear western species is at Fort Robinson State Park in the northwestern corner of the state. The park's 22,000 acres hosts a wonderful diversity of habitats and allows numerous opportunities to get off the beaten path. Among the habitats are riparian woodlands that give way to sprawling prairie slopes, eventually transitioning to pine-covered escarpments. In addition, marshes and open water at Carter P. Johnson Lake and park-like habitats around the fort itself add spice for avian inhabitants. While some species are ubiquitous throughout the park, each habitat holds its own suite of specialty birds. Early summer is a great time to visit and go birding in the park. Imagine yourself waking up at Red Cloud campground early on a June morning to the chatter of western kingbirds and the liquid whistled songs of Bullock's orioles. After a quick breakfast and a cup of coffee, you take a casual hike in the woods along the White River to catch glimpses of lazuli buntings and northern flickers. Aft er another cup of coffee, a drive on gravel roads north of the fort through prairies yields dozens of western meado wlarks. Pulling over on the side of the road and turning off the engine is a smart move, as it allows you to hear their morning chorus, the same one that greeted soldiers during the early days of the fort. Grasshopper sparrows are equally vocal, but the ir insect-like song and skulking nature allow them to go easily unnoticed. In the thickets around Carter P. Johnson Lake, yellow warblers sing loudly while brown thrashers lurk in the shrubbery. F arther up the road on fence posts where prairie transitions to ponderosa pines, a pair of mountain bluebirds stuns the e ye with their elegant sky blue color. Moving into the pines, the strident "kip- kip-kip" of red crossbills gives away their pr esence, and tracking them down to catch a glimpse is worth the effort. The foray to find the crossbill also yields pygmy and red-breasted nuthatches, as well as a vi vidly beautiful western tanager. After returning to the fort, a drive up Smiley Canyon in areas where ponderosa pine forest was decimated by fire years ago may have you fretting that this area will be devoid of birds. However, the remaining ponderosa trunks and snags are home to a number of species, especially cavity nesters such as red-headed woodpeckers and Amer ican kestrels. Back at Fort Robinson proper after evening chow, a stroll around the grounds finds a raucous family group of black- billed magpies flying overhead and a Say's phoebe hanging out around the horse corr al. Birds are certainly around during other times of year, especially fall when migrants like Swainson's thrushes can be f ound in wooded areas and an osprey may pop into Carter P. Johnson Lake for a trout dinner. Whenever you are there, Fort Robinson is the place to be for a prime birding experience. N Birding at the Fort By Joel Jorgensen, Nongame Bird Program Manager Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Photos by Justin Haag