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/768942
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2017 • NEBRASKAland 75 JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA JA J NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NU NUAR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR ARY- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FEBR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BRUA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UA UARY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY RY 201 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 017 • NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NEBR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BR BRAS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS AS A KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KA KAla la la la la la la la la la la la land nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd nd 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 Canada to hunt the prairies along with other resident raptors. It's also a good time to see Harris' sparrows and pine siskins – the only time they visit this far south, according to Jorgensen. Jorgensen suggests frequenting parks that feed birds during the winter, such as Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area, near Gering. About 85 million Americans participate in birdwatching, according to the most recent National Survey on Recreation and the Environment by the USDA's Forest Service. And the sport, whether active or passive, is growing thanks to technological advances in communication and photography. When Klaphake started getting serious about birding more than 35 years ago, the only way to find out if rare birds were spotted was by word or mouth or by calling the Bird Line. "We could call once a week and listen to a recorded message about rare birds in the area. But it meant the sighting could have been five days earlier and it was probably long gone by the time you made the call," Klaphake said. Now birders can log in to sites such as Ebird.org and explore reports throughout the day to plan trips armed with affordable digital cameras and long lenses. Or those wanting to be notified about bird sightings in the state can subscribe to Nebirds. org, a public group of more than 1,200 Nebraska birders that offers notifications by email when a rare bird is observed. There is also a public Facebook group called Birding Nebraska in which Jorgensen, Klaphake and many birders, from novice to experienced, are members. Photos are shared and assistance is given to birders looking for help with species identification. Klaphake also enjoys joining friends at their homes to watch feeders, drinking coffee and hot cider and plan trips in the coming months. His best advice for the winter months: "If you don't go out and look, you're not going to see anything." ■ Mark E. Davis is a native Nebraskan who studied journalism at the University of Nebraska and is a novice, but devoted, birder. A pine siskin feeds on black oil sunflower seeds at a feeder. Winter is your best chance to see pine siskin, which migrate to the Midwest during the winter months. Three trumpeter swans glide through the water at sunset at Levi Carter Park in Omaha on Jan. 6, 2013. At this time of year, waterfowl flock to open water as they migrate through the area. Many Canada geese are year- round residents of Nebraska – many more migrate south to the state to take advantage of open water. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OMAHA WORLD-HERALD