113th CBC North Dakota/South Dakota/Nebraska/Kansas/Oklahoma Regional Summary

By Sebastian T. Patti

This was a mild, relatively dry CBC season in the middle west.  That was good news for the northern Great Plains states where counts were conducted in "balmy," snow-free conditions with open water and good access, but bad news in the southern plains where severe drought conditions continue unabated.  Unfortunately, in parts of Kansas and Oklahoma, this has now transitioned to "extreme" drought conditions in some areas.  This was one of the best finch years in recent memory, and the Midwest experienced one of the most significant irruptions of redpolls (BOTH species) ever, with some states recording Hoary Redpoll for the first time.  

North Dakotans completed and submitted 19 counts this year with both Fargo-Moorhead and Garrison Dam recording 67 species on count day to tie for first place, and Grand Forks-East Grand Forks counters tallying 62 species for second place in the high species count contest.   There were Snowy Owls again this year, with 10 counts reporting the species on count day/count week.  The high count day number of seven birds on J. Clark Salyer N.W.R. wasrelatively impressive.  With the milder temperatures this winter, the state enjoyed more open water than usual and a greater variety of waterfowl lingered later than usual in the season as a result;  Fargo alone reported an impressive 13 species of waterfowl.  Statewide, some of the more interesting finds included Long-tailed Duck (2 birds) and Western Grebe (2) at Garrison Dam, while Grand Forks also hosted a Western Grebe, and counters there also found American Black Duck and Double-crested Cormorant; Fargo also reported the increasingly-difficult-to-find American Black Duck.  Fargo birders also reported a late Gray Catbird.  Bohemian Waxwings staged a moderately impressive invasion in North Dakota with individuals reported from 11 counts this season: Bismarck-Mandan, Denbigh, Des Lacs N.W.R., Fargo, Garrison Dam, Grand Forks, Icelandic SP, J. Clark Salyer N.W.R., Minot, Theodore Roosevelt N.P., and Upper Souris N.W.R.  (Cedars were recorded on 12 of 19 counts statewide).  

Now about those finches?   Pine Grosbeaks were noted in numbers not seen since the 1980s/1990s and the species was tallied on six counts this year (Denbigh, Fargo, Grand Forks,  Icelandic S.P., J. Clark Salyer N.W.R., and Jamestown) while Purple Finches were located on 12.  Red Crossbills were reported from 10 counts while White-wingeds were spotted on 12; total individuals reported for each crossbill species exceeded 300 birds this year.   Oh, and there were some redpolls.  Commons were reported on all 19 of 19 counts submitted, while Hoaries were found on 16 of 19; only Hazen, J. Clark Salyer N.W.R., and Long Lake N.W.R. did not report Hoary Redpoll as a species this CBC season!  Oddly (possibly of some concern), the only report of Evening Grosbeak was the 5 birds from Grand Forks.

Birders completed 19 counts this past winter in South Dakota, with Pierre recording an all-time state high species count of 88 species on count day; Yankton counters also popped the octogenarian bubble with 82 species on count day.  As with North Dakota, the milder temps here resulted in impressive early winter waterfowl counts.  Lake Andes, Pierre, and Yankton all reported good numbers of lingering ducks that significantly bolstered their species totals;  Pierre alone reported 19 waterfowl species on count day.  Three Mute Swans (OU) were noted at Sioux Falls, while Pierre birders found a single Tundra Swan.  A White-winged Scoter was found at Yankton, while a count week Long-tailed Duck was noted at Lake Andes.  Lake Andes birders also found count week Sandhill Crane as well as CW Franklin, CW Mew, and CW Lesser Black-backed Gulls;  Yankton reported one Franklin's Gull on count day.  Snowy Owls numbers were not too impressive, but were noted as follows: Brookings (CW), Madison, Pierre, Sand Lake N.W.R. (2 birds), and Waubay N.W.R.   A single Gyrfalcon was reported this year on count day from Shadehill.  Elsewhere, Bohemian Waxwings were only sighted at Madison, Spearfish (CW) and Sturgis (500 birds), Yellow-headed Blackbirds were reported from Sand Lake N.W.R. and Sioux Falls, and the Marsh Wren at Rapid City and the Carolina Wren from Sioux Falls were nice finds.   Piedmont, Rapid City, Spearfish, and Sturgis all reported their local "specialty" species.  Finally, here's a review of the finches recorded in South Dakota this past season.  A nice flock of Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches was seen on count day at Rapid City, while Purple Finches were noted on recorded on 11 of 19 counts, and Red Crossbills were found at Brookings, Pierre, and Shadehill, and White-wingeds were seen at Huron, Pierre (CW), and Yankton (CW).  Common Redpolls were recorded on all South Dakota counts and Hoaries were noted at Aberdeen, Pierre, and Sturgis (CW) while Evening Grosbeaks were found at Piedmont, Spearfish and Sturgis. 

Nebraska CBCers completed 12 counts this past winter with Lake McConaughy ticking 111 species on count day to take first place in the number of count day species and Lincoln and Omaha recording 79 and 75 species respectively.  Lake McConaughy observers had a good selection of waterfowl (including the state's only Long-tailed Duck) as well as five grebe and seven gull species.  Trumpeter Swans are recorded almost every year now in Nebraska and this year the species was noted at Calamus-Loup and Lake McConaughy.  Purple Finches were found on the Ames count and at Branched Oak-Seward, Lake McConaughy, Lincoln, Norfolk (CW), Ponca S.P., and Scottsbluff.  Scottsbluff also recorded Steller's Jay and Mountain Chickadee, but the Bewick's Wren at a feeder was a special treat.  Only Red Crossbills were seen this past count season in Nebraska, and the species was spotted at Lincoln, North Platte, and Scottsbluff (CW).  Common Redpolls only made it this year as far south as Calamus-Loup Crawford, Lake McConaughy, and Ponca S.P.

Kansans ran 23 counts this year, and with the elimination of the participation fee, a number of former counts were reactivated.  I encourage all compilers to submit their results to NAS; there's simply no reason not to!  Both Udall-Winfield and Topeka broke the century mark with 105 and 101 species respectively, but Wilson Reservoir took top species' honors with 106.  A statewide survey confirms that some good birds were found this year, but the Red-necked Grebe on Wilson Reservoir, the Western Screech-Owl on Cimarron N.G., and a Rufous Hummingbird at Topeka were probably the best.  The cooperative Snow Bunting that stayed some time at Quivira N.W.R. wasn't half-bad, either.  Other interesting species included Trumpeter Swans at Baldwin, Oskaloosa-Perry Lake, Parsons, Salina (CW), Topeka (CW), and Wilson Reservoir, with Tundra Swan at Wilson Reservoir, as well.  Wilson counters also had CW White-winged Scoter and the state's only Long-tailed Duck; for good measure they also found seven Western and one Clark's grebe.  The Black-crowned Night-Heron at Halsted-Newton, the Sora at Wilson Reservoir, the Greater Yellowlegs at both Parson and Udall-Winfield, the Least Sandpipers (7 birds) at Lawrence, Greater Roadrunner at Red Hills, Sedge Wren at Manhattan and Quivira N.W.R. (CW), the three Common Ravens at Cimarron N.G., and the Common Yellowthroat at Wilson rounded out some of the "better" finds this past season.  Finally, finches across Kansas were noted as follows:  Purple Finches were found on 11 of 23 counts and Red Crossbills were seen at Arkansas City (CW), Halsted-Newton, Manhattan (CW), and Udall-Winfield while Common Redpolls were seen at Lawrence (CW), Salina (CW), Topeka, and Udall-Winfield.

Oklahoma CBCers ran and submitted 18 counts this season with eight topping 100 species recorded,  but Tishomingo N.W.R bested the competition with a whopping 127 species seen on count day.  The real rarities of the count this year included a male Painted Bunting (CW with photo) attending a feeder at Norman, the Red-throated Loon at Oklahoma City, and the Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks (CW) at Tulsa.   Other "goodies" included Broken Bow's Spotted Sandpiper;  Kenton's Sage Thrasher and Cassin's Finch;  Norman's Red Crossbills;  Oklahoma City's American Avocet and American Woodcock; Salt Plains' Sandhill Cranes (over 26,000 birds!) and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher;  Tishomingo's Sora and 10 wader species including Semipalmated Plover, American Avocet, Western Sandpiper (51 individuals), Dunlin, Long-billed Dowitcher,and  American Woodcock all with excellent details; and Tulsa's Solitary Sandpiper (marginal details only) and American Woodcock.  If these wader species are any indication of the mild nature of this early winter period, consider also that Greater Yellowlegs were reported on 10 counts this year (over 100 individuals, statewide) Lesser Yellowlegs on two, and Least Sandpipers were noted on eight of 18 counts with over 700 birds statewide!  Speaking of water birds, Forster's Terns were recorded at Broken Bow (CW), Ft. Gibson Reservoir, Oklahoma City, Sequoyah, and Tishomingo N.W.R., and some of the more interesting gulls were the two Californias and one Lesser Black-backed at Sooner Lake, the CW Lesser Black-backed at Oklahoma City, and the Glaucous at Stillwater.  Finally, Purple Finches were located on only nine counts this year with a paltry 26 birds tallied on the actual count day.  

As a final matter, let me thank all the count compilers who carefully check and verify all sightings reported; your efforts ensure that the high quality of the CBC data is maintained and that my job of regional editor is made all the more easy.  Thanks.