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Birdlife in the forgotten corner of Nebraska

Joel Jorgensen June 22, 2013 4 Comments

Late this past week I was fortunate to spend a little bit of time in Dundy and Chase Counties in the southwest corner of the state.  This is a terrific part of Nebraska.  Technically, it is not a forgotten corner, I am merely lamenting that I do not visit this area as much as I would like.   I enjoyed seeing this area again and on the longest day of the year no less.  More to the point, I enjoyed experiencing the local birdlife.  Below, a few highlight photos.

Sandsage prairie with the yuccas in full splendor on the Chase - Dundy County Line
How can you not be impressed with the stare of this diminutive, albeit feisty, Burrowing Owl? I was fortunate to see several.
I found three Mississippi Kites at 10th and Court Streets in Imperial. This bird is sunning itself in the morning. This species appears to be finally expanding its range in southwest Nebraska beyond Ogallala. I could never grow tired of seeing this raptor.
Cassin's Sparrow are a sandsage prairie speciality. This Southwest species' range barely bleeds into Nebraska. What they lack in appearance they make up with their song.
Purple Martins are about as far west as they get in Nebraska in Benkelman. They are helped by humans that put up martin nest boxes. This was indeed Purple Martin place.

About Joel Jorgensen

Joel Jorgensen is a Nebraska native and he has been interested in birds just about as long as he has been breathing. He has been NGPC’s Nongame Bird Program Manager for eight years and he works on a array of monitoring, research, regulatory and conservation issues. Nongame birds are the 400 or so species that are not hunted and include the Whooping Crane, Least Tern, Piping Plover, Bald Eagle, and Peregrine Falcon. When not working, he enjoys birding.

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