()2 NEBRASKA ORXITHOLOGISTS' UNION 



there was that of the Bobolink, of which there were hundreds in the 

 valley and these were continually in the air singing, as were also the 

 lark buntings; but time is short and precious. 



The above was the condition of bird life in that region seventeen, or 

 even sixteen, 3^ears ago. Last summer, as luck would have it, I had the 

 opportunity to spend a fe^v Aveeks at just about the same time of year 

 ill the region that 1 had visited in the early eighties, and had the 

 opportimity to mark and note the difference in the bird life during- 

 the two periods. Starting from a little town not far from Xeligh and 

 driving over practically the same ground as on the former occasion, I 

 saw three pairs of the Bartram's Sandpiper, no prairie chickens and 

 no sharp-tailed grouse. Two or three little blue-winged teal and a 

 few sparrows were also noted, but these were all that remained of 

 the former formidable list of these l)usy-wing'ed, happy creatures in 

 a drive of a day and a half, while covering a stretch of sixty miles of 

 terri1or_\'. On arriving at the ranch or tree claim referred to above 

 we found a slight improvement in affairs. A few Bartram's sandpipers 

 still remained, as did also several pairs of the black terns. The 

 Meadow-lark was fairly abundant, but not nearly so numerous as it 

 had been on the former occasion. During this latter trip there were 

 seen three or four pairs of Wilson's phalaropes, some yellow-legs, and 

 one other sandpiper besides the Bartram's. Onl^y the Cowbird, Dick- 

 cissel, Lai"k Sparrow, and Lark Bunting seemed abovit as numerous 

 as formerly. Then, too, there ^vere noticed a few kinds of other birds 

 that have been brought into the coimtry on accoimt of the attractions 

 offered by the trees which now grow there. Formerly we had no 

 trees, perhaps within twenty' mileh-, to invite even so common a bird 

 as the Brown Thrasher. In noting the.c' i^ew birds for the region 

 we had to record the Bronzed Grackle, Flicker, lL;l-^.eaded Woodjiecker, 

 Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Phopbe, Yellow 

 Warbler, a vireo. Blue-bird, I'lue Jay, Barn Swallow, Goldfinch, and 

 Lazidi Bunting. All these had come into the region and established 

 themselves in the artificial groves. The Quail, or Bob-white, I was 

 pleased to know had penetrated to the region and found a home in 

 the groves where they are protected. I also visited the region a little 

 later this last summer than T had on any former occasion. During 

 this last visit I found birds of migration such as Say's Phoebe. 

 Arkansas Kingbird, Purple jNIartin. Pinon Jay. etc. These also in 

 passing south to the Platte Eiver make this point a resting- place for 

 a few days. The trees which they find here on these tree claims seem 

 to them as an oasis in the desert does to the du-sty and sand-begrimed 

 traveler in the Sahara. They are isolated tracts of timber and the 

 closest neighbors a number of miles away. These groves of trees, as 

 yet small, seem to invite the passing birds and make the locality a 

 magnificent place in which to study bird life. 



It is hoped that this brief and hurriedly prepared paper shows to 



