SOUTHERN GREAT PLAINS 
Exceptionally out of range was this Common Ground-Doye in Boise City, Cimarron Coun- 
ty, Oklahoma 14 October 2008. Photograph by Dan Robinson. 
Sep {fide AK), and Morton. KS 23 Sep (SP). A 
Ferruginous Hawk in Adams, NE 15 Sep 
(WF) was easterly. A Golden Eagle wandered 
southeastward to the edge of the Region at 
Red Slough 25 Nov (DA). Merlins in Dawes 
and Sioitx, NE 17-18 Aug (MB) may have 
been rare local breeders. A Prairie Falcon in 
Cedar, NE 9 Nov (L&BP) was farther e. than 
usual, as were singles in Knox, NE 18 Oct and 
8 Nov (MB). A juv. Peregrine Falcon in 
Adams, NE 4 Aug (PD) was early. 
Compared with recent years, only a meager 
number of Yellow Rails were found at Red 
Slough this fall: one on 14 Oct and 4 on 26 
Oct (DA et ah). A Virginia Rail with downy 
chicks in York, NE 30 Aug-7 Sep QG, JGJ) 
provided only the 3rd confirmed breeding 
record for the Rainwater Basin; one at Hack- 
berry 30 Aug (VF) was somewhat early — if 
anyone can really tell. Late departures at Red 
Slough included Purple Gallinule through 16 
Sep (BH) and Common Moorhen through at 
least 25 Nov (DA). Whooping Cranes marked 
their usual passage, but with some e. to Thay- 
er, NE 31 Oct QGJ; 2 birds), Johnson, NE 27 
Oct QGJ; 2 birds), and Washington, OK 16 
Nov (DW); one lingered in Harlan, NE from 
15 Oct until 5 Dec (fide IS). 
Some 420 American Golden-Plovers in 
York, NE 3 Oct QD) were overshadowed by the 
8000 Goldens at Salt Plains 29 Sep and 3000 
still there 11 Oct QWA, RS, SM); Black-bellied 
Plovers at the latter location numbered 2000 
and 300 on the aforementioned dates, respec- 
tively. Black-necked Stilts appear to be doing 
well in w. portions of the Region, with strag- 
glers appearing e. to Muskogee, OK 14 Aug (2 
birds; JW,JM) and Red Slough 31 Aug-16 Sep 
(up to 14 on 3 Sep; DA, 
BH et al). Among shore- 
birds remaining later and 
later. Spotted Sandpipers 
were noted at Lancaster, 
NE 1 Nov (]GJ, CG) and 
in Cherokee, OK 11 Nov 
(]W, JM). Five Lesser Yel- 
lowlegs at Hackberry 23 
Nov were also tardy 
(L&MT). Marbled God- 
wit reports came from 
Adams, NE — one 4 Aug 
(PD) and 2 on 15 Sep 
(WF) — and from Salt 
Plains 7 Aug (5 birds; 
JWA) and York, NE 20 Sep 
(one; JGJ). Very rare in 
fall, a Whimbrel was at 
Quivira 15 Aug (PJ, KG, 
CVB). Westerly was a 
Long-billed Curlew at Red 
Slough 3 Sep (DA). Re- 
ports of Ruddy Turnstones included singles in 
Sumner, KS 5 Aug (GY, MT, JC), in Lancaster, 
NE 6 Aug (LE), and at Salt Plains 29 Sep QWA, 
RS, SM). Red Knots were seen in Barber, KS 3 
Aug (2; PJ, GF, JC) and at Salt Plains 29 Sep 
(one; JWA, RS, SM). A good count for the Re- 
gion, 383 Sanderlings were at Salt Plains 5 Sep 
OWA). Quite tardy were the 3 Sanderlings in 
Knox, NE 15 Nov (MB), a Baird’s Sandpiper in 
Knox, NE 22-27 Nov (MB), and a Stilt Sand- 
piper 8 Nov at Hackberry and 3 there 23 Nov 
(L&MT). Buff-breasted Sandpipers appeared 
to pass through early (largely ads.), with most 
birds noted only through 6 Aug (fide LM). A 
meager 34 at Salt Plains 22 Aug QWA) may in- 
dicate poor nesting success. Two Red 
Phalaropes were reported, one (early) at Salt 
Plains 28 Aug (JWA, JT, SM), the other in Mor- 
ton, KS 24 Sep (SP). A far cry from last year. 
Red-necked Phalaropes were noted at Red 
Slough 3 Sep (2 birds during passage of Gus- 
tav, DA), in Stanton, KS 12 Sep (2; PJ, KG), in 
Adams, NE 15 Sep (one; WF), and at Quivira 
22 Sep (3; MG, ML, NA,JK). 
Two Parasitic Jaegers visited the Region 
this season, one a flyby juv. at Fort Niobrara 
N.W.R., Cherry, NE 10 Sep (tD&JP), the oth- 
er with Gustav at Red Slough 3 Sep (DA). Ex- 
cept for those noted during the passage of 
Gustav, fewer Sabine’s Gulls were found this 
season than usual: one in Cowley, KS 15 Sep 
(MT), 2 at Lancaster, NE 9 Oct (LE), and 2 at 
Cheyenne Bottoms 5 Nov (|K, MG, ML). The 
normal complement of Laughing Gulls in- 
cluded birds n. to Cheyenne Bottoms 9 Aug 
(SS) and Russell, KS 5 Oct (MA, KOS); up to 
10 were noted at Salt Plains 22 Aug (JWA, JT, 
SM). Still somewhat exceptional was a sec- 
ond-cycle Mew Gull in Harlan, NE 29 Nov ] 
(ph. PD). Among California Gull reports f 
away from McConaughy in Nebraska were I 
one (age not reported) in Lancaster, NE 10 i 
Nov (LE) and a first-cycle bird in the same j 
county 24 Nov OQ]), plus another first-cycle 
bird in Knox/Cedar, NE 27 Nov (MB). The 
best count of California Gulls at McConaughy [ 
was 19, all ads., on 4 Nov (SJD); only one was ( 
noted outside Nebraska, that a first-cycle bird 
in Kay, OK 26 Oct (JAG). Other odd large 
gulls were a first-cycle Thayer’s Gull in 
Knox/Cedar, NE 15 Nov (MB) and. Lesser 
Black-backed Gulls at McConaughy 20 Sep 
(JGJ) and in Harlan, NE 29 Nov (PD). An ex- 
cellent assemblage was the 156 Caspian Terns j 
in Douglas, KS 14 Sep (MA). Common Terns 
were noted from 9 Aug (Quivira; SS) through 
5 Oct (Russell, KS; MA, KOS), their normal 
window of occurrence. 
DOVES THROUGH WRENS 
White-winged Doves are now being reported I 
regularly n. to Nebraska (fide WRS); as many 
as 25 were counted in Morton, KS 11 Sep 
(MR, KB, BG). A “small flock” of Inca Doves 
in Haskell, KS 12 Sep (PJ, KG) was at the n. 
extreme of the currently expected Regional 
range. Way out there was a Common 
Ground-Dove located in Cimarron, OK 14 Oct 
(DR). Two reports of single Monk Parakeets 
in Omaha, NE during the season were of in- 
terest (fide WRS); breeding last occurred there 
in 1998. The only report of Black-billed : 
Cuckoo was of one in Lancaster, NE 10 Aug : 
(JGJ). Two ad. Barn Owls with 2 young in | 
Ellsworth, KS 29 Nov (MR) were right on time [ 
for breeding of this species in the Region. A [ 
Snowy Owl in Saunders, NE 20 Nov (fide ' 
TSm) presaged the winter flight. The Scotts- j 
bluff landfill, Scotts Bluff, NE continues to be ^ 
a good site for Burrowing Owl; 30 individu- 1 
als, 75% of them juvs., were there 3 Aug ,] 
(KD). A very late Burrowing Owl was in Reno, ! 
KS 25 Nov (LQ); easterly was a road-killed 
bird in Clay, NE 9 Aug QGJ). A Whip-poor- 
will at Red Slough 14 Oct (DA) was late. 
Several Ruby-throated Hummingbirds 
were carefully identified in the Nebraska Pan- I; 
handle: one in s. Sioux 22-23 Jul and 2 more 
there during Aug (HKH), plus a female in ' 
Scotts Bluff 11-12 Sep (KD). A Black-chinned 
Hummingbird was at a Morton, KS feeder 23 i 
Sep (SP). Calliope Hummingbird is now con- |j 
sidered regular in the w. Nebraska Panhandle ji 
and w. Kansas, with at least 10 individuals j 
noted 16Jul-ll Sep (fide WRS, fide LM); one j 
was in Cimarron, OK 30 Aug 2008 (SM). At ij 
least 5 Broad-tailed Hummingbirds passed ; 
through the Nebraska Panhandle 16 Jul-2 
Sep (fide WRS), and at least 13 Rufous Hum- | 
114 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
