SOUTHERN GREAT PLAINS 
An irregular but apparently increasing post-breeding visitor to the western edge of the Southern Great 
Plains region, this Calliope Hummingbird was in Kenton, Cimarron County, Oklahoma 30 August 2008. 
Photograph by Steve Metz. 
mingbirds were reported 
from w. Nebraska and w. 
Kansas 16 Jul-11 Sep {fide 
WRS, fide LM), with one 
likely Rufous in Cimarron, 
OK (TM). Easterly was a Ru- 
fous in Otoe, NE 14 Sep 
(L&CF). A Lewis’s Wood- 
pecker in Cherry, NE 18-20 
Sep (GJ) was a surprise. An 
ad. Red-bellied Woodpecker 
was feeding 2 young in Cow- 
ley, KS 8 Sep, rather late 
(MT). The 8th Nebraska fall 
record of Red-naped Sap- 
sucker was of one banded in 
Scotts Bluff 24 Sep (NG). 
The 50 Western Wood-Pe- 
wees estimated in Sioux 30 
Aug (KD) was exceptional. 
Probably not representative of their occur- 
rence, the only Yellow-bellied Flycatchers re- 
ported were singles in Cleveland, OK 7 Sep 
QAG), Douglas, KS 20 Sep (MA), and Nemaha, 
NE 5-6 Oct (TR), the Oct bird quite tardy. A 
Least Flycatcher in Merrick, NE 3 Nov (PD) 
was exceptionally late. Among rarer Empidon- 
ax for the Region were Hammond’s Flycatch- 
ers in Cheyenne, NE 26 Aug QGJ) and 2 in 
Sioux, NE 2 Sep (WRS), single Dusky Fly- 
catchers in Scotts Bluff, NE 2 Sep (WRS) and 
Morton, KS 11 Sep (MR, KB, BG), and single 
Cordilleran Flycatchers in Sioux, NE 30 Aug 
(KD) and 2 Sep (tWRS), Scotts Bluff, NE 5 Sep 
(KD), and Morton, KS 11 Sep (MR, KB, BG). A 
tardy Empidonax in Scotts Bluff, NE 10 Oct was 
captured and identihed as Cordilleran/Pacific- 
slope (NG). Peak fall flocking of Cassin’s 
Kingbird in w. Nebraska was depicted by 52 
noted 26 Aug OGJ); singles on the edge of 
their Plains range were in Banner, NE 21 Sep 
QGJ), in Cherry, NE (somewhat extralimital) 
16 Aug (MB), in Morton, KS 20 Sep (MG et 
al.), plus 2 in Morton 25 Sep (SP). An incredi- 
ble 5000 Eastern Kingbirds were concentrated 
at Red Slough 3 Sep (DA), with Gustav! 
Northern Shrikes were widespread in 
Kansas, with at least 8 reported (fide LM), the 
earliest in Pawnee 22 Oct (SS). Two vireos in 
the Solitary Vireos group were banded in Scotts 
Bluff, NE 10 & 26 Sep (ph. NG) and identihed 
as Cassin’s. Other Cassin’s Vireos included one 
in Kimball, NE 31 Aug (MB, DSt), 2 in Morton, 
KS 20 Sep (MG et al.), and one easterly in 
Dawson, NE 30 Aug (MB, DSt). Migrant 
Plumbeous Vireos were in Kimball, NE 31 Aug 
(MB, DSt) and Morton, KS 11 Sep (MR, KB, 
BG). A Blue-headed Vireo in Tulsa, OK 21 Nov 
(BC) was late, as was a Yellow-throated Vireo 
there 21 Oct QL et al). Seven Philadelphia 
Vireos were reported in e. portions of the Re- 
gion 6 Sep-5 Oct (fide WRS); westerly was one 
at Salt Plains 18 Sep QWA, SM). Two Pinyon 
Jays in Meade, KS 9 Sep (TF, one b.) were un- 
expectedly westerly. Black-billed Magpie has 
become spotty in its distribution in the Region, 
so 70 in Saline, KS 2 Aug (KF) were a welcome 
sight. Recent years have seen increased reports 
of Common Raven in the Cimarron Valley in 
sw. Kansas; 2 were in Morton 26 Sep (MT, CH). 
Purple Martins form large aggregations prior 
to fall migration, but 35,000 in midtown Om- 
aha 2 Sep QR, JED) and 25,000 birds in Wi- 
chita, KS 10 Aug (KG) are still outstanding 
counts. A Northern Rough-winged Swallow at 
Red Slough 19 Nov (DA) was quite late. Large 
numbers of Cliff Swallows, possibly 1000 or 
more, were found dead at Monument Rocks, 
Gove, KS in early Aug (CS); it seems likely that 
because the nests were not destroyed, the birds 
were killed by a lightning strike while shelter- 
ing on the wet rocks, rather than by hail. The 
only report of Mountain Chickadee was of one 
in Scotts Bluff 15 Nov (R&AB, Jidc AK). Pygmy 
Nuthatches strayed to Lancaster, NE 1-4 Nov 
(ph.JGJ, LE). 
A Rock Wren wandering eastward was at- 
tracted to the rock habitat of L. Hefner dam 2 
Oct (PV), Carolina Wrens are expanding 
northwestward in Nebraska to Dixon (MB), 
Polk (WF), York (MB), and Harlan (KS); one 
was incubating as late as 27 Aug in Sarpy 
(KCR), and ads. were feeding nestlings 26 
Aug in Cass (KSc). Westerly were 1-2 Sedge 
Wrens singing in “diverse wet meadow grass- 
land” in Lincoln, NE 6 Aug (TJW) and one in 
Stanton, KS 12 Sep (PJ, KG). An early Marsh 
Wren was at Red Slough 19 Aug (DA). 
THRUSHES THROUGH FINCHES 
An exciting find was a Western Bluebird in 
Morton, KS 26 Sep (SP, MT, CH); the species 
is surprisingly rare in the 
Region, though not far e. of 
their range. A Swainson’s 
Thrush, rare in fall and in 
the Panhandle, was found in 
Cimarron, OK 31 Aug (TM); 
one in Tulsa 21 Oct QL et 
al.) was tardy. Single Varied 
Thrushes were in Otoe, NE 
24 Sep (L&CF), Sheridan, 
NE 21 Oct (ML), and Keith, 
NE 26 Nov+ (ph. TSi). A 
rather late Gray Catbird nest 
with three eggs and a cow- 
bird egg was in Dixon, NE 8 
Aug OJ)- Sage Thrashers 
wandered eastward to Grant, 
KS 7 Sep (KH) and Stanton, 
KS 12 Sep (2 birds; PJ, KG). 
Curve-billed Thrashers in 
Lane, KS 16 Aug (PJ, KG, CVB) and Stanton, 
KS 12 Sep (PJ, KG) were ne. of the expected 
Regional range. Peculiarly early was an Amer- 
ican Pipit in Polk, NE 17 Aug (LR, RH). A 
wandering Bohemian Waxwing in Scott, KS 7 
Nov (MG, ML, JK) was anomalous. A report 
of 2 Cedar Waxwings in Payne, OK 8 Aug 
(PVE) suggests potential for local breeding. 
Golden-winged Warbler made a good show- 
ing this fall, with 11 reports (three in Nebras- 
ka, four each in Kansas and Oklahoma) total- 
ing 14 birds 6 Sep-4 Oct (fide WRS, fide LM, 
Jidc JL); this is a rare fall migrant in all three 
states. A Brewster’s Warbler was an exception- 
al Hnd in Seward, NE 13 Sep (tJG, SR). 
Nashville Warblers were common this season, 
the earliest appearing in Sarpy 18 Aug (CNK). 
Northern Parulas in Sarpy, NE 27 Sep (RSc, 
WF, LE) and Tulsa, OK 1 Nov (BC) were rather 
late; another was westerly in Comanche, OK 13 
Sep (K&SM). Chestnut-sided Warblers, rare 
during fall, were located w. to Haskell, KS 12 
Sep (PJ, KG) and Tulsa, OK 7 (TM) & 19 Sep 
(BC). Also westerly were a Magnolia Warbler 
in Morton, KS 24 Sep (SP) and a Black-throat- 
ed Green Warbler in Haskell, KS 12 Sep (PJ, 
KG). Surprisingly few Townsend’s Warblers 
were reported; one in Kimball, NE 1 Sep 
(WRS) and 2 banded in Scotts Bluff, NE 8 & 27 
Sep (NG). A Blackburnian Warbler was very 
unexpected in Scotts Bluff, NE 13 Sep (ph. 
NG). Rarely noticed in fall, single Yellow- 
throated Warblers were in Sarpy, NE 9 (ARy) 
& 26 Sep (L&BP). Among other westerly war- 
blers was a Pine Warbler in Scotts Bluff, NE 25 
Sep (ph. NG), with another in Lancaster, NE 1 
Nov (CG, JGJ, ph.), 2 Palm Warblers in Scotts 
Bluff, NE 6 Nov (RSm), and up to 2 Prothono- 
tary Warblers in Comanche, OK 9 Aug and 9 
Sep (K&SM). Tardy was a Palm Warbler in Mc- 
Curtain, OK 21-22 Oct (DA). A rather early 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 1 
115 
