WHAT DO 
INDOOR 
CATS MISS? 
^ Killing birds 
^ Getting lost 
^ Getting stolen 
^ Getting hit by a car 
Fatal feline diseases 
^ Dog attacks 
^ Abscesses 
^ Worms 
^ Fleas 
Ticks 
Protect cats, birds, 
and other wildlife by 
keeping cats indoors! 
For more information, contact: 
American Bird Conservancy 
Cats Indoors! 
1731 (iionnccticut Avenue, NW 
Washington, DC 20009 
Phone: 202-234-7181 
Fax: 202-234-7182 
Web: www.abcbirds.org 
1 Cmail: abc@abcbirels.org 
/, AMERICAN BIRD 
I CONSERVANCY 
SOUTHERN GREAT PLAINS 
Northern Waterthrush was in Tulsa, OK 14 
Aug (TM). The only Hooded Warbler reported 
was in Johnson, KS 9 Sep (NA). Canada War- 
bler reports included 6 from e. Nebraska (fide 
WRS), 8 in e. Kansas (fide LM), including a tal- 
ly of 4 from Sedgwick 4 Sep (BA), and a west- 
erly bird in Comanche, OK 9 Sep (K&SM). 
A Western Tanager banded in Scotts Bluff, 
NE 1 Oct (NG) was rather late. The only re- 
port of Green-tailed Towhee, rare to casual in 
fall in the Region, was of one in Kimball, NE 
26 Aug OGJ). West of the usual summer 
range in Nebraska was an Eastern Towhee in 
Polk 17 Aug (LR, RH). Late Spizella sparrows 
included 2 drippings in Douglas, NE 13 Nov 
QR) and one in Lancaster, NE 14 Nov (LE), 3 
Clay-coloreds in Dixon, NE 9 Nov (JJ), and 4 
Brewer’s in Grant, KS 1 Nov (KH, SG). Con- 
tinuing the late sparrow theme were single 
Lark Sparrows in Otoe 4 Nov (L&CF) and 
Cleveland, OK 20 Oct (RG). Rarely detected 
in the Region, though probably a regular mi- 
grant, is Baird’s Sparrow; there were two re- 
ports, one adequately described in Red Wil- 
low, NE 9 Oct (TJW) and one in Pawnee, KS 
29 Sep (SS). Sadly, Henslow’s Sparrows were 
gone from a prairie in Pawnee, NE checked 19 
Aug, where 31 birds had been present on the 
same date in 2007; it had been grazed through 
the previous winter (WRS). Rare westward, 2 
Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrows in Antelope, 
NE 1-2 Oct provided a first county record 
(MB); there were eight other Nebraska reports 
27 Sef)-28 Oct, the latest being of 2 in Lan- 
caster (WF). Reports of Nelson’s elsewhere 
were of 3 in Douglas, KS 14 Oct (MG, AM, 
TSw) and 1-2 at Red Slough 26 Oct-4 Nov 
(DA). McCown’s Longspurs begin pre-migra- 
tory flocking in Sep; 20 were Sioux, NE 18 Sep 
(HKH). There were more sightings of Snow 
Buntings in Nebraska than usual before 30 
Nov, a taste of the flight that would develop in 
winter. One in Dodge, NE 28 Oct (D&JP) tied 
the 4th earliest date on record for Nebraska. 
A begging juv. Northern Cardinal in Sarpy, 
NE 5 Oct (CNK) indicated late nesting. A juv. 
Blue Grosbeak in Custer, NE 2 Oct (TH), a 
Lazuli Bunting in Morton, KS 24 Sep (SP), 
and a Dickcissel in Washington, OK 30 Oct 
(M&MP) were all late. A surprise find of 80- 
100 Bobolinks, a species often inconspicuous 
in fall, was made in Adams, NE 6 Sep (PD), 
The latest Bullock’s Oriole on record for Ne- 
braska was an imm. in Scotts Bluff 25 Sep (ph. 
KD), while a tardy Baltimore was in Tulsa, 
OK 14 Oct Ob. BS, JCr). Red Crossbill re- 
ports from e. Nebraska included up to 12 in 
Omaha 28 Oct-24 Nov (JR) and 22 in Lin- 
coln 28 Oct (LE), with a single in Edwards, 
KS 28 Nov (MR) and 4 in McPherson, KS 30 
Nov OMi)- Lesser Goldfinches may be estab- 
lishing a foothold in the s. Nebraska Panhan- 
dle, with six reports totaling at least 17 birds 
this fall: 6 were in Carter Canyon, Scotts Bluff 
26 Aug (black-backed male, 2 green-backed 
males, and 3 females; JGJ), and 6 were at 
three other Scotts Bluff locations 20 Sep (KD). 
Another was in Johnson, OK 20 Aug (BiA), 
where unusual. A rather late American 
Goldfinch nest with three eggs and a cowbird 
egg was in Lancaster, NE 16 Aug (KC), un- 
usually late for the cowbird. 
Cited observers (area editors in boldface): 
NEBRASKA: Ray & Ann Boice, Mark Brogie, 
K. Carnes, Kathleen Crawford-Rose, Matthew 
Cvetas, Kathy DeLara, Stephen J. Dinsmore, 
Jeff Drahota, James E. Ducey, Paul Dunbar, 
Larry Einemann, Laurence & Carol Falk, 
■William Flack, Nancy Gobris, Carlos Grande, 
Joe Gubanyi, Tim Hajda, John W. Hall, Robin 
Harding, Glen 6ar Wanda Hoge, Helen K. 
Hughson, Jan Johnson, Gerry Jorgensen, Joel 
G. Jorgensen, Alice Kenitz, Clem N. 
Klaphake, Dan Leger, Mike Lesnik, Loren & 
Babs Padelford, Don & Jan Paseka, Larry Ran- 
dolph, Sarah Rehme, Allen Reyer (ARy), 
Justin Rink, Tommie Rogers, Rick Schmid 
(RSc), Kathy Schwery (KSc), W. Ross Sil- 
cock, Tina Simeon (TSi), Kent Skaggs, Ty 
Smedes (TSm), Rod Smith (RSm), Dave Stage 
(DSt), Tom Stehn, Phil Swanson, T. J. Walker. 
KANSAS: Henry Armknecht, Brian Addis, Nic 
Allen, Mike Anderson, Ken Brunson, Sidra 
Blake, Mike Blair (MBl), Jeff Calhoun, Mark 
& Elaine Corder, Gregg Friesen, Tom Flow- 
ers, Kat Farres, Bob Gress, Kevin Groeneweg, 
Matt Gearheart, Sam Guy, Tyler Hicks (THi), 
Kellye Hart, Chris Hobbs, Pete Janzen, Kansas 
Ornithological Society, Jon King, Dan Larson 
(DLa), Mark Land, Aaron Mitchell, Jim Miller 
(JMi), Lloyd Moore, Sebastian Patti, Leland 
Queal, Mike Rader, Scott Seltman, Diane Selt- 
man, Steven Seltman (SSe), Terry Swope 
(TSw), Carolyn Schwab, Max Thompson, Wi- 
chita Audubon Society, Curt Van Boeing, 
Gene Young. OKLAHOMA: Bill Adams (BiA), 
Dave Arbour, James W. Arterburn, Bill Car- 
rell, Jane Cramton QCr), Melinda Droege, Vic 
Fazio, Max Fuller, Joseph A. Grzybowski, 
Richard Gunn, Berlin Heck, Jo Loyd, Jeri 
McMahon, Terry Mitchell (TMi), Kurt & 
Sharon Meisenzahl, Steve Metz, Mark & Mary 
Peterson, Elaine Penning, Dan Robinson, 
Brandon Scott, Ron Sheppard, Jim Thayer, 
Lou & Mary Truex, Paul Van Els, Pat Velte, 
Jim Winner, Don Wolfe. O 
Joseph A. firiybowski, 715 Elmwood Drive 
Norman, Oklahoma 72072, (j_grzybowski@sbcglobal.net) 
W. Ross Silcock, P. 0. Box 57 
Tabor, Iowa 51653, (silcock@rosssilcock.com) 
116 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
