SOUTHERN GREAT PLAINS 
These two juvenile Red Crossbills first appeared in early June 2009 at disparate locations in the Southern Great Plains region: at Fairmont, Fil- 
more County, Nebraska 3 June (left), and in Sedgwick County, Kansas 5 June. Photographs by Juanita Rice (left) and Billie and Tom McDavitt. 
The summer ranges of Western and East- 
ern Wood-Pewees meet in the Niobrara Val- 
ley, n. Nebraska, and, now, the North Platte 
Valley in s. Nebraska; a Western singing in se. 
Lincoln 6 Jul (TJW), and 5 at another location 
in Lincoln 10 Jul (TJW), were in locations 
where Easterns are fairly common. At least 
one Western Wood-Pewee was in Morton, far 
sw. Kansas 12 Jun (TC). Acadian Elycatcher 
continues to push northwestward, with re- 
ports to Sarpy, NE 30 Jun-2 Jul (L&BP, ph. 
PS), Lancaster, NE 28 May-12 Jul (EE), and 
as far n. as Knox, NE 10-22 Jul (MB), latter a 
first county record. Cordilleran Elycatchers 
continue their presence on the Pine Ridge, 
nw. Nebraska (CNK) and at the Wildcat Hills 
Nature Center, Scotts Bluff 10 Jun (PRo). A 
Say’s Phoebe with 6 fledglings in Logan, KS 21 
Jun (T&SS) was easterly. Ash-throated Ply- 
catchers pressing northward included 3 in 
Morton, KS, where possibly nesting, 12 Jun 
(TC) and one there 4 Jul QK et al), and as far 
n. as Kimball, NE 22Jun-5 Jul (one; WM, TH, 
WRS; ph.) and Scotts Bluff, NE 12 Jul (KD). 
Continuing the species’ northward push 
was a White-eyed Vireo in Knox, NE 28-29 Jul 
(MB, D&JP). Yellow-throated Vireos pushing 
the w. envelope included singles at the Salt 
Plains 16 Jun QAG, JWA, MGr) and in Knox, 
NE 22 Jul (MB). An apparent spring carryover 
was a Fish Crow present on the Platte R. in 
Sarpy/Cass, NE 24 Jun QGJ). The Purple Mar- 
tins roosting in Omaha built to 7000-8000 by 
the end of the period QR); 9 in Dawes, NE 29 
Jul OJ) provided only the 2nd fall report from 
the Panhandle. A few Red-breasted Nuthatch- 
es persisted in e. Nebraska, as last year, al- 
though no breeding was noted (fide WRS). As 
was the case last summer, more Sedge Wrens 
than usual were reported from ne. Nebraska 
during Jun, with some 12 reports, mostly of 
singles 2-18 Jun (WE, MB, DH, D&JP), with 
three pairs found in Lancaster, NE 29-30 Jun 
(KC, LE). Blue-gray Gnatcatcher can now be 
found throughout most of Nebraska except 
for the Sandhills. 
A Townsend’s Solitaire, rare in the Pine 
Ridge of Nebraska, was found in Dawes 13 
Jun (WM). A Swainson’s Thrush in Finney, 
KS 14 Jun (MO) was tardy. Harder to explain, 
although likely of the later-migrating w. sub- 
species auduboni, was a Hermit Thrush in 
Finney, KS 20 Jun (T&SS). Westerly Wood 
Thrushes were in Gosper, NE 2 Jul (CNK) 
and Webster, NE 7 Jun (LR, RH). Providing 
the hrst confirmation of breeding by Sage 
Thrasher in Nebraska, an ad. was seen carry- 
ing food in sw. Kimball 18 Jun (CNK) and 2 
Jul (MRe). 
WARBLERS THROUGH FINCHES 
A Northern Parula in Caddo, OK 23 Jun QAG) 
was w. of its usual summer range. An Oven- 
bird in Pierce, NE 17 Jul was westerly (DH). 
Nebraska had more reports than usual of 
Louisiana Waterthrush, including one as far 
nw. as Knox 2-22 Jul (MB). A second-year 
male Summer Tanager in Colfax, NE 6 Jun 
(WE) was probably a late migrant but poten- 
tially more evidence of that species’ expansion 
in the Region. Continuing the trend of in- 
creased numbers of Cassin’s Sparrow in sw. 
Nebraska were 7-8 in Chase 12-15 Jun (MB, 
JLL) and 1-2 in sw. Kimball 13 Jun-19 Jul 
(WRS, m. oh.). Song Sparrow is expanding its 
summer range in Nebraska southward and 
westward; this season, one was in Harlan 10 
Jun (LF), 3 in Franklin 25 Jul (LR, RH), and 
one in Garden 19 Jul (LR, RH). Westerly was a 
Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Dawes, NE 13 Jun 
(KD). Lazuli Buntings provided several e. Ne- 
braska records this spring, the last of which 
was one in Dixon 1 Jun QJ)- Rare e. of the Ne- 
braska Panhandle, one was singing in se. Lin- 
coln 8 Jul (TJW). An ad. male Painted Bunting 
in Finney, KS 23 Jul (M&PR) was westerly. 
In a repeat of last year, Dickcissels were 
common as far w. in Nebraska as Lincoln, Cher- 
iy, and Logan (fide WRS), with 
singles in Kimball 10 Jul 0Ro)> 
Scotts Bluff 18 Jun (AK), and 
Dawes 13 Jun (KD). In Apr and 
May, up to 17 ad. Red Crossbills 
attended a feeder in Sedgwick, KS 
(B&TM), and on 5 Jun, an ad- 
vanced-plumage juv. joined 6-10 
ads.; it was the last bird present at 
this location and was last seen 15 
Jun (fide PJ). Pine Siskins, some- 
times present in early Jun in 
Oklahoma and Kansas, were in 
Pawnee, OK 4 & 12 Jul (1-2 birds; 
PR); a pair with 2 young visited a 
Riley, KS feeder 16 Jun (DR). 
Cited observers (area editors in boldface): 
NEBRASKA: Mark Brogie, Mary Bomberger 
Brown, John Carlini, Ken Carnes, Kathy De- 
Lara, Paul Dunbar, Larry Einemann, Larry 
Falk, William Flack, Cory Gregory, Tim Haj- 
da, Dave Heidt, Robin Harding, Helen K. 
Hughson, Jan Johnson, Joel G. Jorgensen, Al- 
ice Kenitz, Clem N. Klaphake, Jeanine L. | 
Lackey, Chuck Lesiak, Scott Luedtke, Wayne 
Mollhoff, Kay Niyo, Loren & Babs Padelford | 
(L&BP), Don & Jan Paseka (D&JP), Lanny | 
Randolph, Mike Resch (MRe), Justin Rink, | 
Jim Roworth O^o), Paul Roisen (PRo), Evan 
Shike, W. Ross Silcock, Tim Smith, Matt Stef- 1 
fl (MSt), Matt Stephenson, Phil Swanson, ' 
Shari Schwartz (SSc), Jerry Toll, T. J. Walker. i 
KANSAS: Nic Allen, Michael Anderson, Hen- j 
ry Armknecht, Ken Brunson, Ted Cable, Jeff 1 
Calhoun (JCa), Will Chatfield-Taylor (WCT), ! 
Gregg Friesen, Matt Gearheart, Pete Janzen, j 
Don Kazmaier, Jon King, Dan LaShelle (DLS), ' 
Terry Mannell, Billie & Tom McDavitt ' 
(B&TM), Lloyd Moore, Carol Morgan, 
Nathan Ofsthun, Marie Osterbuhr, Duane 
Panek, Mike Rader, Mike & Pam Ramsey 
(M&PR), Dave Rintoul, Luis Sanchez-Gonza- 
lez (LSG), Brett Sandercock (BSa), David 
Seibel, Scott Seltman, Tom & Sara Shane 
(T&SS), Max Thompson, Bimnie Watkins. 
OKLAHOMA: Bill Adams, David Arbour, 
James W. Arterburn, Judy Barto, Vince Cava- 
lieri, Jane Cramton QCr), Bill Diffin, Vic 
Fazio, Joseph A. Grzybowski, Michael Grzy- 
bowski (MGr), Larry Hancock, Berlin Heck, 
Nealand Hill, Matt Jung, Jo Loyd, Steve Metz, 
Patti Muzney, Paul Ribitzki, Sue Selman (SSe), 
Ron Sheppard, Brady Surber, Lou & Mary 
Truex (L&MT), Pat Velte, Ken Williams, Re- 
becca Wolff, Jimmy Woodard. O 
W. Ross Silcock, P. 0. Box 57 
Tabor, Iowa 51673, (silcock@rosssilcock.com) 
Joseph A. Grzybowski, 715 Elmwood Drive 
Norman, Oklahoma 72072, (j_grzybowski@sbcglobal.net) 
622 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
