SUMMER FIELD REPORT, June and July 2000

I wish to remind observers to report dates of breeding evidence, such as nests with eggs and adults feeding fledglings. There is surprisingly little known about these things for Nebraska\u27s breeding birds, even the common ones. Please report these regardless of the season! This summer produced many interesting sightings; we\u27ll lead off with significant breeding records: Snowy Plover provided a 2nd state breeding record; Black-necked Stilt a first for Keith Co; Acadian Flycatcher first for Thurston Co; Summer Tanager first for Otoe Co; and Eurasian Collared-Dove 3rd nesting locality, at Elmwood. Late spring migrants included a record late Tennessee Warbler and a 2nd latest Hudsonian Godwit and Stilt Sandpiper. Early fall migrants were Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, 4th July record for Bufflehead, record early Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers, and 2nd earliest and 3rd July Orange-crowned Warbler. Unusual summer records included firsts for Winter Wren and Pine Grosbeak, 6th Pacific Loon, first adult Ring-billed Gulls, 4th (10th state) for Laughing Gull and 4th for Pectoral Sandpiper. Record counts were provided by 500 (actual count!) Lesser Yellowlegs, 20 to 30 Willets, 34 Spotted Sandpipers, 5642 Baird\u27s Sandpipers, 10,000 Bank Swallows, and 21 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers in the Panhandle. Definitely out-of-place were a White-throated Swift seen at L McConaughy, the first summering Republican Valley Ruby-throated Hummingbird, a Red-bellied Woodpecker located at McGrew, a singing Swainson\u27s Thrush spotted near Orleans, and a singing Blue-winged Warbler found along the Niobrara for apparently the 2nd straight year. There were even some rarities: A potential first state record Dusky Flycatcher, a potential 2nd Ash-throated Flycatcher, a 7th state Neotropic Cormorant, and a 9th Lesser Goldfinch