Connecting People
With Nature
May – Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)
Coming back for the summer to Wachiska’s region is the Indigo Bunting. The deep-blue males may be seen and heard singing along roads in bushy wood edges and pastures. Nesting takes place in the edges of woodlands and other areas that provide cover. Indigo Buntings will look for seeds on the ground and insects all the way up through shrubs and trees.
To learn more -
Outdoor Nebraska Indigo Bunting
To find Nebraska birding trails -http://nebraskabirdingtrails.com/
Effects of Ultraviolet Light on
Power Lines to Prevent Crane
Collisions of the Platte River
by Amanda Hegg, Conservation Program Associate,
Audubon's Rowe Sanctuary
Wachiska Program — Thursday, May 12, 7:00 p.m., via Zoom
web conference (registration required)
Link to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqdOCvrT4tGtztkoVxC1KkFtzb-Ar3THFu
Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.
May’s general meeting program will spotlight a new type of technology implemented to deter cranes from colliding with power lines at Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary on the Platte River near Gibbon, Nebraska.
Amanda Hegg, Rowe Sanctuary’s conservation program associate, will discuss how this technology, and use of ultraviolet light, could help to mitigate the long-standing conservation issue of bird collisions with human-made structures like power lines. She will also present findings from a recent study designed to test the effectiveness of this technology at preventing crane collisions at Rowe Sanctuary. Amanda assists with the science and conservation programs and also coordinates Bird Friendly Communities in Central Nebraska. She is a former Marian Langan Young Conservation Leader who joined the permanent staff after successfully completing the internship.
The Marian Langan Young Conservation Leader is a one-year position designed to enhance the skills of a young person in conservation and education. The position was created and funded as a memorial for Marian Langan, past Audubon Nebraska state director.
Amanda grew up in South Dakota and is a graduate of the University of South Dakota where she studied conservation biology and sustainability. She spent three years studying the impacts of invasive plants on nesting success of birds in Missouri River riparian forests. She also worked for the National Park Service and South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks. In addition, she is a dedicated volunteer with Nebraska’s Raptor Conservation Alliance.
This program was organized by the Audubon Society of Omaha, and Wachiska is again partnering with the Omaha chapter to bring this presentation to members in both areas. Join ASO and Wachiska for the next monthly Zoom program on Thursday, May 12, at 7:00 p.m. This free, public presentation is available to those who register in advance at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqdOCvrT4tGtztkoVxC1KkFtzb-Ar3THFu.
Copy and paste this link into your browser or go to Wachiska’s website after May 1 and click on the link directly from the notice to register. You will then receive a confirmation email with the meeting number and password. Keep that and a few minutes before the program is to begin, click on that confirmation and you’ll be invited into the meeting. Encourage friends and colleagues to join us, too.
May Calendar of Events
May 1 City Nature Challenge, Walt Branch Library
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
May 9 Conservation Committee via Zoom, 6:30 p.m.
May 12 General Meeting via Zoom, 7:00 p.m.
"Effects of Ultraviolet Light on Power Lines to Prevent Crane Collisions on the Platte River,” by Amanda Hegg,
Registration required
May 14-15 Birdathon Weekend Field Trip to Platte River
SP and Wilderness Park 9:00 a.m.
May 15 Field trip to Wagon Train SRA, 9:00 a.m.
May 15 Newsletter submission deadline in
Wachiska office, 5:00 p.m.
May 17 Board Meeting via Zoom, 7:00 p.m.
May 26 Give to Lincoln Day
In September 2021, the Wachiska Board adopted the National Audubon’s Statement on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as the Chapter’s own goals:
The birds Audubon pledges to protect differ in color, size, behavior, geographical preference, and countless other ways. By honoring and celebrating the equally remarkable diversity of the human species, Audubon will bring new creativity, effectiveness and leadership to our work throughout the hemisphere.
The 2022 Birdathon and Give to Lincoln Day fundraisers are underway. Both are essential for a sustainable operating budget for Wachiska! Donations through Birdathon may be made anytime by donating online or by check. Give to Lincoln Day donations will be accepted through the Lincoln Community Foundation website May 1st through May 26th or by check through May 18th. See the May Babbling Brook for more details. Thank you!
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The photos on this website were taken by Wachiska members. Many thanks to Bruce Wendorff,
Linda Brown, Paul Johnsguard, Tim Knott, Stu Luttich, John Carlini and Elizabeth Nelson.