Date: 2/1/26 5:41 pm From: Robin Harding via groups.io <pine2siskin4...> Subject: [NEBirds] Kearney and Phelps Counties
Nebraska birders,
I was getting stir crazy sitting in my apartment for a couple days. The
weather forecast for today was encouraging so I loaded the car and headed
out.
I drove south from Shelton to Heartwell. I saw a few hawks along the way
but didn’t stop. Then I saw one that was smaller than a Red-tail. I’m so
glad that I stopped because it was a Prairie Falcon. That stretch of road
north of Heartwell has been very good birding in the past. The falcon is
not a new county bird but still a real treat to see.
I drove down to Norman, then over to Minden and then down to Gleason and
Prairie Dog WPAs. It was nice to get a good look at a Rough-legged Hawk
near Prairie Dog. Not much else to see though. It’s very dry and frozen.
Even the Platte River south of Shelton was covered with ice.
I walked at Nature’s Mosaic, Axtell. There were a couple ice fishermen on
the frozen lake. Not many birds there either. I drove by a privately
owned marsh that, years ago, was a good birding spot. Now, it is much
smaller. Mostly converted to agriculture. It’s just two miles east of
Funk WPA so I drove with windows open through it. Once again, there were
not many birds but I didn’t get out of the car.
I drove county roads through Phelps and Kearney Counties back home. I
still didn’t see many birds but it was nice to go for a drive in good
weather.
