Date: 2/13/26 5:07 pm From: Tom Benson via groups.io <thomasabenson...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Using eBird to plan a trip
This topic is not about birds or birding in Orange County, so I have closed this thread. If you have suggestions for the original poster, please reply directly to him and not to the listserv. Thank you.Tom BensonCo-moderator, OrangeCountyBirding -------- Original message --------From: "David Ornellas via groups.io" <davidornellas...> Date: 2/13/26 4:52 PM (GMT-08:00) To: <OrangeCountyBirding...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] [CALBIRDS] Using eBird to plan a trip Hi Chuck,Just use chatgpt. I just asked it to find me probable locations for a prothonotary wabler at the end of April in Omaha. Just follow up with verification but this is a really good way to get started. You can give dates and locations and it will plan an itinerary for you. If you really want to go all out you can link your ebird life list then tell it to plan a trip in Omaha to maximize species you have not seen before by location. It can generate a PDF with tick boxes for species. It will list each one and can even generate habitat and behaviors. If you were just to respond "yes" at the end it would pull all the live/recent accounts (in chatgpt). here is the output:Here’s a solid likely list of eBird hotspots and good birding places where you could realistically expect to find Prothonotary Warbler in late April around Omaha, Nebraska — note that in Nebraska this species is a rare but regular spring migrant in the Missouri River Valley and reports tend to cluster in riparian, bottomland forest, and wooded wetland habitats. �Birds of Nebraska +1🌳 eBird Hotspots & Top Birding Areas (Omaha Metro & Nearby)Fontenelle Forest – Classic hotspot for warblers and bottomland forest species; prothonotary warblers have been reported here. �eBird hotspot likely: “Fontenelle Forest” (check eBird for latest L-codes & recent sightings)WikipediaNeale Woods Nature Center – Adjacent wooded preserve north of Omaha with good migrant songbird activity (part of Fontenelle Forest system). �eBird hotspot: check “Neale Woods”WikipediaChalco Hills Recreation Area – Mixed woods and wetlands just outside Omaha; may attract migrating warblers in April. �eBird hotspot: “Chalco Hills Recreation Area”Learn Bird WatchingZorinsky Lake Park – Large urban park with wetlands and wooded edges which often host spring migrants. �eBird hotspot: “Zorinsky Lake Park”WikipediaLocal Urban Green Spaces – Small wooded parks like Towl Park and Walnut Grove Park in Omaha see warblers during migration, according to local birders. �eBird hotspots: search these namesReddit🐦 Broader Habitat Spots (Worth a Side Trip)If you’d like to broaden the radius around Omaha for a targeted prothonotary search in late April–early May:Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge – River woods and side channels along the Missouri; excellent for migrants.Check: eBird hotspot “Boyer Chute NWR”DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge (IA) – Just across the river from Omaha with floodplain forest that attracts warblers.Check: eBird hotspot “DeSoto NWR (Iowa)”📍 Tips for Prothonotary Warbler SeasonTiming: Prothonotary Warblers in Nebraska are most likely right around late April into early May — so your timing is great for migration. �Birds of NebraskaHabitat: Aim for bottomland forest, wooded wetlands, and river edges with standing water/roots — that’s where they forage and nest.Timing of day: Bird activity (especially warblers) peaks early morning or late afternoon.If you want, I can pull current eBird “recent sightings” lists for each of these hotspots for Prothonotary Warbler (with maps of observations) to give you a live sense of where they’re showing up this spring — just let me know!Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer -- David Ornellas,Costa Mesa, CA
