Date: 4/19/26 6:24 am From: Tobin Brown via groups.io <tobinjbrown...> Subject: [NEBirds] Early Spring day trip to Southeast NE
Nebraska Birders,
Yesterday I decided to head southeast and see if I could find some early migrants and work on my Otoe, Nemaha, and Johnson county lists.
I started with what I *thought *would be a quick stop at the Unadilla WTP <https://ebird.org/checklist/S323504839> in Otoe, and it turned out to be one of my best stops of the day! Among a handful of singing Yellow-rumped Warblers, I found my first Yellow Warbler of the year, and a very early Tennesee Warbler! The WTP ponds were absolutely covered in swallows, and there were a few shorebirds around the edges. At the far south end, I heard a Red-shouldered Hawk calling, a pretty good bird for the county.
I moved onto Johnson county, starting at Wirth Brothers Lake <https://ebird.org/checklist/S323589684>. I was a bit worried there wouldn't be much water, but there was plenty. I even had a couple diving ducks: Ruddy and Ring-necked. The shorelines were loaded with Lesser Yellowlegs, and in the west corner I found a White-faced Ibis and a couple spinning Wilson's Phalaropes. I continued on to James Douglas WMA <https://ebird.org/checklist/S323633781>, where I was surprised to find Tufted Titmice. It seems they are expanding up the Big Nemaha River, a tributary of the Missouri.
Onto Nemaha county, I started in Peru where I had a nice smattering of birds at the WTP <https://ebird.org/checklist/S323684577>. I then headed up to the Buck Creek Lake on 735 Road <https://ebird.org/checklist/S323701040>, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite spots in the county. On the north side of the road, there's a lake, and on the south (dam outlet), a marshier area where there are shorebirds and nesting Canada Geese. The lake and marsh are also edged in large trees, so it's a great mix of habitat! The best birds were a Long-billed Dowitcher (pretty good for Nemaha), and a first of year Solitary Sandpiper.
I continued west back towards Lincoln, stopping at a few Wilson Creek Reservoirs in Otoe county, and finally found some good birds at Wilson Creek WMA. <https://ebird.org/checklist/S323742113>The Osprey right as I was leaving was a nice surprise, and county bird #99. On the drive back, I had a Cooper's Hawk fly over the car for #100.
I added 20 to my Otoe list (100), 32 to my Johnson list (84), and 17 to my Nemaha list (111).
