The First 20 Years

The Wild Bird Habitat Store’s First Twenty Years

Wild Bird Habitat is actively involved in our community and state.

Sponsor of the Nebraska Bird Library: An online web-based field guide dedicated to the identification of the 450 bird species listed on the Nebraska Ornithologists Union’s annotated bird check-list for Nebraska.

Sponsor of Bridge to Birding: A project designed to facilitate bird awareness and connect students & educators with the outdoors and the native birds found in Nebraska. Wild Bird Habitat funded a bridge to Birding tool box for the Beatrice, NE & Nebraska City, NE.

Sponsor nature programing at St Elizabeth Medical Center Burn Camp: Offered nature programing for child burn victims at Camp Kaleo in Burwell NE. Presented bird activities and nature hikes for burn victims. Sponsored various presenters on topics related to birds and other wildlife.

Honorary member Raptor Recovery Nebraska: Sponsor programs by Raptor Recovery Nebraska of live educational birds of prey and occasionally help exhibit birds at presentation. Wild Bird Habitat has raised funds and donations in excess of $14,000 for Raptor Recovery Nebraska.

Past publicity chair for Bluebirds Across Nebraska: Nebraska’s bluebird recovery program.

Instructor for OLLI’s “All About Birds” course: Co-facilitated with Dan Wheeler, Professor Emeritus and former UNL Department Chair of Ag Communications, a six week birding class now in its 5^th year for the Oscher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln

Facilitated and guided a 2-day birding field trip: Partnered with Dan Wheeler and Valden Tours to guide an OLLI member 2 day bird watching field trip through the Missouri River Valley.

Organized and sponsored an event for “The Big Year” movie release Sponsored and organized a weekend birding festival in conjunction with the Marcus Grand Theater in Lincoln, NE in the Grand Theater’s lobby for the opening of the major motion picture “The Big Year”

Corporate sponsors of “The Big Year” birding event at the Nebraska Visitors and Nature Center, Wood River, NE: Sponsored presentations and a birding field trip with Greg Miller, portrayed by Jack Black in the movie “The Big Year”

Sponsors and guides an annual Sandhill Crane viewing trip: Annually sponsor and guide 35 participants on a Sandhill Crane Migration viewing trip to the Ian Nicholson Audubon Sanctuary on the Platte River in Kearney, Nebraska in conjunction with the Pioneers Park Nature Center.

Nebraska Master Naturalist Certification Program: Facilitated the birding education component for the Nebraska Master Naturalists certification program at Grand Island, NE and Nebraska City, NE.

Programing at the Pioneers Park Nature Center, Lincoln, Nebraska: Sponsor and facilitate various birding and nature programs for kids and adults at the Pioneers Park Nature Center.

Bird garden renovation at the Pioneers Park Nature Center, Lincoln, NE:  Organized, co-funded, and participated in the renovation of the bird garden at the Pioneers Park Nature Center with the Nature Center and City of Lincoln Parks and Recreation. Installed wildlife plantings, various bird feeders, and a pond-less waterfall in the bird garden which was dedicated in honor of Irene Alexander, the Nature Center’s longtime bird bander and her husband George.

Mother’s Day Breakfast and Bird Walk: Have guided mothers and their families for the past 14 years on a morning mother’s day bird walk at the Pioneers Park Nature Center.

Teacher/Naturalist at the Pioneers Park Nature Center, Lincoln, NE:  Served for 12 years on staff at the Pioneers Park Nature Center as a part time teacher/naturalist.

Purple Martin Housing: Donated and installed two-twelve room Purple Martin houses at the Pioneers Park Nature Center used by Purple Martins for the past twelve years.

Live bird exhibits: Designed, co-funded, and erected a live Turkey Vulture exhibit at the Pioneers Park Nature Center. Funded and built shelters for the Bald Eagle exhibit and for other raptor exhibits for owls and hawks.

Live raptor presentation: Sponsor and promote the Pioneers Park Nature Center providing program information and handling educational live birds of prey from the Pioneers Park Nature Center at various adult and youth events and presentations.

Nebraska Bird Partnership steering committee: Member-at-large on the Nebraska Bird Partnership’s Steering Committee, a statewide coalition for the conservation of birds and bird habitats in Nebraska.

Teaming With Wildlife steering committee: Member of Nebraska’s Teaming With Wildlife steering committee to build a coalition for Nebraska’s “Wildlife Action Plan” as part of the National Security Act to fund non-game wildlife species.

Chairman of the Nebraska Birding Trails: Chair the Nebraska Birding Trails, an web-based birding guide to over 400 birding sites across the state of Nebraska. The Birding Trails is one of seven workgroups of the Nebraska Bird Partnership.

Rivers & Wildlife Birding Festival: Annually sponsor and set up a “Bird Watching Opportunities in Nebraska” booth at the Rivers and Wildlife Celebration in Kearney, NE. Rivers & Wildlife is the oldest, longest running birding festival in North America.

Nebraska birding opportunities: Developed and sponsor a booth for the Nebraska Birding Trails, the Nebraska Metro Birding Trails, and the Chicken Dance Birding Trails along with information about other public and private birding opportunities across the state at various fairs, conferences, and events to promote bird watching as an economic development tool for Nebraska.

International Field Ornithologists, Wilson Ornithologist Society, and Cooper Ornithologists Society: Sponsored and staffed a Nebraska Birding booth at the combined conference for the International Field Ornithologists, Wilson Ornithologist Society, and Cooper Ornithologists Society in Kearney, Nebraska

Schoolyard habitat discounts: Provide discounts on bird feeders, bird feeds, and other products to area schools with schoolyard habitats. Offer information and support for outdoor classroom development at area schools. Offer numerous birding programs at area schools.

Annual “Kid’s Bird Encounter”:  Helped to organize and participate in the Annual “Kid’s Bird Encounter” during the Great Backyard Bird Count in conjunction with the Lincoln City Libraries, Wachiska Audubon.

Donation and installation of bird feeding systems at:

• 4 Lincoln City Librairies
• Pioneers Park Nature Center
• YMCA Camp Kitaki
• Numerous school yard habitats

YMCA Camp Kitaki: Developed a camp birding club in conjunction with Project Flying Wild for kids attending summer camp. Wild Bird Habitat created a birding tool box containing 20 pairs of Kingbird 6 X 35 youth binoculars, 20 field guides to birds, and birding curriculum in a portable trunk. Laminated birding posters were displayed in the camps nature lodge.

Cornhusker Boy Scout Council:Developed a birding tool box for the Boy Scouts. Wild Bird Habitat created a birding tool box containing 20 pairs of Kingbird 6 X 35 youth binoculars. 20 field guides, and curriculum for the Boy Scout Birding Merit Badge and Naturalist Merit Badge

Nebraska 4-H: Wild Bird Habit has judged youth 4-H entries in the “Homes & Feeders for Wildlife” division at 14 consecutive Nebraska State Fairs.

Nebraska Cooperative Extension and Omaha’s Henry Doorley Zoo: Wild Bird Habitat partnered with the Nebraska State Cooperative Extension, Omaha’s Henry Doorley Zoo, Finke Gardens to develop the award winning “Outdoor Living Patio” at the Nebraska State Fair. We participated in this 11 day run offering presentations, displaying birds of prey, and talking to people about creating backyard habitat and setting up a bird feeding program.

Nebraska State Arboretum: Guest speaker at the Nebraska State Arboretum’s Annual Spring Affair gardening exposition

Michael Forsberg’s “Wild Saturdays”: Provide birding programs on Saturday mornings on the dock of photographers Michael Forsberg’s gallery during the farmers market in downtown Lincoln, NE.

Provide presentations on various bird related topics at:

• Central Community College, Columbus Nebraska
• The Pioneers Park Nature Center, Lincoln, Nebraska
• Luschen’s Birding Club, Norfolk, Nebraska
• University of Nebraska OLLI Club
• Southeast Community College, Lincoln, NE
• Numerous presentations annually on backyard bird feeding, landscaping for wildlife, Purple Martins, Wood Ducks, bluebirds, and other birding topics to church groups, youth groups, retirement centers, garden clubs, fraternal clubs, and community organizations.

Birding Workshops:

• Presented a workshop at the Nebraska State Travel & Tourism Conference in Gering, NE on bird watching opportunities in Nebraska.
• Presented a workshop at the Governor’s Eco/Nature Tourism Conference in North Platte, NE on bird watching opportunities in Nebraska.
• Presented birding opportunities in Nebraska at a private landowner’s workshop in Gordon, NE sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory and Nebraska Game & Parks
• Presented a workshop at the Nebraska Natural Resource Districts Conference in Schuyler, NE, on bird watching opportunities in Nebraska.
• Presented workshops to several Nebraska Convention and Visitor Bureaus and State Resource Conservation & Development districts on bird watching opportunities in Nebraska.

Read Across America: Guest reader at West Lincoln Elementary School over the past 6 years for “Read Across America” celebrating Dr. Suess’ birthday. Book topics are nature oriented and are donated to the school library after the program.

Nature Polooza: Provide a youth bird related activity and displayed live educational owls at the University of Nebraska – School of Natural Resource’s annual Nature Polooza for Lincoln’s youth.

Women in the Outdoors: Facilitated a birding ID class and bird walk for Women in the Outdoors provided by the National Turkey Federation and sponsored by Nebraska Game & Parks Commission

Regular guest on Nebraskaland Radio: Regular guest on Nebraskaland Radio provided by the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission.

KFOR “Problems & Solutions” radio show: Regular guest on Cathy Blythe’s syndicated radio show Problems & Solutions responding to listeners questions about birds on air.

Nebraska Educational Television: Speaking about the American White Pelican on “Pelican Dances” featuring the Nebraska Chamber Orchestra and recorded for NETV.

Wachiska Audubon 40^th Anniversary: Corporate sponsor for Wachiska Audubon’s 40^th Anniversary event featuring guest speaker David Yarnold, President National Audubon Society.

Earl May Garden Center: Participated at Earl May Garden Center’s “Ladies Night Out” building bird feeders out of recycled soda bottles and providing information on the Wild Bird Habitat Store and backyard bird feeding.

Honorary member of Nebraska’s Wildlife Rescue, Inc. Wild Bird Habitat is a drop off point for injured or orphaned birds. Our store acts as a contact point to refer people to a wildlife rehabilitator.