A Fairly Simple Hobby
for citizens to keep track of the
robins and cardinals that you see
around but has grown to so much
Ed Brogie has been birdwatching
more.”
since he was 10 years old along with
Recording the birds spotted on
his brother Mark.
eBird also provides documentation
“My dad would point out birds in
for state record keeping. Ed’s
our back yard,” Brogie said when he
brother keeps a written journal
was growing up near Hoskins.
for all of his sightings and to date,
As the brothers grew up and
Mark has sighted more birds in the
attended Wayne State College in
state than anyone else, numbering
sciences, they began donating
420 plus. Ed’s record of sightings of
time banding birds at the Banding
bird species is 388.
Station near Wisner operated by
“You can’t just stay in your
John and Willetta Leushen as part
backyard,” Ed said. “First, you need
of the US Fish & Wildlife program.
to find the physical environment,
That’s really where the brothers got
the plants that live there and a
their feet wet.
water source, and then the birds
“Willetta was a bird lady in
will come in certain seasons.”
northeast Nebraska and an official
Ed calls it a strategy game. Some
bird bander for the US Fish &
Ed - Left, Mark - Right
species are only found in certain
Wildlife Service,” Ed said.
areas in certain trees or plants or watering areas. Research is part of the
Even though the Leushens are no longer living, a bird watching
game but sometimes he said one just gets lucky.
group near Norfolk still carries their name as a tribute to their
“I travel all year round to see birds and most of my travels are in the
landmark efforts to keep track of birds in Nebraska. Mrs. Leushen and
state of Nebraska,” Ed said. “Although I have been known to travel all
her husband were leaders in birdwatching and her contributions can
across the US to see bird species – you know, plan a vacation and spot
be found in the Nebraska Bird Review magazine.
a bird.”
Ed is a retired biology and chemistry teacher living near Wayne and
For the Brogies, bird watching is a year-round hobby and the reason
birdwatching keeps him busy year-round. He describes bird watching
is fairly simple. Northeast Nebraska has certain species that southeast
as a citizen science, a recreational activity for observing wildlife by
Nebraska doesn’t have and vice-versa. Ed made a special trip to the
everyday people. The activity is voluntary but many sightings are used
Kansas border to find a scissortail flycatcher and other trips took him
by the US Fish & Wildlife to track migration and bird numbers. It is
to Scottsbluff in the Panhandle and Sioux County by Harrison to find
also believed to be the largest citizen science group today.
other species.
“It’s nothing for me to see a bird species someone has spotted near
Birders have to travel where there are trees the certain bird species
Valentine and hit the road to see if I can see it, too,” Ed said. “Usually
like to roost and live. Ed recalls a certain type of woodpeckers who
the birds are in an area for a period of time and if my brother is too
favor trees in areas after forest fires, looking for insects living in the
busy to go with me, I get my wife to go.” Ed’s wife is a retired science
damaged wood.
teacher also.
Ed guesses he spends a minimum of 10 hours a week birding. More
Birdwatching is a fairly simple hobby. All it takes is a pair of eyes, a
birdwatching is done in the summer but he notes this time of the year
good bird reference book or smart phone app and a set of binoculars
there are different species migrating through like certain snowbird
although Ed also recommends a good spotting scope so birds from
species which are rarely seen in Nebraska and then snowy owls show
farther away can be spotted. It is also a good idea to have a journal
up in December.
to record a day’s sightings for documentation and a good camera to
Ed’s special bird sighting memories include his brother Mark. They
photograph a sighting is helpful, too. In today’s world, a couple good
visited California and together spotted California Condors and closer
computer programs downloaded to a smart phone like an eLibrary to
to home west of Chadron, the duo sighted a three-toed woodpecker.
identify birds can replace books and be used to record a day’s sighting.
He added Knox County is a great place to spot birds with all the
But the most revolutionary tool in bird watching is a website called
diverse habitats of trees, river beds and creeks.
eBird, a website and free app created by Cornell University. Since its
But documenting bird sightings in the eBird app alerts other bird
evolution birdwatchers have access to much more information Ed said
watchers so they can enjoy a sighting also. Another good place to share
because it contains birder information from all over the world. If a
bird sightings is Facebook because Ed said Bird Nerds love to share
birder has registered with eBird, he can spot a bird, find the photo in
their bird photos in that public forum.
the app, go to the satellite icon, document your time and position and
But all in all, Ed considers his brother Mark a better authority on
it is recorded world-wide.
birding. Mark is also a retired science teacher living in Creighton but
“The great thing about eBird is you can download the app to your
also hold degrees in ornithology and forestry.
phone and when you have a sighting, you can record it so other
“Ed started working with Willetta Leushen and I just followed in his
birdwatchers belonging to the website can note the bird you have
footsteps,” Mark said. “We went from catching and banding birds to,
spotted and they can travel to see it to,” Ed said. “Early on it was meant
vBy Linda Wuebben
HERVOICEvJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019v11