A Ground Dove at DeSoto NWR

A Ground Dove was sighted at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge on 18 November 1979, for about ten minutes around 11 AM, in the hedgerows opposite the entrance to the nature trail, south of the swimming beach. It was a small dove, only slightly longer but chunkier than Tree Sparrows sitting in the same small tree. There was gray scalloping on the head and breast, the eye was dark, the beak light colored at the base, with the rest appearing dark. The wing was grayish with black speckling from shoulder to tip. We noticed a short tail when the bird was sitting, and it looked black on the underside of the tip. When it flew we were able to see the silhouette, but not the rufous patches in the wings. It had a short, stubby tail, short wings, and a rapid wing beat. We estimated that the first sighting was at approximately 40 feet , while it sat in the tree. We observed it for about five minutes through 6x25 Bushnell binoculars and a 25x60 Bushnell scope. It flew down into a field of corn stubble. Later we observed it (at about 80 feet) at about 50 yards south, sitting in another small tree. The sun was behind us when we studied the bird sitting, but it flew in the direction of the sun. We have observed Ground Doves on many occasions in Florida and Texas

Brambling in Bellevue, Sarpy County

As we were having breakfast on January 8, 2017, we spotted an unusuallooking bird with House Sparrows in the tree above our deck. After consulting the National Geographic field guide, we determined it was a Brambling. Soon it was feeding on the deck where we were able to get some photos. It was first spotted at 9:25 a.m. and again at 10:30. We put the information on NEBirds and by late morning birders began to arrive.The first group saw the bird at 12:02. By early afternoon we had standing room only in our family room. The bird appeared again at 1:40, 4:05 and 4:15. We believe that all who came the first day were able to see the bird, and many got excellent photos. The Brambling was attracted to coarse, hulled sunflower seeds on our deck. It never stayed more than one to two minutes at a time. ,,, This is the fourth known record of Brambling in Nebraska

A Ground Dove at DeSoto NWR

A Ground Dove was sighted at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge on 18 November 1979, for about ten minutes around 11 AM, in the hedgerows opposite the entrance to the nature trail, south of the swimming beach. It was a small dove, only slightly longer but chunkier than Tree Sparrows sitting in the same small tree. There was gray scalloping on the head and breast, the eye was dark, the beak light colored at the base, with the rest appearing dark. The wing was grayish with black speckling from shoulder to tip. We noticed a short tail when the bird was sitting, and it looked black on the underside of the tip. When it flew we were able to see the silhouette, but not the rufous patches in the wings. It had a short, stubby tail, short wings, and a rapid wing beat. We estimated that the first sighting was at approximately 40 feet , while it sat in the tree. We observed it for about five minutes through 6x25 Bushnell binoculars and a 25x60 Bushnell scope. It flew down into a field of corn stubble. Later we observed it (at about 80 feet) at about 50 yards south, sitting in another small tree. The sun was behind us when we studied the bird sitting, but it flew in the direction of the sun. We have observed Ground Doves on many occasions in Florida and Texas

Gray Flycatcher at Oliver Reservoir

On 17 May 1999, we were birding near the main entrance of Oliver Reservoir State Recreation Area in Kimball County, Nebraska. At 8:05 a.m. we found a very gray empidonax flycatcher in the scattered trees south of the main entrance. After studying the bird for a few minutes, we concluded that the bird was a Gray Flycatcher. We studied and photographed the bird at close range until we left at 8:55 a.m

Money Tricks

The following three anecdotes are taken from experiences in Bolivia during the years 1979 – 1982.  These stories concern monetary phenomena and can be used to illustrate the effects of money on everyday economic life in a developing economy

Characterizing the Optical and Electrochemical Properties of Monolayer-Protected Noble Metal Nanoclusters

Gold, silver, and other nanoclusters protected by a monolayer of monothiolate or dithiolate ligand can be synthesized into a variety of compositions and core structures depending on the type of ligand used and reaction conditions. Unique size or composition dependent physicochemical properties emerge ranging from being molecular-like to plasmonic toward bulk metal. This dissertation focuses on the characterization of optical and electrochemical and other related properties of newly synthesized and previously established Au and Ag nanoclusters. Chapter one provides an overview of the gold and silver nanoclusters including both fundamentals and applications. In chapter two, phase transfer strategy is adopted to overcome the restraints of using water as an electrochemical solvent. Redox activities in a much wider potential were resolved for newly synthesized aqueous soluble Au nanoclusters stabilized by mercaptosuccinic acid and lipoic acid (LA) and the previously reported Au22LA12. In chapter three, spectroelectrochemistry analysis reveals unprecedented details in electronic transitions from the Au130(p-MBT)50 nanoclusters (sample obtained through the collaboration with Jin’s group). An energy diagram is proposed from the combined optical and electrochemical characterizations in reference to the ultrafast spectroscopy results. Together with the Au130 stabilized by a mixed mono- and di-thiolate ligand monolayer reported earlier by our group, a significant conclusion is reached that up to Au130, a clear energy band gap remains corresponding to molecular energetics. Full transition to metallic will likely occur at larger sizes with appropriate lattice structures. In chapter four, a new silver nanocluster is synthesized with the lipoic acid as its protecting ligands. Optical, electrochemical, and other features were studied to characterize this new cluster. Intense absorbance features along with high but unstable luminescence were observed. Like its gold counterparts, ligand oxidation was observed by FTIR. Further mass spectrometry data is needed to propose a molecular composition

Future cost and support of the specialized agencies

At head of title: "Brookings Institution. United Nations Financing Project.""#2567"--handwritten on cove

Politics and the future of the Economic and Social Council

"October, 1960.""L2-1211"--handwritten on coverIncludes bibliographical reference

Mottled Duck in Nebraska

The two major US populations of Mottled Duck occur in Florida and along the Gulf Coast in Louisiana and Texas, with local breeding inland to “southeast Colorado, western Kansas, Oklahoma (rarely), and northeast Texas” (AOU Checklist of North American Birds, Sixth Edition, 1983). Palmer (Handbook of North American Birds, Vol. 2, 1976) notes that Mottled Duck bred in 1963 at Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas, and that some individuals occur inland beyond the usual breeding range during the post-breeding period. Presumably these inland. records pertain to birds from the Texas-Louisiana population, as the Florida birds are generally considered nonmigratory. Thus the occurrence of Mottled Duck in Nebraska is a possibility, especially in the fall