GOOD NEWS THURSDAY The bird nerd: Tobin Brown counted 355 species of birds in Nebraska in 2025 MARY JANE SKALA Mar 19, 2026 5 hrs ago 0 × Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Tobin Brown of Lincoln calls himself the Bird Nerd. In 2025, he set out to identify as many bird species as he could in Nebraska in a single year.kAm“x E9@F89E :E H@F=5 36 :?4C65:3=J 5:77:4F=E[” 96 E@=5 2? 2F5:6?46 @7 D2?59:== 4C2?6 6?E9FD:2DED 2E #@H6 $2?4EF2CJ =2DE $2EFC52J]k^AmkAmqFE 96 3C@<6 2 ?6H C64@C5[ 5@4F>6?E:?8 bdd DA64:6D] %96 AC6G:@FD C64@C5 H2D bbf DA64:6D[ 4@F?E65 3J 2 3:C56C :? a_`b]k^Am Tobin Brown did extensive planning before he set out. He created a massive spreadsheet of Nebraska birds and their characteristics. MARY JANE SKALA, KEARNEY HUB kAmw6 AFE bd[___ “>:=6D @7 25G6?EFC6” @? 9:D 42C 2D 96 5C@G6 E9C@F89 fe }63C2D<2 4@F?E:6D] w6 6G6? 52D965 :?E@ (J@>:?8 E@ 42E49 2 C2C6 !24:7:4 HC6?]k^Am kAmw6 8@E E96 @:= 492?865 @? 9:D $F32CF ~FE324< D6G6? 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E96 42C 2?5 925 E@ C6A=246 2 H966= 362C:?8 27E6C 2 8CF6=:?8 C:56 @? 2 5:CE C@25]k^Am People are also reading… Police identify 46-year-old man found dead near Oak Creek; foul play not suspected Positive direction, no finger pointing sought in reopening of Nebraska’s Underground Railroad site NFL free agency: Panthers, 49ers, Patriots, Jets and Rams are early winners State Patrol IDs mother found dead in Kearney County; 3 children injured in shooting 'That boy fast': How QB Anthony Colandrea's legs are helping Nebraska receivers, defenders Man killed in sewer accident was 'urban exploring' days before birthday Kearney Indivisible urges local law enforcement not to make deals with ICE Lincoln woman accused of embezzling from civil engineering firm Google proposes Nebraska data center requiring more power than all of Lincoln Jury finds Lincoln father guilty of child abuse resulting in death of 4-month-old daughter Governor says Nebraska grandmother died in Morrill Fire trying to escape Former U.S. Marshal Mark Martinez runs for Douglas County sheriff Concordia student from Seward killed in head-on crash in Missouri How gas prices have changed in Omaha in the last week Biz buzz: A new coffee stop; a Gateway boutique; longtime Lincoln favorite gets an upgrade kAmqC@H?[ ah[ 2 7F==\DE24< H63 56G6=@A6C 7@C pAA=:65 $JDE6>D[ DA6?E >@DE @7 9:D DA2C6 E:>6 A=2J:?8 !@<6>@? F?E:= E96 DF>>6C @7 a_ab[ H96? 96 2?5 9:D 3C@E96C E@@< 2 3:C5:?8 4=2DD 5FC:?8 2 EC:A E@ }6H |6I:4@] %96J H6C6 9@@<65] qC@H? 92D?’E A=2J65 !@<6>@? D:?46]k^Am Tobin Brown is a web developer in Lincoln by day and a self-described bird nerd on evenings and weekends. MARY JANE SKALA, KEARNEY HUB kAmx? =2E6 a_ac[ 96 564:565 E@ 5@ 2 “3:C5 J62C” :? a_ad] Q%92EVD 2 4@>A6E:E:@? 282:?DE J@FCD6=7 E@ D66 9@H >2?J 3:C5D J@F 42? D66 :? @?6 J62C[” 96 D2:5] “x 9@A65 E@ D66 bd_] x <?6H :E H@F=5 E2<6 EC2G6=[ E:>:?8 2?5 2 =@E @7 =F4<]”k^Am kAmqC@H? 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COURTESY, TOBIN BROWN kAmqC@H? DA6?E cd ?:89ED @? E96 C@25] w6 42>A65 7C6BF6?E=J[ 3FE 96 8@E 2 >@E6= C@@> @? 4@=5 ?:89ED]k^AmkAmw6 AFE E96 >@DE >:=6D @? 9:D 42C :? $6AE6>36C[ 2?5 E96 D64@?5\>@DE :? |2J[ 3FE >2?J @7 9:D G6?EFC6D H6C6 4=@D6 E@ 9:D {:?4@=? 9@>6 @C ?62C ~>292]k^Amk9am%96 4@F?E 368:?Dk^9am kAmsFC:?8 9:D 7:CDE 7@FC 52JD[ y2?] `\c[ 96 5C@G6 @FE E@ {2<6 ~82==2=2 2?5 <?@4<65 @77 ha DA64:6D[ 96=A65[ :? A2CE[ 3J E96 52> @FE7=@H E92E <66AD E96 H2E6C @A6?]k^Am kAm“~?6 52J[ x H2=<65 @FE 2 >:=6 E@ 7:?5 46CE2:? 8F==D] x 4@F=5?’E 7:?5 E96>[ 3FE H96? x 8@E 324< E@ >J 42C[ E96C6 E96J H6C6[ ;FDE `_ 766E 2H2J[” 96 D2:5]k^Am Brown photographed this all-white snowy owl, a rarity, in Saunders County on Feb. 21, 2025. COURTESY, TOBIN BROWN kAmw6 A2C<65 2?5 @7E6? H2=<65 EH@ @C E9C66 >:=6D D62C49:?8 7@C DA64:7:4 DA64:6D[ 32D65 @? :?7@C>2E:@? :? 9:D DAC625D966E]k^Am kAmx? |2C49[ 96 492D65 @?6 DA64:6D E9C66 5:776C6?E E:>6D — @? |2C49 `f :? |6CC:4< r@F?EJ[ @? |2C49 ab :? qF772=@ r@F?EJ 2?5 @? |2C49 ac :? z6:E9 r@F?EJ[ H96C6 96 7:?2==J 8@E :ED A:4EFC6]k^AmkAm~? |2C49 ad[ 2>@?8 E96 D2?59:== 4C2?6D E92E 82E96C 2=@?8 E96 !=2EE6 #:G6C :? E96:C 2??F2= >:8C2E:@?[ qC@H? DA@EE65 2 C2C6 4@>>@? 4C2?6] w6 925 DA6?E ac 9@FCD D62C49:?8 7@C :E ?62C vC2?5 xD=2?5] p3@FE ` A]>][ 96 AF==65 FA E@ 2 7=@4< @7 D2?59:== 4C2?6D[ 2?5 “:E H2D C:89E E96C6]”k^Am Brown saw this common crane — identified by the black markings on its neck — among sandhill cranes near Grand Island in 2025. COURTESY, TOBIN BOWN kAmx? pAC:=[ 96 DE2CE65 62C=J :? E96 >@C?:?8 E@ 7:?5 H2C3=6CD 2?5 >:8C2E@CJ 3:C5D] “x H2D @77 E@ 2 8C62E DE2CE[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am kAmx? E96 DF>>6C[ 96 5C@G6 @FE E@ {2<6 ~82==2=2 :? 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D2:5 E96 >@DE C6H2C5:?8 A2CED @7 9:D EC:A H6C6 E96 A6@A=6 96 >6E 2?5 E96 A=246D 96 D2H]k^Am kAm“!6@A=6 H9@ D2J }63C2D<2 :D 7=2E @?=J E2<6 x\g_] (6 92G6 D2?59:==D 2?5 325=2?5D] x D2H EFCE=6D[ C233:ED 2?5 D?2<6D] $@>6E:>6D x 8@E 3@C65[ D@ x 3682? <66A:?8 EC24< @7 :?D64ED[” 96 D2:5]k^AmkAmw6 5:D4@G6C65 C6DE2FC2?ED[ E@@] w:D 72G@C:E6 H2D E96 v@=56? w@FC q2C364F6 :? p==:2?46] “v6E E96C6 62C=J] x 8@E E96C6 a_ >:?FE6D 27E6C :E @A6?65[ 2?5 E96 =:?6 H2D @FE E96 5@@C[” 96 D2:5]k^Am maryjane.skala@kearneyhub.com 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 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