Although we have not noted a lot of migration activity over the last couple weeks, Fall migration is definitely in full swing.  This time of year is always exciting as conditions and birds change with every small front that comes through.  What you see one weekend can very well be totally different the next weekend.  So, make plans to get out often.  

Still a lot of the summer resident birds around, as well as a handful of migrant shorebirds.  Cattails are quite thick, which seems to limit bird watching; however, if you are patient and spend a little more time on your adventures, you have the chance to see some excellent birds.  There are a lot of different habitat types available (e.g. open water, mudflats, cattails, bulrush, upland, etc.), if you spend the time looking.  For shorebird viewing, there are some mudflats and mud bars that have been exposed along the edges in Pool 1 that are holding some good shorebirds.

No Sandhill Cranes have been reported yet at Cheyenne Bottoms, although we expect to begin hearing them any day.  A small group was reported at Quivira a week ago, and a couple birds were reported there this weekend.

Teal hunting season ended this past weekend.  Regular duck season opens on Saturday, Oct. 10.

Here is a list birds that have been reported over the last couple weeks:

• Canada Goose 
• Greater White-fronted Goose–a small flock has been reported several times since this past Friday
• Wood Duck–Many wood ducks can been seen area wide
• Gadwall–first observation of one this season last week
• Mallard
• Blue-winged Teal–by far the most numerous duck. 1000′s of these are here 
• Northern Shoveler 
• Northern Pintail–A few flocks have been seen 
• Green-winged Teal 
• Redhead 
• Ruddy Duck 
• Ring-necked Pheasant 
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Western Grebe–Several still being seen in Pool 2 regularly 
• American White Pelican–1000’s of pelicans have been using the area for the past couple weeks
• Double-crested Cormorant 
• American Bittern 
• Great Blue Heron –100′s of GBH’s 
• Great Egret-excellent heron viewing in inlet canal on west side of the area
• Snowy Egret 
• Cattle Egret 
• Green Heron
• Black-crowned Night Heron
• White-faced Ibis–can be quite numerous 
• Virginia Rail–A couple have been spotted recently 
• Sora–Quite numerous if looking for them.  Several birds were heard calling by hunters out in the marsh.
• American Coot–Numerous birds with many juveniles 
• Killdeer–100′s of birds area-wide 
• Black-necked Stilt–still a few around
• American Avocet–several larger groups have been spotted occasionally
• Turkey Vulture
• Northern Harrier–several were spotted this weekend cruising the marsh
• Red-tailed Hawk 
• American Kestrel 
• Spotted Sandpiper 
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Baird’s Sandpiper 
• Least Sandpiper
• Long-billed Dowitcher–several flocks spotted
• Wilson’s Snipe
• Franklin’s Gull–usually can find a flock of a couple 100 
• Ring-billed Gull 
• Black Tern–just a few still here.  Not as many as a couple weeks ago
• Mourning Dove 
• Great-horned Owl
• Northern Flicker 
• Loggerhead Shrike 
• Bank Swallow 
• Cliff Swallow 
• Barn Swallow 
• Meadowlark Spp 
• Red-winged Blackbird 
• Yellow-headed Blackbird 
• Great-tailed Grackle 
• Brown-headed Cowbird