Fall migration is in full swing, but remember, the Fall migration is drawn out over several months, unlike in the Spring.  From now through November, we will see waves of different birds come in as weather fronts push birds from their northern breeding grounds.  So far, we have already seen a fair number of shorebirds come through the area.  We are also seeing groups of Blue-winged teal show up.  Blackbirds, dove, and swallows also seem to be grouping up.  Summer resident birds also remain abundant.  Egrets, herons, gulls, and terns seem to be the dominant birds right now.

Water levels remain good area wide.  Storage pools remain relatively full, despite KDWPT staff starting to flood Pools 3a, 4a, and 4b).  Pools 4a and 4b look great for waterfowl, as KDWPT staff were able to mow cattails to provide a mix of cover and open water throughout the pool.  Other pools may have good birds, but cattails seem to be thicker in other pools and it is harder to see any birds that may be there.  Many of the mudflats have now been flooded, so habitat is not optimal for sandpipers and plovers, but good for wading birds and waterfowl.

Give us your reports.  We rely heavily on other birders to know what is being seen at Cheyenne Bottoms.  Submit reports to Ebird, or email your observations to wetlandscenter@fhsu.edu.

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

• Canada Goose
• Wood Duck-quite abundant over the last week area-wide, but seeing them regularly along inlet canal
• Gadwall-just a few noted
• Mallard
• Blue-winged Teal-growing numbers
• Northern Shoveler
• Redhead
• Ruddy Ducks
• Ring-necked Pheasant 
• Pied-billed Grebe–several reported last week
• Western Grebe-3 observed on 8/27
• Neotropic Cormorant-a few spotted mixed in with DC Cormorants
• Double-crested Cormorant
• American White Pelican–relatively large groups can be seen in various locations on the area
• American Bittern
• Least Bittern-have been relatively abundant, but still a secretive bird that you need to be in the right place at the right time
• Great Blue Heron-impressive numbers area-wide, but many hanging around in Pool 4a and 4b 
• Great Egret
• Snowy Egret
• Little Blue Heron
• Cattle Egret-a large congregation can be seen most days in a pasture along the blacktop road east of the Bottoms (NE 100 Ave)
• Green Heron
• Black-crowned Night Heron-numerous juveniles can be found most mornings and evenings especially in Pool 4b
• Yellow-crowned Night Heron-mostly juveniles noted
• White-faced Ibis-several large flocks.  Most days there is at least one large flock in the marshes behind the KWEC.
• Bald Eagle
• Northern Harrier
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Virginia Rail
• Sora
• Common Gallinule–one observed in Pool 2
• American Coot
• Killdeer–Many area-wide
• Black-necked Stilt–quite a few with a mix of adults and young
• American Avocet
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Willet
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Semipalmated Sandpiper
• Least Sandpiper
• Baird’s Sandpiper
• Long-billed Dowitcher
• Wilson’s Phalarope
• Franklin’s Gull
• Ring-billed Gull
• Least Tern
• Black Tern
• Forster’s Tern
• Mourning Dove
• Great Horned Owl  
• Northern Flicker   
• American Kestrel
• Peregrine Falcon
• Western Kingbird
• Eastern Kingbird
• Loggerhead Shrike
• Horned Lark
• Bank Swallow
• Cliff Swallow 
• Barn Swallow
• Northern Mockingbird
• Brown Thrasher
• Common Yellowthroat
• Dickcissel
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Western Meadowlark 
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Yellow-headed Blackbird
• Great-tailed Grackle
• Baltimore Oriole
• Common Grackle
• Brown-headed Cowbird