We have entered something of a June Gloom time of year for bird watching.  Spring migration is basically complete.  Every year, there is a short gap in June before we begin to see some of the first fall migrants begin returning sometime in July.  Most migrants are through the area.  Most of what is able to be seen at this time are summer residents.

However, there are still plenty of birds to see.

With the continued rains the area has received this spring, water levels at Cheyenne Bottoms have remained high in almost all pools.  The road going north to Redwing from Cheyenne Bottoms has been closed for about 3 weeks, due to the low-water crossing being flooded.  High water levels have limited shorebird viewing for the last month, and while there are some shorebirds that stay to nest in the area, there are not many areas that they can be easily seen.  some of the best shorebird areas have been in disked crop fields around the perimeter of the basin that have retained shallow water pools.  Quivira NWR’s north end along NE 170th St. has also shown excellent shorebird activity.

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:

• Black-bellied Whistling Duck-2 observed on TNC property 6/15
• Canada Goose–several pairs with numerous broods being seen
• Wood Duck
• Gadwall
• Mallard
• Blue-winged Teal
• Cinnamon Teal–one drake observed on 6/10
• Northern Shoveler
• Green-winged Teal
• Redhead-several groups can be seen
• Ruddy Duck
• Northern Bobwhite Quail
• Ring-necked Pheasant
• Wild Turkey
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Western Grebe–last observed on 6/9
• Mourning Dove
• American Coot
• Black-necked Stilt-quite abundant in Pool 2 ~1mile east of KDWPT office
• American Avocet-not many being seen
• Snowy Plover
• Killdeer
• Upland Sandpiper–especially on TNC property
• Wilson’s Phalarope
• Franklin’s Gull
• Ring-billed Gull
• Caspian Tern-1 reported on 6/10
• Black Tern
• Forster’s Tern
• Neotropic Cormorant–2 reported on 6/10
• Double-crested Cormorant
• American White Pelican
• American Bittern
• Least Bittern
• Great Blue Heron
• Great Egret
• Snowy Egret
• Little Blue Heron
• Cattle Egret
• Black-crowned Night Heron
• White-faced Ibis
• Turkey Vulture
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Barn Owl
• Great Horned Owl
• Burrowing Owl
• Red-headed Woodpecker
• Northern Flicker
• Western Kingbird
• Eastern Kingbird
• Horned Lark
• Tree Swallow
• Bank Swallow
• Cliff Swallow
• Barn Swallow
• House Wren
• American Robin
• Brown Thrasher
• European Starling
• House Sparrow
• Common Yellowthroat
• Lark Sparrow
• Grasshopper Sparrow
• Northern Cardinal
• Dickcissel
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Western Meadowlark
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Yellow-headed Blackbird
• Great-tailed Grackle
• Common Grackle
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Orchard Oriole
• Baltimore Oriole