Fall migration is rolling.  As most birders know, Fall migration at Cheyenne Bottoms is a drawn out process, with the first migrants being seen in mid-July and then birds trickling in throughout the next 4-5 months.  As we get into the Fall months, migration is very dependent on weather fronts that push waves of birds down from the north.  Birds are constantly arriving and leaving this time of year.

Common birds to see right now include: herons and egrets, wading birds (like ibis, avocets, and stilts), ducks, pelicans, gulls, a few shorebirds, and a few others.

Water levels at Cheyenne Bottoms remain plentiful, with a good amount of water in the storage pools.  Most of the pools have recently been flooded as is the normal management for the upcoming hunting seasons.  As of September 15, pool depths were as follows:  Pool 1a=23″, Pools 1b and 1c=24″, Pool 2=20″, Pool 3a=13″, Pool 3b=14″, Pool 4a=14″, Pool 4b=15″, and Pool 5 will be kept dry this Fall/Winter in order to complete vegetation control.  Pool depths and water fowl reports can be followed on the KDWPT website at:   http://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Wildlife-Areas/Southwest/Cheyenne-Bottoms  .

Waterfowl reports are changing almost daily, but as of Sept. 15, KDWPT staff were reporting 3,000-7,000 ducks with over half being teal.

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–many seen area wide
• American Wigeon
• Mallard
• Blue-winged Teal–many new migrants showing up on a day to day basis
• Northern Shoveler
• Northern Pintail
• Green-winged Teal
• Redhead
• Ruddy Duck
• Northern Bobwhite Quail
• Ring-necked Pheasant
• Wild Turkey
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Western Grebe–a report of 45 seen on 9/16
• Mourning Dove
• Sora–many flushed and calling if you are willing to spend time walking in the marsh
• American Coot
• Common Gallinule–a few being seen; both adults and juveniles
• Sandhill Crane–1 individual observed in the last week
• Black-necked Stilt
• American Avocet
• Killdeer
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Stilt Sandpiper
• Baird’s Sandpiper
• Least Sandpiper
• Semipalmated Sandpiper
• Long-billed Dowitcher
• Wilson’s Snipe
• Franklin’s Gull
• Ring-billed Gull
• Black Tern
• Double-crested Cormorant
• American White Pelican–1,000s of pelicans seen in 4-5 large groups at various locations in pools 1a, 1b, 1c, 2, 4a, and the inlet canal
• American Bittern
• Least Bittern
• Great Blue Heron
• Great Egret
• Snowy Egret
• Green Heron
• Cattle Egret
• Black-crowned Night Heron
• Yellow-crowned Night Heron
• White-faced Ibis
• Turkey Vulture
• Northern Harrier
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Great Horned Owl
• American Kestrel
• Merlin
• Northern Flicker
• Horned Lark
• Cliff Swallow
• Barn Swallow
• American Robin
• Brown Thrasher
• European Starling
• House Sparrow
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Western Meadowlark
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Yellow-headed Blackbird
• Great-tailed Grackle
• Brown-headed Cowbird