Spring Migration is in full swing!

Bird sightings continue to change almost daily and with the weather and water conditions right now at Cheyenne Bottoms.   Plan to make multiple trips to the wetlands this Spring, as it is fun to see the bird diversity change from day to day as new birds arrive throughout the next couple months.

Shorebird numbers and diversity is changing most drastically right now.  We are entering the peak 2-3 weeks of shorebird migration, so species composition can change quite dramatically over a day’s or week’s time.

KDWPT staff has burned several areas this Spring.  These burned areas are great places to scan for some shorebirds, which tend to be drawn to recently burned fields.  This past week, Buff-breasted sandpipers and American golden plovers were seen in good numbers using the recently burned area of Pool 5 (southern part of Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area).

Other common birds to see right now include: Good duck diversity and numbers, American coots, Pelicans, Gulls, Great Blue Herons, Grebes (Pied-billed and eared), American Avocets, Black-necked stilts, various shorebirds (mostly Killdeer, Snowy Plovers, Yellowlegs, Dowitchers, Baird’s sandpipers, Semipalmated sandpipers, Least sandpipers, and Hudsonian Godwits), raptors (Northern Harriers and Red-tailed Hawks), and black-birds.

Water levels at Cheyenne Bottoms remain fair, with some water in most pools.  However, KDWPT staff continue to dewater several pools, by pumping water into Pool 1c.  Pools 3a, 3b, and 4b only have pockets of water, but these pockets are prime shorebird habitats.  Staff hope to be able to burn off residual vegetation in Pool 3a this spring in order to control cattails.  Pool depths and water fowl reports are updated weekly and can be followed on the KDWPT website at:   http://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Wildlife-Areas/Southwest/Cheyenne-Bottoms  .

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
• Gadwall
• American Wigeon
• Mallard
• Blue-winged Teal–one of the most abundant ducks right now
• Cinnamon Teal–drakes still being observed quite consistently-mostly in Pool 2
• Northern Shoveler–probably the most abundant duck right now
• Northern Pintail
• Green-winged Teal
• Canvasback
• Lesser Scaup
• Bufflehead
• Hooded Merganser
• Ruddy Duck
• Ring-necked Pheasant
• Wild Turkey
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Eared Grebe
• Western Grebe
• Mourning Dove
• Virginia Rail
• American Coot
• Black-necked Stilt
• American Avocet
• American Golden Plover
• Snowy Plover–most likely seen on white-rock road between Pools 4a/4b and Pool 1a
• Killdeer
• Whimbrel–1 individual seen in burned area of Pool 5
• Long-billed Curlew–several reported with most sightings on TNC Preserve
• Hudsonian Godwit–some large numbers in flocks reported
• Marbled Godwit
• Baird’s Sandpiper
• Least Sandpiper
• Buff-breasted Sandpiper–110 reported in burned area of Pool 5
• Pectoral Sandpiper
• Semipalmated Sandpiper
• Long-billed Dowitcher
• Wilson’s Snipe
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Willet
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Wilson’s Phalarope
• Franklin’s Gull
• Ring-billed Gull
• Herring Gull
• Neotropic Cormorant
• Double-crested Cormorant
• American White Pelican–some days as many as 500 pelicans can be viewed on the area
• American Bittern
• Great Blue Heron
• Great Egret
• Snowy Egret
• Little Blue Heron-1 reported in Pool 2
• Cattle Egret
• Black-crowned Night Heron
• White-faced Ibis
• Turkey Vulture
• Bald Eagle
• Northern Harrier–quite numerous area-wide
• Cooper’s Hawk
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Ferruginous Hawk-On TNC Preserve
• Burrowing Owl–2 reported on Prairie dog town 1 mile east of US-281 Hwy
• Belted Kingfisher
• Downy Woodpecker
• Northern Flicker
• American Kestrel
• Eastern Phoebe
• Tree Swallow
• Cliff Swallow
• Barn Swallow
• American Robin
• Brown Thrasher
• European Starling
• House Sparrow
• House Finch
• American Goldfinch
• Northern Cardinal
• Song Sparrow
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Western Meadowlark
• Yellow-headed Blackbird
• Great-tailed Grackle
• Brown-headed Cowbird