Fall birding is in full swing, and new migrants are showing up regularly with each new weather front.

As with most Fall migrations, because it is extended out over several months, birding can be hit and miss, depending on what the weather has pushed out or brought in.

Rains in early September and good moist soil plant production have created some excellent marsh conditions.  Vegetation is relatively high in some areas, so one problem is finding good viewing spots.  The birds are often there, but it can be difficult to see them is some pools.  It takes patience and time.

Water levels and waterfowl counts are updated weekly on the KDWPT Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area website:  https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Wildlife-Areas/Southwest/Cheyenne-Bottoms  As of 10/2/2018 water levels were Pool 1a-41″, Pools 1b and 1c-25″, Pool 2-18″, Pool 3a-only trapped water, Pool 3b-10″, Pool 4a-2″, Pool 4b-9″, Pool 5-18″.

Recent cold fronts have pushed many new birds in to Cheyenne Bottoms.

As of 10/2/2018 KDWPT staff are reporting 50-75,000 ducks, with over half blue-winged teal, but strong numbers of other duck species too.  1,000 geese, mostly white-fronts.

Common birds to see right now include: excellent Duck numbers (mostly Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, American Wigeon, and others), American coots, Double Crested Cormorants, 1000’s of Gulls (Franklin’s and some Ring-billed), Pelicans (variable numbers), Great Blue Herons, some lingering Egrets (Great, Snowy, and Cattle), American Avocets, White-faced Ibis, and shorebirds (mostly Killdeer, some yellowlegs, Snipe, Dowitchers, and a few sandpipers).

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:

• Greater White-fronted Goose (several hundred have newly shown up in the last few days)
• Canada Goose
• Gadwall
• American Wigeon
• Mallard
• Blue-winged Teal
• Northern Shoveler (some large groups using Pool 1)
• Northern Pintail (quite large numbers of pintails here now)
• Green-winged Teal
• Redhead
• Ring-necked Pheasant
• Wild Turkey
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Horned Grebe
• Double-crested Cormorant
• American White Pelican
• American Bittern
• Great Blue Heron
• Great Egret
• Snowy Egret
• Cattle Egret
• Black-crowned Night Heron
• White-faced Ibis
• Turkey Vulture
• Bald Eagle
• Northern Harrier
• Cooper’s Hawk
• Swainson’s Hawk (several large migrating groups reported in the area)
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Sora (quite a few can be flushed if walking in the marsh)
• American Coot (1000’s area wide)
• Sandhill Crane (first groups observed on 10/2)
• Semipalmated Plover
• Killdeer
• Black-necked Stilt
• American Avocet (50-200 being seen in Pool 4a most days)
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Least Sandpiper
• Stilt Sandpiper
• Long-billed Dowitcher
• Wilson’s Snipe
• Franklin’s Gull (1000’s areawide)
• Ring-billed Gull
• Herring Gull
• Black Tern
• Forster’s Tern
• Mourning Dove
• Great-horned Owl
• Red-headed Woodpecker
• Northern Flicker
• American Kestrel
• Peregrine Falcon
• Prairie Falcon
• Bluejay
• Horned Lark
• Tree Swallow
• Northern Rough-winged Swallow
• Bank Swallow
• Cliff Swallow
• Barn Swallow
• Marsh Wren
• American Robin
• European Starling
• American Pipit
• Vesper Sparrow
• Savannah Sparrow
• Lincoln’s Sparrow
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Yellow-headed Blackbird
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Western Meadowlark
• Common Grackle
• Great-tailed Grackle
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• House Sparrow