It is safe to say that Spring migration is well on its way!  Bird activity has been excellent for the last couple weeks at Cheyenne Bottoms.  We are approaching the time of year where the bird community can change almost daily.  This will continue for the next 2 months.  Goose numbers have decreased significantly.  Duck numbers have continued to increase, and the first shorebirds have begun to show up.  Other recent “first of season” birds include pelicans and cormorants.  Other common sightings include herons, gulls, grebes, and coots.  Check back often for bird updates.

All roads are currently open through Cheyenne Bottoms.  Even after recent rains, the roads in and around the area have held up well. Travel with some caution immediately after spring rains.

Good water levels persist in all pools of Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area and the permanent marshes of the Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve.  On the State Wildlife Area, water is being removed from a couple pools and placed in storage pools to prepare for habitat work and Spring conditions.  This has, and should, create great shorebird habitat as we get into April and May.  Several recently burned areas on the Wildlife Area also have seen early shorebird activity.  Mowed and disced areas on the Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve also could be excellent shorebird habitat if we received some additional rain.

Waterfowl seasons are now closed at Cheyenne Bottoms (except for the Snow Goose Conservation Season).

Birding at Quivira NWR has remained excellent as well.  Only a few Sandhill cranes remain in the area, as most have headed north.  The area around the Wildlife Driving Loop (Big Salt Marsh) has been very good.  Check out http://fws.gov/refuge/Quivira.

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:

• Snow Goose
• Greater White-fronted Goose
• Canada Goose
• Swan sp.
• Wood Duck
• Blue-winged Teal
• Cinnamon Teal
• Northern Shoveler
• Gadwall
• American Wigeon
• Mallard
• Northern Pintail
• Green-winged Teal
• Canvasback
• Redhead
• Ring-necked Duck
• Lesser Scaup
• Bufflehead
• Common Goldeneye
• Hooded Merganser
• Common Merganser
• Ruddy Duck
• Ring-necked Pheasant
• Wild Turkey
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Horned Grebe
• Eurasian Collared Dove
• Mourning Dove
• American Coot
• Sandhill Crane
• American Avocet
• Killdeer
• Baird’s Sandpiper
• Least Sandpiper
• Pectoral Sandpiper
• Long-billed Dowitcher
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Bonaparte’s Gull
• Laughing Gull
• Franklin’s Gull
• Ring-billed Gull
• Herring Gull
• Lesser Black-backed Gull
• Neotropic Cormorant
• Double-crested Cormorant
• American White Pelican
• Great Blue Heron
• Northern Harrier
• Cooper’s Hawk
• Bald Eagle
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Rough-legged Hawk
• Barn Owl
• Great Horned Owl
• Short-eared Owl
• Belted Kingfisher
• Downy Woodpecker
• Northern Flicker
• American Kestrel
• Loggerhead Shrike
• American Crow
• Horned Lark
• Tree Swallow
• European Starling
• Northern Mockingbird
• American Robin
• House Sparrow
• American Goldfinch
• American Tree Sparrow
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Harris’s Sparrow
• Savannah Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• Yellow-headed Blackbird
• Western Meadowlark
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Common Grackle
• Great-tailed Grackle
• Northern Cardinal