The seasons are changing and so are the birds at Cheyenne Bottoms.  Fall bird migration lingers.  Several fall migrant species have shown up in the last couple weeks, including Sandhill cranes, Snow Geese, Merlin, and several sparrow species.  The thousands of pelicans that were present a few weeks ago have been replaced with large flocks of Franklin’s Gulls and Greater White-fronted Geese.  There are still a few pelicans present, but not nearly as many as were here previously.  Sandhill cranes have been observed at Cheyenne Bottoms, but we have not seen large groups coming through yet.  There was a report of 3 Whooping Cranes seen flying over the area on October 14, but they were not reported again.  We are in the time of year when Whooping Cranes could be spotted about any time.  Duck numbers and diversity are on the increase.  There are still some shorebirds present, but they are getting harder and harder to find.  Other birds being reported regularly including coots, cormorants, grebes, killdeer, herons, and ibis.

All roads are currently open through Cheyenne Bottoms.  However, there is road construction at the East hub (near the observation tower).  A section of the road is closed, but there are direction signs to go around the road closure.

Only one pool is currently dry in Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area (Pool 3b).  All other pools have water in them, but water depths in these pools are lower than most years.  Several construction projects on the Wildlife Area continue.  The permanent marshes on the Nature Conservancy property have been holding many birds as well and is worth a drive through Crooked Rd (NE 100 Rd and NE 90 Rd).

The regular Duck Season is currently open in the Low Plains Early Zone, which includes Cheyenne Bottoms, but not Quivira NWR.  That season remains open through December 5.  The Duck season in the Low Plains Late Zone, which includes Quivira NWR, does not open until October 30.  Goose seasons also open on October 30, statewide.

There have been good birding reports from Quivira NWR over the last couple weeks.  The most activity has been on the north end of the refuge around NE 170^th St and the Wildlife Driving Loop.  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
• Blue-winged Teal
• Northern Shoveler
• Gadwall
• American Wigeon
• Mallard
• Northern Pintail
• Green-winged Teal
• Redhead
• Ring-necked Duck
• Ruddy Duck
• Northern Bobwhite
• Ring-necked Pheasant
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Eared Grebe
• Eurasian Collared Dove
• Mourning Dove
• Sora
• American Coot
• American Avocet
• Black-bellied Plover
• American Golden Plover
• Killdeer
• Stilt Sandpiper
• Sanderling
• Baird’s Sandpiper
• Least Sandpiper
• Semipalmated Sandpiper
• Long-billed Dowitcher
• Wilson’s Snipe
• Spotted Sandpiper
• Solitary Sandpiper
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Franklin’s Gull
• Ring-billed Gull
• Herring Gull
• Lesser Black-backed Gull
• Black Tern
• Forster’s Tern
• Double-crested Cormorant
• American White Pelican
• American Bittern
• Great Blue Heron
• Great Egret
• Cattle Egret
• White-faced Ibis
• Turkey Vulture
• Northern Harrier
• Cooper’s Hawk
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Great Horned Owl
• Northern Flicker
• American Kestrel
• Merlin
• Prairie Falcon
• Blue Jay
• American Crow
• Barn Swallow
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• Marsh Wren
• European Starling
• American Robin
• House Sparrow
• American Pipit
• American Goldfinch
• Chipping Sparrow
• White-crowned Sparrow
• Vesper Sparrow
• Savannah Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• Yellow-headed Blackbird
• Meadowlark Sp.
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Common Grackle
• Great-tailed Grackle
• Yellow-rumped Warbler