We are approaching the heart of Spring bird migration.  As many birdwatchers know, migration happens in waves.  We already have observed some species of migrants come and go.  Arguably, the best of the Spring migration is yet to come.  Typically, the Spring migration peaks around the last week of April through the first week of May.

Geese and cranes have mostly moved out of the area.  Ducks have replaced them.  Duck diversity and abundance have been excellent.  Over the coming weeks, shorebird and other wading bird numbers and diversity will begin to increase.  Songbird migrants also have started to move in and will also increase in the area.

Water levels in Cheyenne Bottoms have not changed much over the last month.  We had a couple rain events recently, but water is still limited in most areas of Cheyenne Bottoms.  The water situation at Cheyenne Bottoms looks like this currently: Pool 1a and Pool 3a are the only pools of the Wildlife Area holding significant water.  Most other pools are dry or may have limited, isolated puddles and sheet water.  Semi-permanent basins of TNC’s Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve are holding good water.

Quivira NWR will have similar conditions.  Check out http://fws.gov/refuge/Quivira or call the Quivira NWR Headquarters at 620-410-4011 for updated conditions.

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 of birds that have been reported over the last couple weeks:

• Snow Goose
• Ross’s Goose
• Canada Goose
• Wood Duck
• Blue-winged Teal
• Cinnamon Teal
• Norther Shoveler
• Gadwall
• American Wigeon
• Mallard
• Northern Pintail
• Green-winged Teal
• Canvasback
• Redhead
• Ring-necked Duck
• Greater Scaup
• Lesser Scaup
• Bufflehead
• Hooded Merganser
• Ruddy Duck
• Northern Bobwhite
• Wild Turkey
• Ring-necked Pheasant
• Eurasian Collared-Dove
• Mourning Dove
• American Coot
• Sandhill Crane
• Black-necked Stilt
• American Avocet
• American Golden-plover
• Killdeer
• Long-billed Dowitcher
• Wilson’s Snipe
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Stilt Sandpiper
• Baird’s Sandpiper
• Least Sandpiper
• Pectoral Sandpiper
• Semipalmated Sandpiper
• Bonaparte’s Gull
• Franklin’s Gull
• Ring-billed Gull
• American Herring Gull
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Horned Grebe
• Eared Grebe
• Double-crested Cormorant
• American Bittern
• Western Cattle Egret
• Great Blue Heron
• American White Pelican
• Turkey Vulture
• Cooper’s Hawk
• Northern Harrier
• Bald Eagle
• Red-tailed Hawk
• American Barn Owl
• Great Horned Owl
• Burrowing Owl
• Barred Owl
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Downy Woodpecker
• Northern Flicker
• American Kestrel
• Eastern Phoebe
• Say’s Phoebe
• American Crow
• Horned Lark
• Tree Swallow
• Purple Martin
• Barn Swallow
• Marsh Wren
• European Starling
• American Robin
• House Sparrow
• Chipping Sparrow
• American Tree Sparrow
• Dark-eyed Junco
• White-crowned Sparrow
• Harris’s Sparrow
• Vesper Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• Yellow-headed Blackbird
• Western Meadowlark
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Brewer’s Blackbird
• Common Grackle
• Great-tailed Grackle
• Northern Cardinal