During the winter months, bird activity at Cheyenne Bottoms is directly tied to the amount of available liquid water.  As the wetlands freeze up, many waterfowl will move south to follow the freeze line.  However, some will return as soon as the wetlands open.

A relatively mild Fall has allowed quite a few migrant species to stick around Cheyenne Bottoms later than normal.  Colder weather the last few days has probably pushed some of those species south.  Shorebirds have mostly left.  We are seeing mostly the winter resident birds now, including ducks and geese, raptors, red-winged blackbirds, and some of the other winter songbirds.

Goose numbers have increased in the last few weeks and will remain high unless the wetlands freeze over.  Greater white-fronts, Canada Geese, Cackling Geese, and Snow Geese can reach very large numbers this time of year.  Duck numbers and diversity have also varied day to day.  Waterfowl and water level reports are updated weekly at https://ksoutdoors.gov/KDWP-Info/Locations/Wildlife-Areas/Public-Wildlife-Areas-in-Southwest-Kansas/Cheyenne-Bottoms

There have been some dead snow geese reported in the area, presumably due to Avian Influenza.  We are hopeful that the outbreak will not be too severe this year.  Visitors should stay away from any dead or sick birds encountered.

Most pools at Cheyenne Bottoms have some surface water.  There is currently water in all pools of the state Wildlife Area, except for one.  Currently, water levels are: Pool 1A: 32”, Pool 1B: 19”, Pool 1C: 19”, Pool 2:16”, Pool 3a: 13”, Pool 3B: Dry, Pool 4A: 13”, Pool 4B: 17”, and Pool 5: 4”.  There is also water available in the permanent marshes on TNC’s Preserve.

Quivira NWR water levels remain very good as well, and bird activity has been great.  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:

• Black-bellied Whistling Duck
• Snow Goose
• Ross’s Goose
• Greater White-fronted Goose
• Cackling Goose
• Canada Goose
• Wood Duck
• Blue-winged Teal
• Norther Shoveler
• Gadwall
• American Wigeon
• Mallard
• Northern Pintail
• Green-winged Teal
• Canvasback
• Redhead
• Ring-necked Duck
• Lesser Scaup
• Bufflehead
• Common Goldeneye
• Hooded Merganser
• Common Merganser
• Red-breasted Merganser
• Ruddy Duck
• Northern Bobwhite
• Wild Turkey
• Ring-necked Pheasant
• Eurasian Collared-Dove
• Mourning Dove
• Virginia Rail
• American Coot
• Sandhill Crane
• Killdeer
• Long-billed Dowitcher
• Wilson’s Snipe
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Bonaparte’s Gull
• Franklin’s Gull
• Ring-billed Gull
• American Herring Gull
• Lesser Black-backed Gull
• California Gull
• Iceland Gull
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Horned Grebe
• Double-crested Cormorant
• White-faced Ibis
• American Bittern
• Snowy Egret
• Great Egret
• Great Blue Heron
• American White Pelican
• Cooper’s Hawk
• Northern Harrier
• Bald Eagle
• Red-tailed Hawk
• American Barn Owl
• Great Horned Owl
• Short-eared Owl
• Belted Kingfisher
• Downy Woodpecker
• Northern Flicker
• American Kestrel
• Merlin
• American Crow
• Horned Lark
• European Starling
• American Robin
• House Sparrow
• American Pipit
• House Finch
• American Goldfinch
• Lapland Longspur
• American Tree Sparrow
• Dark-eyed Junco
• White-crowned Sparrow
• Harris’s Sparrow
• Savannah Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• Swamp Sparrow
• Meadowlark Sp.
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Brewer’s Blackbird
• Common Grackle
• Great-tailed Grackle
• Common Yellowthroat
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Northern Cardinal