The summer has been typical for bird activity at Cheyenne Bottoms.  Through June, we saw most of the expected summer wetland resident birds, like egrets, herons, some ducks, ibis, avocets, and stilts, and a few cormorants, pelicans, and gulls.

Now that we are into July, we are seeing some of the first south-bound fall migrants showing up.  There are more shorebirds arriving, with quite a few sandpiper species being reported already in the last few days.  Shorebird numbers and diversity should continue to increase into the fall months.  While there is not great shorebird habitat at Cheyenne Bottoms currently, bird watchers should still be able to find some shorebirds along shorelines and in isolated shallow water areas.

Other summer resident wetland birds and songbirds should continue to be conspicuous and active.

Available water at Cheyenne Bottoms has improved over the last couple of months.  The wetlands are not full by any means, but KDWP has been able to divert a good amount of water into all three of the storage pools since May.  Water levels will vary over the next few months with hot windy days and hopefully some additional late summer rains.  But right now, Pool 1a is at approximately 52” depth, Pool 1b is at approximately 18” depth, and Pool 1c is at approximately 8” depth.  This stored water will be crucial for filling some of the other pools this fall.  The other pools are basically still dry, with only water sitting in low areas and dug out canals.  However, Cheyenne Bottoms has more water in it now than it has for over 3 years.

Quivira NWR water levels look very good, and there is available water in most areas.   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:

• Canada Goose
• Wood Duck
• Blue-winged Teal
• Cinnamon Teal
• Norther Shoveler
• Gadwall
• Mallard
• Northern Pintail
• Green-winged Teal
• Redhead
• Ruddy Duck
• Northern Bobwhite
• Wild Turkey
• Ring-necked Pheasant
• Eurasian Collared-Dove
• Mourning Dove
• Yellow-billed Cuckoo
• Common Nighthawk
• Sora
• American Coot
• Black-necked Stilt
• American Avocet
• Killdeer
• Snowy Plover
• Long-billed Curlew
• Marbled Godwit
• Long-billed Dowitcher
• Wilson’s Phalarope
• Spotted Sandpiper
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Willet
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Stilt Sandpiper
• Baird’s Sandpiper
• Least Sandpiper
• Pectoral Sandpiper
• Western Sandpiper
• Semipalmated Sandpiper
• Franklin’s Gull
• Ring-billed Gull
• Black Tern
• Forster’s Tern
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Western Grebe
• Double-crested Cormorant
• White-faced Ibis
• American Bittern
• Yellow-crowned Night Heron
• Black-crowned Night Heron
• Snowy Egret
• Western Cattle Egret
• Great Egret
• Great Blue Heron
• American White Pelican
• Turkey Vulture
• Bald Eagle
• Mississippi Kite
• Red-tailed Hawk
• American Barn Owl
• Belted Kingfisher
• Red-headed Woodpecker
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Northern Flicker
• American Kestrel
• Say’s Phoebe
• Western Kingbird
• Eastern Kingbird
• Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
• Bell’s Vireo
• Warbling Vireo
• Blue Jay
• Horned Lark
• Bank Swallow
• Tree Swallow
• Purple Martin
• Northern Rough-winged Swallow
• Barn Swallow
• Cliff Swallow
• Northern House Wren
• European Starling
• Gray Catbird
• Brown Thrasher
• American Robin
• House Sparrow
• House Finch
• Grasshopper Sparro
• Yellow-headed Blackbird
• Western Meadowlark
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Orchard Oriole
• Baltimore Oriole
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Common Grackle
• Great-tailed Grackle
• Common Yellowthroat
• Yellow Warbler
• Northern Cardinal
• Indigo Bunting
• Dickcissel