It has turned out to be a good fall for bird migration at Cheyenne Bottoms.

Fall migration comes in waves as groups of birds come and go from July through December on their southward migration.  Shorebirds (e.g. sandpipers and plovers) are some of the first migrants to start showing up in late summer to early Fall.  Most of the shorebirds have come and gone, with a few stragglers still hanging out.  Many of the wading birds (e.g. egrets, herons, avocets, ibis, etc.) are summer resident birds that tend to linger into the fall months.  Many of these waders have now headed south as well.  Other fall migrants, such as pelicans, gulls, grebes, coots, and waterfowl are later season arrivals.  They are here in good numbers right now and should persist until we get longer periods of cold weather icing up the wetlands.

Cranes are a fall migration favorite.  Good numbers of Sandhill Cranes have been seen in the area for several weeks, and most days they can be seen and heard flying overhead at Cheyenne Bottoms.  Quivira NWR tends to hold a lot more cranes, where they like to roost in the wetlands in the evenings.

Whooping cranes also have been coming through the area.  Most of the reports have come from Quivira NWR this fall, but we hope to get to see some of these endangered, magnificent birds at Cheyenne Bottoms this fall.

Geese numbers are starting to increase.  Greater white-fronts, Canada Geese, Cackling Geese, and Snow Geese can reach very large numbers this time of year.  Duck numbers and diversity can also be quite good until the wetlands freeze.  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

KDWP used stored water to flood several of the public hunting pools this fall on Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area.  There is currently water in all pools of the Wildlife Area, except for one.  Currently, water levels are as follows: 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 excellent, and bird numbers and diversity have 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:

• Snow Goose
• Ross’s Goose
• Greater White-fronted Goose
• Cackling Goose
• Canada Goose
• Blue-winged Teal
• Norther Shoveler
• Gadwall
• American Wigeon
• Mallard
• Northern Pintail
• Green-winged Teal
• Canvasback
• Redhead
• Bufflehead
• Ruddy Duck
• Northern Bobwhite
• Wild Turkey
• Ring-necked Pheasant
• Eurasian Collared-Dove
• Mourning Dove
• American Coot
• Sandhill Crane
• American Avocet
• Killdeer
• Long-billed Dowitcher
• Wilson’s Snipe
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Least Sandpiper
• Franklin’s Gull
• Ring-billed Gull
• American Herring Gull
• Lesser Black-backed Gull
• California Gull
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Eared Grebe
• Double-crested Cormorant
• White-faced Ibis
• American Bittern
• Black-crowned Night Heron
• Snowy Egret
• Green Heron
• Western Cattle 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
• Belted Kingfisher
• Downy Woodpecker
• Northern Flicker
• American Kestrel
• Merlin
• Blue Jay
• American Crow
• Horned Lark
• Marsh Wren
• European Starling
• American Robin
• House Sparrow
• American Pipit
• House Finch
• American Goldfinch
• Lapland Longspur
• Chipping Sparrow
• Dark-eyed Junco
• White-crowned Sparrow
• Vesper Sparrow
• Savannah Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• Spotted Towhee
• Yellow-headed Blackbird
• Western Meadowlark
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Rusty Blackbird
• Brewer’s Blackbird
• Common Grackle
• Great-tailed Grackle
• Common Yellowthroat
• Northern Cardinal