Fall bird migration continues.  Although we have not exactly seen many fall temperatures yet, the birds have been moving on schedule.

The area received some well-deserved rain a couple weeks ago.  This rain along with water that has been brought in through the inlet canal to Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, has allowed water to be placed in most pools of Cheyenne Bottoms.  This has created some good wetland habitat for birds using the area.

There is a nice mix of late summer resident birds on the area along with migrants that are coming through.  American White Pelican numbers have been impressive.  Franklin’s Gulls have also been very numerous.  Shorebird diversity has been pretty good, despite not having an abundance of shorebird habitat.  Duck diversity is on the increase.

KDWP is updating water and waterfowl reports weekly.  https://www.ksoutdoors.gov/outdoor-activities/hunting-in-kansas/hunting-forecasts/waterfowl-reports  Most of the stored water in the storage pools of 1a, 1b, and 1c has been distributed to other pools.  Pools 2, 3a, 3b, and 4a all have 4-17” depth.  There is also water available in the permanent marshes on TNC’s Preserve.

Regular duck season at Cheyenne Bottoms has begun and will be open through Dec. 6 for Cheyenne Bottoms.

Quivira NWR water levels remain good as well.  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
• Canada Goose
• Wood Duck
• Blue-winged Teal
• Norther Shoveler
• Gadwall
• American Wigeon
• Mallard
• Northern Pintail
• Green-winged Teal
• Redhead
• Ruddy Duck
• Northern Bobwhite
• Wild Turkey
• Ring-necked Pheasant
• Eurasian Collared-Dove
• Mourning Dove
• Sora
• American Coot
• American Avocet
• Killdeer
• Semipalmated Plover
• Snowy Plover
• Long-billed Dowitcher
• Wilson’s Snipe
• Spotted Sandpiper
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Stilt Sandpiper
• Sanderling
• Dunlin
• Baird’s Sandpiper
• Least Sandpiper
• Pectoral Sandpiper
• Semipalmated Sandpiper
• Franklin’s Gull
• Ring-billed Gull
• American Herring Gull
• Black Tern
• Forster’s Tern
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Horned Grebe
• Double-crested Cormorant
• White-faced Ibis
• American Bittern
• Yellow-crowned Night Heron
• Black-crowned Night Heron
• Snowy Egret
• Green Heron
• Western Cattle Egret
• Great Egret
• Great Blue Heron
• American White Pelican
• Turkey Vulture
• Osprey
• Golden Eagle
• Cooper’s Hawk
• Northern Harrier
• Bald Eagle
• Red-tailed Hawk
• American Barn Owl
• Belted Kingfisher
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Northern Flicker
• American Kestrel
• Peregrine Falcon
• Say’s Phoebe
• Blue Jay
• Horned Lark
• Bank Swallow
• Tree Swallow
• Northern Rough-winged Swallow
• Barn Swallow
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• Marsh Wren
• European Starling
• American Robin
• House Sparrow
• American Goldfinch
• Clay-colored Sparrow
• White-crowned Sparrow
• LeConte’s Sparrow
• Savannah Sparrow
• Yellow-headed Blackbird
• Western Meadowlark
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Common Grackle
• Great-tailed Grackle
• Northern Waterthrush
• Nashville Warbler
• Common Yellowthroat
• Northern Cardinal
• Dickcissel