Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area

Today the sun finally came out and dried up most of the muddy Kansas roads.  There are still roads that are impassable, though.  I took half the day off and headed for Cheyenne Bottoms NWR, another great stopover for migratory waterfowl and shorebirds.  Quivira seemed to have more ducks, but Cheyenne Bottoms was the place for shorebirds.  I saw least sandpipers, long and short billed dowitchers, greater and lesser yellow legs, semi-palmated plover, and two life birds, stilt and buff breasted sandpipers.  I also saw a Wilson's snipe in a farm pond on my way there. The place also had tons of harriers and red tail hawks, in addition to thousands of migratory ducks and geese.  Here are some highlights.

Wilson's Snipe

Red-tailed Hawk on a kill

Stilt Sandpiper

Stilt and Least sandpiper size comparison

Yellow-headed Blackbird

dowitchers. and Buff Breasted Sandpipers

Red-tailed Hawk and Northenr harrier in background