Marsh Wren 2

Home , Solitary sandpiper, Stilt sandpiper, Western sandpiper

January 2006

CHEYENNE BOTTOMS WILDLIFE AREA NEWSLETTER

KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND PARKS

Issue 40

ANOTHER DRY YEAR PROVIDES Inside this issue: OPPORTUNITIES The Marsh Wren 2

Cheyenne Bottoms Web Page 3 Since the last newsletter in Oc Goose Hunting Zones, although Wildlife and Parks Web Site 4 tober, not much has changed at some hunters were successful in Still looking for old pictures 4 the Bottoms with regards to our Pool 2 and some o f the wheat 2005 Christmas Bird Count Results 4 water levels. This past year has fields planted in the perimeter been dry with the few rains we portions o f the property. received soaking into the dry With duck hunting not being the ground and providing little to no best at the Bottoms, the oppor runoff. This o f course led to a tunity for some good pheasant less than stellar waterfowl hunt hunting has presented itself. ing season. Duck hunting op Through late December we portunity was, for the most part, have had 121 pheasant hunters I’fm fiii insignificant this season. Goose Cheyenne Bottoms is recognized as a “Wetland complete the permit and they hunting, while not the best, was of International Importance” by the Ramsar have averaged about 0.47 birds Convention on Wetlands Only 22 sites in the still fair to good since we were U.S. are recognized as such. per hunter. In addition, we have able to hold at times close to recorded 56 days o f deer hunt 200,000 geese in the two pools ing on the property with 3 deer having water. According to the being taken. hunter survey cards through late Cheyenne Bottoms is recognized as an Impor December, 165 duck hunters av One worthwhile project we ac tant Bird Area by the American Bird Conser vancy. eraged 0.73 ducks pier hunter. complished with the help of Most o f these birds were taken some volunteers will benefit hunters for several years. Three the opening weekend o f the TOSTUCf / j f g A KED regular duck season. Goose o f the boat ramps on the Bot HFUfSPHTHF U mnSTTRICA hunters have faired better. toms were improved by pouring SHORES IRE j DEKE&IXW& concrete slabs on the ramp to RESERVE LDEERES About 416 goose hunters have NETWORK ^ f ' PI.AVT1 averaged 0.70 geese per hunter provide a solid surface for boat through late December. Most o f trailers and vehicles. Two o f Cheyenne Bottoms is listed as a Hemispheric Reserve by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird these birds were taken from the (2005 Activities- Continued on page 3) Reserve Network. MARSH WREN

A common and noisy inhabitant of cat tail marshes, the Marsh Wren sings all day and throughout the night. There is a slight difference between the Eastern and Western populations of the Marsh Wren, but a large difference in song. Western males use harsh and grat ing, broad-band sounds, often coupled with loud tonal notes; songs of eastern their back and males are more liquid, without the have only an indistinct eye stripe. harshness" (Kroodsma and Vemer 1997. 9). Kroodsma and Vemer (1987) Males are extremely territorial and will Studies have found that eastern males defend their nesting area. The male will sing less complex songs and had smaller build several dummy nests in order to repertoires than western males. attract a female. The nest is nearly of the size and shape of a coconut, and is Marsh Wrens use a variety of wetland formed of dried grasses, entwined in a habitats. Cattails and bulrush is the circular manner, so as to include in its vegetation that dominates most Marsh mass several of the stems and leaves of Wren habitat. This wren occurs in salt the sedges or other plants, among which and brackish marshes in addition to it is placed. A small aperture, just large freshwater sites. The habitat of the win enough to admit the birds, is left, gener ter range is similar to that of the breed ally on the southwest side of the nest. ing range (Kroodsma and Vemer 1997). These single-opening dome-shaped nests The food of the Marsh Wren principally are built on their territory prior to the consists of minute aquatic insects, and female arriving. Female choice is depend equally diminutive mollusca, which it ent upon territory quality and nesting procures by moving along the blades of status of other females (i.e. females tend the grasses, or the twigs of other plants, to prefer unmated males). When a female which it does with great activity, approaches a male's territory he flies over Males and females have similar plum to her and sings. If she enters his territory age. This species has a black crown, the male will show her several nests he white superciliary stripes, warm-brown has constructed. If she chooses to mate upper parts with faint black bars, a with the male, she may line a nest with black and white striped triangular region strips of grass, small stems, cattail on the upper back, bully sides and downs, feathers and rootlets or she may breast, whitish below, and dark barring build an entirely new nest (Kroodsma and on the tail. Marsh Wrens have brown Vemer 1997). eyes, pale brown feet and legs, and a brownish bill. Males are larger than fe Only females incubate eggs and brood males, though body size varies geo nestlings. The eggs, which are from six to graphically. Juvenile plumage is similar eight, are of a regular oval form, and to adult plumage except there are fewer deep chocolate color, and, from their black markings on back, the superciliary small size, resemble so many beads. Fe stripe is faint or absent, and wings are males primarily feed young, although only faintly barred (Kroodsma and male feeding occurs in some populations. Vemer 1997). Juveniles are similar to Young are fed small insects adults, but lack the bold streaking on

Page 2 CHEYENNE BOTTOMS WILDLIFE 2005 Activities (Continuedfrom page 1) the western, perimeter portion, THE NEW of the pool since it took so the improved ramps are in Pool CHEYENNE long to dry out due to the 2 and the third is in Pool 4A. trapped water. That trapped, BOTTOMS The three ramps were selected shallow water also favored the WILDLIFE AREA because they required annual growth o f cattail there, making maintenance when wave action WEB PAGE it a chronic problem that led to eroded the ramp away rendering some of the poorest water bird the facility unusable. With the habitat on the property. With I wanted to leave this little note in concrete slab in place, erosion the channel in place, water en this issue to ensure all readers are will not be a problem saving us tering Pool 2 through Blood aware o f our new web page for the from having to do dirt work and and Deception Creeks will now Bottoms. We endeavor to update placing rock on the ramp. Jake flow into the main portion of the Area News portion once a week. Stremel organized the volunteer The KDWP web site has been up the pool and not sit in shallow crew that assisted Bottoms per dated to allow for individual proper areas in the back. It should sonnel on this project. Other ties to maintain their own web page. also help in getting water to the members of the crew were Since its implementation late this perimeter when water is moved George Hejny, Brent Manning, summer, the Cheyenne Bottoms from Pool 1 to Pool 2. This staff has added numerous items o f Eric Quintero and Ed Klima. should provide many hundreds interest. All the brochures concern Their assistance not only made o f acres of wetland habitat that ing the Bottoms are available as the work go quicker and easier, in the past were only available well as the general regulations and it also made the project fun. when 18 or more inches of wa description o f the area. We have a Through the middle of Novem ter was in the pool. We also segment where we update the cur rent events at the property. This in ber, the staff at the Bottoms made some shallow scrapes in cludes the management activities, as continued disking cattail that Pool 2 where chronic cattail well as making note of any unusual had become re-established in stands have existed. These sightings o f birds we have seen. Pool 2. We also used the small potholes should provide The weekly waterfowl reports are scraper to cut channels through some excellent shallow water easily accessed from here as well. the silt dam that had developed areas during dry periods and One feature we have added is the in Pool 2. This dam cut the some deeper water areas for ‘Interesting Facts’ section. We cur pool into two areas. This made hunting opportunity when the rently have posted there the median it very difficult to disk cattail in pool is near normal depths. dates o f first observation for more that 120 bird species. With this in formation you can follow the arrival At left is a photo of dates o f migrating birds in both the boat ramp spring and fall. This data is derived placed in Pool 4A from observations made at the Bot this past November toms for more than 30 years. Check by a volunteer crew it out at: www.kdwp.state.ks.us then type Cheyenne Bottoms in the at Cheyenne Bot search box and the related pages toms Wildlife Area, will be listed for you to choose from.

Issue 40 Page 3 WILDLIFE AND MATERIAL FOR THE 2005 PARKS WEB VISITOR CENTER CHEYENNE EXHIBITS NEEDED BOTTOMS SITE CHRISTMAS BIRD The Department of Wildlife and Parks’ We can still use your help. With the COUNT RESULTS Web page provides the public with a Cheyenne Bottoms Visitor Center get number of valuable services. Examples ting closer to reality, material for some The 2005 Christmas Bird Count for of some of the information that is avail of the exhibits needs to be gathered Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area able includes, weekly waterfowl re One area where the public will be ex was held December 19th. With the ports for the state’s primary waterfowl tremely valuable is in the photographic area being all but dry, our species areas; W1HA Atlas; Hunter Education history of the Bottoms basin. Should count was not very good when class schedule’s; permit application’s; compared to past years. A total of fishing reports for lakes and reservoirs; anyone have old photos from the past 12 participants recorded 65 differ trout stocking schedules; FISH Atlas; concerning Cheyenne Bottoms please sportsmen’s calendar, current hunting consider loaning them to KDWP. We ent species of birds during the day and fishing regulation’s; legislative up will have them professionally repro This compares with 80 species in date; on-line license and permit sales; duced and the originals returned to their 2004. All the participants enjoyed and phone numbers for the Depart owner. Photos of hunting, trapping, a nice day out of doors and watch ment’s numerous offices. You can also fishing or simply enjoying the outdoors ing the variety of wildlife available order wildlife related books and videos. through observation would be o f great for viewing. The snow that was on All of this information is value to illustrate the long history of the ground at the time added to the ‘downloadable’. The address for the enjoyment of the day. One positive Department’s web site is: http://www. people enjoying this Wetland of Interna note made was the increase in kdwp. state, ks.us. tional Importance. Please contact the Area Manager if you can help at 620- Chickadees seen during the count 793-3066 or at the address below. Very few have been seen the past two years.

KANSAS WILDLIFE AND PARKS CHEYENNE BOTTOMS W.A. 56 NE 40 RD GREAT BEND, KANSAS 67530

Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs described herein is available to all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, sexual preference, religion, age or handicap. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to Office of the Secretary, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, 1020 So. Kansas Ave, Suite 200, Topeka, KS 66612. April 2006

CHEYENNE BOTTOMS WILDLIFE AREA NEWSLETTER

KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND PARKS

Issue 41

DATA COLLECTION CAN HELP Inside this issue: PLAN YOUR TRIP TO THE Black-billed magpie 2

BOTTOMS Wildlife and Parks Web Site 4

Still looking for old pictures 4

Upland Bird Survey 4 Here at Cheyenne Bottoms Wild three decades. Since we are in life Area, like most all other state the beginning of the spring mi wildlife areas, data is collected gration we thought it might be every year. This information is interesting to present the mean put together on such diverse topics dates of first sightings at the as visitation (both by human and Bottoms for some species. This wildlife), vegetation changes, may prove beneficial to some hunter success and weather. We readers planning trips to the endeavor to provide this data to Bottoms, or central Kansas, the public using various avenues. with the hopes of finding a par Cheyenne Bottoms is recognized as a “Wetland of International Importance” by (he Ramsar This newsletter has provided in ticular species. Knowing when Convention on Wetlands. Only 22 sites in the formation on hunter success, visi the bird is first noted may help U.S. are recognized as such. tation estimates and migration in selecting the dates to make dates for some species of birds. In that trip. If your not planning a addition the Department’s web site trip, looking over the data is has a vast array of information re still fun, as you can plainly see Cheyenne Bottoms is recognized as an Impor sulting from the agencies data tant Bird Area by the American Bird Conser how the complement of bird vancy. analysis on a host of topics. One, species changes almost daily. pertinent to this newsletter, is the As we start assembling more of Cheyenne Bottoms web page. In the data we have collected over WESTERN RED the Interesting Facts section of that the years, we’ll place it on our HEMISPHERE HIMISFERICA page the mean date of first sight SHOREBEKD DERESERVAS web page and continue to pre ings in the spring is given for RESERVE DEAVES sent it here in the newsletter. PlAYERAS more that 100 species of birds. NETWORK We This data is based on observations Cheyenne Bottoms is listed as a Hemispheric made at the Bottoms for more than Reserve by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird (Data Collection- Continued on page 3) Reserve Network. BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE

The black-billed seem to be in magpie is a sects and small large bird in the rodents, they are crow family that more beneficial occurs in the than destructive western half of to agriculture. North America from Alaska to In captivity a Oklahoma. It is magpie may be a large (20 trained to imi inches) black tate the human and white bird voice. These with a long tail birds flourished and black bill. with, and then The bill, head, declined with breast and un the great bison derparts are herds of earlier black, with lus days. But these trous green iridescence on the adaptable birds wings and tail. The belly and tress-like domed structure with have returned in numbers and shoulders are white, as well as one or two entrances. The nest are frequently associated with the primaries that show as white cup is fortified with mud and soft cattle and sheep, perching on wing patches in flight. materials. As few as two, or as their backs and picking off many as nine eggs are incubated ticks and maggots. Those liv This bird prefers semi-open for 14 to 23 days. The eggs are ing in western rangeland ap country with some large bushes greenish, brown freckled and pear shy of humans, but their or trees, leaving the deep forests blotched with gray. The young behavior in the Old World is to their crow and raven cousins. are fledged in three to four weeks. very different, living in the They are mainly permanent resi Both parents build the nest and middle of settlements. dents, but some birds may move feed the young. south or to lower elevations in While not common at Chey winter, while others may wander Like all corvids the black-billed enne Bottoms, they are a regu east after the breeding season. magpie is an opportunistic omni lar resident. They are most Magpies usually nest as a single vore hunting or foraging for commonly seen in the grass pair, but sometimes they will seeds, fruit, insects, carrion, eggs land areas north of the office congregate in loose colonies. and occasionally the nestlings of and have been known to nest in When not breeding they are very other birds. They enjoy suet, pea the trees associated with the social, especially when feeding. nuts and other treats at feeders, grasslands near the Wet Wal It builds a bulky stick nest in a and are quick to exploit any pet nut Diversion Dam. tree of bush. The nest is a for food left outdoors. Since the most important items of their diet

CHEYENNE BOTTOMS WILDLIFE AREA Page 2 Data Collection (Continuedfrom page l) Greater yellowlegs, 19 Dunlin, 17 Baird’s sandpiper, 19 Western grebe, 17 hope readers find this informa Long-billed dowitcher, 20 Short-billed dowitcher, 18 tion useful, or at least interest Double-crested cormorant, 21 Osprey, 18 ing. Eastern phoebe, 23 Black-billed magpie, 19 Below are the median first ob Lesser yellowlegs, 25 House wren, 19 servation dates for birds with at Mourning dove, 25 Willet, 20 least 5 observations at Chey enne Bottoms during 1976- Common snipe, 26 Whimbrel, 21 2003. APRIL Brown thrasher, 21 American avocet, 1 Peregrine falcon, 23 FEBRUARY Semi-palmated sandpiper, 4 Common moorhen, 23 Mallard, 4 Least sandpiper, 4 Virginia rail, 24 Common merganser, 4 Western sandpiper, 6 Sora, 24 Hooded merganser, 6 Rough-winged swallow, 6 Cliff swallow, 24 Belted kingfisher, 7 Pectoral sandpiper, 7 Piping plover, 25 Northern pintail, 8 American bittern, 8 Spotted sandpiper, 26 Common goldeneye, 9 Turkey vulture, 8 Upland sandpiper, 26 White-fronted goose, 10 Black-crowned night heron, 9 Black-bellied plover, 27 Green-winged teal, 15 Swainson’s hawk, 9 Western kingbird, 27 Tundra swan, 16 Yellow-headed blackbird, 9 Common yellowthroat, 27 Sandhill crane, 17 Great egret, 10 Eastern kingbird, 28 American widgeon, 19 Snowy egret, 10 Sanderling, 29 Redhead, 20 Snowy plover, 10 Baltimore oriole, 30 Gadwall, 21 Franklin’s gull, 11 MAY American coot, 22 Wilson’s phalarope, 12 White-rumped sandpiper, 1 Northern shoveler, 23 Hudsonian godwit, 12 Solitary sandpiper, 1 Bufflehead, 23 Cattle egret, 12 Red knot, 2 Snow goose, 24 Black-necked stilt, 12 Buff-breasted sandpiper, 3 Lesser scaup, 27 Burrowing owl, 12 Chimney swift, 3 Canvasback, 28 Tree swallow, 12 Green heron, 4 Ring-necked duck, 28 Long-billed curlew, 13 Least bittern, 6 Killdeer, 28 White-faced ibis, 13 Red-headed woodpecker, 7 MARCH Bam swallow, 13 Gray catbird, 7 Ruddy duck, 3 Marbled godwit, 14 Dickcissel, 8 Great blue heron, 8 Forster’s tern, 14 Ruddy tumstone, 9 Cinnamon teal, 8 Stilt sandpiper, 15 Red-necked phalarope, 9 Blue-winged teal, 9 Semi-palmated plover, 16 Mississippi kite, 9 Pied-billed grebe, 10 American golden plover, 16 Black tern, 12 American white pelican, 16 Homed grebe, 16 Common nighthawk, 12 Wood duck, 16 Little blue heron, 16

Issue 41 Page 3 WILDLIFE AND MATERIAL FOR CHEYENNE VISITOR CENTER BOTTOMS PARKS WEB UPLAND BIRD SURVEY EXHIBITS NEEDED SITE The 2006 Cheyenne Bottoms up The Department o f Wildlife and Parks’ We can still use your help. With the Web site provides the public with a Cheyenne Bottoms Visitor Center get land bird survey season is fast ap number of valuable services. Examples ting closer to reality, material for some proaching. Volunteers are needed o f some o f the information that is o f the exhibits needs to be gathered. to assist in this effort o f monitoring available includes, weekly waterfowl One area where the public will be ex grassland bird abundance and spe reports for the state’s primary water- cies composition. We have about tremely valuable is in the photographic fowl areas; WIHA Atlas; Hunter Edu 10 volunteers helping with this history o f the Bottoms basin. Should cation class schedule’s; permit applica project, but we can always use tion’s, fishing reports for lakes and anyone have old photos from the past more help. Surveys are conducted reservoirs; trout stocking schedules; concerning Cheyenne Bottoms please from late May through late June FISH Atlas; sportsmen’s calendar; consider loaning them to KDWP. We and conducted between sunrise and current hunting and fishing regula will have them professionally repro tion’s; legislative update; on-line li duced and the originals returned to their three hours after sunrise. Walking cense and permit sales; and phone owner. Photos o f hunting, trapping, is required, and some bird identifi numbers for the Department’s numer fishing or simply enjoying the outdoors cation skills are helpful, but you ous offices. You can also order wildlife through observation would be o f great need not be an expert. All materi related books and videos. Check out als to do the survey will be pro value to illustrate the long history o f the Cheyenne Bottoms page. All o f people enjoying this Wetland o f Inter vided, along with training as this information is ‘downloadable’. needed. If interested in enjoying a The address for the Department’s web national Importance. Please contact the delightful morning out doors, call site is: http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us. Area Manager if you can help at 620- Helen Hands at 620-793-3066 for 793-3066 or at the address below. more information

KANSAS WILDLIFE AND PARKS CHEYENNE BOTTOMS W.A. 56 NE 40 RD GREAT BEND, KANSAS 67530

CHEYENNE BOTTOMS WILDLIFE AREA NEWSLETTER

KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND PARKS

FEDERAL AID IN WILDLIFE Inside this issue: RESTORATION- WHAT IS IT? White-breasted Nuthatch 2

Wildlife and Parks Web Site 4 Have you ever wondered what employment and hunger led to We still have a drought 4 that Wildlife Restoration logo on dropping wildlife populations, the return address of this news particularly for waterfowl, Public Meeting Scheduled 4 letter meant? I’m glad you which hit an all-time low. asked. You may even have seen Wildlife conservationists be that logo on the information came concerned. signs located at all the Depart ments’ wildlife areas. To ex The wildlife resources of plain exactly what Wildlife Res America were in luck. During toration is all about we need to the 1930’s many sportsmen go back to the early 1900’s. were prominent leaders in business, industry and science. With the arrival of the 20th Cen The names of many of these tury, wildlife populations nation sportsmen you’ll recognize: wide were at their lowest ebb. Theodore Roosevelt, George Federal legislation enacted be Bird Grinnell, Charles Shel Cheyenne Bottoms is recognized as a “Wetland tween 1910 and 1930 made don, John Burnham, J.N. Dar of International Importance” by the Ramsar strides toward helping the de Convention on Wetlands. Only 22 sites in the ling, M. Hartley Dodge, U.S. are recognized as such. clining wildlife populations in Charles Horn, Carl Shoe America. The Weeks-McLean maker, Aldo Leopold, Thomas Act of 1913 placed migratory Beck, Ira Gabrielson and Fre birds under Federal custody. derick Walcott. Not only were The Migratory Bird Treaty Act they on the scene at the right f ' was passed in 1918 and the leg time, but the Federal Govern Cheyenne Bottoms is recognized as an Impor islation authorizing the National ment was looking for new pro tant Bird Area by the American Bird Conser Wildlife Refuge System, the Mi grams to help deal with the vancy. gratory Bird Conservation Act, depression. With their efforts was passed in 1929. Things at taking advantage of the were beginning to look up for situation, several pieces of wildlife until the 1930’s arrived. conservation legislation were Drought, panic and poverty were enacted. The Duck Stamp and common place across America. Fish and Wildlife Coordina WHSRN The dust bowl on the prairies tion Acts were passed in 1934, WESTERN HEMISPHERE and economic depression broke the Cooperative Wildlife Re SH0REB1R0 RESERVE NETWORK banks, businesses and families. search Unit Program was put Cheyenne Bottoms is listed as a Hemispheric Wildlife habitat loss resulting into place in 1935 and the first Reserve by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird from the drought and high un Reserve Network. (Federal Aid- Continued on page 3) WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH

One of the more enjoyable birds monogamous pairs that remain the wild for a white-breasted to watch at your feeder is the together year-round from the time nuthatch is 2 years. white-breasted nuthatch. The of courtship and establishment of long bills of white-breasted nut a territory until one of the pair Nuthatches get their name hatches distinguish them from dies or disappears. Most breeding from their habit of placing other nuthatches. Their bills are is done between early May and large seeds and nuts in crevices nearly as long as their heads and early June, but some populations of trees and then prying them are slightly upturned. They have show a range from early April open with their beaks. They black or dark gray also probe crevices crowns on their heads, along tree trunks and with a bright white face limbs for smaller seeds and under-parts. The and insects. The insect back is a bluish-gray. foods eaten by white Their wings and tails are breasted nuthatches in a mixture of white, black clude such species as and bluish gray. They weevils, tent caterpil are about 5 to 6 inches lars, ants, scale insects, long with an 8 to 11 inch wood borers and leaf wingspan. beetles.

They reside throughout Predators of adults are most of North America, most likely hawks and from the southern re owls. Nestlings can be gions of Canada to cen eaten by woodpeckers, tral Mexico. They’re small squirrels and year-round residents. climbing snakes. Ait used by permission of Denis Kania White-breasted nuthatches live into July. The conservation in mature deciduous woodlands They raise one brood per year, status of the white-breasted and mixed deciduous and conif with the female building the nest nuthatch is a positive one. erous forests, especially near alone. The nest is built in cavities They are considered common openings and edges. They can at least 3 yards above the ground. and widespread with their be seen hopping headfirst down The female lays 3 to 10 (typically populations increasing over the trunks of trees in search of 6 to 8) pinkish-white eggs. The most of their range. insects. They frequent bird feed incubation period is for 12 to 14 ers and take sunflower seeds off days, and the male brings food to Information in this article is to the side of a tree, where it her in the nest cavity. Fledging from the University of Michi wedges them into a crevice and occurs 26 days later. After fledg gan’s Animal Diversity Web hammers them open. ing, the young stay with their par page, and the Cornell Lab of ents for several weeks before go Ornithology, All About Birds, White-breasted nuthatches form ing off on their own. It is esti web page. mated that the average lifespan in

Page 2 CHEYENNE BOTTOMS WILDLIFE AREA Federal Aid (Continued from page 1) vide at least 25 percent of the from budget and staff cuts. The North American Wildlife and project costs from a non- ultimate losers in such a scenario Natural Resources Conference federal source, such as hunting would be the wildlife resource, was held in 1936. These indi license sales. and all users of public lands viduals, along with others, One of the first projects under funded by Federal Aid, both hunt also pushed for the passage of taken by the Kansas Fish and ers and non-hunters. Not to men the Federal Aid in Wildlife Game using this new funding tion the many communities bene Restoration Act in 1937. source, was the acquisition fiting economically from spend and development of Cheyenne ing by visitors to nearby wildlife The Federal Aid in Wildlife areas. Restoration Act, popularly Bottoms Wildlife Area. Most know as the Pittman- state-owned wildlife areas in How much money are we talking Robertson Act, was approved Kansas were acquired using about? In Fiscal Year 2005, Kan by Congress on September 2, these hunter dollars. In addi sas received $4,130,946.00 from 1937, and began functioning tion, they continue to fund the the Wildlife Restoration Act. on July 1, 1938. The purpose operation and maintenance of Since the passage of the Act, of this Act was to provide these properties for the enjoy Kansas has received a total of funding for the selection, res ment of all. Some of the best $86,527,560.00 and the total toration, rehabilitation and im wildlife viewing opportunities amount apportioned nationwide provement of wildlife habitat, nationwide can be had on land since 1938 is $4,792,536,959.00. wildlife management research, bought and maintained using Now you have a better under and the distribution of infor these Federal Aid monies. standing why agencies, like Wild mation produced by the pro There are some so-called life and Parks, want to ensure our jects. The Act was amended ‘conservationists’ that are ac visitors understand where we get in 1970 to include funding for tively pursuing the end of all the bulk of our funding for prop hunter training programs and hunting in the United States. erties like Cheyenne Bottoms. the development, operation If successful, they will, for all We all must work together to en and maintenance of public tar intents and purposes, eliminate sure that the funding for wildlife get ranges. Funds are derived the funding source for most conservation is not reduced by from an 11 percent Federal wildlife conservation efforts in even a penny. So should you excise tax on sporting arms, this country, at least at the hear someone wanting to stop ammunition, and archery state level. If successful, hunting, think about die ramifica equipment, and a 10 percent many wildlife viewing areas, tions such an act would have on tax on handguns. These funds possibly even Cheyenne Bot the wildlife and wildlife habitat are collected from the manu toms, would suffer greatly we all enjoy. facturers by the Department of the Treasury and are appor tioned each year to the States and Territorial areas (except Puerto Rico) by the Depart ment of the Interior on the ba sis of formulas set forth in the Act. Each State’s apportionment is determined by a formula which considers the total area of the state and the number of licensed hunters in the state. The program is a cost- reimbursement program, where the state covers the full amount of an approved project then applies for reimburse ment through Federal Aid for up to 75 percent of the project expenses. The state must pro

Issue 42 Page 3 WILDLIFE AND THE DROUGHT CHEYENNE BOTTOMS CONTINUES ANNUAL PUBLIC PARKS WEB MEETING SCHEDULED SITE We are still experiencing drought con The Department of Wildlife and Parks’ ditions here at Cheyenne Bottoms. We Web site provides the public with a were able to divert some water from the The 2006 Cheyenne Bottoms an number of valuable services. Examples Arkansas River, Dry Creek and the Wet nual public meeting has been of some of the information that is Walnut following a local heavy rain in scheduled for Tuesday, August 15 available includes: weekly waterfowl Pawnee County. This water was placed at 7 P.M. It will be held at Barton reports for the state’s primary water- into Pool IB for summer storage and as County Community College Fine fowl areas; WIHA Atlas; Hunter Edu of early July amounted to about 7 Arts Building, Room F-30. An cation class schedule’s; permit applica update on the progress of the wet tion’s; fishing reports for lakes and inches in that pool. Not a lot, but better land interpretive center and a re reservoirs; trout stocking schedules; that we had before the storm. Another FISH Atlas; sportsmen’s calendar; significant rain storm passed just west view of the expected marsh condi current hunting and fishing regula of Great Bend in late June, dumping 5 tions for the fall migration will be tion’s; legislative update; on-line li inches in places. The unfortunate part discussed. The meeting is free and cense and permit sales; and phone of that storm, at least for the Bottoms, open to the public. numbers for the Department’s numer is that it produced runoff that was al ous offices. You can also order wildlife most entirely downstream of our diver related books and videos. Check out sion structures. While these rains were the Cheyenne Bottoms page. All of too late to provide habitat for the spring this information is ‘downloadable’. The address for the Department’s web migration, it may be of benefit for this site is: http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us. fall, depending upon the weather July and August bring.

KANSAS WILDLIFE AND PARKS CHEYENNE BOTTOMS W.A. 56 NE 40 RD GREAT BEND, KANSAS 67530

WE ARE WET AGAIN! Inside this issue:

Cedar Waxwins 2

Wetland Ed Center Memorials 3 When the 2006 Cheyenne Bot cally. What was very surpris Wildlife and Parks Web Site 4 toms Wildlife Area annual pub ing was the large number of lic meeting was held on August white-faced ibis that appeared. Wetland Ed Center Groundbreakins 4 15, we were looking at yet an It was not uncommon to see Youth Upland Bird Season 4 other less than stellar waterfowl several flights of 10 to 25 ibis season. The only pool with wa moving from pool to pool. ter was Pool IB, all others were dry. The staff was busy trying The good news for hunters to stay ahead of the fast growing was that the rains arrived in Kochia in the diy pools and driv time to provide some excellent ing over the thousands of acres marsh habitat for the early teal of dry marsh looking for Phrag- season. When the season mites. Two weeks later every opened on September 9, teal pool had at least some water and numbers were estimated to be the inlet canal was bringing in near 50,000. Opening week end more than 650 hunters en Cheyenne Bottoms is recognized as a “Wetland water to near the point of over of International Importance” by the Ramsar topping the banks. Two well joyed the opportunity to hunt Convention on Wetlands. Only 22 sites in the placed storms provided enor ducks in one of the premier U.S. are recognized as such. mous runoff, mostly from the waterfowl areas in the country. Wet Walnut drainage. In addi With all the pools holding at tion, the pools themselves were least some water, there was W. well saturated by about 6 inches ample diversity of habitat con (■' ditions that accommodated the of rain, so diverted water did not Cheyenne Bottoms is recognized as an Impor have to wet the basin before it boat hunter as well as the indi viduals who prefer to walk in. tant Bird Area by the American Bird Conser started to accumulate. We were vancy. very fortunate to receive this Total hunter numbers for the rain, as most of Kansas remains entire teal season was about in a drought condition. 1,980, as indicated by the Daily Hunt permits. Hunter It was fun to watch how quickly success hovered around 3 teal the water birds made use of the per hunter for the entire 16 marsh once the water arrived. day season. Approximately Egrets, which were few and far WHSRN 84% of the teal harvested dur WESTERN HEMISPHERE between in early August now ing this early season were SHOREBIRD RESERVE NETWORK numbered in the 100’s by the blue-wings. As a comparison, Cheyenne Bottoms is listed as a Hemispheric first of September. Heron num last years teal season had a Reserve by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird bers likewise increased dramati Reserve Network. (W ater- C o n tin u ed on p a g e 3) CEDAR WAXWING

The Cedar Waxwing border of Canada and south to (.Bombycilla cedrorum) is a bird California, Illinois, and Vir hard to be mistaken. Smaller ginia. They winter from Brit than a robin, the Cedar Waxwing ish Columbia, into the United is a brown bird with a black States from the Great Lakes mask, also having yellow tips on and New England southward. the tail feathers, red tips on the secondary feathers, and the un Cedar Waxwings are known der tail coverts are white. The for their unusual feeding ritu Waxwings will range from 6-1/2 als. One of these rituals con to 8 inches long. sists of sharing their food among others making this so The Cedar Waxwing preferred cial feeding. One bird will habitat is open woodland with pluck a berry and instead of access to running water and swallowing it, they will pass it abundant food source. Their to the next bird and so on down nests consists of bark, leaves, the line, back and forth until mud, grasses, rootlets and moss. one decides to eat it, then they These birds are one of the latest will start all over again. These nesting birds in North America. Even for an avid bird watcher it is birds are different from any Their diet mainly consists of still hard to tell the difference be other flocks of birds. When fruits, berries and insects. Fruits tween a male and a female. How they reach a destination they include, mainly berries, such as ever there is one clue that gives it usually sit at the top of the cherries, mulberries, elderber away. The feathers that extend trees, then five to ten birds will ries, grapes, blackberries, and backwards from the bottom of the swoop down pluck some ber blueberries. This heavy diet of bill. The males will have a dark ries and head back up. Then berries accumulates a strong shiny black color to them, and the the next five to ten birds will thirst for water. When the ber females will have a lighter more take their turn. This is differ ries have fermented these birds brown color. ent because you will usually are able to get intoxicated and see birds fighting over which will flop around till they are so Migration is also usually hard and one will get the food. ber again. With there amazing sometimes unpredictable. Wax- digestive system they are able to wings will move to follow the One may now call the Cedar get rid of the seeds within 45 food supply. They may stay at Waxwing a “party animal” for minutes of having been eaten. one site for a couple of weeks the way of its eating habits. then just vanish without warning. Excess eating of the over rip The Waxwing will lay a grayish They may be seen in flocks of 40 ened berries will intoxicate blue egg, and will lay three to or more, also in small groups, or them so much that a lot of the five eggs. They are mainly just one by itself. times they are not able to fly. speckled at the larger area of the One may coax them to you or egg with either brown or a black The birds breed from southern you might just get a chance to Alaska east along the southern pick one up. i Page 2 CHEYENNE BOTTOMS WILDLIFE AREA W ater (Continued from page 1) cies. Wood duck, green total of only 91 hunters com winged teal, shoveler, redhead MEMORIALS pleting the required Hunt Per and mallards were also present EARMARKED mits and they averaged a bit in good numbers. more than 2 teal per hunter. The first white-fronted geese FOR WETLAND The opening day of the regular were noted on the Area Sep duck season (October 14) we tember 28, and the first ob ED CENTER had a good number of hunters served sandhill cranes were on the area. A total of 538 seen September 29. Since hunters completed the Daily then we have estimated goose Two memorials have been desig Hunt permit forms. That is the numbers to be near 8,000 and nated to be used at the soon to be largest opening day hunter crane numbers close to 1,000. built Kansas Wetland Education numbers at Cheyenne Bottoms This is shaping up to be a Center at Cheyenne Bottoms. since we had 690 hunters on good year for waterfowl hunt opening day of the 1986 sea ers and wildlife observers son. Preliminary sampling of alike. The August rains have Monies contributed to and raised the completed permits show made the area attractive to a for the Margaret Taggart Memorial that for the opening weekend wide variety of water birds have been slated for use in the hunters averaged about 3.7 and with all the pools holding classroom of the Education Center. ducks per hunter. Duck num at least some water the habitat The funds will be used in herpeto- bers present on the Area for diversity is excellent. If possi logical education and for the main the regular season opener were ble, come out and enjoy the estimated to be between 80 spectacle of the fall migration. tenance of live snakes and other and 100,000. It was a mix of With more than 50 species of reptiles and amphibians. species. Blue-winged teal, birds easily seen from your gadwall, widgeon and pintail vehicle, your trip will be well The A. Wayne Rusco Memorial is were the most represented spe worth it. to be used to build an exhibit fea turing a Remington shotgun found by Wayne in the Long Lake por tion of Cheyenne Bottoms in 1976. Wayne donated the shotgun to the Bottoms several years ago and has been on display in the Area office.

The photo at left was taken by KDWP staff photographer Mike Blair in mid-October this fall. It is looking west over Pool 4A and shows the diversity of habitat we were able to get this sum mer through our disking efforts. The August rains completed the picture.

Issue 43 Page 3 WILDLIFE AND KANSAS YOUTH UPLAND BIRD WETLANDS SEASON COMING UP PARKS WEB EDUCATION FAST SITE CENTER The 2006 Youth Upland Bird Sea The Department of Wildlife and Parks’ GROUNDBREAKING son will be the weekend of October Web site provides the public with a 28-29. It has been moved up a number o f valuable services. Examples week from past years due to the of some of the information that is available includes: weekly waterfowl The groundbreaking for the Kansas moving up of the regular pheasant reports for the state’s primary water- Wetland Education Center has been opener to the first weekend in No fowl areas; WIHA Atlas; Hunter Edu scheduled for Friday, October 27 at vember. On the youth weekend, cation class schedule’s; permit applica 10:30 a.m. The location for the event only hunters less than 16 may hunt tion’s; fishing reports for lakes and will be at the building site across from under the supervision o f an adult reservoirs; trout stocking schedules; the rest area on Kansas Highway 156 in 18 or older. The supervising adult FISH Atlas; sportsmen’s calendar; the southeast portion of the wildlife may NOT hunt. Daily bag limits current hunting and fishing regula are half the regular season limits. tion’s; legislative update; on-line li area. A shuttle bus will be available at cense and permit sales; and phone the Barton County Community College This provides a great opportunity numbers for the Department’s numer beginning at 10. Governor Sebelius to get young hunters out in the ous offices. You can also order wildlife will be the honored guest and the key field without having to compete related books and videos. Check out note speaker. For more information with adults. It also allows the adult the Cheyenne Bottoms page. All of contact the Great Bend Convention and time to focus attention on teaching this information is ‘downloadable’. Visitors Bureau at 620-792-2750. youngsters proper gun handling The address for the Department’s web and other safety items without be site is: http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us. ing distracted by their own hunting.

KANSAS WILDLIFE AND PARKS CHEYENNE BOTTOMS W.A. 4 * * ^ 56 NE 40 RD % GREAT BEND, KANSAS 67530 b Rfv<