Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area is a 41,000 acre wetland basin with 19,857
managed by the Kansas Department of Parks and Wildlife. The Bottoms are located 7 miles north-east of Great Bend, Kansas.
It is considered the most important eco-system in Kansas and has been designated as a "Wetland of International Importance".
It is estimated that a minimum of 45%, as up to as much as 90% of the North American shorebird population stops at the Bottoms
during spring migration. At least 320 of the 417 species of birds recorded in Kansas has been seen at the Bottoms. There are
over 100 species that breed and nest in the area, with 63 species as permanent residents.
The Bottoms are a series of five pools divided by dykes. You are able to drive
around on the majority of the dykes, and they are clearly marked on those you can not.
Cheyenne Bottoms is a critical habitat for threatened and endangered birds such
as the whooping crane, piping plover, peregrine falcon and bald eagle. Like Quivira, spring and fall are the best times to
visit due to the migration.
We arrived in the morning of a very cloudy day. There were several hundred pelicans,
so we focused on getting some good photos of them eating, pruning, sitting and flying. Along with the pelicans we saw ...
We also saw mosquito's, spiders, turtles ans a common king snake. Funny thing about
this king snake is he uses his tail much like a rattlesnake does, to scare you off. Luckily, he wasn't too worried about
me, so I was able to get a few shots of him.
Although the weather wasn't too cooperative, we learned a lot and took some great
photo's...and I know that I want to go back to see the fall migration.
