2008 Bird Walks at Allegawaho Park

 

JANUARY 2008 FKH BIRD COUNT

Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, January 12, 2008

CONDITIONS: Began walk at approx. 8:05 a.m. and finished at 9:30 a.m. Sunny skies, good visibility, no noticeable wind, and a temperature of 20 degrees at onset; sunny skies, 29 degrees and no noticeable wind at the end of the walk. All in all, a perfect day for a bird count!

COURSE: We began our walk at the southwest entrance to the Kanza Trail walking the streamland area and ended the walk at the midpoint where the trail meets the county road without crossing to the upland prairie.

BIRD LIST:

  • American Goldfinch – 1
  • Black-capped Chickadee – 8
  • Canada Geese – 16 + 150
  • Cardinal – 4
  • Crow - 3
  • Downy Woodpecker - 6
  • Eastern Blue Bird – 4
  • Eastern Meadowlark – 25
  • Great Horned Owl – 1
  • Junco – 3
  • Red Breasted Nuthatch – 1
  • Snow Geese – 150
  • Tufted Titmouse – 3
  • White Breasted Nuthatch – 7

TOTALS: 14 avian species with a total of 391 birds observed.

COMMENTS: As we were leaving the park a flock of approximately 300 geese flew overhead. The composition of species was about 50% Canada Geese and 50% Snow Geese. They were flying in V formations with species intermingled.


FEBRUARY 2008 FKH BIRD COUNT

Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, February 9, 2008

CONDITIONS: Began walk at approx. 8:05 a.m. and finished at 9:30 a.m. Sunny skies, good visibility, no noticeable wind, and a temperature of 20 degrees at onset; sunny skies, 29 degrees and no noticeable wind at the end of the walk. All in all, a perfect day for a bird count! 

COURSE: We began our walk at the southwest entrance to the Kanza Trail walking the streamland area and ended the walk at the midpoint where the trail meets the county road without crossing to the upland prairie.

 

BIRD LIST:

  • American Goldfinch – 1

  • Black-capped Chickadee – 8

  • Canada Geese – 16 + 150

  • Cardinal – 4

  • Crow - 3

  • Downy Woodpecker - 6

  • Eastern Blue Bird – 4

    •

  • Eastern Meadowlark – 25

  • Great Horned Owl – 1

  • Junco – 3

  • Red Breasted Nuthatch – 1

  • Snow Geese – 150

  • Tufted Titmouse – 3

  • White Breasted Nuthatch – 7

 TOTALS: 14 avian species with a total of 381 birds observed.


MARCH 2008 FKH BIRD COUNT

Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, March 22, 2008

CONDITIONS: Began walk at approx. 8:05 a.m. and finished at 10:30 a.m. Sunny skies, good visibility, no noticeable wind, and a temperature of 38 degrees at onset; sunny skies, 43 degrees and no noticeable wind at the end of the walk.

COURSE: We began our walk at the southwest entrance to the Kanza Trail walking the streamland area and ended the walk at the midpoint where the trail meets the county road without crossing to the upland prairie. 

BIRD LIST:

  • American Robin - 1

  • Black-capped Chickadee – 78

  • Canada Geese – 4

  • Cardinal – 6

  • Crow - 9

  • Eastern Blue Bird – 1

  • Eastern Meadowlark - 26

  • Eastern Phoebe - 2

  • Great Horned Owl – 1

  • Great Blue Heron - 1

  • Harris Sparrow - 8

  • Junco – 11

  • Mourning Dove - 3

  • Northern Flicker – 2

  • Northern Harrier – 1

  • Red Bellied Woodpecker - 3

  • Red Breasted Nuthatch – 1

  • Red Winged Blackbirds - 51

  • Song Sparrow - 2

  • Tufted Titmouse – 4

  • Turkey Vulture - 3

  • White Breasted Nuthatch – 1

  • Wild Turkey - 40

TOTALS: 23 avian species with a total of 259 birds observed.


APRIL 2008 FKH BIRD COUNT

Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, April 12, 2008

CONDITIONS: Began walk at approx. 8:05 a.m. and finished at 10:10 a.m. Overcast skies, fair visibility, wind @ approximately 15-20 mph, and a temperature of 36 degrees at onset; less overcast skies, 43 degrees and wind was increased to 30 mph at the end of the walk.

COURSE: We began our walk at the southwest entrance to the Kanza Trail walking the streamland area, crossed the county road, and walked the upland prairie ending the walk where we began. 

BIRD LIST:

  • American Goldfinch – 10

  • Barn Swallow – 1

  • Blue Gray Gnatcatcher – 1

  • Cardinal – 10

  • Cowbird - 2

  • Crow - 1

  • Downy Woodpecker – 2

  • Duck (‘Just’ Ducks) - 6

  • Eastern Blue Bird – 4

  • Eastern Meadowlark – 5

  • Harris Sparrow – 6

  • Hairy Woodpecker – 2

  • Killdeer – 1

  • Red Bellied Woodpecker - 2

  • Red Winged Blackbird – 2

  • Song Sparrow - 3

  • Turkey Vulture - 4

TOTALS: 17 avian species with a total of 62 birds observed.

COMMENTS:  The paths were muddy but the birds and camaraderie made it well worth sloshing through!
      

MAY 2008 FKH BIRD COUNT
Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, May 10, 2008

CONDITIONS: Began walk at approx. 8:05 a.m. and finished at 11:45 a.m. Overcast skies, fair visibility, wind @ approximately 5 mph, and a temperature of 55 degrees at onset; skies still overcast, 57 degrees and wind was about the same at the end of the walk. With the dampness, it was chilly throughout the walk.


COURSE: We began our walk at the southwest entrance to the Kanza Trail walking the streamland area, crossed the county road, and walked the upland prairie ending the walk where we began.
 

BIRD LIST:

  • American Redstart – 1
  • Baltimore Oriole - 2
  • Barn Swallow – 4
  • Barred Owl - 2
  • Blue Jay - 2
  • Cardinal – 5
  • Common Yellowthroat - 1
  • Cowbird - 14
  • Crow - 5
  • Eastern Blue Bird – 3
  • Eastern Meadowlark – 9
  • Eastern Phoebe – 2
  • Great Crested Flycatcher – 2
  • Hairy Woodpecker – 3
  • Mourning Dove – 4
  • Nighthawk - 1
  • Northern Harrier – 1
  • Quail – 1
  • Red Breasted Nuthatch – 1
  • Red Eyed Vireo – 2
  • Red Headed Woodpecker – 4
  • Rough Winged Swallow - 2
  • Tree Sparrow - 2
  • Turkey– 10
  • Turkey Vulture – 11
  • Wood Duck – 2
  • Wren – 11
  • Yellow Warbler - 1

TOTALS: 28 avian species with a total of 108 birds observed.

WILDFLOWERS:
Antennaria neglecta, Field Pussytoes
Astragalus crassicarpus, Groundplum Milkvetch
Baptisia leucophea, Plains Wildindigo
Lithospermum incisum, Narrowleaf Gromwell
Oxalis violacea, Violet Woodsorrel Oxalis
Senecio plattensis, Prairie Groundsel
Sisyrinchium campestre, Prairie Blue-eyedgrass
Viola peditifida, Bird’s Foot or Prairie Violet
Wild Carrot
Hairy Poucon
Dame’s (Sweet) Rocket
Yellow Parsley

MUSHROOMS:
Inky Cap
Shaggy Maine

OTHER CRITTERS:
Tree Frogs

COMMENTS: Due to recent controlled burning we were able to observe what appeared to be the footing for an old stone fence to the north of the monument laid in an east/west direction. We speculated that this fence might have been the source of some of the stone used to construct the monument.

We found a very well engineered and compact small bird’s nest fallen on the path in the westernmost, wooded area of the trail that we thought might have been the nest of a Nuthatch or Common Yellowthroat that we observed in this area. Helen kept it for her collection.

This was our first, ever sighting of an American Redstart @ Allegawaho Park!

JULY 2008 FKH BIRD COUNT

Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, July 12, 2008

CONDITIONS: Began walk at approx. 8:05 a.m. and finished at 11:30 a.m. Overcast skies, very poor visibility, wind @ approximately 5 mph, and a temperature of 55 degrees at onset.  It began raining during our walk through the woods and the skies were still overcast and raining, 57 degrees and wind was about the same at the end of the walk. With the rain, it was very, very chilly throughout the walk.

COURSE: We began our walk at the southwest entrance to the Kanza Trail walking the streamland area, crossed the county road, and walked the upland prairie ending the walk where we began.

BIRD LIST:

  • Blue Jay - 3

  • Barn Swallow – 1

  • Cardinal – 2

  • Dicksissel – 11

  • Eastern Meadowlark – 1

  • Great Crested Flycatcher – 1

  • Lark Sparrow - 1

  • Mourning Dove – 1

  • Red Eyed Vireo – 3

  • Wild Turkey– 5

TOTALS:  10 avian species with a total of 29 birds observed.

WILDFLOWERS:
Queen Anne’s Lace
Prairie Coneflower

OTHER CRITTERS:
‘Happy Hoppy’ Frogs
Monarch Butterflies
White Tail Deer – 4

AUGUST 2008 FKH BIRD COUNT

Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, August 16, 2008

CONDITIONS: Began walk at approx. 8:05 a.m. and finished at 11:50 a.m. Clear skies, good visibility, wind @ approximately 7 mph. out of the east, and a temperature of 68 degrees at onset; skies still clear, 75 degrees and wind was about the same at the end of the walk.

COURSE: We began our walk at the southwest entrance to the Kanza Trail walking the streamland area, crossed the county road, and walked the upland prairie ending the walk where we began.

BIRD LIST:

  • American Goldfinch – 1

  • American Robin - 1

  • Barn Swallow – 4

  • Barred Owl – 2

  • Black Capped Chickadee - 2

  • Blue Jay – 3

  • Bob White Quail - 4

  • Cardinal – 5

  • Chimney Swift - 3

  • Dickcissil - 4

  • Eastern Kingbird - 39

  • Eastern Meadowlark – 10

  • Great Crested Flycatcher – 1

  • Mourning Dove – 119

  • Nighthawk - 2

  • Northern Rough Winged Swallow - 2

  • Red Breasted Nuthatch – 1

  • Red Eyed Vireo – 5

  • Red Bellied Woodpecker – 4

  • Red Tailed Hawk - 1

  • Swallow sp. - 4

  • Tufted Titmouse - 4

  • Turkey– 1 mother & 9 poults

  • Turkey Vulture – 50

  • White Breasted Nuthatch – 3

  • Yellow Billed Cuckoo - 3

TOTALS:  26 avian species with a total of 289 birds observed.

WILDFLOWERS:
Campanula Americana, American Bellflower
Eupatorium rugosum, White Snakeroot
Euphorbia marginata, Snow-on-the-Mountain

BUTTERFLIES:
Buckeye Butterfly – 2
Cloudless Sulpher – 5
Monarch – 4
Tiger Swallowtail - 1

SETEMBER 2008 FKH BIRD COUNT

Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, September 20, 2008

CONDITIONS: Began walk at approx. 8:05 a.m. and finished at 11:30 a.m. We had a beautiful fall morning with sunny clear, skies, good visibility, almost no wind and a temperature of 60 degrees at onset.  At the end of the walk the skies were still sunny, it was about 65 degrees and the wind was about the same as at the beginning of the walk. There was an exceptionally beautiful and colorful sunrise this morning.

COURSE: We began our walk at the southwest entrance to the Kanza Heritage Trail walking the streamland area, crossed the county road, and walked the upland prairie ending the walk where we began.

BIRD LIST:

  • American Kestrel – 1

  • American Robin - 1

  • Black-capped Chickadee – 1

  • Blue Jay - 12

  • Cardinal – 2

  • Crow - 13

  • Great Blue Heron – 1

  • Red Bellied Woodpecker - 4

  • Yellow Shafted Flicker – 4

  • Red Bellied Woodpecker – 1

  • Tufted Titmouse – 2

  • Turkey– 1 Mother & 11 Poults 1 in forest

  • Turkey Vulture – 1

TOTALS:  13 avian species with a total of 57 birds observed.

WILDFLOWERS:
Campanula Americana, American Bellflower
Eupatorium rugosum, White Snakeroot
Euphorbia marginata, Snow-on-the-Mountain
Gnaphalium obtusifolium, Sweet Everlasting
Lespedeza capitata, Round Headed Lespedeza
Liatruis aspera, Dotted Gayfeather
Linum sulcatum, Grooved Yellow Flax
Lobelia siphilitica, Great Blue Lobelia (nice colony at the seep at the base of the promontory point)
Menispermum canadense L., Common Moonseed or Moonseed Vine
Phytolacca Americana, Pokeweed or Inkweed
Silphium integrifolum, Whole-leaf Rosinweed
Spiranthes vernalis, Ladies’ Tresses
Solidago rigida, Stiff Goldenrod
Tripsacum dactyloides, Eastern Gama Grass
Verbesina alternifolia, Wingstem.

MUSHROOMS:
There was an outcropping of unusually attractive mushrooms on the fallen Cottonwood unlike any we have seen before.  They were small, cream colored mushrooms with a touch of coral on them.

OTHER CRITTERS:
Cloudless Sulpher Butterfly
Red Fox Squirrel
Tree Frog

COMMENTS

We discussed the possibilities of having rustic benches made to place along the Kanza Heritage Trail.  Three locations were suggested along the forested portion of the trail.

Possible purchase of an educational DVD on birdcalls was also discussed.  We could add it to the education center library and make it available for circulation.

A member of the group detected and reported a rare birdcall characteristic of the nearly extinct avian species commonly known as the ‘Tweety Bird’.

 

OCTOBER 2008 FKH BIRD COUNT

Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, October 11, 2008

CONDITIONS: Began walk at approx. 8:05 a.m. and finished at 9:45 a.m. Mostly cloudy skies, wind @ 5pmp and a temperature of 30 degrees at onset.  At the end of the walk the skies were still mostly cloudy, it was about 37 degrees and the wind was out of the NW @ 25-30 mph. Really chilly out.

COURSE: We began our walk at the southwest entrance to the Kanza Heritage Trail walking the streamland area, crossed the county road, and walked the upland prairie ending the walk where we began.

 

  • American Robin - 1

  • Canada Goose – 10

  • Crow - 13

  • Ducks – 13 *

  • Eastern Bluebird – 1

  • Eastern Meadowlark – 1

  • Northern Harrier – 2

 

  • Northern Flicker – 1

  • Prairie Chicken – 15

  • Red Bellied Woodpecker - 4

  • Red Headed Woodpecker – 1 mature +1 immature

  • Tree Sparrow - 2

  • Tufted Titmouse – 1

TOTALS:  13 avian species with a total of 67 birds observed.

WILDFLOWERS:
Aster sp.

MUSHROOMS:
There was an outcropping of button mushrooms on the fallen Cottonwood – probably inky cap.

OTHER CRITTERS:
Bass in the stream - 20
Red Fox Squirrel

COMMENTS
We adjourned to the Education Center to discuss a questionnaire given to us by Donna Schenck – Hamlin to evaluate the field guides for birds in the Prairie Ecology book collection that KSU & Konza Prairie have placed at the CG Public Library.

 

 

NOVEMBER 2008 FKH BIRD COUNT

Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, November 8, 2008

CONDITIONS: Began walk at approx. 8:00 a.m. and finished at 10:30 a.m. Clear skies, wind @ 5pmp and a temperature of 40 degrees at onset.  At the end of the walk the skies were still clear, it was about 48 degrees and the wind was out of the NW @ 5-10 mph.

COURSE: We began our walk at the southwest entrance to the Kanza Heritage Trail walking the streamland area, crossed the county road, and walked the upland prairie ending the walk where we began.

BIRD LIST:

  • American Goldfinch - 3

  • American Kestrel - 1

  • American Tree Sparrow - 1

  • Black Capped Chickadee - 2

  • Blackbirds - 4

  • Canada Geese - 14

  • Crow - 2

  • Downy Woodpecker - 2

  • Ducks (unspecified) - 13

  • Eastern Bluebird - 13

  • Harris Sparrow - 11

  • Junco - 32

  • Yellow Shafted Flicker - 1

  • Northern Harrier, - 2

  • Red-tail Hawk - 3

  • Tufted Titmouse - 3

  • White-breasted Nuthatch - 1

  • White-crowned Sparrow - 2

TOTALS:  
 16 avian species with a total of 110 birds observed.

CRITTERS:
 Red Fox Squirrel

COMMENTS
 We adjourned to the Education Center to discuss the bird count.


DECEMBER 2008 FKH BIRD COUNT

Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, December 13, 2008

CONDITIONS: Began walk at approx. 8:10 a.m. and finished at 10:28 a.m. Partly cloudy skies, wind was out of the south @ 25 mph and a temperature of 50 degrees at onset.  At the end of the walk the skies were still partly cloudy, it was about 56 degrees and the wind was out of the south @ 25-30 mph.

COURSE: We began our walk at the southwest entrance to the Kanza Heritage Trail walking the streamland area, crossed the county road, and walked the upland prairie ending the walk where we began.

BIRD LIST:

  • Bald Eagle – 1 (Immature)

  • Barred Owl – 1 (Breathtaking in tree hollow)

  • Bluejay - 2

  • Crow - 2

  • Eastern Bluebird – 3

  • Goldfinch – 35

  • Harlan’s Hawk – 1

  • Northern Harrier – 2

  • Northern Flicker – 33

  • Prairie Falcon – 1

  • Red Bellied Woodpecker - 2

  • Red Headed Woodpecker – 2

  • Red Tail Hawk - 2

  • Sparrow – sp. - 1

TOTALS:   14 avian species with a total of 83 birds observed.

MUSHROOMS:

There was an outcropping of button mushrooms on the fallen Cottonwood – probably inky cap. Took photos of the mushrooms and an attractive moss in bloom.  Took a photo of the fallen Cottonwood stump to record its continuing deterioration.

OTHER CRITTERS:
White Tailed Deer - 3 (One with a good sized rack!)

COMMENTS
We discussed a location for our future benches and asked for volunteers to form an ad hoc bench committee.  All agreed the benches should be naturalistic and made of wood.  We will discuss this at our next FKH board meeting. We adjourned to the Education Center for refreshments.
                 

For additional information contact the Kaw Mission State Historic Site
Phone:  620-767-5410,
e-mail - kawmission@kshs.org. 

The Kansas State Historical Society does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission to, access to, or operation of its programs.  The society requests prior notification to accommodate individuals with special needs or disabilities.

         

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