2009 Bird Walks at Allegawaho Park

JANUARY 2009 FKH BIRD COUNT

Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, January 17, 2009

CONDITIONS: Began walk at 8:10 a.m. and concluded the walk at 9:55 a.m.  Partly cloudy skies, good visibility, light winds, and a temperature of nearly 32 degrees at onset; sunny skies, 43 degrees and wind 10 to 15 mph at the end of the walk.

COURSE: We began our walk at the Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park southeast trailhead of the Flint Hills Nature Trail walking the trail to the northeast and ended the walk at the vicinity of the Big John Creek Bridge.

BIRD LIST:

  • American Goldfinch – 1

  • American Robin - 73

  • Black-capped Chickadee – 3

  • Blue Jay - 5

  • Canada Geese – 2

  • Cardinal – 13

  • Crow - 7

  • Eastern Bluebird – 3

  •  Harris Sparrow – 36

  • Junco – 37

  • Mourning Dove - 17

  • Red-bellied Woodpecker - 6

  • Tree Sparrow - 71

  • Tufted Titmouse – 2

  • Wild Turkey - 61

 

TOTALS: 15 avian species with a total of 333 individual birds observed.

OTHER CRITTERS:
Mammals:
Bobcat - 1
Coyote - 1
Red Fox -1

COMMENTS:  All agreed the new route was enjoyable and productive in terms of numbers and variety of birds seen. The plan is to do this stretch of the Fint Hills Nature Trail every other month.  Accordingly, our next walk over this section will be in March. In February, we will traverse our familiar Allegawaho Park trail loop.

FEBRUARY 2009 FKH BIRD COUNT
Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, February 21, 2009

CONDITIONS: Began walk at 8:10 a.m. and concluded the walk at 9:55 a.m.  Partly cloudy skies, good visibility, 10-15 mph winds, and a temperature of 17 degrees at onset; sunny skies, 23 degrees and wind 10 to 15 mph at the end of the walk.

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 Robin - 90

  • Canada Geese – 14

  • Cardinal – 4

  • Crow - 3

  • Downy Woodpecker – 2

  • Ducks, sp. - 4

  • Eastern Bluebird – 6

  • Harris Sparrow – 2

  • Junco – 49

  • Northern Flicker - 7

  • Northern Harrier – 1 – Male

  • Red Tailed Hawk - 2

  • Red-bellied Woodpecker - 6

  • Tufted Titmouse – 6

  • White-breasted Nuthatch - 5

TOTALS: 15 avian species with a total of 201 individual birds observed.

OTHER CRITTERS:
It was so cold the other wildlife, much wiser than the humans on this walk, was not out for us to view.

COMMENTS:  In March we will follow our plan and begin our walk at the Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park southeast trailhead of the Flint Hills Nature Trail walking the trail to the northeast and end the walk at the vicinity of the Big John Creek Bridge.

MARCH 2009 FKH BIRD COUNT
Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, March 21, 2009

CONDITIONS: Began walk at 8:25 a.m. and concluded the walk at 10:25 a.m. Partly cloudy skies, good visibility, very slight winds, and a temperature of 50 degrees at onset; sunny skies, 55 – 60 degrees and a slight south wind at the end of the walk.

COURSE: We began our walk at the begin our walk at the Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park southeast trailhead of the Flint Hills Nature Trail walking the trail to the northeast and end the walk at the vicinity of the Big John Creek Bridge.

BIRD LIST:

  • American Robin – 20

  • Black Capped Chickadee - 1

  • Blue jay - 1

  • Cardinal – 15

  • Cedar Waxwing – 45 or more!

  • Crow - 7

  • Downy Woodpecker – 2

  • Eastern Bluebird – 2

  • Eastern Meadowlark – 5

  • Eastern Phoebe – 5

  • Fox Sparrow - 3

  • Harris Sparrow – 122

  • Horned Lark Sparrow – 1

  • Junco – 1

  • Killdeer - 1

  • Mourning Dove - 3

  • Northern Flicker - 2

  • Northern Harrier – 1

  • Prairie Chicken – 8

  • Red-bellied Woodpecker - 8

  • Red Winged Blackbird – 8

  • Rufus Towhee – 1

  • Song Sparrow – 7

  • Tufted Titmouse – 1

  • Turkey Vulture – 2

  • Wild Turkey – 122 – no joke! List doesn’t lie

TOTALS: 26 avian species with a total of 394 individual birds observed.

OTHER CRITTERS:
 Fox Squirrel - 2

COMMENTS:  Several of us arrived early to help drive the stone brought by Malcolm Strom to be made into benches along the stream. Moving these in delayed the beginning of our count by a few minutes.

Spectacular Cedar Waxwing display! Flocks of these beauties were preening and pruning in the early sunlight. What a sight! Talk about a Photo Op!

We have scheduled our next bird count for Saturday, April 11. Please mark your calendars! We will follow our plan and begin at the southwest entrance to the Kanza Heritage Trail walking the streamland area, cross the county road, and walk the upland prairie end the walk where we began.
                 

APRIL 2009 FKH BIRD COUNT
Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, April 11, 2009

CONDITIONS: Began walk at 8:15 a.m. and concluded the walk at 11:15 a.m. Sunny skies, good visibility, ‘practically ZIP’ (according to Mrs. Ericson) winds, and a temperature of 36 degrees at onset; sunny skies, 46 degrees and 10-12 mph. wind at the end of the walk. 

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 – 2
  • American Robin – 3
  • Black Capped Chickadee – 1
  • Blue Gray Gnatchatcher - 2
  • Blue jay - 9
  • Cardinal – 8
  • Carolina Wren – 1
  • Cedar Waxwing – 200 or more!
  • Cormorant – 50
  • Cowbird - 3
  • Crow - 12
  • Downy Woodpecker – 3
  • Ducks (sp.) - 9
  • Eastern Bluebird – 12
  • Eastern Meadowlark – 3
  • Eastern Phoebe – 3
  • Mourning Dove - 7
  • Northern Flicker - 5
  • Northern Harrier – 4
  • Prairie Chicken – 5
  • Quail - 7
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker - 7
  • Red Winged Blackbird – 7
  • Savannah Sparrow – 1
  • Tree Swallow – 4
  • Tufted Titmouse – 8
  • Turkey Vulture – 2
  • White-breasted Nuthatch – 3
  • Wild Turkey – 6

TOTALS: 29 avian species with a total of 397 individual birds observed.

WILDFLOWERS:
Prairie Violet
Pussy Toes
Wild Pansy (in bloom)

OTHER CRITTERS:
Little Blue Butterfly - 1
Tree Frog – 1

COMMENTS: 
The wonderful old stone barn to the west of Allegawaho Park that all of us noted on last month’s count suffered an unfortunate demise since the last count. Sometime last week a major portion of the stonewall broke away from the structure leaving much in ruin. 

Spectacular Cedar Waxwing display, again! All birders were pleased they stayed around another month for our enjoyment.

In May we have scheduled our count for Saturday, May 11. Please mark your calendars! According to our plan, we will begin our walk at the Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park southeast trailhead of the Flint Hills Nature Trail walking the trail to the northeast. Our walk will end at the vicinity of the Big John Creek Bridge.

MAY 2009 FKH BIRD COUNT
Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, May 11, 2009

CONDITIONS: Began walk at 8:10 a.m. and concluded the walk at 10:10 a.m.  Sunny skies, good visibility, winds out of the north @ 15-10 mph, and a temperature of 45 degrees at onset; sunny skies, 56 degrees. Wind out of the north @ approximately 15 mph at the end of the walk.

COURSE: We began our walk at the begin our walk at the Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park southeast trailhead of the Flint Hills Nature Trail walking the trail to the northeast and end the walk at the vicinity of the Big John Creek Bridge.

.BIRD LIST:

  • Baltimore Oriole - 2
  • Blue Jay - 2
  • Cardinal – 5
  • Cedar Waxwing – 12
  • Crow - 2
  • 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-bellied Woodpecker - 7
  • Red Tailed Hawk – 2
  • Red Headed Woodpecker – 4
  • Rough Winged Swallow - 2
  • Tree Sparrow - 2
  • Turkey– 10
  • Turkey Vulture – 8
  • Wood Duck – 2
  • Wren – 1
  • Yellow Warbler - 1

 

TOTALS: 26 avian species with a total of 91 individual birds observed.

JUNE 2009 FKH BIRD COUNT
Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, June 6, 2009

CONDITIONS: Began walk at 8:05 a.m. and concluded the walk at 10:00 a.m. Cloudy skies, very slight winds with a temperature of 70 degrees at onset. At about 9:15 the sun appeared and remained throughout our walk. It was about 80 degrees with a 15 mph wind out of the south and at the end of the walk. 

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 Robin – 1
  • Brown Headed Cowbird – 1
  • Canada Goose – 1
  • Eastern Meadowlark – 1
  • Dickcissel - 63
  • Cardinal – 3
  • Crow - 2
  • Tree Sparrow – 1
  • Wren – 1
  • Yellow Headed Blackbird - 1
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker - 3
  • Tufted Titmouse – 1

TOTALS: 12 avian species with a total of 78 individual birds observed.

WILDFLOWERS:
  • Aster ericoides, Heath Aster
  • Baptisia australis, Wild Blue Indigo
  • Asclepias tuberosa. Butterfly Milkweed
  • Mimosa nuttallii, Cat’s Claw Sensitive Briar
  • Penstemon cobaea, Showy Beard Tongue
  • Erigeron strigosus,Daisy Fleabane
  • Botanical name N/A, False Wild Alfalfa
  • Asclepias viridis, Green Milkweed
  • Ceanothus americanus, New Jersey Tea
  • Psoralidium tenuiflorum, Many Flowered Scurfpea
  • Oenothera macrocarpa, Missouri Evening Primrose
  • Callirhoe sp., Poppy Mallows
  • Delphinium carolinianum, Plains Larkspur 
  • Tradescantia ohiensis, Common Spiderwort
  • Verbena stricta, Hoary Vervain
  • Achillea millefolium,Yarrow

OTHER CRITTERS:
Deer – 1

COMMENTS: Although the birds were not as active and visible as expected, it was a beautiful summer morning in which to walk the Flint Hills and view the wildflowers.

JULY 2009 FKH BIRD COUNT
Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, July 18, 2009

CONDITIONS: 
 Began walk at 8:11 a.m. and concluded the walk at 10:05 a.m. Sunny skies, good visibility, no wind, and a temperature of 68 degrees at onset; sunny skies, 56 degrees and wind @ 5 mph out of the north at the end of the walk. 

COURSE: 
 We began our walk at the begin our walk at the Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park southeast trailhead of the Flint Hills Nature Trail walking the trail to the northeast and end the walk at the vicinity of the Big John Creek Bridge.
.
BIRD LIST:
  • American Kestrel – 1
  • American Goldfinch - 1
  • Black Capped Chickadee – 3
  • Blue Jay - 3
  • Cardinal – 8
  • Crow - 4
  • Dickcissel – 4
  • Downy Woodpecker - 1
  • Eastern Bluebird – 1
  • House Wren – 2
  • Indigo Bunting – 2
  • Lark Sparrow – 1
  • Mourning Dove - 2
  • Quail - 8
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2
  • Red Tailed Hawk – 2
  • Red Eyed Vireo – 1
  • Tufted Titmouse – 4
  • Turkey Vulture – 28
  • White-breasted Nuthatch – 1
  • Yellow Billed Cuckoo - 1

TOTALS: avian species with a total of individual birds observed.

WILDFLOWERS:
Teucrium canadense, Germander
Boranical name N/A, Bunny Hysopp

AUGUST 2009 FKH BIRD COUNT
Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, August 8, 2009

CONDITIONS: Began walk at 8:05 a.m. and concluded the walk at 10:30 a.m. Clear skies, winds out of the south at approximately 15 mph with a temperature of 80 degrees at onset. It was about 87 degrees with a 15 mph wind out of the south and at the end of the walk. 

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 Robin – 1
  • Black Capped Chickadee – 1
  • Blue Jay - 4
  • Canada Goose – 8
  • Cardinal – 1
  • Eastern Bluebird - 1
  • Eastern Kingbird – 10
  • Eastern Meadowlark – 2
  • Eastern Phoebe - 1
  • Eastern Wood Peewee - 2
  • Dickcissel - 12
  • Great Crested Flycatcher – 1
  • Great Blue Heron - 1
  • Great Egret – 1
  • Hairy Woodpecker – 1
  • Indigo Bunting - 1 
  • Mourning Dove – 6
  • Nuthatch - 1
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker – 2
  • Red Eyed Vireo - 3
  • Tufted Titmouse – 4
  • Turkey Vulture – 7
  • Wild Turkey – 26
  • Wood Ducks - 6
  • Yellow Billed Cuckoo - 2

TOTALS: 25 avian species with a total of 115 individual birds observed.

WILDFLOWERS:
Campanulastrum americanum, American Bellflower

We observed large colonies of American Bellflower along the woodland trail similar to 2007. We discussed how unusual it was that we didn’t see this species along the trail last year.

OTHER CRITTERS:
Eight-point young buck White Tailed Deer was spotted on the trail and passed by the trail later in the walk. 
Buckeye Butterflies 

SEPTEMBER 2009 FKH BIRD COUNT
Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, September 12, 2009

CONDITIONS: Began walk at 8:09 a.m. and concluded the walk at 10:25 a.m. Overcast skies, little to no wind, and a temperature of 67 degrees at onset; sunny skies, 72 degrees and wind @ 15 mph out of the northeast at the end of the walk. 

COURSE: We began our walk at the begin our walk at the Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park southeast trailhead of the Flint Hills Nature Trail walking the trail to the northeast and ended the walk at the vicinity of the Big John Creek Bridge.
.
BIRD LIST:
  • American Goldfinch - 8
  • American Robin – 1
  • Black Capped Chickadee - 5
  • Blue Jay - 5
  • Brown Thrasher – 2
  • Cardinal – 9
  • Carolina Wren – 6
  • Crow - 7
  • Dicksissel – 2
  • Eastern Wood Peewee – 2
  • House Wren – 2
  • Mourning Dove - 31
  • Oriole, sp. – 1
  • Red Bellied Woodpecker – 3
  • Red Headed Woodpecker (immature) - 1
  • Red Headed Woodpecker (mature) – 1
  • Red Tailed Hawk – 3
  • Tufted Titmouse – 1
  • Turkey Vulture – 2
  • Wild Turkey - 15

TOTALS: 22 avian species with a total of 107 individual birds observed.

OCTOBER 2009 FKH BIRD COUNT
Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, October 10, 2009

CONDITIONS: Began walk at 8:05 a.m. and concluded the walk at 10:00 a.m. Overcast skies, winds out of the north at approximately 5 mph with a temperature of 34 degrees at onset. It was about 40 degrees with a 10 mph wind and at the end of the walk. 

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:

  • Barred Owl - 1
  • Black Capped Chickadee – 1
  • Blue Jay - 1
  • Carolina Wren - 1
  • Crow - 2
  • Eastern Bluebird - 5
  • Eastern Meadowlark – 9
  • Grasshopper Sparrow - 1
  • Kingfisher - 1
  • Northern Flicker - 2
  • Northern Harrier - 3
  • Nuthatch – 1
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker – 3

TOTALS: 13 avian species with a total of 31 individual birds observed.

WILDFLOWERS:
Campanulastrum americanum, American Bellflower (one last plant was blooming today)
Chamaecrista fasciculate, Partridge Pea
Aster pilosus, Hairy Aster

MUSHROOMS: Button and shelf varieties on the old Cottonwood and other decaying wood.

COMMENTS: The wildflowers are nearly through blooming and winter appears to be settling in early.

NOVEMBER 2009 FKH BIRD COUNT
Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, November 21, 2009

CONDITIONS: Began walk at 8:10 a.m. and concluded the walk at 10:20 a.m. No wind (Zilch was Helen’s term for the wind), and a temperature of 41 degrees at onset; overcast skies, 70 degrees, sunny skis and still no wind at the end of the walk. 

COURSE: We began our walk at the begin our walk at the Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park southeast trailhead of the Flint Hills Nature Trail walking the trail to the northeast and end the walk at the vicinity of the Big John Creek Bridge.

BIRD LIST:

  • American Goldfinch - 7
  • American Kestrel – 2
  • Black Capped Chickadee - 3
  • Blue Jay - 4
  • Blue Winged Teal - 15
  • Canada Geese – 27
  • Cardinal – 11
  • Crow - 18
  • Downy Woodpecker - 1
  • Eastern Bluebird – 17
  • Eastern Meadowlark – 72
  • Harris Sparrow - 4
  • Junco – 24
  • Northern Flicker – 1
  • Red Bellied Woodpecker – 2
  • Red Headed Woodpecker - 1
  • Red Shafted Flicker – 1
  • Red Tailed Hawk (1 immature) – 4
  • Red Wing Blackbirds – 92
  • Sea Gull – 2
  • Song Sparrow - 1
  • Tree Sparrow - 3
  • Tufted Titmouse – 1
  • Turkey Vulture – 2
  • Wild Turkey – 15
  • White Breasted Nuthatch - 2
  • Wren sp. – 1
  • Yellow Shafted Flicker – 1

TOTALS: 48 avian species with a total of 334 individual birds observed.

OTHER CRITTERS:
White Tail Deer - 1

DECEMBER 2009 FKH BIRD COUNT
Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park
Saturday, December 12, 2009

CONDITIONS: Began walk at 8:09 a.m. and concluded the riparian portion of the walk at 9:25 a.m. Sunny briefly at the beginning turning to overcast skies, winds out of the south at approximately 4 mph with a temperature of 23 degrees at onset. It was about 35 degrees with approximately 10 mph wind and at the end of the walk. The second portion of the walk began at noon and ended at 2:25pm.

COURSE: We began our walk at the southwest entrance to the Kanza Heritage Trail walking the streamland area for the first half of the walk. Ron and Ken continued the walk at noon to cover the upland prairie ending the walk where we began.

BIRD LIST:

  • Carolina Wren - 1
  • Crow - 7
  • Eastern Meadowlark * – 1
  • Greater Prairie Chicken * - 25
  • Loggerhead Shrike * – 1
  • Junco - 9
  • Northern Harrier * – 1 (male)
  • Northern Flicker (Yellow Shafted) * - 1
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker – 3
  • Red Tail Hawk * – 1 (Black)
  • Rough-legged Hawk * – 1
  • Song Sparrow - 1
  • White Breasted Nuthatch – 1
  • Winter Wren – 2

* Sighted During Second Portion

TOTALS: 15 avian species with a total of 55 individual birds observed.

COMMENTS: We thought we heard a Kingfisher while walking in the wooded area but never were able to see it.
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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