By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Birds continue to flock to Cheyenne Bottoms despite dry conditions over the past two years. Earlier this month, officials estimated 200,000 geese were using the Bottoms. Kansas Wetlands Education Center Director Curtis Wolf said the number of birds is a little surprising given the mostly dry conditions.
"The water we have at Cheyenne Bottoms is not real numerous, but it's plenty of water," he said. "It's shallow. Geese like to sit on shallow water. They're using Cheyenne Bottoms mostly to roost and to rest during the afternoons while they go out and feed in the mornings and evenings."
Wolf said the geese migration often comes in waves, with one species moving in and out as the next species moves in. This year, a variety of species remain mixed, including white-fronted, Ross's, Canada, and cackling geese.
"They'll be out there on Pool 1A that has water," Wolf said. "It's maybe a bald eagle that comes through or something like that and spooks them up. You get these incredible masses of birds in the air at one time. It's pretty phenomenal to see."
The various species typically head south during the winter migration. With temperatures expected to remain mild for at least the next 10 days, they may continue to call the Bottoms home for a while.
"Until we get really cold and start freezing up a little bit more, they're going to stick around, I'm sure," Wolf said. "I think there's plenty of food for them in the fields around. They're finding what they need here so no use in going anywhere else."