Jayhawk Audubon Field Trips
Contact Roger Boyd at rboydbird69@gmail.com or 785-424-0595 for more information.
All trips are subject to change due to weather or scheduling conflicts.
March Field Trips:
Mar. 25th, 2023 (Sat.) Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge (Formally known as Squaw Creek NWR)
We will meet at the Baker Wetlands Discovery Center Parking lot at 8:00 am (Or you can choose to meet us at the lookout tower on the refuge – let me know to look for you). Due to continuing covid threat, please organize your own transportation. If you can possibly car pool, please do so. A large caravan of cars could diminish our success. Distance is about 115 miles one way and will take less than 2 hours. Our main targets this trip will be half a million (could be a million, but who’s counting?) Snow Geese. We should see up to five species of geese. Numerous species of ducks and grebes should also be present. Sometimes Trumpeter and Tundra Swans can be seen. On arrival we will be viewing the throng of birds from the main lookout then driving the 10 mile loop drive around the main water body. I will have a telescope for the group. In some places other species will be seen such as several species of blackbirds, sparrows and possibly wrens could be present. Woodland species are also possible at several stops. Should be able to depart for return trip by noon. Option of bringing sack lunch and make a second loop around the area on your own. All levels of interest and experience are invited. A few extra binoculars will be available for loan. Contact Roger Boyd at rboydbird69@gmail.com or 785-424-0595 for more information.
Mar. 29th, 2023 (Wed.) Clinton Lake Dam(Outlet Tower) and Model Airplane Field.
Meet on dam at pullout by outlet tower at 8:00 am. Telescope available. Focus will be on the identification of numerous waterfowl (geese, ducks, scoters, & loons) and gulls potentially available. Once we have seen what we can we will travel to the south end of dam and scope that area of the lake. Depending on cloud cover and wind the species diversity and abundance can vary greatly from one day to the next. From there we will go below the dam to the model airplane field and those wetlands. We will look primarily for a variety of sparrows and possibly wrens. We will check the airfield for possible American and Sprague’s Pipits. Flyovers by Smith’s Longspurs are also possible. We are likely to be able to see and hear both Eastern and Western Meadowlarks on the runway edges. All levels of interest and experience are invited. A few extra binoculars will be available for loan. Contact Roger Boyd at rboydbird69@gmail.com or 785-424-0595 for more information.
April Field Trips:
Apr. 8th, 2023 (Sat.) Lawrence Water Treatment Plant and East of Baker Wetlands.
Meet at the intersection of N. 1175 and E. 1660 Rd. @ 8:00 am. From Lawrence the easiest access is south on Haskell Ave. past the Baker Wetlands and over the Wakarusa River. Once over the river take an immediate left on N. 1175, ½ mile there is a jog to the right, after 100 yd turn left back onto N 1175. Come east ½ mile to E. 1600 rd. There are usually several pools and/or strips of water that attracts shorebirds. After 30-45 min. we will travel back west and north to N. 1250 Rd. We will turn right and travel along N. 1250 making several stops as needed. We will most likely continue east on N. 1250 Rd past O’Connell road with the hopes of shorebirds, Horned Larks, and longspurs or pipits in the fields on either side of the road. We will wrap up the field trip by 10:00 am or so. All levels of interest and experience are invited. A few extra binoculars will be available for loan. Contact Roger Boyd at rboydbird69@gmail.com or 785-424-0595 for more information.
Apr. 19th, 2023 (Wed.) Burcham Park (East of hospital, 2nd and Lincoln).
Meet at 8:00 am in main parking lot near river. We will walk the road and and trails in the park and to the north. Should be a variety of early warblers, vireos, thrushes and other spring migrants. The river may have some waterfowl and gulls present and possibly some early swallows over the water. It is a little early for the bulk of the warblers but easier to view as most leaves won’t be out yet. Bring layers in case there is a chilly breeze. All levels of interest and experience are invited. A few extra binoculars will be available for loan. Contact Roger Boyd at rboydbird69@gmail.com or 785-424-0595 for more information.
Apr. 29, 2023 (Sat.) Baker Wetlands (Joint trip with Lawrence Public Library).
Meet at 8:00 am at west parking lot at the Discovery Center (1365 N. 1250 Rd). Spring migration should be close to full swing so many species of birds will likely be present. We will walk the center trail along the old N. 1250 Rd alignment to the Naismith Canal, cross on the bridge and continue east. Our intent is to walk to the center intersection and Grebe Pond blind which is 1.5 miles round trip. Warblers, vireos, buntings should be in full migration mode as well as several rail and wader species. This is the height of migration for the next 10 days. Weather will be a major factor in what we look for and where we go. We will probably be there 2-3 hours but you would be able to return to the parking lot at any time. You can usually anticipate some of the trails will be wet or muddy. All levels of interest and experience are invited. A few extra binoculars will be available for loan. Contact Roger Boyd at rboydbird69@gmail.com or 785-424-0595 for more information.
May Field Trips:
May 3rd, 2023 (Wed.) Fitch Natural History Reservation. 8:00 am.
Park at Roth Trailhead and cross road to east to meet at Fitch. (See KU Field Station for directions or GPS is 39.038524, -95.206304). We will walk on the established trails. Easy walking along the woods. Early portion is gravel turning to well worn dirt paths. Expect thrushes, vireos, warblers, tanagers, flycatchers, all the migrants and residents from the tropics. It could be wild, depending on movement of fronts and current weather. If we hit a good day of migration we could have close to 20 species of warblers. Chiggers shouldn’t be an issue but plan to use spray on clothing for ticks. We will plan to frequently rotate positions on the trail so that everyone has a chance to be at the front. We will probably be on the trails for several hours and walk up to 2 miles. All levels of interest and experience are invited. A few extra binoculars will be available for loan. Contact Roger Boyd at rboydbird69@gmail.com or 785-424-0595 for more information. This is one of the premier woods that are available to the public for birding. That is why we are doing back to back field trips during migration.
May 7th, 2023 (SUNDAY.) Fitch Natural History Reservation. 8:00 am.
Park at Roth Trailhead and cross road to east to meet at Fitch. (See KU Field Station for directions or GPS is 39.038524, -95.206304). We will walk on the established trails. Easy walking along the woods. Early portion is gravel turning to well worn dirt paths. Expect thrushes, vireos, warblers, tanagers, flycatchers, all the migrants and residents from the tropics. It could be wild, depending on movement of fronts and current weather. If we hit a good day of migration we could have close to 20 species of warblers. Chiggers shouldn’t be an issue but plan to use spray on clothing for ticks. We will plan to frequently rotate positions on the trail so that everyone has a chance to be at the front. We will probably be on the trails for several hours and walk up to 2 miles. All levels of interest and experience are invited. A few extra binoculars will be available for loan. Contact Roger Boyd at rboydbird69@gmail.com or 785-424-0595 for more information. This is one of the premier woods that are available to the public for birding. That is why we are doing back to back field trips during migration.
May 17th, 2023 (Wed. EVENING) Rice Woods (2 mi. N.of Baldwin)
Meet at 8:30 PM for evening birds. Park at intersection of N 500 and E 1750 Rd. (2 miles N of Baldwin and ½ mi E). We will walk on E 1750 Rd about ¼ mile south. Easy walking on county road along the woods. Expect a variety of woodpeckers (Red-bellied, Downy, Hairy, Pileated and Flicker), Carolina Wren, possibly Red-tailed, Cooper’s, and Red-shouldered Hawks. Some migrant flycatchers, warblers, and thrushes likely. Our main targets, however, will be Chuck-wills-widow and Whip-poor-will. We will arrive before sundown so other birds will be active. At or about dusk is when we can expect the nightjars to sing. These birds could be close and with luck, could come out on the road! All levels of interest and experience are invited. A few extra binoculars will be available for loan. Contact Roger Boyd at rboydbird69@gmail.com or 785-424-0595 for more information.
June Field Trips:
June 10th, 2023 (Sat.) Clinton Lake, Overlook Park Mutt - Run Dog Park AREA. Address is 1330 E 902 Rd.
Let us meet on turn off north to Sesquicentennial Park just west of the Dog Park @ 7:30 am (early start). Look for people without dogs and with binoculars! Our main target will be Painted Bunting. Many other birds are in the area as well. Dickcissel, Field Sparrow, several orioles, and Indigo Buntings. We will walk the roads and then head north to Sesquicentennial Park up the hill. Our main target there will be Blue Grosbeak. Plan to wrap up the field trip by 9:30 or 10:00 am. All levels of interest and experience are invited. A few extra binoculars will be available for loan. Contact Roger Boyd at rboydbird69@gmail.com or 785-424-0595 for more information.
July Field Trips:
July 8th, 2023 (Sat.) Baker Wetlands
Meet at the Southwest Parking lot which is down by the river, south of the Discovery Center, just east of E 1400 Rd. We will start at 7:30 am to get ahead of the heat. We will walk the River Trail to the center road. If it is good birding we will walk north to center road and back west. Indigo Buntings and Common Yellowthroats should be common as well as Dickcissels. We will also be looking for Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Pileated Woodpeckers, Willow Flycatcher and Eastern Wood Pewee. Both Baltimore and Orchard Orioles should be around as well as Blue Grosbeak and Bell’s Vireo. If we go north to Grebe Pond we will look for Common Gallinule, King Rail, Pied-billed Grebe, and Least Bittern. Plan to wrap up the field trip by 9:30 to 10:00 am. All levels of interest and experience are invited. A few extra binoculars will be available for loan. Contact Roger Boyd at rboydbird69@gmail.com or 785-424-0595 for more information.
August Field Trips:
August 5th , 2023 (Sat.) Clinton Lake – East Bloomington
Meet at the parking lot east of the Wakarusa Museum, not the swim beach. We will start at 7:30 am to beat the heat. We will take an easy walk around the parking lot and edge of lake primarily for swallows. Also a good chance for Scissortail Flycatchers and a host of other flycatchers and kingbirds in the area. Along the beach we should find several species of gulls, and early shorebirds returning from breeding in Canada. Forster’s, Black and Caspian terns are often here. Buntings, grosbeaks, orioles, even warblers and tanagers are possible as fall migration is underway. Plan to wrap up the field trip by 9:00 or 9:30 am. All levels of interest and experience are invited. A few extra binoculars will be available for loan. Contact Roger Boyd at rboydbird69@gmail.com or 785-424-0595 for more information.