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.
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SEPTEMBER FIELD TRIPS:
September 13, 2023 (Wednesday) | Rice Woods and Douglas State Lake | 8:00 am
Park at intersection of N 500 and E 1750 Rd. (2 miles N of Baldwin and one-half mile E). We will walk on E 1750 Rd about a quarter mile south and back. It’s easy walking on county roads along the woods. Expect a variety of woodpeckers (Red-headed, Red-bellied, Downy, Hairy, Pileated, and Flicker), Carolina Wren, creeper, nuthatches, kinglets, possibly Red-tailed, Cooper’s, Sharp-shinned, and Red-shouldered Hawks. Some migrant flycatchers, warblers, and thrushes are likely. We will then travel to Douglas State Lake less than two miles east. Here we should expect various waterfowl and possibly kingfishers, ospreys or eagles.
September 16, 2023 (Saturday) | Burcham Park | 8:00 am
We will walk the road and trails in the park and to the north. There should be a variety of late warblers and flycatchers and perhaps early winter migrants. This area is also good for a variety of resident birds as well. We can usually see a variety of waterfowl and gulls along the river during this time. Since it will be late in fall migration, it is difficult to predict what we might find. Bring layers in case there is a chilly breeze.
OCTOBER FIELD TRIPS:
October 11, 2023 (Wednesday) | Fitch Natural History Reservation | 8:00 am
Park at Roth Trailhead and cross the road to the east to meet at Fitch. We will walk on the established trails. Expect woodpeckers, titmice, chickadees, possible late migrants. It won’t be as wild as spring but fall migrants and juveniles can be a challenge to ID. Chiggers shouldn’t be an issue, but still 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 two miles.
October 14, 2023 (Saturday) | TBD
We will visit a local conservation easement protected by the Kansas Land Trust. Check our website for the location: www.JayhawkAudubon.org/field-trips
NOVEMBER FIELD TRIPS:
November 8, 2023 (Wednesday) | Clinton Lake Dam & Model Airplane Field | 8:00 am
Focus will be on the identification of numerous waterfowl (geese, ducks, grebes and loons) and gulls. Once we have seen what we can we will travel to the south end of the 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 wrens. This is often a good time and location for LeConte’s, Nelson’s, Savannah, and Swamp Sparrows and possible American and Sprague’s Pipits. Both Marsh and Sedge Wrens could be present as well as Sora and Virginia Rails if it is wet. There will be a telescope available.
November 18, 2023 (Saturday) | Lone Star Lake with Globe Prairie Area (optional) | 8:00 am
Meet at the east end of the Lone Star Lake dam. A variety of waterfowl are to be expected. Raptors should include Bald Eagles, and Red-shouldered, Red-tailed, Cooper’s, and perhaps Sharp-shinned Hawks. Most bird activity will be in the woods around the lake with woodpeckers, bluebirds, titmice, nuthatches, kinglets, creepers, and sparrows possible. About 9:30, we will depart for the Globe area to the south and west. Here we hope to find Meadowlarks, Horned Larks, perhaps longspurs, a variety of sparrows. In recent years, there have been Rough-legged and Ferruginous Hawks as well as Prairie and Peregrine Falcons seen in the area. This is the best expanse of prairie that remains in Douglas County.
DECEMBER FIELD TRIPS:
December 9, 2023 (Saturday) | Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge | 8:00 am
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). Our main targets this trip will be Trumpeter Swans and Bald Eagles. We could see up to 25 species of waterfowl. Grebes are usually abundant now as well. Among the hundreds of Trumpeter Swans will likely be a few Tundra Swans, we just have to find them! 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.
December 14, 2023 (Thursday) | Linn County Christmas Bird Count | All Day
December 16, 2023 (Saturday) | Lawrence (JAS) Christmas Bird Count | All Day
December 17, 2023 (Sunday) | Baldwin Christmas Bird Count | All Day