Wichita

P.O. Box 47607

Wichita, KS 67201
Audubon Society Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Wichita, Kansas
Permit No. 921
Wichita Audubon
Volume 38 No. 4 November/December 2003

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

CNC Upcoming November Program Coming Events

Programs
Bob Gress, Director of the Great November 15
Plains Nature Center and member Wilson Reservoir field trip. Meet
October 31, Friday of Audubon for many years, will at the Minooka Park boat ramp
6:30 - 7:30 pm share stories behind the wildlife at 8 am. Leader: Mike Rader,
Night Hike photographs in his recently published mike_rader@hotmail.com.
Printed on recycled paper book, Faces of the Great Plains published
Don't be afraid of the dark! It doesn't
have to be scary, even on Halloween. by the University Press of Kansas. November 18
Hike thought the woods without Books will be available to purchase Regular meeting, “Faces of the Great
flashlights to learn about your five and Bob will be happy to personalize Plains,” by Bob Gress, 7:30 pm at the
senses and how they can help at night. them for you. The meeting will be on Great Plains Nature Center
Listen for night sounds and learn about Tuesday, November 18, 7:30 pm at
some nocturnal animals while on the the Great Plains Nature Center. November 22
trail. Dress for the outdoors and wear You are also invited to join us and our Big Brothers Big Sisters program at
sturdy boots. speaker for dinner before the meeting Quivira National Wildlife Refuge.
at Jason's Deli, in Bradbury Fair at 21st See article this page.
November 21, Friday and Rock Road at 5:45 pm.
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Christmas bird Counts:
Constellations, Planets, and
Great Blue Heron Red-headed Woodpecker Carolina Wren Kentucky Warbler Space Station December 14 Winfield-Udall
Green Heron
Red-bellied Woodpecker Bewick’s Wren Common Yellowthroat The cool air of fall makes the best Big For A Day December 17 Slate Creek
Downy Woodpecker House Wren Audubon and Big Brothers Big
Black Vulture
Pileated Woodpecker Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Hooded Warbler time to view the night sky. With the December 20 Wichita
Turkey Vulture Yellow-breasted Chat Center's telescope you will be able to Sisters are joining forces to provide December 20 Halstead/Newton
Eastern Wood-Pewee Eastern Bluebird
Canada Goose
Acadian Flycatcher Hermit Thrush
Summer Tanager
see Venus, Mars, and possibly some an opportunity for sharing our love December 21 Arkansas City
Mallard Scarlet Tanager of nature with some kids who don't
Red-shouldered Hawk
Eastern Phoebe Wood Thrush
Eastern Towhee deep sky objects. Around 6:30 pm December 27 El Dorado
Great Crested Flycatcher American Robin
Chipping Sparrow the International Space Station will get many opportunities to experience January 3 Red Hills
Broad-winged Hawk
Eastern Kingbird Gray Catbird a day in the woods.
Red-tailed Hawk
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Northern Mockingbird
Field Sparrow be viewable. Bring a lawn chair or For more complete information on
American Kestrel Henslow’s Sparrow blanket for best viewing. On November 22 we will hold these counts refer to our schedule
Loggerhead Shrike European Starling
Wild Turkey
White-eyed Vireo Blue-winged Warbler
Northern Cardinal another event. This time we are of events. Information about these
Northern Bobwhite Blue Grosbeak going to take the kids to Quivira
Warbling Vireo Northern Parula
Indigo Bunting and other counts can be found on
Killdeer
Red-eyed Vireo For more information about any National Wildlife Refuge to see the
Spotted Sandpiper Yellow Warbler Painted Bunting the KOS website: www.ksbirds.org
Blue Jay Chaplin Nature Center programs thousands of migrating Sandhill
White-rumped Sandpiper Yellow-throated Warbler Dickcissel
Franklin’s Gull
American Crow Pine Warbler Red-winged Blackbird
call Shawn Silliman at Cranes and geese that stopover
Purple Martin Prairie Warbler 620-442-4133, or e-mail
Rock Dove
Tree Swallow
Eastern Meadowlark during migration. Because the best
Mourning Dove Cerulean Warbler Yellow-headed Blackbird cnc@wichitaaudubon.org. time to see the flocks is as they return
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Black-and-white Warbler Common Grackle No Meeting in December
Cliff Swallow American Redstart from feeding in the evening, we will
Eastern Screech-Owl Brown-headed Cowbird
Barn Swallow Prothonotary Warbler leave Wichita in the afternoon, again
Whip-poor-will Orchard Oriole
Carolina Chickadee Worm-eating Warbler travelling by van, tour the refuge,
Chimney Swift Baltimore Oriole
Black-capped Chickadee Ovenbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Tufted Titmouse American Goldfinch watch the huge flocks,
Belted Kingfisher Louisiana Waterthrush continued on page 2
White-breasted Nuthatch House Sparrow
Page 6
Big For a Day, continued Bird Identification Bird Seed Sale Roaring River Report We emerged from a nice breakfast at as a pair of Kentucky Warblers and a
have a picnic supper, then return in Class Buy your bird seed from Wichita Fourteen members of Wichita the Inn to find both a Broad-winged Hooded Warbler. We tallied three
the evening. for beginning birders. BI 230 Bird Audubon and support your chapter. Audubon participated in the extended Hawk and several Red-shouldered more Ceruleans, giving us five separate
If you can share a day of your time Identification Seminar at Andover Wichita Audubon sells and delivers field trip to Roaring River State Park Hawks flying over the parking lot. males for the trip. We continued back
with one of these children, please campus of Butler County Community bird seed. The next delivery date in SW Missouri. Laura and I arrived We headed east and stopped in at toward the park near the Painted
call Big Brothers Big Sisters at 263- College. This class assumes that you will be November 22. To place on Saturday, June 7 and stayed in the “warbler woods” where an Acadian Bunting spot when one flew over the
3300, or Patty Marlett at 942-2164, have little or no experience birding. your order call Carol at 685-4867 campground by the motel. I did some Flycatcher held sway. We then car. We stopped to find a pair feeding
pmarlett@mac.com. You can find out You must have your own binoculars. or email ccumb@swbell.net. You scouting of the area on Sunday and stopped at a glade on the conservation in a field. We got the scope out and
more about the Big Brothers Big Sisters We learn nearly all the common birds may also mail your order to WAS, met up with several of the others in area where there were several Prairie savored the great looks. Sharon was
Pass It On outdoor mentors program in the area. Class meets most Saturday PO Box 47607, Wichita, KS 67201. the afternoon. A few of us went on Warblers singing and an abundant elated (and I was relieved). After again
on their website: www.ksbbbs.org/ mornings from January 24 to May 8. Include your name, address, and the Scenic Drive south of the park variety of wildflowers. having breakfast at the Inn, we headed
passiton/PIOHome. There are several field trips with the phone number. and located a Cerulean Warbler as Past the Munsey Cemetery we north to Schell-Osage Conservation
class. It meets in room 443 starting at well as Pine, Yellow-throated and stopped for Painted Bunting. I was Area.
9 am. Enroll at Andover and you can November 22 Hooded Warblers. Many gathered at desperate to get Sharon Bolin her life Despite Dan Kilby’s complaints at our
just audit the class if you wish. ___25 lb Black Oil Sunflower@$10 our camper that evening for a dinner Painted Bunting, but she managed rapid pace, we arrived mid-afternoon.
For more information contact ___25 lb Audubon Mix @$8 of grilled burgers with fixings and to only get a glimpse of this very Although rain was threatening, the
s’mores by the campfire. uncooperative bird. As we chased weather continued to hold as we toured
Bill Langley:
733-3139 (Wichita) or 322-3139 (El The next morning we gathered it down the road and around the the area. Chats were abundant, and
Dorado) early in the park in record cold corner we had to settle for a singing we picked up singing Prothonotary an
email <blangley@butlercc.edu>
50th Anniversar y temperatures and headed for the fish Chat. By this time it had turned from Yellow Warblers, giving us a total of all
Committee hatchery. Among the many fishermen being cool to being very warm, with seventeen of the breeding warblers
The WAS board of directors is already there were a pair of Green temperatures in the mid 80’s. We expected to be seen on the trip. The
organizing a committee to help plan Herons. A Louisiana Waterthrush was drove to Eagle Rock and raided the only shorebirds present were Spotted
for our upcoming 50th anniversary working the pond at the spring and ice cream freezer at the convenience and White-rumped Sandpipers, as
in 2004. If you would like to help, Northern Rough-winged Swallows store. well as Killdeer, although this must
were buzzing the parking lot. Taking the Scenic Drive back, certainly be a fantastic place for
or if you have ideas to contribute,
please contact Kevin Groeneweg, We started up Old Roaring River we stopped at several points until shorebirds during migration and
687-4268, kgroeneweg@cox.net. Road, driving and parking at various arriving at the territory of the would well be worth another visit.
2003-2004 WAS Officers We would also welcome any articles spots along the way. Kentucky Cerulean seen the day before, and We also had great looks through the
President Kevin Groeneweg 687-4268 kgroeneweg@cox.net for the newsletter - we would love to Warblers were numerous, although hearing the Pine Warbler sing at a scope at a perched Re-shouldered
Vice-president Carol Cumberland 685-4867 ccumb@swbell.net
have some of you share you memories they preferred to stay hidden, as stand of pines. We called it a day and Hawk.
Secretary
Treasurer
Sharon Bolin
Duane Delong
620-584-2314
684-7456
jbolin@sktc.net
dwdelong@earthlink.net with us. did the Worm-eating Warblers and headed back. So as to brush up on After adding several species to the trip
Directors Ovenbirds. We got to a spot where our warblers, everyone stopped by list we headed for the Taberville Prairie.
Bill Beard 722-3081 wbeard@cox.net I had seen a Cerulean and a Blue- our campsite later to watch a video I The wildflowers were spectacular, but
Mary Englemen-Kemmer 688-5322
Barbara Millar 838-8542
rockchalk123@aol.com
bmi3931874@aol.com
winged Warbler the day before; the brought called “Watching Warblers”. my mind was focused on getting my
Blue-winged made their appearance, Later that evening, Dan Kilby and life Henslow’s Sparrow. Although I
Gary Straley
Don Dewitt
620-221-3664
722-0742
garrob@hit.net
ddewitt@omnibizcenter.com Bird Calendars but the Cerulean appeared to be Sandra Tholen were lucky enough could hear occasional singing, it was
Committee Chairs The 2004 Wichita Audubon absent. While waiting we observed to have a Whip-poor-will land near the wrong time of day to expect to
Newsletter Patty Marlett 942-2164 pmarlett@mac.com calendars are here with another
CNC Gary Straley 620-221-3664 garrob@hit.net a White-eyed Vireo. Finally, Pat Butin them in the motel parking lot. see one up out of the grass. As the
Programs Carol Cumberland 685-4867 ccumb@swbell.net year of stunning bird photos. They found the Cerulean, but only a couple The next day saw us returning to clouds grew darker and the rain
Conservation Barbara Millar 838-8542 bmi3931874@aol.com sell for $4.00 each. We will ship (up of us got a look at this silent male. the Scenic Drive with a long stop at began, however, the singing became
Membership Sister Patricia Stanley pstanley@csjwichita.org to four calendars) for an additional
Hospitality Laura Groeneweg 687-4268 lauranng@cox.net Farther up the road we had a very the fire tower. We managed to coax more incessant (and I became more
Field Trips Cheryl Miller 978-6659 (wk) avian67226@hotmail.com $2.00. Please consider buying and cooperative, singing male Cerulean. a Kentucky out of the dense brush determined) and finally a male hopped
Finance Don Dewitt 722-0742 ddewitt@omnibizcenter.com possibly selling a few calendars for Wood Thrushes serenaded us with and also got great looks at a pair of up into view in full song. Everyone else
Naturalist Shawn Silliman 620-442-4133 cnc@wichitaaudubon.org WAS. They will be on sale at the their lovely melodies. As we left Yellow-throated Warblers. Farther had beat a hasty retreat back to the cars
www.wichitaaudubon.org November meeting, or send your the woods for more open country, down the road we stopped for a to get out of the rain. At that point we
email any officer: was@wichitaaudubon.org check to WAS, PO Box 47607, we heard a Blue Grosbeak singing singing Scarlet Tanager. Only a few called an end to a wonderful trip.
Send address changes to Sister Patricia Stanley, 6739 Perryton, Wichita, KS 67226 Wichita KS 67201 and they will ship and everyone got good looks at a saw this bird singing from the very Here is the trip list (97 species
pstanley@csjwichita.org ASAP. Or contact Carol Cumberland first-spring male, as well as a nearby top of the trees. We also teased an total):
at 685-4867, ccumb@swbell.net Summer Tanager. Ovenbird out of the woods, as well continued on page 6
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