Kansas
Birding
Trails
FLINT HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
The long narrow Tuttle Creek Reservoir has 12,500 surface acres of water and 100 miles of shoreline, making it the second largest lake in Kansas. The water level varies dramatically in this lake and so conditions around the shoreline are highly variable. During spring and fall migration if the water levels are low, excellent shorebird habitat can be found along the shorelines and exposed stumps provide perches for herons, cormorants, gulls and terns. High water creates waterfowl habitat in flooded areas. During late spring and summer both Painted and Indigo Buntings can be found in the scrubby vegetation around the lake and in the evenings the repetitive song of Chuck-wills-widows undoubtedly will be heard. Parking lots at the east and west ends of the dam allow for good locations for scanning the lake. Fall and winter is best for seeing gulls, grebes, loons, and large rafts of ducks and geese. The outlet “tubes” below the dam are excellent when water is being released. Rarities such as Ross’s Gull, Black-legged Kittiwakes, and Barrow’s Goldeneyes have been seen here. The following sites around Tuttle Creek Reservoir can be especially productive.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
From Manhattan take US 24 north for 5 miles. Corps of Engineers office will be on your right. Or proceed ahead and turn right at K-13 which goes across the top of the dam.
Tuttle Creek State Park
FLINT HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
Located below the dam, Tuttle Creek State Park River Ponds Unit is an excellent birding location offering woodlands, wetlands and open water habitats. The Beaver Ponds area on the west boundary are pools and a marsh that can be seen from the River Ponds Campground. The 0.25 mile Cottonwood Nature Trail leads from the Fleming Shelter through woodlands with views of the marsh as well. Gulls, terns, and shorebirds are sometimes on the beach. Directly across the lake from the beach is a Bald Eagle nest which is visible when leaves are off the trees. The wet woods along the entrance road to the Rocky Ford Campgrounds are a great place for Prothonotary Warblers and Barred Owls. The campground itself harbors nesting Red-eye and Warbling Vireos, Summer Tanagers, and Pileated Woodpeckers among other woodland species.
Stockdale Park
FLINT HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
Stockdale Park on the west side of the lake is a good spot to look for Painted Buntings in summer. In fall and winter the weedy patches often have a good variety of sparrows and finches. Stockdale Cove and the main lake can be scanned for wading birds and waterfowl from points along the entrance road and boat ramp areas. Incredibly, a female Ladder-backed Woodpecker could be found here over an 8-year period from 2001-2009.
Rocky Ford Fishing Area
FLINT HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
This scenic area is located on the Blue River just south of the state park. You can access it by walking the trail from the southwest corner of the Rocky Ford Campground or by driving south from the east end of the dam on Dyer Rd. This is the site of an old hydroelectric dam and the river below the dam attracts many eagles, ducks, and gulls. The cropland between Dyer Rd. and the river often holds large numbers of geese. From the parking lot you can walk the Western Heritage Trail north toward the state park or south ultimately ending up at the Dyer Rd. river bridge. This 1.25 mile concrete paved trail is particularly good for migrating songbirds.
FLINT HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
Konza Prairie Biological Station is an 8,617-acre native tallgrass prairie preserve owned by The Nature Conservancy and operated as a research station by Kansas State University. This internationally-renown outdoor laboratory attracts scientists from all over the world for long-term ecological research, including studies focusing on the effects of fire and grazing on grassland ecosystems. Since Konza Prairie is a research station, most of the area is off-limits to visitors. However, public nature trails are open from dawn to dusk every day of the year. The trail system consists of three loop trails all beginning at the same trail head and parking area. If you do visit these trails, please remember that no dogs are permitted. A 2.5-mile trail winds through lowland gallery forests and climbs over limestone ledges until it reaches upland tallgrass prairie. At the highest point it gives a spectacular view of the Flint Hills and the Kansas River Valley. Sometimes bison can be seen in the distance. Longer loops of 4.6 miles and 6.2 miles are available for those wanting to spend more time birding the Flint Hills on foot. Wild Turkeys, Dicksissels and Eastern Kingbirds are common in lowland fields. Louisiana Waterthrushes, Summer Tanagers and other woodland birds can be found along Kings Creek. Grasshopper Sparrows, Lark Sparrows, Eastern and Western Meadowlarks, Upland Sandpipers and other grassland birds will be seen in the uplands. In winter, Northern Harriers will be flying low over the prairie with their floppy erratic flight and woody thickets will hold juncos and a variety of sparrows including Tree and Harris’s Sparrows.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
From Manhattan: Take Hwy 177 over the Kansas River. Immediately past the river turn right (west) on to McDowell Creek Road. Proceed 6 miles until you see the sign for Konza Prairie on your left.
FLINT HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is located along the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway (Hwy 177) about 16 miles south of Council Grove. The preserve protects nearly 11,000 acres of native tallgrass prairie. Begin your visit by stopping in the Visitor Center where you can learn about bus and walking tours of the prairie and birding opportunities along a system of trails of varying length and difficulty. The Center’s interactive exhibits and publications interpret the plants and animals of the tallgrass prairie, thereby providing a great introduction to the habitats where you will be birding. Perhaps the most popular trail for birders is the 1.75 mile Southwind Nature Trail. This trail presents opportunities to see birds of the tallgrass prairie such as Grasshopper Sparrows, Meadowlarks and Northern Harriers while enjoying marvelous views of the rolling hills from two scenic overlooks. It also crosses a spring-fed stream lined by cottonwoods and hackberry trees where you can find common woodland birds year-around. Unlike the Konza Prairie trails which close at dusk, trails here are open at night making them excellent places from which to listen for Common Poorwills calling from the upland prairie and Chuck-wills-widows calling from the wooded areas.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
The Preserve is 17 miles south of Council Grove and 2 miles north of Strong City on K-177.
FLINT HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
Just a few miles north of the historic town of Council Grove is Council Grove Lake. This lake is particularly scenic with a mostly-wooded shoreline. Three campgrounds on the east side of the lake are directly accessible from Hwy 177 and offer good opportunities to scan the lake for loons, grebes, gulls and waterfowl during winter and migration. For those wishing to see songbirds, the Pioneer Nature Trail is located just west of the Corps of Engineers Office at the west end of the dam. Along this 1.24-mile trail you can see birds associated with both upland woods and tallgrass prairie.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
Go south on K-177 from I-70 for 35 miles. The Reservoir is well marked and visible on your right.
FLINT HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
This lovely out of the way birding site provides another opportunity to explore the tallgrass prairie. The prairie birds found here are similar to those found at Konza Prairie and the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, including the chance to hear Common Poorwills calling at night from the surrounding upland prairies. But unlike those stops, this beautiful site also offers a lake and its surrounding woodlands. These additional habitats add diversity and generally will result in more species checked off your list. Migrating ducks and geese visit the lake during spring and fall. The woodlands around the lake are home to Baltimore Orioles, Great Crested Flycatchers, Eastern Bluebirds and a variety of woodpeckers. While birding the woodland habitat, be sure to check out the waterfall below the dam.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
Take Main St. west out of Cottonwood Falls for about 1.5 miles. Note Main St. becomes Lake Rd. outside of town. The lake will be on your left.
FLINT HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
This 450-acre site consists of a lake surrounded by woodlands, thickets, and upland grassland habitats. The grasslands and thickets support flocks of sparrows, finches, buntings and during summer Common Poorwills. And like other sites along this Trail, the forested areas are home to Warbling and Red-eyed Vireos, Eastern Wood-Pewees, Summer Tanagers, Baltimore Orioles and Parula Warblers. In spring and fall, a good array of migrating songbirds use these same woodlands. The best woodland location is along the creek that feeds into the south end of the lake. Also located at this spot is a primitive camping area where in March at dusk you can witness American Woodcock doing their amazing mating and territorial displays.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
This lake is on the west side of US 77 about 18 miles north of Herrington and 8 miles south of I-70.
FLINT HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
To get to the dam, from the intersection of I-70 and US 77 go north 4 miles to K57 then proceed west on K-57 about 2.4 miles.
Farnum Creek Campground
FLINT HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
Wakefield and K-82 Causeway
FLINT HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
