Kansas
Birding
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Barber State Fishing Lake
RED HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
Medicine Lodge is considered the Gateway to the Red Hills Region. The best birding spot in Medicine Lodge is the Barber State Fishing Lake. It consists of 113 acres of land and 77-acres of water which is divided into an upper and lower lake. The 2-mile long Red Cedar Nature Trail provides a chance to bird on foot as it leads around the perimeter of the lake. This trail goes through patches of cedar, cottonwoods, grasslands and through the picnic areas. In spring and fall you can find an assortment of ducks and shorebirds on and around the lake. Interestingly, the chickadees that reside here year-around are Carolina Chickadees, rather than the Black-capped Chickadees found throughout most of central and northern Kansas. Rare birds that have been seen here include Western Grebe, Northern Goshawk, Red-necked Phalarope and Yellow-throated Vireo.
Check the e-bird list – Barber SFL
Area website
KDWP Website
Directions:
This lake is located along the east side of US 281 on the north edge of the town of Medicine Lodge.
Medicine Lodge/US 160 Highway Corridor/ Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway
RED HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
The Red Hills Trail begins in Medicine Lodge and follows US 160 Highway for about 110 miles to the town of Meade. For the first 42 miles between Medicine Lodge and Coldwater you will be driving on the Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway. This Byway provides picturesque vistas of the rugged pastoral landscape and includes two scenic overlooks. An abundance of wildlife and wildflowers can be seen from the highway. However, birding is difficult because of few places to pull off the highway and the need to safely travel at a relatively high rate of speed. This limits birding to watching for raptors on poles and birds such as Eastern and Mountain Bluebirds, Loggerhead Shrikes, and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers perched on the wires and fences. Fortunately, just off the highway there are excellent birding locations which are described below.
Note: There is also the similarly named Gypsum Hills Scenic Drive which begins 3.5 miles west of Medicine Lodge along US 160. This 22- mile road loops south and then rejoins US 160 farther west. This drive is more conducive for birding than the Scenic Byway because you can drive slowly and stop often to enjoy the birds and the scenery. However, it is not paved and can be in poor and even treacherous condition when wet from rain or melting snow. It is also open range and bordered exclusively by private land so birding is limited to the roadsides. Caution and a high clearance vehicle are recommended. If you do choose to drive it, you can expect to find beautiful scenery and colorful birds such as Painted Buntings and Blue Grosbeaks in summer and Mountain Bluebirds in winter.
Check the e-bird list – Medicine Lodge City Park
Check the e-bird list – Gyp Hills Picnic Corral Area
Area website
Directions:
Take US 160 (Fowler Ave.) west out of Medicine
Lodge.
US 160 Prairie Dog Town
RED HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
As you approach Coldwater from the east on US 160 watch for a prairie dog town along the highway. Prairie dog towns are a unique ecosystem complete with interesting predator-prey relationships and specialized plants and animals. Here you can see one such example of these unique relationships — Burrowing Owls. These owls use the prairie dog burrows as nest sites. Their long legs allow them to peer over the top of the grass and look for predators. From a distance they actually look like prairie dogs standing near their burrows. Whereas the Burrowing Owls are present from spring through fall, in winter you may see Ferruginous Hawk or Golden Eagles hunting in the area. Horned Larks will be present year-around.
Check the e-bird list
Directions:
Along US 160 just east of Coldwater at the intersection of US 160 and US 183.
Coldwater Lake
RED HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
Coldwater Lake is a 250-acre man-made lake held within a 930-acre city owned park. A 3.8-mile road circumvents the lake offering views of the entire lake. Watch for roadrunners as you drive around this excellent birding area. The lake attracts a good variety of ducks and geese in migration and winter. White Pelicans and Ospreys are often seen at the lake. Shorebirds including American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts can be found on mud flats and shorelines. The wetlands here have been well-known for a variety of rails, including the elusive Black Rail, but habitat manipulation has potentially decreased chances of locating these secretive species. Night birding can be rewarding with Chuck-wills-widows, and Screech, Barred, Great Horned, and Barn Owls commonly present. In 2003 the second confirmed report for Painted Redstart in Kansas was found at this lake.
Check the e-bird list
Area website
Directions:
This lake is located a half mile south and a half mile west of the town of Coldwater.
Clark State Fishing Lake
RED HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
The picturesque 300-acre Clark State Fishing Lake is nestled in the deep Bluff Creek canyon. Short drives or walks on both sides of the lake provide scenic views of this rugged Kansas treasure. During summer, both Eastern and Western Kingbirds nest in the campground trees and noisily defend their territories. Rock Wrens find suitable nesting habitat along the steep canyon walls. Other nesting species can include Mississippi Kites, Eastern Bluebirds, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Cassin’s Sparrows, Painted Buntings, Bewick’s Wrens and both Baltimore and Bullock’s Orioles. Watch for hybrids of these two species here. If you are lucky, you might see a Greater Roadrunner. At the far northeast corner of the lake is the Jay R. Wood Memorial Nature Trail, which crosses Bluff Creek and then makes a loop through tall cottonwood bottomlands. Red-headed woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatches, Carolina Chickadee and Barred Owls are found along the trail. In migration, warblers and thrushes can be common here. The deep lake is attractive to herons, gulls, terns and waterfowl, including diving ducks. Ospreys are common during the fall migration. One of the few records for Yellow-billed Loon was found at this lake.
Check the e-bird list
Area website
KDWP Website
Directions:
From Ashland take Clark County Lake Rd (CR. 20) north to K-94 and then west to the lake. From the north, follow K-94 south from Kingsdown (on U.S. 54 Highway, 20 miles SE of Dodge City), for 10 miles. The highway ends at the lake.
Ashland City Park
RED HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
Birders passing through Ashland on US 160 Highway often make a quick stop to check the Ashland City Park. This small park is located on the east edge of town along the banks of West Branch Bear Creek. Eastern and Western Kingbirds, Great Crested and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Mississippi Kites and Baltimore Orioles have nested here and during migration with some luck you might find some passerine migrants in the woody vegetation along the creek.
Check the e-bird list
Area Website
Directions:
As you enter Ashland from the east turn south on Chestnut St. and follow it several blocks to the park.
Big Basin Prairie Preserve/St. Jacob’s Well
RED HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
The 1,818-acre Big Basin Prairie Preserve Wildlife Area is a mile wide sinkhole more than 100 feet deep. Although it has the appearance of a valley, it is entirely surrounded by higher ground. The much smaller (280 feet in diameter, 35 feet deep) Little Basin is just east of the rim of Big Basin. It surrounds St. Jacob’s Well, a sinkhole with a permanent, spring fed pool of water. The cottonwoods near the water provide nesting habitat for orioles and kingbirds. The preserve is the home to herd of American Bison and to many grassland species such as Northern Bobwhite, Ring-necked Pheasant, Cassin’s Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, and Dickcissel.
Check the e-bird list
Area website
Directions:
Located Just north of the intersection of highways U.S. 160 and U.S.283. The highway bisects Big Basin, with approximately two-thirds of the basin lying east of the road and within the confines of the public preserve. The western third of the basin is privately owned.
Lakeview Playa
RED HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
The lake is nearly 1 mile long and a half mile wide. It is a seasonal wetland and may be dry for many years. At times, this lake contains thousands of waterfowl and shorebirds. Sandhill Cranes use the area spring and fall when there is open water. Whooping Cranes have been sighted on the lake on occasion. White-faced Ibis, Cattle Egrets and Black-crowned Night-Herons have nested here along with Ruddy Ducks, Mallards and both Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal. Least Terns are seen in the fall as young disperse from nesting areas. This is a wonderful place for high numbers and diversity of shorebirds. Peregrine Falcons are regularly seen here when the shorebirds are present and Short-eared Owls may be seen hunting here during winter.
Check the e-bird list
Directions:
“Lakeview” playa is located four miles east of Meade on the southside of US 160 Highway at the intersection with CR 26. Good viewing can be made from either road.
City of Meade
RED HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
The Meade City Park on US 54 Highway at the east edge of Meade has towering cottonwoods. It is excellent for Mississippi Kites, migrating warblers and woodpeckers of various species. A huge Turkey Vulture roost can be viewed in the fall from the south edge of the park. Hundreds of vultures may be seen coming to roost just before dark. Public restrooms are available and free overnight parking or camping is allowed. The streets of Meade are good for White-winged Doves and Mississippi Kites. Occasionally Inca Doves and Red Crossbills may be seen. Several feeding stations and garden ponds can be viewed in the neighborhoods.
Check the e-bird list
Area website
Directions:
Meade is located at the intersection of US-54, US-160, and K-23
Meade State Lake and Park
RED HILLS BIRDING TRAIL
About The Area
Meade State Park has an 80-acre lake and 440 surrounding acres of campsites and wildlife habitat. Spring and fall prior to, or after, the camping season is the best time to visit. Valid Kansas State Park entrance permits are required at this area. Summer visits are best during the less-crowded weekdays during which you can find Red-headed Woodpeckers, Mississippi Kites, Great Crested Flycatchers, and Orchard, Bullock’s, and Baltimore Orioles. On summer evenings you might hear Chuck-wills-widows. Both the gray and red forms of Eastern Screech Owl and Barred Owls are present year around. Check the cattail marsh at the upper end of the lake for rails, Marsh Wrens, herons, and shorebirds. During the winter months, over 5,000 Canada Geese are often found on the lake. Search the geese for Cackling Geese, Greater White-Fronted Geese and Ross’s Geese. Snow Geese are also present in large numbers some years. A good assortment of ducks stops and stays until the water freezes. Winter often brings several Townsend’s Solitaires. Meade State Lake is one of those areas where anything can show up during migration. The most unusual birds include a Magnificent Frigatebird, Brown Pelican, Harris’s Hawk, Green-tailed Towhee, Lesser Goldfinch, Varied Thrush, and Western Tanager.
Check the e-bird list
Area website
Directions:
Located 8 miles south and 5 miles west of the city of Meade on K-23.
