Date: 9/1/26 9:16 pm From: Kevin Groeneweg <kgroeneweg1616...> Subject: County Listing Totals to be Updated September 7
Hello county listers!
Please send me updates to your county life totals, as well as updates to your Kansas life and year list totals, by Monday, September 7. For county life totals, you must have seen or heard a minimum of 75 species to be "listable" in a county. Send your updates to <kgroeneweg1616...> Please send only updates to your list totals and not your entire list of county totals. Let me know if you have any questions.
Date: 8/30/26 6:18 am From: Carol Morgan <crxmorgan...> Subject: Roseate spoonbill
Roseate spoonbill is still present at Melvern Wildlife Area this morning at 8am. Very distant views from the western half of 313 Street looking south. (Seen from approximately 38.5029972 -95.8828674). Many great egrets and shorebirds also visible.
Carol Morgan
Carol Morgan, Sent from my iPhone
For KSBIRD-L archives or to change your subscription options, go to
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http://www.ksbirds.org/KSBIRD-LGuidelines.htm To contact a listowner, send a message to
mailto:<ksbird-l-request...>
Date: 8/25/26 3:55 pm From: Bollin, John <00001cc4729082e1-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: Red Crossbill irruption tracking
Chuck,
Here is my 2 cents on speculation.
Having just returned from the Arkansas River Valley and Front Range in Colorado, I can say it is the driest year that I have ever seen in the Colorado Rockies. They had practically no snow in some areas and very little rain all year. My friends live in Leadville (over 10K ft) and said that there was no point last winter where you couldn't find bare ground. He said that he used the snowplow once and didn't even need to do that but wanted to get it out and ready for bad weather that never came.
John Bollin
Leavenworth County, KS
________________________________
From: Birds & Their Habitats in Kansas <KSBIRD-L...> on behalf of Chuck Otte <00001b0b31b1d152-dmarc-request...>
Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2026 4:03 PM
To: <KSBIRD-L...> <KSBIRD-L...>
Subject: Red Crossbill irruption tracking
WARNING: This message has originated from an External Source. This may be a phishing expedition that can result in unauthorized access to our IT System. Please use proper judgment and caution when opening attachments, clicking links, or responding to this email.
If you haven't been following eBird daily reports you may have missed that
there's a Red Crossbill irruption occuring across much of Kansas. I spent
some time today mapping which counties the confirmed eBird sightings were
in but also noting the first confirmed report for each county. I did this with the
big irruption in 2017-18 which was a more typical late summer, fall and winter
situation. I will let others speculate on the cause of the current irruption.
Anyway, reports are still coming in from various counties, mainly in the
western half of the state and as reports come in from new counties I will
updated those on the page. The page can be accessed at:
Date: 8/25/26 2:59 pm From: Daniel Kerr <dkerr...> Subject: Re: Red Crossbill irruption tracking
Chuck et al,
Where do they tend to be seen? Pine groves? Feeders? Bourbon County has
a paucity of pines...
Duc in altum,
*Daniel Kerr*
President, St. Martin's Academy
c: 620.224.8110
www.saintmartinsacademy.org
On Tue, Aug 25, 2026 at 4:44 PM EUGENE YOUNG <
<000006665a95b6b5-dmarc-request...> wrote:
> Nice work...Gene
>
> Eugene A. Young
>
>
> Agriculture and Biological Sciences
> 1220 E. Grand, PO Box 310
> Tonkawa, OK, 74653-0310
> Phone: 580-628-6482
> Fax: 580-628-6209
> E-Mail: <Eugene.Young...>
> Website: www.noc.edu
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Birds & Their Habitats in Kansas <KSBIRD-L...> On
> Behalf Of Chuck Otte
> Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2026 4:03 PM
> To: <KSBIRD-L...>
> Subject: Red Crossbill irruption tracking
>
> If you haven't been following eBird daily reports you may have missed that
> there's a Red Crossbill irruption occuring across much of Kansas. I spent
> some time today mapping which counties the confirmed eBird sightings were
> in but also noting the first confirmed report for each county. I did this
> with the big irruption in 2017-18 which was a more typical late summer,
> fall and winter situation. I will let others speculate on the cause of the
> current irruption.
>
> Anyway, reports are still coming in from various counties, mainly in the
> western half of the state and as reports come in from new counties I will
> updated those on the page. The page can be accessed at:
>
> https://ksbirds.org/kos/Red_Crossbill_Irruptions.htm >
> Let me know if you have any problems accessing the page.
>
> Chuck+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> Chuck Otte mailto:<cotte...> > 11319 Dundon Rd
> Milford Kansas USA 66514
> 785-463-5485
>
> For KSBIRD-L archives or to change your subscription options, go to
> https://listserv.ksu.edu/ksbird-l.html > For KSBIRD-L guidelines go to
> http://www.ksbirds.org/KSBIRD-LGuidelines.htm > To contact a listowner, send a message to mailto:
> <ksbird-l-request...>
>
> For KSBIRD-L archives or to change your subscription options, go to
> https://listserv.ksu.edu/ksbird-l.html > For KSBIRD-L guidelines go to
> http://www.ksbirds.org/KSBIRD-LGuidelines.htm > To contact a listowner, send a message to
> mailto:<ksbird-l-request...> >
Date: 8/25/26 2:44 pm From: EUGENE YOUNG <000006665a95b6b5-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: Red Crossbill irruption tracking
Nice work...Gene
Eugene A. Young
Agriculture and Biological Sciences
1220 E. Grand, PO Box 310
Tonkawa, OK, 74653-0310
Phone: 580-628-6482
Fax: 580-628-6209
E-Mail: <Eugene.Young...>
Website: www.noc.edu
-----Original Message-----
From: Birds & Their Habitats in Kansas <KSBIRD-L...> On Behalf Of Chuck Otte
Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2026 4:03 PM
To: <KSBIRD-L...>
Subject: Red Crossbill irruption tracking
If you haven't been following eBird daily reports you may have missed that there's a Red Crossbill irruption occuring across much of Kansas. I spent some time today mapping which counties the confirmed eBird sightings were in but also noting the first confirmed report for each county. I did this with the big irruption in 2017-18 which was a more typical late summer, fall and winter situation. I will let others speculate on the cause of the current irruption.
Anyway, reports are still coming in from various counties, mainly in the western half of the state and as reports come in from new counties I will updated those on the page. The page can be accessed at:
If you haven't been following eBird daily reports you may have missed that there's a Red Crossbill irruption occuring across much of Kansas. I spent some time today mapping which counties the confirmed eBird sightings were in but also noting the first confirmed report for each county. I did this with the big irruption in 2017-18 which was a more typical late summer, fall and winter situation. I will let others speculate on the cause of the current irruption.
Anyway, reports are still coming in from various counties, mainly in the western half of the state and as reports come in from new counties I will updated those on the page. The page can be accessed at:
Date: 8/25/26 8:35 am From: Dan Thalmann <editor...> Subject: Summer tanager, other observations from Palmer, Washington County
Recent observations from Palmer, Washington County
• Summer tanager – Had a female summer tanager at my feeders today. Finally. Hadn’t ever had a tanager in my yard. Thanks to a Chuck Otte hummingbird presentation at the Washington Library earlier this month, my wife is now really getting into birds and she got a couple videos of this bird and we’ve dropped a pretty penny on new feeders, a smart feeder camera (it is actually horrible at ID’ing birds), etc. She asked about a telephoto lens, but I’m going to push for a spotting scope haha.
• Mississippi Kite – I had two fall observations of Mississippi Kites in the past couple years, but this year we had four in the spring and two through the summer. Could not find a nest though. A couple days ago, we had 15 soaring over our house and my wife said there were more beyond my vision. The first breeding record for the county was in Washington a few years back.
• Black-bellied Whistling Duck – In Washington County, we went from zero records to observations in Linn, Barnes and then Palmer and then a nest attempt in Palmer. The nest I documented was failed by a predator, but there have been several young BBWD at our city lagoons, so they must’ve nested somewhere!
Some general observations
• Lark Sparrows were thick this summer. I watched a nest with eggs until the eggs suddenly disappeared (roadside nest, so I assume predator).
• Eastern Kingbird numbers were up, while Western were down.
• RT Hummingbirds were up this summer and up this fall for migration compared to last year.
• Red-shouldered hawk – I feel like numbers are up. I had two last fall soaring. I had them calling this spring in a river bottom and a couple times since. It might just be that I can pick out their call better after taking trips to South Carolina where they are thick.
• I’m trying hard to better document departure dates. It is a different mindset though, trying to figure out when I’m no longer seeing something versus the first observation of spring.
-Dan
Dan Thalmann
• Owner – Washington County News, Washington, Kansas www.backroadsnews.com
785-747-6980 (cell, feel free to text me)
<editor...>
“Faith, Family, & the Freedom to keep it that way."
This is an open call for everyone to email "your" photos for consideration in the 2027 KOS Bird Calendar or the 2027 KOS Kansas Phenology Calendar!
With the generous help of another volunteer, we are creating two calendars this year! We plan to have both available for purchase at the fall KOS meeting in Winfield Kansas on September 25th through 27th.
The feedback was so positive on the 2026 calendar, and I learned so much putting it together, I decided to use the same theme for 2027 and explore more species that potentially hybridize. So yes, the photo attached to this post is recycled and is the same as last year with new text! For the Bird Calendar, photos of the listed SPECIES are of particular interest! Please feel free to send as many quality photos you have of the species below as comparison between species relies on male, female, adult, and immature birds! The photos do not need to have been taken in Kansas.
1. Finches (Cassin's, House, & Purple) 2. Goldfinches (American and Lesser) 3. Grebes (Clark's and Western) 4. Hummingbirds (Black-chinned and Ruby-throated primarily, but Calliope, Rufous, and Broad-tailed also for fun) 5. Ibis (White-faced & Glossy, White also for fun) 6. Kingbirds (Cassin's & Western, Eastern also for fun) 7. Sandpipers (Baird's, Least, Semipalmated, Western, & White-rumped) 8. Sapsuckers (Red-naped, Yellow-bellied, & Williamson's) 9. Screech Owls (Eastern & Western, Flammulated for fun if you have it) 10. Swallows (Cliff & Cave primarily: Bank, Barn, Northern-rough Winged, Tree & Violet-green also for fun) 11. Tanagers (Scarlet, Summer, & Western, Hepatic also for fun if you have it) 12. Vireos (Blue-headed, Cassin's, & Plumbeous) 13. Warblers (Black-throated Green & Townsend's
After a couple years considering this option, it is with great excitement that a 2nd calendar is offered focused more on the phenology of Kansas. The general theme of the calendar will be to highlight the 12 different geographical regions of Kansas. For each listed REGION, we would like the following: A. Landscape or habitat photo. Famous points of interest in each region would be awesome! B. Critter photos! Species that are specific to each region are awesome, but species found across multiple regions are also fair game. This can include invertebrates (insects, spiders, mussels, crawfish), amphibians (frogs, salamanders, and toads), reptiles (lizards, snakes, and turtles), mammals (small and large), and birds! C. Native plants! Species that are specific to each region are once again ideal, but plants found across multiple regions or tied to them are also great. The goal is to put together a monthly spread for each region with both critters and plants associated with that region. This is truly a calendar to highlight the entire state and the entire year of changes across the state. The twelve regions are:
1, Arkansas River Lowlands 2. Chautauqua Hills 3. Cherokee Lowlands 4. Flint Hills 5. Glaciated Region 6. Osage Cuestas 7. High Plains 8. Osage Cuestas 9. Ozark Plateau 10. Red Hills 11. Smoky Hills 12. Wellington-McPherson Lowlands
With the broad geographical ask for the phenology calendar, please look through your favorite photos from years enjoying the outdoors and send them our way. If any of your photos are used in either calendar, you will have a choice of either provided to you for free as a thank you!
Please send full-sized (don't crop), non-watermarked (attribution will be given as text in the calendar), high-resolution jpgs to Malcolm via email at <malcolmgold...> for consideration. Files you send may be edited slightly for creative use in the above calendars or future years and you will be sent a preview for review before printing. Please email them all by the end of August for priority usage, as rough drafts will be created in the first week of September. Photos sent in September will be considered, but that region or comparison of species may already have been completed.
Sincerely,
Malcolm Gold (Overland Park, Johnson County, Kansas)
Date: 8/23/26 7:10 am From: Jeff Keating <jffkeats...> Subject: Re: Keep an eye to the sky!
To add to Chuck's post, and keep an eye high to the sky. We've seen several
instances where in a kettle of kites, the swallow-tailed kite is much
higher than the others, sometimes just a white speck that you need
binoculars to identify!
Jeff Keating
On Sat, Aug 22, 2026 at 10:36 PM Chuck Otte <
<00001b0b31b1d152-dmarc-request...> wrote:
> Since the first of August there have been 4 Swallow-tailed Kites reported
> in
> Kansas, three with photographs. The locations have been Cherokee County,
> Pottawatomie County, Douglas County and Cowley County. The last two
> were just today.
>
> If you look at the current era Swallow-tailed Kite records for Kansas, a
> majority of them have been from the month of August. Their distinctive
> form
> makes them quite hard to miss! But you have to be looking up! It isn't
> uncommon for them to be in the company of Mississippi Kites - if you see
> some Mississippi Kites - keep looking!!
>
> Chuck
>
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> Chuck Otte mailto:<cotte...> > 11319 Dundon Rd
> Milford Kansas USA 66514
> 785-463-5485
>
> For KSBIRD-L archives or to change your subscription options, go to
> https://listserv.ksu.edu/ksbird-l.html > For KSBIRD-L guidelines go to
> http://www.ksbirds.org/KSBIRD-LGuidelines.htm > To contact a listowner, send a message to
> mailto:<ksbird-l-request...> >
Date: 8/22/26 8:36 pm From: Chuck Otte <00001b0b31b1d152-dmarc-request...> Subject: Keep an eye to the sky!
Since the first of August there have been 4 Swallow-tailed Kites reported in Kansas, three with photographs. The locations have been Cherokee County, Pottawatomie County, Douglas County and Cowley County. The last two were just today.
If you look at the current era Swallow-tailed Kite records for Kansas, a majority of them have been from the month of August. Their distinctive form makes them quite hard to miss! But you have to be looking up! It isn't uncommon for them to be in the company of Mississippi Kites - if you see some Mississippi Kites - keep looking!!
Date: 8/20/26 10:49 am From: Dan Mulhern <browndog06...> Subject: Mississippi Kites in Manhattan
I've not yet seen any large groups or "kettles", but there has been a noticeable increase in MIKI activity in my neighborhood. Numerous individuals and pairs seen anywhere from treetop height to elevations barely perceptible to the naked eye.
Dan Mulhern Manhattan
Date: 8/16/26 7:43 pm From: Malcolm Gold <malcolmgold...> Subject: KBRC and eBird filters - Empid Flycatchers in western Kansas and Ravens
Hello Birders,
The Kansas Bird Records Committee (KBRC) decided earlier this spring to
investigate Empidonax flycatcher migration in western Kansas. This venture
is primarily to clarify the status and timing of Empidonax flycatchers
through that area of the state. To understand these patterns, eBird filters
for western counties (defined as Norton down to Clark and westward) have
been set to zero for the following species: Yellow-bellied, Alder, Willow,
Acadian, Hammond's, Gray, Dusky, and Western Flycatchers. The only Empid
flycatcher that is not flagged in eBird and not on the KBRC review list in
the westward third of the state is the Least Flycatcher.
KBRC also decided to continue the investigation into the status and
distribution of ravens statewide. Because of the identification difficulty
involved, Chihuahuan and Common Raven filters in eBird have been set to
zero statewide.
Documentation of the above species as well as other species on the KBRC
review list is critical. Please photograph all Empidonax flycatchers of the
above species especially in the westerly third of the state and equally
important, please attempt to audio record vocalizations using Merlin (don't
forget to immediately save a file!). Please *add* these to your eBird
checklists. Additionally, please photograph and audio record all ravens.
You can submit a KBRC report or send an eBird checklist with documentation.
If you have photographs and documentation of past observations, this
evaluation will also consider looking at past records. As is the case with
any rare or high count observation in eBird, proper documentation is
requested. Here is an article from Cornell describing “documentation”
which includes expectations if a clear photo or recording isn’t possible.
Please do not fret if you receive an inquiry from any state eBird reviewer
or member of the KBRC committee asking for additional clarification, your
sightings and information are extremely helpful to further the
understanding of status and timing.
I would appreciate any comments from birders who use hearing aids (brands, success, problems, Costco, other businesses). Reply off the listserv to the address linked to this email (not KSbirds).
In bird news, Mississippi Kites are bunching up in Newton and making a lot of racket.
Date: 8/10/26 4:20 pm From: Jeff Keating <jffkeats...> Subject: Lark Bunting, Geary County
I saw 3 lark buntings right before sunset standing on Milford Lake Road, just south of Highway 18, Geary County, Sunday, August 9. Poor light, but one male still flashed obvious white wing patches as I approached.
Date: 8/10/26 1:40 pm From: Chuck Otte <00001b0b31b1d152-dmarc-request...> Subject: Milford Lake Bird Walk on Saturday
The monthly Milford Lake Bird Walk will be this Saturday, August 15th, starting at 8:00 a.m. We meet in the parking lot at the south end of Milford Lake Dam, across the highway from the Corps of Engineer's Office, 5203 North K-57 Junction City, Kansas 66441. Walks usually last 2 to 3 hours, weather and birds dependendent. If you have any questions, contact me!!
Date: 8/6/26 6:06 am From: Pete Janzen <pete.janzen...> Subject: Wichita Audubon Second Saturday bird walk
This is a reminder that the monthly Wichita Audubon Society Second Saturday bird walk will be this coming Saturday, August 8 at Chisholm Creek Park. Meet at 8 am in the parking lot of the Great Plains Nature Center. The walk typically covers about 1.5 miles and lasts for about 90 minutes. Birders of all experience levels are welcome to join us. Please be aware that the Great Plains Nature Center building is closed for 12-18 months due to significant structural repairs and renovations. As far as I know the restroom building near the parking lot remains open.
