Date: 5/13/26 1:21 pm From: Malcolm Gold <malcolmgold...> Subject: Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Areas and Linn Conty Park
With spring migration continuing to push through eastern Kansas, I have had
three lingering thoughts directing me to Linn County. One was to follow up
on a recent eBird checklist from the Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area Unit F
regarding high numbers of ibis. https://ebird.org/checklist/S336671571 Second
was to see if water levels were still conducive to shorebirds and hoping to
find one from my county needs list. Lastly, even though I have spent a
significant amount of time in Linn County over the past decade plus in
Kansas, there are still a couple of challenging migrating warblers I have
not found observed in the county. If I could find anything from the first
three personal goals, it might also benefit the upcoming Topeka/Wichita
joint field trip.
I didn’t get out real early this morning with my family in town, but they
left around 7:30 and I was out the door shortly after. My first stop was
Unit F right along Highway 69. Water levels across the area are receding
quickly, but there was still standing water present in all three major
units, leaving at least some remaining habitat for late migrants. A
Northern Waterthrush was calling loudly in the trees near the parking lot
as I watched a handful of Forster's Tern actively working the water of Unit
F East. Unit F South held one of the more memorable sights of the morning:
a large flock of ibis feeding together in the shallows. With the sun at my
back, I could patiently wait and look at each bird, finding a single Glossy
Ibis mixed among the flock of White-faced Ibis. Distant shorebirds could
also be seen flying across both units, but they dropped into the grass and
quickly disappeared.
The best shorebird habitat I found was in Unit F West, particularly along
the western edge of the pond. Reaching the area required a trek through
soft, muddy ground —luckily I had muck boots— but there was an area that
had been mowed and offered mud flats. I checked through the shorebirds,
including a good variety of Calidris species. A bushwhack through the trees
to the western trail was productive with flycatchers and few migrant
warblers calling. I was exhausted after returning to the car with the
mud, rising temperatures, and a couple-mile walk.
After leaving Unit F, I made a stop at *Linn County Park*, where the
contrast in bird activity was immediately apparent. The woods were alive
with song and movement, a very welcome change from the quieter trail
earlier in the day. Among the highlights were Magnolia Warbler in three
different locations, two female Golden-winged Warbler, and an excellent
male Canada Warbler, along with a healthy assortment of other migrants.
One particularly productive stretch was the road leading south from the
entrance toward the horse trailer area. There were two small flocks both
north and south of the brush piles. The road toward the north boat ramp
also produced a mixed flock with a Philadelphia Vireo. The creek just
northeast of the shower area—before reaching the marina— held numerous
Prothonotary Warblers and possibly a nesting pair of Louisiana Waterthrush.
To cap off that stop, the north end of the lake hosted an excellent tern
trio: Caspian Tern, Forster's Tern, and a single Common Tern, offering a
great opportunity for side-by-side comparison.
On the drive back north, I decided to follow up on a text from a
friend—someone many local birders will know—who had shared a tantalizing
note: *“a Bewick’s at 399 today… past the bridge on the west road about a
quarter mile north, next to the stream.”* Naturally, I had to investigate.
Unfortunately, I had no luck relocating the Bewick's Wren, though in
hindsight I can only laugh at my mistake. I spent my search time just *west*
of the bridge on 399th, only now realizing while writing this report that I
should have gone *north*. Such is birding—sometimes the miss is as
memorable as the bird itself. Oh well… just add it to the list of my wrong
turns and mistakes.
Fortunately, the final stop still had one more gift waiting. At the boat
ramp on 399th, a large flock of Indigo Bunting was gathered on the ground,
feeding on seeds and making use of puddle in the road. Scanning the flock
revealed a female Lazuli Bunting mixed in among them, which stood out
nicely in comparison to the female Indigo Buntings. It seems that it has
been an interesting spring with a good number of Golden-winged Warblers,
Black-headed Grosbeaks, and Lazuli Buntings reported in the eastern tier.
Overall, it was an exceptionally productive day, made interesting by how
different each stop felt and how ready I am for a nap. Unit F involved
extensive walking through rough, muddy terrain and a fair bit of effort to
reach the best habitat. Linn County Park shifted to a more road-based
approach, with frequent stops and short walks yielding constant movement
and mixed flocks. I think I could still feel critters crawling on me
(luckily only phantom mind tricks) while I stayed on the pavement. The
final stretch along 399th was the most relaxed of all, with two brief
roadside stops and very little walking required yet still produced a new
county bird for me even if it wasn't the one I had hoped for.
Good Birding,
Malcolm Gold (Overland Park, Johnson County, Kansas)
