Field Trip Recaps

We encourage you to share your birding experiences with others. Add your photos to the trip list within eBird, share them on social media, and invite your friends to an upcoming trip. We also post field trip recaps and photos on our Facebook page. If you attended a trip in the past and wish the eBird checklist shared with you, please send an email request to Burroughs Audubon.

4/21/25 - Six birders joined us for a beautiful morning at Shawnee Mission Park, where we tallied 51 species! Highlights included two Black-crowned Night Herons, an Osprey, and a Broad-winged Hawk. Warblers were active, with great looks at Northern Parulas, Yellow-throated Warblers, an Orange-crowned Warbler, and two Louisiana Waterthrushes. A solid mix of swallows, vireos, woodpeckers, and early sparrows rounded out a fantastic outing.

4/15/25 - Our inaugural birding walk at Powell Gardens was a great success! Ten enthusiastic birders enjoyed exclusive access to the gardens on a day the property was closed to the public, which made for a peaceful morning filled with bird activity. Highlights included Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Great Blue Herons, Northern Parulas, and Eastern Phoebes.

4/12/25 - 21 birders enjoyed a productive morning at Marais des Cygnes, recording 56 species. Shorebirds were the stars of the show, with highlights including American Golden-Plovers, Hudsonian Godwits, a Long-billed Dowitcher, and an impressive count of over 200 Lesser Yellowlegs. Waterfowl were well-represented, especially Blue-winged Teal, along with Wood Ducks, Shovelers, and others. Raptor sightings included Bald Eagles, Northern Harriers, and Red-tailed Hawks. They also spotted a few early migrants like Northern Parula, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Thanks to everyone who joined us for a great day in the field!

4/01/25 - Six birders enjoyed the birds and ephemeral wildflowers on a beautiful spring morning at the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Avian highlights included three Sapsuckers, two Eastern Phoebes, two Fox Sparrows-including one singing, and the still present pink-sided Junco seen and photographed throughout the 2024-25 fall/winter season. With the exception of dogtooth violets (aka trout lily), most ephemerals were blooming and relatively abundant.

3/23/25 - Eleven birders joined for this field trip at Martha Lafite Nature Sanctuary. Highlights included a mating pair of Cooper's Hawks building a nest, five Great Blue Herons flying together and a few Yellow Rumped Warblers.

American Woodcocks (3/6-3/12)- Sherry Leonardo’s Woodcock Field Trips at Jerry Smith Park were a great success, drawing an impressive turnout, including a record 40 attendees on one evening! Many participants, most of whom had never seen or heard a woodcock before, were treated to the incredible sights and sounds of these fascinating birds. At least six woodcocks performed their signature sky dances well after sunset, with everyone getting a chance to see one in flight. Several lucky observers even spotted woodcocks on the ground or watched them fly low and land right in front of them. One dedicated birder traveled all the way from Colorado just for the opportunity to witness the display. Adding to the experience, Mark Land provided a bonus stargazing session, helping attendees spot planets in the night sky. It was a memorable evening filled with nature’s wonders!

2/23/25 - Thirteen participants joined the inaugural Raptor Roll: seven on bikes, and six in cars. Highlights included over 2,000 snow geese in flight (surprising, since the refuge was mostly frozen), 17 Bald Eagles, and two Northern Harriers. We look forward to the next Raptor Roll in early Fall!

2/04/25 - Two birders were the only people on the Arboretum trails on a chilly and cloudy morning. Highlights included views of three Brown Creepers at the same time in close proximity, three Harris's Sparrows, and a foraging mixed flock of Juncos, American Tree and Song Sparrows.

2/01/25 - Postponed only once because of icy trails, Don Arney led three birders in this annual winter bird census along the Blue River. Highlights included a pair of adult bald eagles, a pair of pileated woodpeckers, and several brown creepers.

1/28/25 - It took 3 attempts to get the Jerry Smith Park winter bird census done due to bitter wind chills, but 4 intrepid ladies helped get it done. It was a beautiful, sunny winter morning. The group tallied 27 species, with the biggest highlight being a cooperative Spotted Towhee who posed in good light for everyone. Other notable birds were a Northern Mockingbird, Purple Finch and Cedar Waxwings.

1/19/25 – Even though it was bitter cold, three people had a great time and saw many Trumpeter Swans, including two banded swans from Iowa. We also saw Tundra Swans, Bald Eagles of all ages, and a darling Ruby-crowned Kinglet that wanted to join our group.

1/1/25 – 18 birders celebrated the new year in style, looking for birds!  The group started by scanning Blue Springs Lake, then headed down to the wetlands for a short hike.  The highlight for most was viewing an incredibly social Yellow-bellied Sapsucker from a close distance!  Seeing a Marsh Wren overwinter in the cattails was also a great sighting.