One of the most common questions we receive at the Great Plains Nature Center is from birders traveling through Kansas in winter: “Where can I find Harris’s Sparrow?” I’m always happy to tell them the handsome pink-billed bird can be seen at the center, which lies within 240-acre Chisholm Creek Park. I commonly see the sparrows feeding on the ground under the bird feeders or in the brushy hedgerows throughout the park.
Chisholm Creek’s breeding birds reflect its varied habitats. Bell’s Vireo, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Indigo Bunting, and Cooper’s Hawk all nest in the park. Eight species of heron and egret are seen regularly. Ducks and geese, along with dozens of turtles, swim beneath the boardwalks hoping for a handout of floating fish food that can be purchased at the nature center.
Rare sightings include American and Least Bitterns, White-faced Ibis, and Yellow Rail. Mississippi Kites nest throughout the city, and during late summer I’ve seen as many as 20 at a time swooping after flying insects over the park. The birds and wildlife are acclimated to the park’s many visitors. Take your camera for cooperative wildlife models. — Bob Gress
Bob Gress is a wildlife photographer and the author of several books about birds, birding, and wildlife in Kansas. He is the former director of the Great Plains Nature Center.
Directions
The Great Plains Nature Center and Chisholm Creek Park feature woodlands, creeks, and prairies in northeast Wichita. From north- or southbound I-135, exit onto Hwy. K-96 eastbound. Drive 2.9 miles and exit onto N. Woodlawn St. Turn right, go 0.5 miles, and turn right onto E. 29th St. Proceed 0.2 miles, and turn right on the entrance road.
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At a Glance
Click on the coordinates below to view location:
37°44’21.2″N 97°15’52.1″W
Habitat
Riparian woodlands, hedgerows, creek, ponds, small wetland, tallgrass prairie, restored prairie.
Terrain
Mostly flat. Two miles of paved trails and multiple boardwalks are wheelchair-accessible.
Birds
More than 200 species, including 28 warblers and 20 sparrows. Year-round: Wild Turkey, Cooper’s and Red-tailed Hawks, Great Horned and Eastern Screech-Owls, Great Blue Heron, Northern Flicker, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Blue Jay, American Goldfinch. Late fall and winter: Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Hermit Thrush, Spotted Towhee, Fox, Song, White-crowned, and Harris’s Sparrows. Spring: Sora, Virginia Rail, Killdeer, Lesser Yellowlegs, Wilson’s Snipe, Red-eyed Vireo, Orange-crowned, Yellow, Yellow-rumped, and Black-and-white Warblers, Marsh Wren, Swainson’s Thrush, Chipping and Clay-colored Sparrows, Orchard Oriole. Summer: Mississippi Kite, Indigo Bunting, Yellow- and Black-crowned Night-Herons, Little Blue Heron, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Eastern and Western Kingbirds, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Bell’s and Warbling Vireos, Common Yellowthroat, Eastern Bluebird, Baltimore Oriole, Dickcissel.
When to go
Year-round.
Amenities
Two miles of paved trails. Nature center features wildlife exhibits, an auditorium, and a gift shop. Free pocket guides on birds, mammals, snakes, wildflowers, and others available upon request.
Access
City park; nature center is a federal, state, and local partnership. Free. The center is open from 9-5 Monday-Saturday. Trails open daily from dawn to dusk.
Tips
Trails can be busy as this is a popular urban site. Early mornings are best for birds in all habitats.
For more info
Great Plains Nature Center, (316) 683-5499.
Chisholm Creek Park