Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

Hi all,
A friend sent me to this site awhile back and I'm glad he did. I've been enjoying the posts and the pictures and am especially pleased to see the insight and helpfulness being offered.
I was in the Navy from '69 ~ '90. Served in squadrons and on aircraft carriers and have been fortunate enough to see the world when it was at peace. While I was in the Navy, a shipmate was a photographers mate and introduced me to the world of B&W and the wonders of a darkroom. Even though I couldn't afford the Mamiya's, Rollie's, Leica's, Nikon's or Canon's that the Navy was using, I did manage to own a Yashica that took decent photos. I eventually upgraded through deals by other sailors needed cash. I've owned Pentax, Olympus, Nikon FM with a complete package of Vivitar series 1 lenses and a Canon AE1.
I retired from the Navy and moved to Colorado where I landed a job with Digital / Compaq / HP.
Started getting more involved with cameras in Colorado and currently am using a Canon 40D.
We moved to Kansas a couple of years ago to a small acreage that is about 90mi from the geographical center of the U.S. and just a few miles north of the largest wetland in the U.S. This is also one of the major migratory flyways for North America and we have thousands of birds visit the area every year. We had to buy a book to help us identify all the species.
Now that I am retired from the workforce (changed job for honey-do list) - I hope to have some time to get down to the wetlands and snap some good bird shots.
I look forward to gaining more knowledge from your experiences and will try my best to remember the advice you present to me... Dave (David Callan)

Here is a Kansas sunset from my front yard...

Kansas Sunset

John Lawrence

Welcome, Dave. You have an interesting background with all your years serving our country. Thank you for your service. We have lots of bird enthusiasts on the site so you'll be able to meet a lot of new friends with common interests very quickly. Look forward to seeing more of your photos.

John

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

Let me guess. Do you live near Phillupsberg? And Welcome - Dave

Photog8 Loc: Morriston, FL

Welcome, Dave...appreciate your service to our country. ;-)

Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

Thank you all, much appreciated...

Actually Philipsburg is 100 miles north of us - we live about 8 miles north of Cheyenne Bottoms Refuge -

I'm looking forward to the fall migration this year and hope to get some good photo's. Thanks to the rains we had in Jul/Aug, the wetlands are again full so the birds should be plentiful...

ReFlections Loc: From LA to AL

Dave.. Welcome to the HOG. Nice pic from your yard. Looking forward to seeing other post from you.

Highplains Coyote Loc: Roggen, Colorado

Welcome.

Cheyenne Bottoms = Great Bend area. Smack dab center of KS.

My wife lived most all he life just outside the little town of Sterling, KS. I moved to Sterling and lived there 9 years after we married.

Never made it to Cheyenne bottoms but have been to Quivira National Wildlife Refuge many times. Seen Bald eagles there but never close enough for photos, lot of deer and birds.

KS is a good area for thunderstorm photos too.

Doddy Loc: Barnard Castle-England

Nice shot Dave..looks like with all those birds about, you and your camera are going to be busy!

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Welcome to UHH

Bigdee Loc: Southern California

Welcome to the Ugly Hedgehog

auntmary Loc: Olathe Kansas

Welcome, Dave -
I am also in Kansas, the east side. I am hoping to do a weekend trip starting at Cheyenne Bottoms and ending up at Quivira. Do you have a general idea for the best time for seeing some migration birds? Should I wait until it is consistently colder, or has it started already?
If you ever make it east, Squawk Creek in Missouri north of St. Joe is a good place to go. The Snow Geese this Spring were incredible!

JoeB Loc: Mohawk Valley, NY

Hello and welcome to UHH.

Iwantitall Loc: Chicago (south side)

Welcome to the Hog Dave. Thanks for your service. Keep the nice pics coming. :)
Mike

Db7423 Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Welcome to the Hog Dave. Get to work on that honey do list and earn some points so you can get to the wetlands and show us your photos. ;)

daplight Loc: Kansas

Welcome to UHH, from another 'wheat,' (outside of Wichita). I spent 30 days in the Navy when I was in the Army--aboard a troop carrier to VietNam in '65.