By Danny, LHS Junior
Wouldn’t you like to get closer to birds like ducks, geese and cranes? With the new trail at Lyndon, you’ll be able to do just that. On the north side of the trail will be a large wetland; this will allow birds such as these land for a rest during migration.
The creation of the wetland will be done completely naturally. Large drainage pipes have been put in to help the rainwater flood into that area. This area was selected because the land is the lowest on the trail and would be least likely to flood than compared to the other areas. By creating this feature along the trail, some native birds in Kansas will have a nice place to relax.
Some of the main birds that might nest in this area are ducks, doves, geese, turkey and crane. There are over 27 species of ducks that like to migrate to this area of Kansas, several of which are hunted in our state. These birds include the teal, wood duck, and the mallard, which are the three most common of the hunted species. The male teal is a very beautiful duck because of the color it has underneath its wings, which can be a green or blue color. Wood ducks have several colors on their head making them stand out – like a bright green and brown on its head, which are very awesome to see. Commonly seen in Kansas is the mallard, with its dark green head and brown body.
Another bird you will see is the dove, also hunted in our state. Geese are another main bird of Kansas that will migrate to our area; the most common ones we see are the Canadian geese which appear several times during the fall. But, we also can spot the snow geese in the winter time.
Other birds you might see are the turkey and the crane. These two birds stay in Kansas year round. Turkeys are a common bird that is seen in corn fields on prairies. But they also like tall grasses. They are known for their noisy gobbles and their bald red heads. Males have beards that hang off their chest and females do not.
The crane is a large, tall bird that is usually seen around Melvern and Pomona lakes. Cranes love to eat fish and small insects. They stay year round. This large bird can be white or gray with a long yellow or pale beak.
Plenty of majestic birds will enjoy the wetlands, which should increase the popularity of the trail. More people will come to the trail to see all the wildlife and how they act in the wilderness. The more people that can get in touch with nature, the more successful the trail will become.
Nature News is a project of the Lyndon High School English III class taught by Heather Fuller, who teaches English, drama and forensics. Along with the study of the works of famous authors, the junior students are learning about community-based writing. Coursework includes writing about subjects that will benefit readers. In Nature News, they plan to report on topics about appreciation of nature, using nearby Jones Park Trail as a learning tool.
