Heavy rain in Kansas has replenished wetlands that had gone dry along one of the continent’s most important bird migration routes.

That bodes well for the migrating birds that make Kansas one of their principal stopovers along the central flyway. It also has brightened prospects for the state’s upcoming waterfowl hunting season.

At the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, manager Karl Grover says all 10 pools usually open for hunting now have water in them. They were dry during last year’s drought.

More people are also flocking to the reserve. He says visitation was up 150 percent the first eight days of August, compared to all of last month.

Some are hunters scouting the area. Others are bird watchers coming to see some birds that haven’t been here for 13 months.