I traveled to the lower Arkansas River valley in the afternoon on Monday of this week and stayed overnight to do some birding in the rare mild temps we had. I drove to Lake Holbrook, north of La Junta in the early evening where I found many dead and dying fish around what was left of this irrigation lake that has been drained to a very low level due to 'extreme to exceptional' drought conditions per NOAA<http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DM_state.htm?CO,W>(the Arkansas Valley from at least Canon City east to the Kansas state line has been in one stage of drought or another for past 2+ years).
Along the shores of Lake Holbrook I found an American Golden-Plover, a rare visitor to Colorado. Sadly the bird has a very damaged bill as can be seen in the photos I have uploaded to my Birds and Nature blog<http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com>. It was attempting to feed on the many insects drawn to the hundreds of dead and dying fish though I cannot imagine how it can be successful. Other birds at Lake Holbrook: dark ibis-about 50; Am Avocet--dozens; American White Pelicans--several hundred; many distant white-headed gulls; Baird's Sandpipers-2; and 3 Common Nighthawks flying around the state wildlife area around the lake in early evening and sunny conditions. SeEtta Moss Canon City Blogging for Birds and Blooms magazine @ http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/author/seetta-moss/ Personal blog @ BirdsAndBlooms.blogspot.com<http://birdsandblooms.blogspot.com/> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en-US.
