Long-billed Curlew family-another chick!

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I returned to northern Otero County, CO yesterday in hopes that I could refind the Long-billed Curlew family I posted on below. I was delighted to find them only about a quarter mile from where I had seen them last week. I first saw the adult male--it was on the top of the banks of an old irrigation canal that has gathered enough rain water this year to produce some nice wetland vegetation and some standing water. This probably produces a nice invertebrate food source. After I watched the male for a little while, I spotted a Long-billed Curlew chick and took the photo above.
The chick soon moved out of sight but the short view caused me to wonder why this chick looked so young with it's quite short bill (the chick I saw last week appeared about this age then so should be older appearing this week). I didn't find out until a little later that this chick is likely a second and younger chick than the one I saw last week (more on that in next post). Note--all the pics can be enlarged for close-up viewing by double-clicking on each pic. SeEtta

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