TRICOLORED HERON at Holcim Wetlands-photo taken from side of CR120

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Wouldn't you know--the Holcim Wetlands had to be closed indefinitely after the very high water in the Arkansas River took out about 30 feet of bank including the trail, part of a small bridge that used to be over the tailwater stream. Now the wetlands are directly connected to the Arkansas River until Holcim can get engineering done and permission from the Corps of Engineers to repair it. So I was checking on it last evening from the side of CR120 that runs adjacent to the parking lot (it is closed off and locked. There was good water in the wetlands pond with several visible cormorants and a few Great Blue Herons loafing and feeding there. Then I spotted this TRICOLORED HERON, a big rarity in Colorado and a species that has been present in this wetland area during several previous summers including this one last year. At the several hundred foot distance my photo does show the white belly and long neck with some view of the white foreneck found on this species. You can click on the photo to enlarge it for a closer view. Due to the closure anyone now wanting to see this rare TRICOLORED HERON will have to do what I did--view it with a spotting scope from the side of the county road. And it requires a lot of care as many large rock carrying trucks drive fast by here all day every day except only a few on Sunday. SeEtta

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