Birds and Nature

The Blanca Wetlands is breeding territory for a number of bird species including American Avocets. The avocet in the top pic is missing it's distinctive rusty head and neck (plumage for breeding season) is an adult in Basic (known as non-breeding) plumage. The avocet in the bottom pic still has a little rusty coloration on it's head but is mostly in Basic plumage. There were a few hundred American Avocets in one of the shallow lakes on the Blanca Wetlands when I was there last week-end. Double-click on each pic for close-up views. SeEtta

Today I returned to the Blanca Wetlands in the San Luis Valley and found this porcupine about 7 feet up a Russian Olive tree. I got quite close to get these pics as it tried to hide behind the branches. The top pic shows clearly the quills that stick out for about 10 inches from the top of it's head. The second pic shows the whole porcupine sitting in the tree. Both front feet and one of the back feet are on the left side. It's back side and tail are on the right side of the pic. The porcupines slightly open mouth is seen in the 3rd pic. I think it was chewing on the branch with it's very sharp front teeth. They are known for eating bark and even killing trees by stripping the bark from them. For right-up-next-to-it views, double-click on each pic. SeEtta

I thought I was seeing a juvenile Glossy Ibis when I saw this bird (but the species isn't known to breed in Colorado while White-faced Ibis are known to breed in several locations in the San Luis Valley), but Glossy and White-faced are basically indistinguishable as juveniles. The brown head with white on face, neck and head with brown eyes are field marks for immatures of both species. SeEtta

This adult Peregrine Falcon was hanging out at the Blanca Wetlands just northeast of the town of Alamosa. Blanca Wetlands are quite large and provide habitat for a number of nesting waterfowl and waterbirds which is a draw to Peregrine Falcons like this one. The Peregrine Falcon is one of the success stories for the Endangered Species Act. This species, like the Bald Eagle, suffered due to the use of DDT and other organochlorine. The Endangered Species Act provided necessary protections and recovery plans that included reestablishing birds with the significant assistance of the Peregrine Fund . SeEtta