Birds and Nature

This is one of two Great Egrets I spotted in Florence last week. Today I spotted one in Canon City. They should be moving on to breeding areas soon. SeEtta

Yesterday I also found this Great Egret, the first I have seen this year and the first reported in Fremont County, CO. It was feeding in the wetlands in a small park in Florence, CO which is less than 10 miles from Canon City. Much of the birding in Florence River Park crashed after the town cut out almost all the tamarisk, an invasive plant, which composed most of the understory to the nice cottonwood riparian area adjacent to the Arkansas River (instead of staging the removal and replanting native vegetation to provide continuing habitat for neotropical migrant songbirds that used to frequent the park). Fortunately they did not enter the wetland area of this park to go after tamarisk plants so it still draws some birds (though this is the first time I have seen a Great Egret in that wetland). SeEtta

I took these pics of this very photogenic Great Egret right from the deck of the visitor center at Estero Llano Grande State Park in Weslaco, TX. It's amazing the great close-up views of birds and other wildlife at this very birdy location, one of the World Birding Centers in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Double-click on these pics for super closer views. SeEtta