Birds and Nature

The mother curlew is near the chick in both of the bottom pics as it forages in the grassy area (actually a lot of forbs). According to Nature Works , "Shortly after birth their parents will lead them to the feeding ground where they will hunt for invertebrates like grasshoppers." This very young chick was quite independent and spent little time near either of it's parents during the almost 2 hours I observed them. In the middle pic the female is looking skyward, watching for aerial predators (not long after this a Turkey Vulture flew over followed by an explosion of both parents as they flew up to escort it away from their chick). SeEtta

Yesterday I took advantage of a 'cool' front that dropped the temperatures in Otero County from around 100 to the 80's. I returned to look for the Long-billed Curlew pair that I found last year with several chicks. I found the male and female in the lower pics only about a half mile from where I had seen the pair last year so believe this is the same pair. Actually the grass in the field where I saw them the most last year was in poor condition--there is a severe drought in that area plus it appears the ranchers overgrazed those fields (grass fields right across the road were short but healthy looking). Long-billed Curlews are known for nest site fidelity but I suspect the poor condition of the fields they were in last year prompted a move down the road. The chick shown in the top pic is quite young, actually a nestling but since this species is precocial . More pics to follow. SeEtta

This is another video clip showing the adult female foraging almost as close as in the other one As in the other clip she appears to find tasty morsels; and the dark stripes on her crown are clearly visible hear also. This is the last of the video clips of my viewing of this Long-billed Curlew family on June 23. SeEtta

This is a very good but short video clip of adult female foraging, apparently fairly successfully, about 60-75 feet away. I didn't approach her at this close of a distance (I believe she would have fled if I had approached this close--I find birds will approach closer and behave more naturally like this bird when they are given their personal distance to work with),she walked this close to where I was video-ing the family. Nice native grasses billow in the brisk breeze that has come up. SeEtta