Birds and Nature

As I live in a semi-arid part of Colorado, and we have few ponds/lakes, most migrating shorebirds and waterbirds that make it over this way utilize the flooded agricultural fields in Florence and Canon City areas. As this flood irrigation is not very efficient, and many of the agricultural fields on the edges of these two towns get supplanted by housing, flooded fields like these are in decline, though still slow due to a very sluggish economy and little building in this area. So what do these birds find to eat in flooded fields: Mostly various types of insects, small aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, small fish, frogs, vegetation and seeds (depending on species of bird). I have certainly watched White-faced Ibis pull either large worms or small snakes out also. SeEtta

I was surprised to find this lone Wilson's Phalarope swimming in Sell's Lake. Phalaropes are usually found in flocks so I suspect this lone bird got lost from it's buddies in the snow storm and winds yesterday. So about an hour later I found 18 more Wilson's Phalaropes a 4-5 miles east of Sell's Lake, swimming in the Arkansas River. This species is seldom seen in Fremont County. SeEtta