I traveled to the lower Arkansas River valley in the afternoon on Monday of this week and stayed overnight to do some birding in the rare mild temps we had. I drove to Lake Holbrook, north of La Junta in the early evening where I found many dead and dying fish around what was left of this irrigation lake that has been drained to a very low level due to 'extreme to exceptional' drought conditions per NOAA (the Arkansas Valley from at least Canon City east to the Kansas state line has been in one stage of drought or another for past 2+ years).
Along the shores of Lake Holbrook I found an American Golden-Plover, a rare visitor to Colorado. Sadly the bird has a very damaged bill as can be seen in the photos I have uploaded to my Birds and Nature blog. It was attempting to feed on the many insects drawn to the hundreds of dead and dying fish though I cannot imagine how it can be successful.
Other birds at Lake Holbrook: dark ibis-about 50; Am Avocet--dozens; American White Pelicans--several hundred; many distant white-headed gulls; Baird's Sandpipers-2; and 3 Common Nighthawks flying around the state wildlife area around the lake in early evening and sunny conditions.
SeEtta Moss
Canon City
Blogging for Birds and Blooms magazine @ http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/author/seetta-moss/
Personal blog @ BirdsAndBlooms.blogspot.com
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