SE Colorado Birding

Birding and discussion: A conservation-oriented birding blog that emphasizes low-impact birding and sustainable birding practices together with the enjoyment of birds. Southeast Colorado offers a diversity of habitats which provide premiere birding opportunities. Save Sabal Palm

Sunday, April 30, 2006

Nesting American Dippers



American Dippers are nesting along the Arkansas River in what is called the "Bighorn Sheep Canyon"--that section from Parkdale (just west of Canon City about 15-20 miles) to near Salida. This is also the area where Christo has proposed his "Over the River" project which involves 2 years to install hardware (requiring the use of drilling rigs and other heavy equipment) then attaching about 2,400 cables across the river (some of which remain up for about 3 months before fabric is attached to it) so that fabric can be attached--and it's the fabric that's the art project. I am monitoring some of the bird life in the area as this is of concern.

I found one pair of dippers already had at least 1 fledgling (but thought I heard a second), the one in these photos. Another was feeding nestlings in a nest located under a bridge right in a section that is proposed for draping of fabric (and all the construction to get it up). I found additional dippers near bridges that may also be nesting.

I also found a Belted Kingfisher nesting in a dirt bank located about 50 feet from the Arkansas River in the Texas Creek area (this is a BLM area with a lot of heavy recreational use--much ATV and dirt bike use plus lots of fishermen in spring and rafters/kayakers in summer. It's amazing that these birds are able to nest and feed their nestlings as often as required given the disturbane.
SeEtta

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