It's a small world in SE Colorado-for real

Indeed, SE Colorado is a small place at least population-wise (though certainly not in it's physical size) with all the towns fairly small. I stopped in Rocky Ford on my way down to Lamar and went into the town library (a very nice, new building with a number of computers that access the internet) to check my email as I often do when in the area.

Though I didn't have my binoculars on, I did have on a t-shirt with birds of prey on it. I stopped at the front desk and told them I was from out-of-town and wanted to check my email. A lady standing there made a comment about the Mississippi Kites that she enjoys in town. We talked briefly and she exclaimed that I was the person who has the SE Colorado Birding blog. It turns out she reads this blog fairly regularly and had even submitted a comment some time ago.

This is one of the qualities of SE Colorado--real small towns and many very nice people. I always enjoy stopping in Rocky Ford, it is fairly quiet and you can actually usually hear the birds you are looking for. They have a large Loaf-n-Jug convenience store with a Subway sandwich shop, clean restrooms and gas pumps. There is Sonic drive-in and a neat restaurant called Christine's that is housed in an old church (has good bar-b-que sandwiches) that has some nice photographs that are for sale. And this is where the Rocky Ford mellons come from.

Dove central (in Rocky Ford)

Photo by Chan Robbins from www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov

The reason I stopped in Rocky Ford today was to look for the Inca and White-winged Doves that inhabit this town. Though White-winged Doves can be seen now in a few towns in SE Colorado, Inca Doves are only found regularly in Rocky Ford and Lamar (tho less reliable here). I also like to look for the Mississippi Kites that have nested here for some years (this species is only found in SE Colorado, nesting in towns along the Arkansas River from Lamar to Pueblo and in the canyons in the southern sections of the area.

I easily located 4-5 White-winged Doves as they called frequently and flew between trees in a residential part of town. Not far away I could hear several Inca Doves calling but they remained hidden in thick leaf cover. Lots of Eurasian Collared-Doves and a number of Mourning Doves also reside in this town.

Prognhorn (antelope) makes itself at home in yard

The Colorado Division of Wildlife has reported that this winter's severity has presented significant problems for big game that can't get to the grass to eat and have had to stand or walk in snow up and over their bellies. This created serious safety problems for the big game as they were grouping up next to RR tracks (where a number of elk were killed) and next to highways putting them at risk of being hit by vehicles and also a risk to those in the vehicles. So the Division of Wildlife went out to clear places for the big game in the snow.

Most recently the Division of Wildlife (DOW)began putting special feed for them. Special feed is necessary as they must have the correct bacteria in their intestinal system to digest the food. In fact the DOW said that such food as hay for cows is undigestible and they could starve to death even with a belly full of it.

So while I was in La Junta I saw the pronghorn (they really are just proghorn and not antelope; in fact, they are in family all their own) feeding on the turf grass in someone's yard. I watched it for a few minutes as it ate, then lay down on the soft grass to rest. I have seen lots of deer in residential areas and yards as well as a number of elk, but this is the first time I have seen a pronghorn in a yard. In fact, I don't recall seeing a pronghorn that wasn't terribly shy (they can run as fast as 60 mph and I have certainly seen them sprint away quickly when I have stopped my car too close). I guess this proghorn found this snow-free luscious lawn too good to pass up even if it meant being around humans. (note: I took these pics about 150 feet away from the pronghorn so as not to disturb it so I have had to edit the photos to lighten them)
SeEtta

Brown Creepers & warm-up in lower Arkansas Valley

The weather was great today in much of SE Colorado. When I left home in Canon City at 9 am it was climbing to the upper 40's already. When I drove through Pueblo it was almost 50. And by the time my meeting in Rocky Ford was over it was around 50 degrees F there. Though there was still snow on the ground in and around Rocky Ford, the sun and temp and a little wind were causing a lot of melting.

And the temps are predicted to be into at least the 40's most of this coming week and even climbing toward 60 when the Snow Goose Festival starts on Friday, Feb 23 (honest, I'm not making this up, check it out).

I took these photos of 2 of the Brown Creepers I watched today. Look close (double-click on pic)at right side of top photo--the bird's eye, part of its head and its bill are visible though this bird really blends into the bark of the tree. In the bottom pic the bird's beak is pointed straight up. (Note-as it was dark inside the large conifer where these birds were foraging I did edit these photos to lighten and make the birds more visible).

I will post more about the birds I saw today and the unusual place I saw a pronghorn plus more pics, but not til tomorrow as I'm bushed.
SeEtta