Environment:
Start Time: 10:15 AM Temperature: 39 degrees Sky: Cloud filtered sunshine, light breeze
Even though conditions were nowhere near ideal today’s walk was amazingly successful. Many of the nests I am watching were active and there were several new visitors enjoying the Arkansas River. The second half of my tour was the most productive in terms of photography. A Snowy Egret (today’s featured image) allowed me to get pretty close. A little later I saw two Red-tailed Hawks reeling high over the park – not sure if this was courtship or just recreation but I have posted one of the frames here. Then I spotted what I first thought was a Greater Yellowlegs along the river bank – Internet research proved the bird to be a Black-necked Stilt – a new bird for me. And one new bird wasn’t the end of it! As I was about to leave the river to head back to the parking lot I saw a group of birds that I took to be Killdeer. Once they took flight I realized that I was mistaken and got off a few shots. Once again the Internet makes the identification – Lesser Yellowlegs. Both of these birds are pictured below.
Sightings:
Birds: Canada Geese, Mallards, Osprey, Gulls, Robins, Starlings, Cormorants, Redhead Ducks, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Killdeer, Swallows, Lesser Yellowlegs, Black-necked Stilt, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher
Critters: Squirrel, Cabbage Butterfly
Gear: Nikon D5600, 55-300mm
Black-necked Stilt at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado April 14, 2021 
Lesser Yellowlegs in flight along the bank of the Arkansas River at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado April 14, 2021