Southeast CO lakes, July 27

[David Dowell]

Shorebirds were hard to find yesterday at DeWeese Reservoir (Custer County), Lake Meredith (Crowley), Lake Henry (Crowley), Lake Holbrook (Otero), Lake Cheraw (Otero), and Adobe Creek Reservoir (Bent and Kiowa).  Lake levels are moderately high at Meredith and Adobe Creek, and very high at Henry and Holbrook.  If levels went down only slightly, there were be much more shorebird habitat, but there's no sign yet of that occurring.

Neegronda Reservoir (Kiowa County) is currently attracting shorebirds in larger numbers, about 700 total yesterday with the following species:  American Avocet (many), Wilson's Phalarope (100's), Baird's Sandpiper (100's), Semipalmated Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Snowy Plover, Long-billed Dowitcher, Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, Stilt Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Semipalmated Plover, and Spotted Sandpiper.

The long-term trends at Neegronda Reservoir don't look good.  It has shrunk to about half the size it was only a year ago.  Neegronda has been the only remaining gem in what was once a treasure chest of lakes in the area.

The Snowy Plovers are happy, though, with numbers up to at least 24 at Lake Cheraw and 23 at Neegronda Reservoir.

Landbirding yesterday was good around the northeast end of DeWeese Reservoir.

David Dowell

Longmont, CO