Lake Cheraw Access Info Otero County 4-23-19

[Dan Stringer]

I visited three spots in Otero County yesterday, great day as always but nothing exceptional, the reason for my post is an update on access to Lake Cheraw.

Historically Lake Cheraw has been my best spot to see Snowy Plovers and Western Sandpipers close-up along the north shoreline, and many other shorebird in spring and fall...but near flood-like water levels have prevailed for four years straight. In addition to mother nature, concrete barriers now block road into the north viewing area (from town, take 6th Street south). Locals directed me to Rusty, last house on the left, who had placed those barriers. I asked him if foot travel was ok, he wanted an extensive look at my birding scope and "uncomfortably large" camera lens, we hit it off and he exclaimed "all you birders just park like you own the place and walk in". He wants me to take him birding out there, we exchanged contact info. So to any birders unsure of access, it's ok to park and walk in there. Water levels need to go down for optimal conditions, amazing was over 300 Yellow-headed Blackbirds, then I scoped around to realize that they were also perched in the tamarisk all around the lake. New arrivals, and/or fallout from the cold rains and cloudy skies on Monday. Lake Cheraw has always hosted many Great-tailed Grackles, I saw about 12. Eared, Horned, and Pied-billed Grebes, a couple dozen White-faced Ibis on the far west end, and the expected ducks.

I also went to Holbrook Reservoir, along the very low water's edge American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts were spaced around the whole reservoir, a few Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, 13 Long-billed Dowitchers, almost no sandpipers except a flock of about twenty Baird's. Franklin's Gulls were working low over the water, no terns yet.

Rocky Ford SWA was very quiet, Blue Jays had the run of the place, White-crowned Sparrows were eating larvae or insects in the Willow or Alder catkins, I saw a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a Bewick's Wren, and my first house Wren of the year (yeah!)

Dan Stringer

Larkspur, CO