33 Hole Overlook-Lake Mead

This morning I spent time birding at 33 Hole overlook! I have not been able to tell if the water level has risen of fallen since my last visit here in the fall. Today I was able to determine it has risen quite a bit!

All the area, seen in the above picture, has been a dry meadow for the last 2 years! I estimate that it is now under 10-12 feet of water! That is great news for everyone depending on this reservoir. It obviously changed the types of birds I had been seeing here! Water fowl were now using the area instead of the sparrows, gnat catchers and warblers in the past! I did get a few pics. The first 2 below are of a Pied-billed Grebe and then a black and white Clark's Grebe.

These next pics I found a bit out of the ordinary. The first is of a Great Blue Heron on a cliff over looking the flooded area. I assume he is trying to pick out the perfect fishing spot!

This pic is of a tree climbing American Coot! I watched it work it way up through the branches before selecting this perch!

Why it felt the need to climb this tree, I don't know but his buddy below must not have been as inclined as it stayed on the water. Seems I always seeing something interesting whenever I am out!