Red-necked Phalarope

Well, on my way to the Selman Ranch for some fence work and conversations over mesquite smoked ribs and home made, well home made everything, I managed to swing by an alkaline pond that has provided numerous good birds over the years.  It is extremely dry in Harper County at the moment and the pond I visited has never been as shallow as what it was on Friday evening.  Usually there are at least a few birds around its shores and flitting about here and there. However, that was not the case this day.  There was a single bird on the water though, and much to my excitement it was a Red-necked Phalarope.

It took wading out a hundred yards in two and a half feet of mud to get a few good photos but it was certainly worth it.  The bird was extremely patient, it allowed me to approach as close as 15 feet away and never flew.  I watched and recorded it feeding for around twenty minutes and then turned my attention to wading back to the car and figuring out how to keep the inside of the vehicle clean.  I've included a few of the best photos, enjoy!

The celebratory after photo, and yes those are bare feet.