Dr. Casey Setash, avian researcher for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, will describe her research about the use of irrigated lands by ducks, and the importance of wetlands on working lands to migratory birds. Before this main program, Teen Naturalist Mia Hock will present a short talk about her experience at Hog Island Audubon Camp.
North Park. Photo by Casey Setash, Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
In-Person Gathering - BCAS welcomes everyone back to in-person programs at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder. Doors open at 7 PM for socializing and the program begins at 7:15. While the church is no longer requiring masks, we encourage you to wear your favorite high-quality mask, and we will provide free surgical masks for anyone who needs one. Please stay home if you feel sick, and watch the program on Zoom!
Online Gathering - The meeting room will open at 7:10, the program starts at 7:15. Questions for the speaker will be taken from the chat feature of the Zoom session.
Click this link to join the Zoom meeting.
Meeting ID: 893 0050 4852
Passcode: 309379
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Cinnamon Teal, photo by Casey Setash.
Canvasback nest with eggs. Photo by Casey Setash.
As water in the west becomes more scarce, it becomes more important to understand how to use it most effectively to benefit both humans and the wildlife species that rely upon it. Much of the water in Colorado goes to growing agricultural resources, be they potatoes in the San Luis Valley or premium hay in North Park. Not all of these resources are irrigated in the same way, however, and some of those practices provide more wildlife habitat than others. Casey will be discussing her dissertation research, focused on whether and how ducks use irrigated lands, and how these working lands hold some of the last remaining wetlands available to migratory birds in Colorado. The results of this research are guiding practices and funding used by nonprofits and other wildlife managers to create the best wildlife habitat possible and conserve wetland-dependent species.
Casey Setash with mallard hen, who has just had a transmitter attached to track her movements.
Casey Setash is a newly-minted avian researcher for Colorado Parks and Wildlife after recently finishing her PhD at Colorado State University. Her research focuses on how avian populations respond to environmental and human-caused changes, and has primarily involved waterfowl thus far. She is passionate about working with people across backgrounds and value systems to conserve birds, whether those people are private landowners, public land managers, or birders, and feels lucky to get to do that in Colorado! She will also be studying the impacts of renewable energy on various bird species in her new role at CPW in the hopes of informing conservation-minded siting of new facilities. In her spare time, Casey likes to cook (especially wild game) and bake, and used to be a hardcore birder before grad school got the better of her! Her birding is a little more lowkey these days, but she enjoys the social aspect of birding and getting to know her local patch.