May 2023 • Nebraskaland 29
An American avocet wades through a wetland in the
western Nebraska Sandhills. This beautiful bird frequents
shallow lakes and marshes, and they are particularly
keen on alkaline lakes and wetlands. MARIAH LUNDGREN
Ashley Forrester, an UNK graduate student, holds a mature
Blanding's (right) and painted turtle (left) on a private ranch in
the Nebraska Sandhills. While Blanding's turtles are listed as a
species of conservation concern in every state of their historic
range, they are thriving in the Sandhills due to the roadless
expanses and quantity and quality of wetlands. MARIAH LUNDGREN
Visit NebraskaWetlands.com for additional content.
