Registration for the 13th Annual Ute Mountain-Mesa Verde Birding Festival, May 10-14, is underway.
Twenty-five tours led by experienced birding guides take participants to birding sites throughout the Four Corners area. The 2017 schedule includes several new or revised tour destinations and popular favorites. The Legendary Lakes Tour brought one the higher species counts (68) during the 2016 birding festival, and this spring’s water supply in lakes in Cortez, Dolores and Mancos should attract a wide variety of birds.
Ducks, mergansers, grebes, Common Loon, American White Pelican, phalaropes, sandpipers, and Belted Kingfisher could highlight this year’s list. Lake habitat also bring sightings of eagles and other raptors, flycatchers, vireos, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, jays, Spotted Towhee, sparrows, and even Cedar Waxwings. This year, new gull and tern species as well as migrating Passerines might appear on the birding festival’s cumulative roster of 243 species.
Full-festival registration includes lectures and the Saturday evening banquet featuring Kevin Cook’s presentation, 200 Miles of Birding in 200 Years. Single day registrations also are available. Tour fees vary according to tour destinations. All tours depart by van from the Cortez Cultural Center and provide lunch, water and snacks. Tours fill on a first-come basis.
Lectures and the Saturday keynote presentation are open to the public with a nominal fee. To register or for more information, visit www.utemountainmesaverdebirdingfestival.com or call the Cortez Cultural Center, 970-565-1151.