We are excited about the 2025 Birding Festival! Save these dates:
May 7 - May 11, 2025
For an idea of the tours, lectures and bird sightings available, take a quick tour through our 2024 events.
Events Scheduled for Friday, May 17, 2024
Photo courtesy of Erik Hendrickson
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TOUR #10
Mega Miramonte Meander
Don Marsh, Senior Systems Analyst, Retired and eBird Reviewer
5:30 am – 5:00 pm; $55
Miramonte Reservoir, a remote migrant trap in Dan Noble State Wildlife Area, is accessible through the San Juan and Uncompahgre National Forests. En route, stop at McPhee Park, an area set aside in 1925 to preserve old-growth ponderosa pine which harbors woodpeckers, flycatchers, Grace’s Warbler, Cassin’s Finch, nuthatches and more. Anticipate raptors along the way. Waterfowl frequent ponds scattered across the high plateau. Miramonte lures a mix of waterfowl and shorebirds. This trip encompasses three counties. (63 species in 2023) SWA pass included. Easy. Lunch provided. Approximately 140 miles round trip.
Photo courtesy of Erik Hendrickson
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TOUR #11
Ismay’s Yellow Jacket Cyn and Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch
John Bregar, Oil & Gas Geologist/Geophysicist, Retired
5:45 am – 3:00 pm; $75
Yellow Jacket Canyon in the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument cradles permanent riparian corridors with big cottonwoods and an understory unique to southwest Colorado — the only known location in Colorado for nesting Lucy’s Warbler. Canyon of the Ancients historic guest ranch sits in a Sedona-like setting with more than 5,000 documented archaeological sites. This popular tour has tallied Summer Tanager, Gray Flycatcher, Gray Vireo, Black-headed Grosbeak, hummingbirds, a variety of warblers and Cooper’s Hawk. (54 species in 2023) Easy with up to a mile hiking; warm temps likely (80s). Lunch provided by Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch. Approximately 80 miles round trip.
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TOUR #12
Mesa Verde National Park
Steve Tarnowski, Montezuma County Birder
6:00 am – 3:00 pm; $55
Explore a variety of birding locales in this world-famous national park, well known for archaeological sites and varied pristine habitats. Possible sightings include accipiters, Peregrine Falcon, Downy Woodpecker, Virginia’s & Black-throated Gray warblers, Juniper Titmouse, Ash-throated & Dusky flycatchers, Western Tanager, Western Wood-Pewee, Lazuli Bunting, Green-tailed & Spotted towhees, Rock & Bewick’s wrens, Clark’s Nutcracker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, swifts and hummingbirds. (38 species in 2023) Easy to moderate. Lunch provided. Approximately 75 miles round trip.
Photo courtesy of Linda Raczek
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TOUR #13
Bradfield Bridge #2
Brenda Wright and Coen Dexter, Colorado Birding Atlas II
6:15 am – 3:00 pm; $55
Situated on the Dolores River in a migratory corridor below McPhee Dam, the Bradfield Bridge area offers river habitats that entice a broad array of species including Black Phoebe, Peregrine Falcon, White-throated Swifts, Yellow-breasted Chat, Canyon Wren, Lazuli Bunting, Wild Turkey and Belted Kingfisher. Swallows, warblers, raptors, woodpeckers, waterfowl and shorebirds add to the mix. The scenic sandstone canyon may even offer a sighting of river otters. Tours within this region historically have brought some of the UMMV Birding Festival’s highest species tallies. (68 species in 2023) SWA pass included. Easy. Lunch provided. Approximately 60 miles round trip.
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TOUR #14
Mancos: An Old West Habitat
Diane Cherbak, Citizen Scientist and Chairman, UMMV Birding Festival
6:30 am – 3:00 pm; $55
A trip through the Mancos Valley is like a journey into the past. Many historic ranches that have existed for over 150 years continue to operate. Cattle drives still pass through the streets of Mancos. Mining, logging and a railroad also have left their marks to provide a variety of birding habitats. Waterfowl nest or feed in the numerous stock ponds and reservoirs. Red-winged & Yellow-headed blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbird, Sora, Virginia Rail and Common Yellowthroat can be expected in the associated cattail/bulrush marshes. The riparian woodland characterized by cottonwood, willow and buffalo berry could add Western Screech-Owl, Western Kingbird, Bullock’s Oriole, Great Blue Heron, Spotted Towhee and Magpie. The agricultural lands add habitat for Western & Mountain bluebirds, Mourning Dove and Horned Lark. The pastures and meadows are prime hunting grounds for American Kestrel, Red-tailed Hawk, Common Nighthawk and Northern Harrier. (64 species in 2023) Easy. Box lunch from Mancos Brewery provided. Approximately 40 miles round trip.
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TOUR #15
Birding 101 ½ Day
Erik Hendrickson, Engineer, National Park Service, Retired; Dave Ross, Wildlife Biologist, Retired
6:45 am – 11:15 am; $30
This tour is designed to emphasize “The Basics” of birding: getting out early in the morning, keeping staying close to home, having fun, and learning about birds and the habitats where they are found. Just the basics, in a fun, learning environment where everyone contributes to observations. Basically, duplicating birding trips that local Montezuma County birders do throughout the year — recognizing common bird species and migrants, pointing out key field marks, especially on distant birds and especially on birds not seen very often. The festival is timed to increase chances of seeing migrating waterfowl and songbirds, to see newly arrived raptors, flycatchers and swallows, and to see local year-round woodpeckers, sagebrush, PJ and Ponderosa inhabitants (woodpeckers, flickers, chickadees, titmice, etc.) at Simon Draw WA and Totten Reservoir SWA. SWA pass included. Easy. No registration fee required. Approximately 5 miles round trip.
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TOUR #16
Geer & Carpenter Natural Areas ½ Day
Eric Moore, Owner, The Lookout, Prescott, AZ
7:00 am – 11:30 am; $30
Located at the north edge of Cortez, Geer Park’s year-round pond attracts a multitude of waterfowl, wading birds and swallows. Scrub-Jay, Northern Flicker, sparrows, hummingbirds, warblers and finches favor an adjacent arroyo. The tour will be expanded to include Carpenter NA featuring a paved trail and a network of primitive trails along a creek with rocky mesas. Sagebrush fields with scattered junipers and other desert grasses and shrubs provide for an array of species possibilities. (41 species in 2023) Easy with up to a two-mile walk. Approximately 4 miles round trip.
Photo courtesy of Diane Cherbak
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TOUR #17
Birding 201 ½ Day
Erik Hendrickson, Engineer, National Park Service, Retired; Dave Ross, Wildlife Biologist, Retired
12:30 pm – 5:00 pm; $30
An afternoon continuation of Birding 101. This tour is not more advanced, but ventures a little further from Cortez, making stops at Narraguinnep SWA, McPhee Recreation Area (San Juan NF), and Summit Reservoir SWA (Montezuma County’s “iconic reservoirs”). As birding is often slower in the afternoon, focus will be on identification of each bird encountered, asking questions and discussing markings observed to aid in identification. The tour will be paced according to bird activity, adjusting time at each location depending on the birds identified. The afternoon will be spent scanning for waterfowl and shorebirds at the reservoirs, using spotting scopes as necessary, and walking short trails looking for forest species and migrating songbirds. SWA pass included. Easy. No registration fee required. Approximately 60 miles round trip.
LECTURE
“Breeding Biology of Black-chinned Hummingbirds in SW Colorado and NW New Mexico”
Dr. Catherine P. Ortega, President, Durango Bird Club; Dr. Joseph C. Ortega, Professor, Fort Lewis College
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Black-chinned Hummingbirds (Archilochus alexandri) breed in a wide variety of habitats but in some studies prefer riparian areas. Their nest success will be compared among several habitats: (1) riparian areas, dominated by narrowleaf cottonwood (Populus angustifolia), (2) Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii) woodlands, both in southwest Colorado and (3) piñon-juniper (Pinus edulis-Juniperus osteosperma) habitat in northwest New Mexico. Apparent nest success at the southwest Colorado study site was 41.7%, whereas it was 82.1% at the New Mexico site. Factors contributing to nest survival and nest success in southwest Colorado will be presented, and reasons for the higher success at the New Mexico site will be discussed.
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Birding Festival General Information
- The Ute Mountain Mesa Verde Birding Festival is the major fundraiser for the Cortez Cultural Center. All proceeds benefit the Center.
- All tours require pre-registration.
- A registration fee is required for all tours except as noted. Full registration includes keynote banquet and all lectures. Daily registration includes that day's lectures. Full registration is required in order to qualify for the free early bird t-shirt.
- Unless otherwise noted, tours will return to the Center at approximately 3:00 pm.
- Carpools/caravanning will be used for all tours. Drivers will be reimbursed for gas by passengers at the GSA rate of 66 cents per mile, divided among all participants in the vehicle.
- Tour size is generally 13 or less.
- Cancellations considered on a case-by-case basis up to 21 days prior to start of Festival. All cancellations subject to a processing fee.
- Availability of restrooms depends on the tour. Nearly all guides scout out restroom locations as well as bird species. Some tours are in parks or other facilities that have established restrooms. Some have outhouses. Others, the only option are bushes. Usually, the leader will mention the restroom plan at the beginning of the tour.
- All tours depart from and return to the Cortez Cultural Center.
- Tour times listed are the DEPARTURE time. Please arrive 15 minutes prior.
For Birding Festival information email diane.cherbak@gmail.com
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