The Ute Mountain/Mesa Verde Birding Festival, held in Cortez to coincide with the annual observation of International Migratory Bird Day, celebrates resident avians as well as traveling species.
About 100 birders are expected from across the country at the ninth annual local festival, which began Wednesday and will run through Sunday, said coordinator Diane Cherbak. International Migratory Bird Day is Saturday.
Mark Obmascik, a longtime Denver Post staff writer and columnist and author of a prize-winning book on birding, is the keynote speaker.
Obmascik will speak Saturday about his book, The Big Year, the story of three men who spent all of 1998 competing to see who could see the most avian species. It was also made into a 2011 movie starring Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson.
Obmascik also is the author of Halfway to Heaven that recounts how he climbed all of Colorado’s 54 mountains of more than 14,000 feet elevation in less than one year.
“Our festival is centered around birding, but the idea is to see cultural sites as well,” said Cherbak, a retired flight-test engineer for more than 30 years, who’s been involved with the festival for four years.
Knowledgeable tour guides make visits to known bird hangouts seem personalized, Cherbak said. Visitors aren’t just dropped off to fend for themselves, she said.
“Just about every bird that comes through Colorado is here in May,” John Koshak, a watchable-wildlife expert with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said in a statement. “Some birds remain for the summer, and some are just looking for places to hang out to rest and refuel before continuing.”
The Association of Colorado Field Ornithologists says more than 480 species of birds have been documented in the state, ranking Colorado seventh on the list of states with the most species. California and Texas, with more than 630 species each, top the list.
Colorado’s rank is impressive because it doesn’t have ocean shores where aquatic birds congregate, Cherbak said.
Uncommon species don’t turn up in Southwest Colorado often, Cherbak said. Among species recorded are Lucy’s warbler, the black thoebe and cardinals.
The varied habitats in Southwest Colorado present opportunities to see raptors and owls, Cherbak said. Among other species to be seen are Clark’s nutcracker, the green-tailed and spotted towhee, Western tanager and black-chinned hummingbird.
Sightings of uncommon birds in an area may be attributed to “fall-out” caused by unusual weather patterns that force birds to settle until a storm passes, Cherbak said.
Most tours are full, but birders are welcome to stop by to check on availability, Cherbak said.
daler@durangoherald.com
More information
Information about the ninth annual Ute Mountain/Mesa Verde Birding Festival is available at 565-1151 or by email at info@cortezculturalcenter.org. The fax is (970) 565-4075.
Online, visit www.mesaverdecountry.com/tourism/festivals/birding/birdfest.html.
