Welcome center arranges park tours
A full range of trip-planning services for Mesa Verde National Park, including tickets for ranger-guided cliff-dwelling tours and bus tours, are now available at the Colorado Welcome Center at 928 East Main St. in Cortez.
The center is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will be open daily for extended hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. from May 22 to Sept. 7. Tickets are available for Balcony House tours at Mesa Verde. Tickets for Long House and Cliff Palace tours also will be available for purchase when these sites open for tours May 22. Tours are $4 per person, per tour.
At the center, people also can reserve space on Aramark’s “700 Years” four-hour bus tour of the park.
In addition, the center offers a selection of information, maps and publications about the park as well as the many recreational opportunities and visitor services available throughout the Four Corners.
For more information, visit www.mesaverde.org or call 564-0780.
Mesa Verde invites you to open house
Mesa Verde National Park will host its Business Open House from 9 to 10 a.m. May 8 at the First National Bank building in Cortez.
This year, the park will be partnering with the Dolores Public Lands Office. The open house will provide participants with information about park events, summer schedules, entrance fee information and general information about park operations. The Dolores Public Lands Office also will share information about its upcoming programs and services.
To RSVP, call Sue Johnson-Erner at 529-4612 or email sue_johnson-erner@nps.gov.
Birding festival gives tours, talks
The 11th annual Ute Mountain/Mesa Verde Birding Festival will offer these events:
Nathan Pieplow, author of the forthcoming Peterson’s Field Guide to Bird Sounds, will be the 2015 keynote speaker at 7:15 p.m. May 9 at the Cortez Conference Center. Pieplow’s talk will be called “The Amazing Sounds of Birds.” For more information, visit www.earbirding.com. Registration is needed. The cost is $15 per person.
“Unlocking the Mysteries of Colorado Owls” will be presented by John Rawinski at 6:15 p.m. May 6. at the conference center. Rawinski, an owl expert, author and photographer, serves as the San Luis Valley Birding Network coordinator. The fee is $5 per person.
Tony Apa, Colorado Parks and Wildlife avian research biologist, will discuss “Ecology and Habitat Use of Gunnison Sage-Grouse in Southwestern Colorado” at 3:30 p.m. May 7 at the conference center. The fee is $5 per person.
Joseph Ortega, professor and chairman of the department of biology at Fort Lewis College, will present “The Myriad of Ecological Factors That Affect Breeding Bird Populations and Nest Success of Various Avian Species in Southwest Colorado” at 4:30 p.m. May 7 at the conference center. The fee is $5 per person.
The Old Spanish Trail-East tour will take place May 7 and will visit birding spots between Cortez and Navajo Lake.
The Old Spanish Trail-West tour will be held May 9 and will follow the trail from the Dolores River across the Great Sage Plain into southeastern Utah.
John Koshak, retired Colorado Parks and Wildlife watchable wildlife office, will lead an overnight birding tour on May 7 and May 8 to Moab, Utah.
Chris Schultz and Glenn Dunmire lead a tour May 9 to Bradfield Bridge.
Paul Morey will lead a tour to Bradfield Bridge on May 10.
Jenine Saia will lead a McElmo Canyon tour with a catered lunch and wine tasting at the Guy Drew Vineyards on May 10.
Ivan Messinger and Mike Jensen will guide a tour to birding sites in the La Plata Mountains on May 10.
For more information and to register, visit www.utemountainmesaverdebirdingfestival.com or call 565-1151.
Agency to honor deceased workers
Four former, local U.S. Forest Service employees will be remembered during a dedication ceremony Saturday at the U.S. Forest Service Memorial Grove near Monument.
Each year Forest Service employees who have died in the past year are honored at the Memorial Grove.
This year, a record number from the former Mancos Ranger District of the San Juan National Forest will be recognized for their service to the public: Jack Ott, forester; Betty Alexander, district clerk; Lloyd McNeil, forestry technician; and Bud Roach, engineer.
Each were good stewards of the resources of the Mancos District and served the greater Mancos community for more than 50 years.
Herald Staff
