Nest Fest

The mysteries of the ancient inhabitants of Mesa Verde have enthralled archaeologists and tourists for decades, but there is one good way to travel back in time 1,400 years: birds. The same species who called southwestern Colorado home when the ancestral Puebloans built these dwellings — including hawks, owls, hummingbirds, flycatchers and roadrunners — still nest here or migrate through.

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• Lynn Dyer
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And the Ute Mountain/Mesa Verde Birding Festival, which runs today through Sunday, gives birders an opportunity to follow their hobby and learn about history. In addition to tours and speakers, there’s a raft trip, wine tasting, overnight adventure and visits to Mesa Verde, the Ute Tribal Park and Mancos Canyon. There’s also the Big Day competition, in which teams race to identify the most bird species in a seven-hour period.

“Because we are in such a diverse habitat, from mountains to canyons to river areas, we are really able to see a lot of different birds,” says Lynn Dyer of the Mesa Verde Country tourism agency. “It brings in people from all over the country.”

Registration is $45, which includes a reception in Cortez; individual tours are extra. For information and to register, call 1-800-530-2998 or log on to www.utemountainmesaverdebirdingfestival.com.
May 14-17, 2009