Nature & Wildlife
2013 May
Pg 10 - The Sunshine Express
nearby state park, open space or even your
own back yard.¡±
Migratory birds are defined as those that
spend part of their time in one location
then move to another during a different
season. Some birds don¡¯t move very far.
For example, some species in Colorado
¡°migrate in elevation¡± by moving between
the plains and the mountains. On the other
extreme, the White-rumped Sandpiper is
a world traveler. It spends the winter on
beaches in Argentina, hop scotches from
wetland to wetland across the Americas,
and nests on the tundra of the high Arctic.
One of the longest non-stop flights ever
recorded was reported by National Geo-
graphic. According to a New Zealand
researcher, a female bar-tailed godwit
in Colorado,
visit the Colo-
rado Birding
trail website
at: www.
coloradobird-
ingtrail.com
Colorado
Parks and
Wildlife is the
state agency
responsible
for managing
State Parks,
wildlife and
wildlife habi-
tat; as well
as providing
wildlife re-
lated recre-
ation and
maintaining
a balance be-
tween human
activities and
wildlife.
Colorado
Parks and
Wildlife man-
ages 42 state
parks, more
than 300 state
wildlife areas,
all of Colora-
do¡¯s wildlife,
and a variety
of outdoor
recreation.
For more in-
formation go
to: cpw.state.
co.us
flew 7,145 miles non-stop from Alaska to New
Zealand. The bird flew for nine days straight
without stopping for food or water.
UPCOMING BIRDING FESTIVALS:
-The 20th Annual Hummingbird Festival is 10a
to 4p, May 11 at the Starsmore Discovery Center
in Cheyenne Canyon, Colorado Springs. Pro-
grams include children¡¯s activities, craft projects, a
native plant sale and hummingbird viewing. Call
719.385.6086 for more information.
-The Ute Mountain Mesa Verde Birding Festi-
val, Cortez, May 8-13. The festival includes tours,
lectures, a silent auction, art show, and a banquet
with the keynote speaker Mark Obmascik, author
of ¡°The Big Year.¡± For more information, visit:
www.birds.com/blog/ute-mountain-mesa-verde-
birding-festival-2013. For more information about
upcoming bird watching festivals and field trips
Let The Birding Begin
The Great Miramonte Fish Harvest
Norwood, CO, 4/22/13: In light of the Colorado
Division of Wildlife¡¯s controversial decision to ¡®re-
start¡¯ the stocked trout fishery at Miramonte Lake
in the Dan Noble State Wildlife Area, approxi-
mately 20 minutes South of Norwood, Colorado,
The Sunshine Express will be hosting the ¡®Great
Miramonte Fish Harvest Fishing Derby¡¯, to be
held on Saturday, May 11, from 6a-5p.
¡°When life hands you lemons, you try to make
lemonade,¡± said event organizer and Sunshine Ex-
press publisher KingDaddy. He continued, ¡°Once
the decision was made by the state, we decided
that we would do our very best to get as many
people out to Miramonte Lake this Spring as we
could, to harvest the many large trout that are in
there instead of letting them go to waste. The state
is helping in that catch limits have been exempted
on the lake up until late Summer, so come on out
and catch a bunch of big fish!¡±
Over $1000 in prizes have already been donated
by western slope businesses to be given away, and
more are being donated daily, plus, the longest
trout will earn the fisherman who weighs it in a
top prize of $500. Entry into the derby is only $10
for any age, and, says KingDaddy, ¡°With Spring
fishing a month after ice-off, on a new moon, this
should prove to be an awesome fish catching
event. Plus, it¡¯s Mother¡¯s Day weekend, perfect for
taking Mom fishing!¡±
Everyone is invited to join in this historic and
family fun event. Entries are available to down-
load and print at: www.westernslopenews.com/
events.htm and at the Old West Fruit Stand, 157
Hwy 550, in Ridgway. For information, inter-
views, or to donate a prize, contact The Sunshine
Express at 970.327.4196.
Colorado birders celebrate arrival of feathered
friends from the south
Birdwatchers, or ¡°birders¡± as they prefer to be
called these days, are heading outdoors in droves
to celebrate spring and the return of migratory
birds to the Centennial State.
Each year, Colorado birders join thousands of
others on the second Saturday in May to celebrate
International Migratory Bird Day. This year¡¯s
date is May 11. Wildlife enthusiasts see the date
as a way to recognize the winged wonders that
travel the globe each spring and fall, migrating
thousands of miles from their wintering grounds
to nesting grounds and back again.
¡°Just about every bird that comes through Colo-
rado is here in May,¡± says John Koshak, a watch-
able wildlife expert with Colorado Parks and
Wildlife. ¡°Some birds will remain for the summer
and some are just looking for places to hang out
briefly to rest and refuel before continuing their
journey.¡±
Data from the Association of Colorado Field
Ornithologists shows that more than 480 species
of birds have been documented in Colorado. That
puts the state seventh on the list of states with
the most bird species. California and Texas, with
more than 630 bird species each, are the top two.
What makes Colorado unique is that it does not
have an ocean coastline that harbors shore birds.
International Migratory Bird Day was created
specifically to highlight birds that move between
nesting grounds in North America and non-
breeding areas in South and Central America,
and the Caribbean.
Because birds tend to stop where they can find
water, Koshak recommends wet areas as good
places to look for migratory birds. He said water
features could vary from small urban ponds,
streams, marshes and ditches to rivers or large
reservoirs.
¡°Wet spots are good, but you don¡¯t have to go to
elaborate lengths to get started bird watching,¡±
said Koshak. ¡°Simple places that are easy to orga-
nize a family bird-watching project include a
$500 Top Prize In Fishing Derby
¡°Bragging may not bring happiness, but
no man having caught a large fish goes
home through an alley. ¡° - Author Unknown
Bar-tailed Godwits
Costa¡¯s Hummingbird