March 6, 2020
When I got the volunteer needed notice from the Monte Vista Crane Festival folks, with a list of all the jobs that needed doing, I immediately went on line and signed up for a bunch of bus tours as the person in charge of the loudspeaker equipment. I told Deb, the festival coordinator, that she could take me back off any tour but the one to the Blanca Wetlands. This is a BLM lands wetland and is closed from mid February to mid July to protect breeding birds, especially shorebirds. It is an area of critical environmental concern and provides an increasingly important habitat for birds and amphibians. For more about it, click here.
The trip was led by Sue Swift-Miller, a wetlands Biologist with the BLM. She spent most of the forty-five minute trip telling us about the wetland, their importance, and how they are now artificially manipulated to mimic old water patterns, before over use of the valley's water resulted in significant lowering of the water table and the loss of water for wildlife. These wetlands completely dried up before the BLM started a project to restore them. She was joined by two other staff members who knew more about the birds.
We all agreed that this tour - which only happens every few years was wonderful. We got to enjoy vast numbers of ducks and geese.
This is a very different place in July, when the shorebirds have just finished breeding.
When I got the volunteer needed notice from the Monte Vista Crane Festival folks, with a list of all the jobs that needed doing, I immediately went on line and signed up for a bunch of bus tours as the person in charge of the loudspeaker equipment. I told Deb, the festival coordinator, that she could take me back off any tour but the one to the Blanca Wetlands. This is a BLM lands wetland and is closed from mid February to mid July to protect breeding birds, especially shorebirds. It is an area of critical environmental concern and provides an increasingly important habitat for birds and amphibians. For more about it, click here.
The trip was led by Sue Swift-Miller, a wetlands Biologist with the BLM. She spent most of the forty-five minute trip telling us about the wetland, their importance, and how they are now artificially manipulated to mimic old water patterns, before over use of the valley's water resulted in significant lowering of the water table and the loss of water for wildlife. These wetlands completely dried up before the BLM started a project to restore them. She was joined by two other staff members who knew more about the birds.
 |
| Our first stop - sneaking up a bank to overlook a lake full of waterfowl |
 |
| But they flew anyway, then some came back and landed |
 |
| Most of the group enjoying the ducks |
 |
| I love the landscape here, up against the Sangre de Christi mountains. |
 |
| Beauty |
 |
| We had a bald eagle overlooking our second stop |
 |
| Sue - in white shirt - talking with a visitor |
 |
| We had time to walk several of the trails |
 |
| And stop to view and photograph birds |
 |
| Getting to the end of the tour - after walking several trails - now waiting for the last of the hikers |
 |
| But another stop invigorated us |
 |
| This reminded me of herding cats - hopefully we'll get everybody back |
 |
| Another beautiful landscape - looking at Mt. Blanca - and more of our tour participants |
We all agreed that this tour - which only happens every few years was wonderful. We got to enjoy vast numbers of ducks and geese.
This is a very different place in July, when the shorebirds have just finished breeding.
 |
| Hundreds of avocets were present last July |
well I had my comment all written and then it just disappeared. So I'll try to remember what I said. First was that I love reading your blog about the national wildlife refuges because that was my original reason for wanting to go full time to see the refuges. I didn't want to stay in one place long enough to really volunteer but now that I'm alone and find myself lonely I'm reconsidering.
ReplyDeleteHi Sherry, I'm in my tenth year. I think this is the happiest of all my lives. I'm starting to stay in one place longer and longer because the refuges are so short-handed, they barely have time to train people. But you can choose to stay as little as two months and they give you a central place to roam from. You will not fill lonely and will make new friends. I have friends from volunteers, staff, and the summer techs. I meet up with many of them in new places. Currently, I'm in California, staying with a friend I met in Okefenokee NWR in GA. She lost her helper for the time she was recovering from hip surgery and I offered to fill in. And every skill is needed at one or another refuge.
ReplyDelete