CFO convention 5/5-5/9/16 Lamar/SE Colorado (Colorado Field Ornithologists)

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Another great convention for the Colorado Field Ornithologists.  #CFOConvention

I loved spending some time with my birding friends and seeing southeastern Colorado.  We stayed at the Rodeway Inn "Cow Palace" hotel in Lamar.  It was about what you would expect from its name.

We had a picnic Thursday evening at Willow Creek Park and then Friday I went with Gloria and Mark and a small group of other birders between Lamar and Las Animas.  We went to Lake Hasty, Van's Grove, checked for Black Rail near there, and went to Fort Lyon SWA.  I'd like to come back and look at Ft. Lyon some more sometime.  The campground at Lake Hasty was so loud with Mourning Dove and Western Kingbirds, battling Common Yellowthroats and a lot more. Then some of us went to John Martin Reservoir - it was very windy but we had some nice birds!  Saw my first Greater Roadrunner coming back into town.

Saturday I stayed local because I really wanted to see Northern Cardinal at the Lamar Community College.  A short half-day trip with my Cardinal and also Magnolia Warbler.  In the afternoon I was going to go to the paper talks but a friend came by wanting to see the Cardinal so we went and looked at it again - got to watch it seeing up close - what a wonderful bird!    The banquet Saturday evening was decent.  The Elks Lodge venue was okay - a little awkwardly shaped - some people in the back were kind of around a corner from the speaker.  The food was okay but they kind of started running out before the last tables got their food.  There were microphone problems making listening to the first speaker a bit frustrating.  I really enjoyed the keynote speaker talking about the Denver museum and the history of its collections and current bird-related research.

Sunday's trip was great - got me down into Baca County - I have no recollection of ever being there before - only 3500 people live in the whole county, 1500 of them in Springfield, the county seat.  I would not at all mind exploring more there sometime.  Carrizo Canyon was particularly lovely!  We were roughly in the vicinity of the Oklahoma-New Mexico- Colorado state line.

I'm looking forward to next year - they said at the banquet it will be in Steamboat Springs in June - great timing for me most likely and I don't think I've ever been there.

Turkey Vultures on the John Martin Reservoir spillway

One of many Western Kingbirds in the Lake Hasty campground.

White-faced Ibis, Van's Marsh

Porcupine, Van's Grove

Rose breasted Grosbeak, Van's Grove

One of many relics from Fort Lyon, Fort Lyon SWA

Great-tailed Grackle at Fort Lyon - such characters!

I managed to get a photo of Piping Plover! j/k

Horned Lark

American Avocets

A very windy afternoon at John Martin Reservoir

Killdeer

Rattlesnake

wind kept birds away at Stultz ranch - time for flower photos!

and rodent photos!

contrail shadow Saturday morning

Peek-a-boo - Lamar Community College Woods

Black-chinned Hummingbird

I officially LOVE Northern Cardinals!

best photo I could get of Magnolia Warbler

We accidentally got too close to nesting Killdeer - Valco ponds across from hotel

a beautiful Eurasian Starling!

birders start early

Western Kingbird and Grasshopper Sparrow, Baca County

Carrizo Canyon, Baca County

Rock Squirrels on patrol

what a neat tree!

Cliff Swallows

working on their mud homes

Petroglyphs in Carrizo Canyon

a red/pink Coachwhip, Baca County

a ruin in Cottonwood Canyon

Ash-throated Flycatcher

a little grasshopper nymph sunning on my pants during lunch break

pregnant Black Widow

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep 

Gloria said they were re-introduced to Cottonwood Canyon based on petroglyphs in the area of them.

Meep-meep!

Greater-Roadrunner - very charismatic birds!

A gorgeous Mississippi Kite, far away.  Incidentally - they just arrived this weekend back at home!

Wild Turkeys

 a yellow Evening Primrose

Star School, 1899, Bent County, US 50