The largest town in southeastern Colorado is also a fine birding town, with a good sized city park, many large trees, and a good cemetery with many conifers. The town park, which has many large but sparse trees and a small pond, is worth a look in migration. The small pond in the middle of the park often has some ducks on it, and is a reliable spot to see Wood Duck. Fairview Cemetery, on the west side of town, has many large conifers, though no undergrowth, and sometimes has winter finches in good years, and could also be good for migrants. Mississippi Kites have nested both here and at the town park.
Plover
The Trail That Has It All
We could have called this trail by many names: the Rail Trail, after the Black, Virginia and Sora rails that live in the huge John Martin marshes; the Cottonwood Trail, after the Arkansas River and its excellent corridor of riparian forest; the Lake Trail, since this small area has more large reservoirs and playa lakes than any other part of the state; or the Old Santa Fe Trail, for its immense historical significance. But instead we call it the Plover Trail, after the Mountain Plovers that breed in the high deserts away from the river, the endangered Piping and Snowy Plovers that nest alongside Least Terns on the shores of the alkali lakes, the Semipalmated, Black-bellied and American Golden-Plovers that migrate through in spring and fall, and the Killdeers that can be found sometimes even in winter. The diversity of plovers belies a much greater diversity, of mammals, reptiles, weather patterns, natural landscapes and human cultures. We could even call this trail “the Trail that Has It All.”
Bent’s Old Fort and Oxbow State Wildlife Area
Admission: National Park Service fee. Beginning May 1, 2021, a valid Hunting license, Fishing license, OR State Wildlife Area Pass is required for everyone 16 or older accessing any State Wildlife Area or State Trust Land.
Ownership: National Park Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Adobe Creek Reservoir State Wildlife Area (Blue Lake)
Admission: A valid hunting or fishing license, or State Wildlife Area pass is required for everyone 16 or older accessing any state wildlife area or state trust lands.
Ownership: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Admission: A valid hunting or fishing license, or State Wildlife Area pass is required for everyone 16 or older accessing any state wildlife area or state trust lands.
Ownership: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Admission: A current hunting/fishing license, or a State Wildlife Area Pass is required on John Martin SWA.
Ownership: CPW, private property
John Martin Reservoir State Park
Admission: State Park Pass in the State Park. A valid hunting/fishing license, or State Wildlife Area Pass is required to the State Wildlife Area
Ownership: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Bent’s Old Fort and Oxbow State Wildlife Area
The reconstructed Bent’s Old Fort along the old Santa Fe Trail is the focus of a National Park where actors in period costume maintain a fascinating piece of ‘living history.’ The park preserves a nice area of riverbottom cottonwood forest along the Arkansas as well as some open grassland and the terrific marsh where Black Rail was first found in the state. There is also an excellent riparian corridor along the river. Adjacent to the fort property to the east, both north and south of the river, is the Oxbow SWA, which contains more acreage of riverbottom habitats. Access to the SWA is from the south side of the river.
Las Animas State Fish Hatchery
The two ponds in this complex can be good shorebird locations when the water levels are appropriate. In season, waterbird potential is high as well. The ponds on either side of CR 5.5 a mile and a half south of the SFU can be excellent for grebes, egrets, rails and even American Bittern; watch for muskrats also.
Adobe Creek Reservoir State Wildlife Area (Blue Lake)
This large lake, also known as Adobe Creek Reservoir, is an excellent spot to look for waterbirds and shorebirds of all varieties, especially during migration. Water levels varies wildely, but there is usually some mudflats for shorebirds. There are Least Terns and Piping Plovers nesting here; however, PLEASE do not disturb any nesting areas of these state endangered species. The grassland nearby is quite good, and prairie longspurs and Mountain Plovers should be looked for. Look also for tarantulas, massasauga and prairie rattlesnakes, and other reptiles.
Las Animas
This large town is an excellent place to base yourself out of on a trip to SE Colorado. It is centrally located to a number of excellent birding spots. In and around town itself, check the cemetery on CO 101 just south of town, which has lots of big trees, and the river crossing over the Purgatoire River on CO 101. At this spot and elsewhere along 101, look for Chihuahuan Raven and Greater Roadrunner.
Fort Lyon State Wildlife Area
This wildlife area is a westward continuation of the marsh at Fort Lyon. If you could not find Black Rail at John Martin, then this is another place where they occur. All of the species listed for the marsh at Fort Lyon have been seen or heard here. The thickets along the entrance road are worth a look for sparrows and other passerines. If you are driving the roads at night, keep an eye out for opossums; this is one of the best areas in the state to see this southern mammal. Be aware hunters may be present during hunting seasons.
Fort Lyon area
Starting just east of the tiny town of Fort Lyon is the enormous Fort Lyon Wildlife Easement, a large tract of lowland riparian habitat. This is an exceptionally good spot for migrant, and Barn and Western Screech-Owls breed here. Starting at the corner of CRs HH and 16 are the John Martin Marshes, an amazingly large area of cattails spreading from here at least a couple of miles to the east, and measuring a couple of miles wide in some places. The most famous resident of this marsh is Black Rail, of which one can often hear 15 or 20 along CR 16 on a night in May. Other species usually heard at the marsh include Marsh Wren, Virginia Rail, Sora, and American Bittern. Finally, along CR JJ east of CR 16 there are some more cattail marshes, with the same residents.
John Martin Reservoir State Park
The largest reservoir in SE Colorado. This state park has something to offer everyone, with shorebirds and waterbirds on the reservoir itself, passerines in the large riparian area below the dam, and grassland species on the grasslands just south of the park. A blind overlooks the Santa Fe Trail slough just west of the Visitor Center. To scan the reservoir, walk out along the dam road, or scan from the overlooks on the north side near the visitor’s center. The south shore, which is state wildlife area, can be scanned year round, but during the summer portions may be closed to protect Piping Plovers and Least Terns. Below the dam, the Lake Hasty Campground has an excellent riparian area, and Lake Hasty can be good as well. The thickets along the outlet are worth a look. Just south of the reservoir are some excellent yucca grasslands with Cassin’s Sparrows and Ferruginous Hawks, among others. Deer and rabbits can be common in the area. Please stay on established roads. In February the reservoir hosts the High Plains Snow Goose Festival and in May they host the Bent on Birding festival. Contact the reservoir at 719-829-1801 for more information.