01-31-2008, 07:10 PM
The city of Lamar and the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) will co-host the sixth annual "High Plains Snow Goose Festival," the weekend of February 22-24. The festival is a chance to see snow geese and other wildlife in southeast Colorado plus enjoy the rich heritage of the region. In addition to thousands of migrating snow geese, there are many other bird species to view including a large number of eagles that winter in southeast Colorado.
Snow geese are considered the most abundant goose in the world. Hundreds of thousands of the large, white birds move through eastern Colorado during their spring migration; so wildlife enthusiasts have set aside one weekend a year for a festival to mark the occasion.
In previous years, bird enthusiasts have been able to watch thousands of snow geese land and take-off as they come and go between feeding grounds and roosting sites.
Participants can pre-registration at the Lamar Chamber of Commerce web site at: www.highplainssnowgoose.com.
The weekend features a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities. Highlights include guided nature viewing tours, as well as, opportunities to explore the region's museums, Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, John Martin Reservoir State Park, Dinosaur Exhibit, Canyons and Dust Bowl/WPA architecture.
Other activities include nature hikes, a photography workshop, a craft fair, lectures and tours that showcase local history, birthplace of Colorado, and sites of national historic significance, and a banquet.
The kick-off to this year's festival is a snow goose hunting clinic Friday, Feb. 22 from 6-8 p.m. at the DOW office at 2500 S. Main St.
Festival participants are urged to dress appropriately to ensure their comfort on the on the outdoor tours. Organizers suggest bringing a camera, binoculars, bird identification book, sunglasses, layered clothing, a hat and raingear.
"The weather in southeastern Colorado is difficult to predict at this time of year, so it's best to be prepared for all kinds of conditions," said Linda Groat, a wildlife education specialist. "We have been known to have every kind of weather from sunny days in the mid-60's to wet weather with some snow, it's best to be prepared for everything. As the old saying goes, if you don't like the weather in Colorado, wait a few minutes and it will change."
Groat said the event has a variety of indoor sessions for those who might not want to brave the weather on the outdoor wildlife viewing tours.
Wildlife biologists estimate there are least five million lesser snow geese in North America that are divided into four distinct populations. The lesser snow geese that bird watchers will see at the High Plains Snow Goose Festival are part of the Western Central Flyway population. The flock winters in southeastern Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, the Texas panhandle and northern Mexico. In late spring, the birds form enormous flocks before they head back to their summer nesting grounds in the Canadian Arctic.
Lesser snow geese come in two different color phases within the same species. In the white phase, the geese are as white as snow except for the black wing tips. The other phase, called blue geese, is slate gray with a white head. Both have a dark "grinning patch" on the sides of their bill. Mixed in the flocks of snow geese you may find some Ross' geese, which look very much like snow geese except that they are two-thirds the size of snow geese and do not have the grinning patch. Ross' geese weigh between 3 - 4 pounds while snow geese weigh between 5 - 6 pounds.
In the arctic, snow geese graze on grass and-sedges that grow on the tundra. While migrating through the prairies of North America, they will also feed on leftover grain in the fields.
To inquire about festival activities, please call (719) 336-4379.
The Colorado Division of Wildlife is the state agency responsible for managing wildlife and its habitat, as well as providing wildlife related recreation and maintaining a balance between human activities and wildlife. The Division is funded primarily through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, with some support from federal grants and the Colorado Lottery. The Division does not receive tax dollars from the Colorado general fund.
Additional Information: Another great wildlife viewing festival is Pueblo's Eagle Day Sat., Feb. 2 at Lake Pueblo State Park.
For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.
Snow geese are considered the most abundant goose in the world. Hundreds of thousands of the large, white birds move through eastern Colorado during their spring migration; so wildlife enthusiasts have set aside one weekend a year for a festival to mark the occasion.
In previous years, bird enthusiasts have been able to watch thousands of snow geese land and take-off as they come and go between feeding grounds and roosting sites.
Participants can pre-registration at the Lamar Chamber of Commerce web site at: www.highplainssnowgoose.com.
The weekend features a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities. Highlights include guided nature viewing tours, as well as, opportunities to explore the region's museums, Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, John Martin Reservoir State Park, Dinosaur Exhibit, Canyons and Dust Bowl/WPA architecture.
Other activities include nature hikes, a photography workshop, a craft fair, lectures and tours that showcase local history, birthplace of Colorado, and sites of national historic significance, and a banquet.
The kick-off to this year's festival is a snow goose hunting clinic Friday, Feb. 22 from 6-8 p.m. at the DOW office at 2500 S. Main St.
Festival participants are urged to dress appropriately to ensure their comfort on the on the outdoor tours. Organizers suggest bringing a camera, binoculars, bird identification book, sunglasses, layered clothing, a hat and raingear.
"The weather in southeastern Colorado is difficult to predict at this time of year, so it's best to be prepared for all kinds of conditions," said Linda Groat, a wildlife education specialist. "We have been known to have every kind of weather from sunny days in the mid-60's to wet weather with some snow, it's best to be prepared for everything. As the old saying goes, if you don't like the weather in Colorado, wait a few minutes and it will change."
Groat said the event has a variety of indoor sessions for those who might not want to brave the weather on the outdoor wildlife viewing tours.
Wildlife biologists estimate there are least five million lesser snow geese in North America that are divided into four distinct populations. The lesser snow geese that bird watchers will see at the High Plains Snow Goose Festival are part of the Western Central Flyway population. The flock winters in southeastern Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, the Texas panhandle and northern Mexico. In late spring, the birds form enormous flocks before they head back to their summer nesting grounds in the Canadian Arctic.
Lesser snow geese come in two different color phases within the same species. In the white phase, the geese are as white as snow except for the black wing tips. The other phase, called blue geese, is slate gray with a white head. Both have a dark "grinning patch" on the sides of their bill. Mixed in the flocks of snow geese you may find some Ross' geese, which look very much like snow geese except that they are two-thirds the size of snow geese and do not have the grinning patch. Ross' geese weigh between 3 - 4 pounds while snow geese weigh between 5 - 6 pounds.
In the arctic, snow geese graze on grass and-sedges that grow on the tundra. While migrating through the prairies of North America, they will also feed on leftover grain in the fields.
To inquire about festival activities, please call (719) 336-4379.
The Colorado Division of Wildlife is the state agency responsible for managing wildlife and its habitat, as well as providing wildlife related recreation and maintaining a balance between human activities and wildlife. The Division is funded primarily through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, with some support from federal grants and the Colorado Lottery. The Division does not receive tax dollars from the Colorado general fund.
Additional Information: Another great wildlife viewing festival is Pueblo's Eagle Day Sat., Feb. 2 at Lake Pueblo State Park.
For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.