[cobirds] An Adventure in SE Colorado - Thank you Heather Morris!

Maikel and I and Jamie Simo were doing an adventure to Mesa Verde so we decided to stop into the CPW office in Durango to pick up a copy of the Southwestern Trail Guide of the Colorado Birding Trail.  Maybe we could fit in a bit of birding in between the cliff dwellings?  After speaking a few minutes with the representative behind the counter, we find out that she is Heather Morris, President of the Durango Bird Club. Heather was amazing.  She told us where to go for all sorts of birds.  

Heather sent us to The Knife Edge Trail off of Morefield Campground where we saw Chukar and numerous other species.  Maikel looked for a mountain lion for hours and hours along this trail.  It was like looking for the Golden-crowned Sparrow at Teller Lake #5 or Big Foot.

Heather sent us to various areas within Mesa Verde National Monument where we saw creatures that we didn't know existed.  After hours and hours of hearing a particular bird song, we finally saw the bird and figured out it was a Black-throated Gray Warbler much to our surprise!  Some of these things don't sound anything like recordings.

 She sent us to check out a cache tree for Acorn Woodpeckers.  We've seen numerous ACWO in Arizona but never a cache tree.  This was epic.She sent us to Jersey Jim Flats where we saw Fox Sparrows and Grouse strutting their stuff.She sent us to Yellow Jacket Canyon for Lucy's Warblers and Black-throated Sparrows.  Gambel's Quail were calling from every direction.Of course, this was just while we were taking breaks from touring Mesa Verde National Park.My favorite of the week was not a bird or a cliff dwelling, but the following:

Heather Morris, a huge THANK YOU!  We had not intended on exploring as much as we did.  It is hard to navigate a new area.  You made it fun and exciting and easy.  We appreciate all the tips you gave usThanks so much from Susan Wise, Maikel Wise, Jamie Simo and her spouse that we dragged along.From the Boulder County Folks

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