Yampa Valley Crane Festival, Routt Co., Aug. 28–31, 2025
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Ted Floyd
Aug 15, 2025, 7:13:05 PMAug 15
to Colorado Birds
Hey, all.
I'm writing to let you know about the upcoming 14th annual Yampa Valley Crane Festival, Thurs.–Sun., Aug. 28–31, 2025. The festival is based out of Steamboat Springs and Hayden, Routt Co., at a fascinating time of year for birding & nature study in northwestern Colorado.
Many festival offerings sold out some time ago, but I am pleased to report that several new ones have very recently opened up—and that a few older ones still have some availabilities. So check out the festival website (coloradocranes.org/festival), and see if you can get on some cool field trips; also many of the lectures, workshops, and activities are free and open to the public, so you can just show up. Again, check out the website for all the inviting details.
I mentioned the fascinating late-summer birding in and around Steamboat and Hayden in late summer, and I'll say two things about that before signing off. Here goes:
1. Well, cranes. Staging on their migratory grounds on their migration south. Until the advent of this crane festival, I think many of us in Colorado didn't know about this late-summer staging phenomenon at all. Anyhow, it's really something to see and hear, and you don't have to freeze your tush off the way you do in March at Monte Vista or Kearney.
2. You're not going to believe this, but...western warbling-vireos. I am not joking. In recent years, we have documented insane numbers of western warbling-vireos staging near Hayden—like 20+ in a single small Gambel oak. Have you ever seen 20+ vireos of any species all crammed into the same tree? Well, this is your chance! And you don't even have to worry about eastern warbling-vireos out there...as far as we know. :-)
Ted Floyd
Lafayette, Boulder Co.
I'm writing to let you know about the upcoming 14th annual Yampa Valley Crane Festival, Thurs.–Sun., Aug. 28–31, 2025. The festival is based out of Steamboat Springs and Hayden, Routt Co., at a fascinating time of year for birding & nature study in northwestern Colorado.
Many festival offerings sold out some time ago, but I am pleased to report that several new ones have very recently opened up—and that a few older ones still have some availabilities. So check out the festival website (coloradocranes.org/festival), and see if you can get on some cool field trips; also many of the lectures, workshops, and activities are free and open to the public, so you can just show up. Again, check out the website for all the inviting details.
I mentioned the fascinating late-summer birding in and around Steamboat and Hayden in late summer, and I'll say two things about that before signing off. Here goes:
1. Well, cranes. Staging on their migratory grounds on their migration south. Until the advent of this crane festival, I think many of us in Colorado didn't know about this late-summer staging phenomenon at all. Anyhow, it's really something to see and hear, and you don't have to freeze your tush off the way you do in March at Monte Vista or Kearney.
2. You're not going to believe this, but...western warbling-vireos. I am not joking. In recent years, we have documented insane numbers of western warbling-vireos staging near Hayden—like 20+ in a single small Gambel oak. Have you ever seen 20+ vireos of any species all crammed into the same tree? Well, this is your chance! And you don't even have to worry about eastern warbling-vireos out there...as far as we know. :-)
Ted Floyd
Lafayette, Boulder Co.
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