Bird of the Tundra

[mvjo...@gmail.com]

My friend Dr Gary and I bushwhacked to the summit of 13,100 Montezuma Peak (Conejos County) yesterday. There were blue skies, lots of wildflowers and still a few drifts of snow. Birding was excellent for those species you just don't see regularly. Brown-capped Rosy-finches, Olive-sided Flycatcher, American Pipit, Prairie Falcon, Dipper, and feathers of White-tailed Ptarmigan were a delight to find. Pretty rigorous climb through the dead trees but you can also reach this peak by trail system  from Elwood Pass.

John Rawinski

Monte Vista, CO