Birds in the San Luis Valley

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John Rawinski

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Mar 4, 2025, 10:52:19 AM3/4/25

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Wanted to update things about what I am seeing in the San Luis Valley yesterday and today. These may be places to check out on your visit to the Crane Festival this coming weekend.

MVNWR Auto Tour Loop: 10,000 cranes roosting/resting here daily. They are feeding in places far from the turnouts. A scope will be helpful when they are feeding in grainfields. Canada, Cackling, and 8 Greater White-fronted Geese in the huge flocks on the refuge. Most ducks are in but still waiting for some.

Home Lake: Most ducks and mergansers in. Canada, Cackling, and Snow Geese present. All open water.

Smith Reservoir may be worth a look. It has about 3,000 cranes resting there daily.

See you at the Festival!

John Rawinski

Monte Vista, CO

Laura Klappenbach

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Mar 7, 2025, 2:55:36 PM3/7/25

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Hello John,

Thank you for leading the Home Lake Guided Birding event for the MV Crane Festival, very enjoyable! Here is the ebird checklist I recorded for the walk, for anyone who might be interested: Home Lake eBird checklist - 3/7/2025