THIRD ANNUAL HIGH PLAINS SNOW GOOSE FESTIVAL SET FOR FEB. 25-27

Activities and bird watching events co-sponsored by the City of Lamar and Division of Wildlife

The City of Lamar and the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) will co-host the third annual "High Plains Snow Goose Festival," the weekend of Feb. 25-27. The festival offers an outstanding opportunity to celebrate snow geese and other wildlife in southeast Colorado. Besides snow geese, there are various other bird species to view, including a large number of wintering bald eagles and other raptors.

Snow geese are considered the most abundant goose in the world; thousands of the large, white birds move through eastern Colorado during their spring migration so wildlife enthusiasts have set aside a weekend to honor these stately birds.

Registration begins at 5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 25 at the Lamar Welcome Center. The weekend features a wide variety of educational and wildlife viewing seminars. Highlights include a sunset tour on Saturday and a sunrise tour on Sunday. Attendees will be able to watch thousands of snow geese land and take off as they come and go between feeding grounds and roosting sites.

Other activities include nature hikes, a craft fair, a history program about the Sand Creek Massacre by the National Park Service, a Wildlife Viewing Skills seminar, and a banquet with a keynote address by Jerry Craig. Craig is a retired DOW Biologist and is considered one of the foremost authorities about birds of prey in the Western United States.

Wildlife biologists estimate there are least 6 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, 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.

Participants are urged to dress appropriately to ensure their comfort 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, an educational specialist with the DOW. "We have been known to have every kind of weather from sunny days in the mid-60s 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 notes that the event has a variety of indoor sessions for those who might not want to brave the weather on the outdoor wildlife viewing tours.

To inquire about festival activities, please call (719) 336-4379.

5-9 p.m. Registration and Hospitality Gathering: Unwind after your drive and register for the weekend’s activities at the Lamar Welcome Center. Enjoy a snack and drink, sign up for tours, and meet other festival participants and organizers. Refreshments and beverages will be available. Indoors.

7-9 p.m. Wildlife Watch Class: The Colorado Division of Wildlife invites you to an activity-filled, wildlife viewing skills workshop, "WILDLIFE WATCH," free of charge! Whether you are a master or a novice outdoors person, take advantage of this great opportunity to get tips on how to enhance your outdoor experiences. Indoors.

7-9 a.m. Morning Bird Walk: Explore Willow Creek Nature Trail at Lamar Community College. Go birding with a guide in this riparian area in search of winter residents and passerine migrants. Outdoor hike.

8 a.m. Registration: Just arriving? Sign up for tours and programs at Lamar High School (LHS).

8 a.m.-7 p.m. Nature Art and Craft Fair: All day Saturday will be an on-going Nature Art and Craft Fair. Discover an array of talent and information! Be sure to browse through the gym at the Lamar High School, filled with artists and craftsman showing their nature-related creations, and visit the information booths to learn more from the agency folks. Indoors at LHS.

9 a.m. Rock Art in Our Backyard: Come see and hear about rock art in southeastern Colorado. Anne Whitfield has volunteered on surveys of Picture, Picketwire and Vogel canyons, and has photographed many of the petroglyphs and pictographs of our area. Indoor program at LHS.

2 p.m. Sand Creek Massacre: The National Park Service is planning a National Historic Site at the location of the famous Sand Creek Massacre in southeastern Colorado. Hear the story of this historic event and its commemoration as a unit of the National Park Service from Education Technician Craig Moore. Indoor program at LHS.

2 p.m. Birds of Prey – Live! Learn about hawks, owls, eagles and falcons through a live bird of prey presentation. The naturalists will discuss birds of prey adaptations, predator/prey relationships, specific characteristics, natural histories, the personal histories of each bird, and their work to rehabilitate the injured birds. Indoors at LHS.

3:30-6 p.m. Sunset Tour: As the sun sinks in the western sky, all the ducks, geese and cranes return to the lakes to roost for the night. Join us for a guided tour of the wildlife areas to watch this spectacle at sunset! Outdoor tour.

7 p.m. Banquet and Keynote Speaker: Flock together with us for a delicious dinner, then sit back, and enjoy the evening’s speaker, Jerry Craig. Dinner $ 12.00 for adults, $6.00 for children 6-12. Indoors at LHS

A History of Colorado’s Majestic Bald Eagles: Join retired Colorado Division of Wildlife Biologist Jerry Craig for his popular presentation on our state’s majestic birds. Indoor program at LHS.

6-10 a.m. Sunrise Tour: Watch the snow geese wake up and fly off to their feeding grounds. Tour state wildlife areas and farm fields to see a variety of waterfowl, including sandhill cranes, ducks and shorebirds. Breakfast will be served at the Eads Community Center. Warm up with a hearty breakfast and good company indoors before the trip back to Lamar. Cost: $5.00 per person over six. Outdoor tour.

11 a.m. Tour John Martin Reservoir and Dam: See the inside of John Martin dam and tour the park for birds. John Martin Reservoir offers food and rest to many migrating birds, including bald eagles, waterfowl, and shorebirds, and breeding ground for endangered least terns and piping plovers. It is also home to many other species year round. Outdoor tour.

Visit the Colorado Green Wind Farm: See huge windmills reaching for the sky, only 25 miles south of Lamar.

Explore Camp Amache: Visit the site of a Japanese Internment Camp from World War ll only 15 miles east of Lamar.

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