Friends of the SLV refuges talk bird count, crane festival


MONTE VISTA— The 2019 Monte Vista Crane Festival was one of the main topics of conversation at the Friends of the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuges meeting on Nov. 14. The group plans on selling T-shirts, hats, specialty pins and possibly even framed crane photos at its booth in the festival’s upcoming craft and nature fair.  
The group also discussed strategies for increasing membership and the possibility of purchasing software to help manage and track membership. The purchase would only be possible if a recently submitted grant comes through, which the group will find out about sometime in late December or early January.
The Friends is a non-profit group dedicated to supporting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge System. Its members promote awareness of the Alamosa, Baca and Monte Vista national wildlife refuges. They also support recreational and educational activities and assist in refuge projects such as cleanup and monthly bird counts. The group currently has about 200 members.  
This year, the group contributed $75 to the San Luis Valley Regional Science fair, which was divided into three $25 cash prizes for the fair’s top winners in the elementary, middle and high school divisions.
They also organized the Kids Crane Fest, which turned out some 200 or more attendees who participated in a variety of kids games and events, from the festival’s traditional puppet show to migration games, a treasure hunt, archery, origami and more. Due to the unanticipated high attendance, the festival ran out of food, said Friends vice president Jenny Nehring. Next year, the group plans on preparing more food and adding vegan options.  
Another main topic of conversation was the upcoming Christmas Bird Count on Dec. 15 at the Monte Vista refuge. The bird count is a winter bird census in the Western Hemisphere performed annually by volunteer birdwatchers and administered by the National Audubon Society. The purpose is to provide population data for use in science, especially conservation biology. The Christmas Bird Count is the longest running citizen science survey in the world. Anyone can participate, and it’s a great opportunity for bird lovers of any age or skill level to learn about bird species in their area.
This year will be the 61st annual Christmas Bird Count at the refuge. “Changes documented in the refuge since the first bird count include less waterfowl, more Eurasian-collared doves and mountain finches and the disappearance of band-tailed pigeons,” said Friends webmaster Deb Callahan.
Those interested in participating in the Christmas Bird Count can email Lisa Clements at [email protected] or meet at the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge office on Saturday Dec. 15 at 7:30 a.m. The office is located 6.5 miles south of Monte Vista on Highway 15.
For more information about Friends of the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuges, visit slvrefuges.org.