Monte Vista Crane Festival
- Monte Vista
Every spring, hundreds of species of birds
make their way north along the San Luis Valley
Flyway. Bird lovers flock to the wildlife preserve
near Monte Vista to look, and especially, they
come to view the spectacular sandhill cranes fly
out in the morning and back at sunset.
At four feet tall, with a six foot wingspan,
they are grey with a red patch on the foreheads.
They eat grain left in the fields and gather
strength for a final push 850 miles north to
nesting grounds. There are set activities during
the festival weekend, March 9-11, 2007, such
as guided tours to view cranes, lectures, raptor
tours, a craft fair and more, with online registration
available and requested donations.
The Web site also lists accommodations and
restaurants. Or, one can go before or afterward
and do a self-guided tour. One favorite place to
stay in Monte Vista is the Movie Manor Motel,
where you can watch movies from your room.
It may be the only one.
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