Las Animas County
Author(s): Andrew Spencer, Nathan Pieplow
County Seat: Trinidad
County Size: 4,771 square miles
Low Elevation: 4,318 ft. - Purgatoire River on the Otero border
High Elevation : 13,626 ft. - West Spanish Peak
Best Birds : Crested Caracara (1997), Louisiana Waterthrush (1975)
Checklist : Download pdf | View HTML
Introduction: Nearly the size of Connecticut, Las Animas County is not only the largest county in Colorado, but also one of the most varied and underestimated. The vast majority of the county is privately owned, but luckily many of the landowners allow access to birders for a fee (see below). Thoroughly exploring this huge county can take a long time--although practically every habitat in Colorado is present somewhere in Las Animas, they are often quite far from one another.
Birding Locations
Spanish Peaks State Wildlife Area
Description - Spanish Peaks State Wildlife Area is remote and beautiful. On the southern flank of its namesake mountains, it is similar to the nearby Bosque del Oso SWA, but possibly even more enticing. Pinyon-juniper, scrub-oak and Ponderosa birds can all be found here, and the Ponderosas also support a population of Abert's Squirrel, here at the southeastermost limit of their range.
Habitat - Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Scrub Oak Forest, Ponderosa Forest
Directions - From Trinidad, head west on CO 12 about six miles to Cokedale and turn right (north) on CR 57.7 up Reilly Canyon towards Boncarbo. In about seven miles, at a fork in the road, bear left on CR 30.1 through the tiny hamlet of Boncarbo. Follow this road a little over three miles to a sharp right-hand turn onto CR 43.5, which leads to the SWA.
Delorme - 93 B4-C4
Roads of Colorado - 153 E2
Gulnare
Description - In the summer of 2007 Tony Leukering discovered a small population of Grace's Warbler breeding here, making this probably the most reliable site to find this species east of the continental divide. The best location is along CR 44 about 1.5-2 miles south of the bridge in Gulnare. Most other species typical of ponderosa woodland can be seen as well. The area right around the bridge has had Eastern Phoebe in the past, and Gray Catbird breeds here.
Habitat - Ponderosa Forest, Montane Shrubland, Creek
Directions - from exit 34 along I-25, head towards and through Aguilar on CR 43 for 10.5 miles to Gulnare. Turn left (south) onto CR 44, cross the Apishapa River, and travel about 1.5 miles to where the Grace's Warblers have been seen.
Delorme - 93 B5
Roads of Colorado - 153 E1
Cordova Pass
Description - In addition to providing some of the best road access to high-mountain forests in Las Animas County, this pass also provides magnificent views of the Spanish Peaks and the many dikes radiating out like spokes in a wheel. Practically all the normal high-elevation species can be found here, including Gray Jay, Dusky Grouse, and American Three-toed Woodpecker.
Habitat - Spruce-Fir Forest, Mountain Meadow
Directions - Take CO-12 to the Huerfano/Las Animas County line, and head east along FR 415 (the road is signed for Cordova Pass). The road is Huerfano County for the first 6 miles, to the top of the pass, and then it is in Las Animas County. The road continues down the other side in Las Animas County. This road will eventually get to Aguilar and I-25, 30 miles from the top of the pass.
Delorme - 92 B2
Roads of Colorado - 152 C1, 153 D1
North Fork State Wildlife Area
Aliases - North Reservoir, Monument Lake Park
Description - Besides the road over Cordova Pass, the only road in Las Animas County that accesses good high-elevation habitats is the North Fork Road (FR 34). Expect excellent willow tangles and aspen stands, along with some ponderosa, oak and mixed conifer habitats. The aspens can produce Red-naped and Williamson's Sapsuckers, possibly Flammulated and Northern Saw-whet Owls, Orange-crowned Warbler, and just about every other species expected in this habitat. In the willows, look for Swainson's Thrush, MacGillivray's Warbler, Lincoln's Sparrow, and Fox Sparrow, among others. The stream along the road (the north fork of the Purgatoire) is one of the few places in the county where one can find American Dippers. While the road itself does not make it to the spruce-fir belt, from the campground at its end (fee area) one can continue on hiking trails to higher elevations and above treeline, with all the benefits thereof.
Just outside the entrance to North Fork Road is North Reservoir, which is usually bare, but has attracted Common Loon in migration. A couple of miles south is Monument Lake Park, a private campground with another similar lake. To scan the lake adequately you must pay the park entrance fee, which will also give you access to Ponderosa forest with Gambel Oak and cottonwoods.
Habitat - Mixed-Conifer Forest, Aspen Groves, Streamside Willow, Stream
Directions - From the top of CO-12 along the Huerfano/Las Animas County line, travel south for 2.3 miles to the turn-off for FR 34. The road continues for 5 miles to a campground. North Lake is along CO-12 just north of this turn-off, and Monument Lake is just off CO-12 to the east, 1.5 miles south of this turn-off.
Delorme - 92 B2-C2
Roads of Colorado - 152 C2
Stonewall area
Aliases - Russell Lake
Description - Most of the land around this picturesque town is private, but birding from the roads can net you good numbers of ponderosa birds, including Plumbeous Vireo, Pygmy Nuthatch and Western Bluebird. The latter is particularly common south of town along the road to Tercio, where you might also find species more typical of pinyon-juniper habitats. Just northeast of town is Russell Lake, which looks like it could be covered with ducks in late fall and in spring. It is private but easy to scan from the county road.
Habitat - Ponderosa Forest, Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Scrub Oak Forest
Directions - Stonewall is along CO-12, 32 miles west of Trinidad. Tercio Road heads south from the east side of town. The road to Russell Lake, CR 13, heads north just east of town. The lake is on the right in a little less than a mile.
Delorme - 92 C2
Roads of Colorado - 153 D3
Bosque del Oso State Wildlife Area
Description - A huge and fascinating state wildlife area, Bosque del Oso can be accessed either from the north or from the east. The northern access points are in an area where there is great PJ on south-facing slopes and mixed conifers with some PJ on north-facing slopes. We found Band-tailed Pigeons to be particularly common in this area in September 2005. The eastern access points are all along a road running south from the tiny town of Weston along the south fork of the Purgatoire; most of the land along the road is private until just past the turnoff to Torres Canyon, at which point the road enters the SWA. The cottonwoods along the creek can be terrific for Lewis's Woodpecker as well as Lesser Goldfinch and migrant flocks of landbirds in season. The best cottonwood grove on public land is at the end of the South Fork Road just past the Barron Corrals. In addition to the habitats found in the north, this portion of the SWA has extensive montane shrubland and oak habitats.
Habitat - Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Scrub Oak Forest, Mixed-Conifer Forest, Lowland Riparian
Directions - The west entrance to this huge SWA heads south just east of the town of Zamora, 6 miles east of Stonewall. The east entrance heads south from the middle of the town of Weston, 9 miles east of Stonewall. Study the maps of the SWA that are on the green signs near the entrance carefully – getting around here can be confusing.
Delorme - 92 C2-D3
Roads of Colorado - 153 D3
Trinidad Lake State Park
Aliases - Long's Canyon Watchable Wildlife Area
Description - This is a state park and fee area. Most times you check this lake you will be bored to tears. However, good birds do show up here, so it would be wise to scan the lake carefully! Generally the best part of the lake is the shallower west side. Small flocks of both diving and dabbling ducks can usually be found, along with pelicans, gulls, and the occasional loon. When the water level is low, look for shorebirds on the resulting mudflats.On the south side of the reservoir is Long's Canyon Watchable Wildlife Area, which is also part of the state park fee area. Here you will find a one-and-a-quarter mile trail through a wide PJ canyon with a few cottonwoods along the bottom. Bird blinds look out over a marshy area.
URL - Trinidad Lake State Park
Habitat - Reservoir, Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Lowland Riparian
Directions - From the center of Trinidad, head west on CO-12 for 3 miles to the east entrance of the State Park, by the dam. To get to the inlet of the reservoir, head east from the center of Trinidad for 7 miles to the town of Cokedale, and head south at the State Park sign to the inlet. To get to Long's Canyon, head east a further 1.5 miles to CR 18 and head south. Follow CR 18 for 3 miles and take a left at the "T". You will shortly reach a parking lot and a short trail to the wildlife area.
Delorme - 93 C6-D6
Roads of Colorado - 153 F3, 154 A3
Trinidad
Aliases - Purgatoire River Trail
Description - The highlight of birding in town is the Purgatoire River trail, which follows the river through some nice riparian forest. The best stretch is east of downtown, downstream from the parking area on Linden Street. The city plans to extend the trail west all the way to Trinidad Lake.
Habitat - Urban/Suburban, Lowland Riparian
Directions - Trinidad is along I-25, 12 miles north of the New Mexico border. Linden Ave is reached by taking exit 14 and heading east from the exit. Take your first left onto Cedar Street and follow it to a "T" to Linden Street. Go left to the parking lot, on the right.
Delorme - 93 C6-C7
Roads of Colorado - 154 A2-A3
CR 75 x 42 ponds
Description - While these two small private ponds can be hard to scan well, and may require you to stand on your car, they often contain a good number of ducks and other waterbirds. The eastern pond is somewhat deeper and more likely to contain divers, while the western pond is more likely to have mudflats when low, and the associated shorebirds.
Habitat - Pond
Directions - From Trinidad, head north on I-25 for 10 miles to exit 23 and head east on CR 42. The two ponds are on the north side of the road in a little over 3 miles, just past the intersection with CR 75.
Delorme - 93 B7
Roads of Colorado - 154 A1
Rancho Largo
Description - This private working ranch, operated by Grady Grissom, has many attractions for the visiting birder that make it well worth the $10 entrance fee. There is a seasonal playa, which holds water approximately every other spring, that can be excellent for migratory waterbirds. There's high-quality grassland with breeding Long-billed Curlews. There's a fascinating and scenic canyon with eroded sandstone geology, some permanent waterholes with associated deciduous growth (good for migrants), and enough scattered Ponderosa to make Hepatic Tanager a definite possibility. There's excellent cholla with Curve-billed Thrasher and plenty of PJ. We saw two roadrunners here in half a day of birding--quite a feat in Colorado! The Grissoms also maintain an extremely nice two-bedroom, two-bathroom guest house that can be rented for $125 per night--$25 of which is a cleaning deposit recoverable if you leave the place in good shape. In addition, Grady offers half-day ranch tours for an additional fee, on which he shares his vast knowledge of agriculture and geology.
Habitat - Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Rimrock/Mesa, Cholla, Grassland/Prairie, Pond, Lowland Riparian
Directions - To inquire about access to this ranch and to get directions, please call Grady Grissom at 719-738-1699 a minimum of 48 hours in advance of your potential visit. The fee for access is $10 per person per day. Please remember that this is a working ranch as well as a private residence, and there may be times when the landowner cannot accommodate visits. While you are on the ranch, remember to stay on roads, leave gates as you find them (whether open or closed), and refrain from taking anything off the ranch or leaving trash behind.
Delorme - 100 A1
Roads of Colorado - 138 B2
Tim Williams Ranch
Description - Tim Williams' Ranch in northwest Las Animas County specializes in open pinyon-juniper forest and rimrock. There's lots of Rufous-crowned Sparrow habitat here, and maybe you could turn up a Gray Vireo or some other low-density PJ breeder. A seasonal pond on the property (dry as of fall 2005) usually covers between 12 and 200 acres in non-drought years, and could be a haven for waterbird life when full. Look on the ranch for Greater Roadrunner, Scaled Quail, Burrowing Owl and maybe even Mountain Plover. At least one of the canyons has had nesting Golden Eagles in non-drought years. In addition to the bird potential, this ranch has some of the finest dinosaur tracks this author has ever seen. Access to the ranch costs $10 per person per day. Visitors are advised to avoid times of heavy work on the ranch (Memorial Day weekend, late August, and the first two weeks of October through about mid-November).
Habitat - Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Rimrock/Mesa, Pond, Grassland/Prairie
Directions - To inquire about access to this ranch and to get directions, please call Tim Williams at 719-738-6263 a minimum of 48 hours in advance of your potential visit. The fee for access is $10 per person per day. Please remember that this is a working ranch as well as a private residence, and there may be times when the landowner cannot accommodate visits. While you are on the ranch, remember to stay on roads, leave gates as you find them (whether open or closed), and refrain from taking anything off the ranch or leaving trash behind.
Delorme - 83 D6-D7
Roads of Colorado - 138 A3
Welch Ranch
Description - This spectacular ranch charges an entrance fee of $10 per person per day. It includes the north end of the Apishapa Canyon, which is worth a visit just for the scenery, as it is 200-300 feet deep along this stretch. There are only a few cottonwoods in the bottom of the canyon, but the Welches in conjunction with Rocky Mountain Birding Observatory have begun a tamarisk eradication program that should mean the habitat will only improve in future years. The fact that the river here flows nearly year-round makes for excellent birding potential in this arid country. Raptors nest in the canyon, and Black Phoebe is a definite possibility. The Pueblo/Las Animas county line cuts roughly through the middle of the ranch. The northern (Pueblo) section has prairie-dog towns with breeding Burrowing Owls, and both sections include lots of very fine semidesert shrubland and pinyon-juniper forest habitats. Keep an eye out for Greater Roadrunner and Scaled Quail.
Habitat - Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Rimrock/Mesa, Stream, Grassland/Prairie, Cholla, Cliff Face
Directions - To inquire about access to this ranch and to get directions, please call Andy Welch at 719-263-4388 or 719-263-5514 a minimum of 48 hours in advance of your potential visit. The fee for access is $10 per person per day. Please remember that this is a working ranch as well as a private residence, and there may be times when the landowner cannot accommodate visits. While you are on the ranch, remember to stay on roads, leave gates as you find them (whether open or closed), and refrain from taking anything off the ranch or leaving trash behind.
Delorme - 100 A1-B1
Roads of Colorado - 138 C1-C2
Roberts Cordova Ranch (Las Animas section)
Description - This ranch, owned and operated by Tim Roberts, is in three pieces, one of which stretches across the Huerfano county line (see the Huerfano County page). The much larger Las Animas portions of the ranch adjoin the Apishapa State Wildlife Area to the north and west, and resemble it in many places. The canyon just east of the ranch headquarters contains a permanent pool with a couple of mature cottonwoods to attract migrants, in addition to extensive pinyon-juniper forest. The Jones Lake Canyon gets pretty deep, and the block Dakota sandstone along its rim makes for dramatic scenery. This ranch has some of the most excellent cholla grassland in the state, and Curve-billed Thrasher and Scaled Quail are not hard to find. You can also find all the standard southeastern specialties on this ranch, from Greater Roadrunner to Rufous-crowned Sparrow. There is a $10 entrance fee per person per day.
Habitat - Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Rimrock/Mesa, Grassland/Prairie, Cholla
Directions - To inquire about access to this ranch and to get directions, please call Tim Roberts at 719-738-2453 a minimum of 48 hours in advance of your potential visit. The fee for access is $10 per person per day. Please remember that this is a working ranch as well as a private residence, and there may be times when the landowner cannot accommodate visits. While you are on the ranch, remember to stay on roads, leave gates as you find them (whether open or closed), and refrain from taking anything off the ranch or leaving trash behind.
Delorme - 83 C7, 100 B1
Roads of Colorado - 138 B2-B3
Apishapa State Wildlife Area
Description - This remote and neglected SWA is truly an undiscovered jewel of SE Colorado. Most of the site is made up of PJ and shallow canyons with rimrock, species such as Bushtit, Canyon Wren and Towhee, Rock Wren, and Juniper Titmouse, among others, can be seen. The Apishapa River runs through portions of the site, but can only be accessed by using the north entrance to the SWA. Portions of this river look like perfect Black Phoebe habitat. There are also some stands of Ponderosa Pine, and Hepatic Tanager is a possibility. Finally, the grassland on the way to and from the SWA looks perfect for Mountain Plover, as well as other, more common grassland species.
Habitat - Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Rimrock/Mesa, Lowland Riparian
Directions - For the north side, from Walsenburg take I-25 exit to Hwy. 10, go east 18.5 miles, then south on Cty. Rd. 77 for 7 miles, east on Cty. Rd. 90 for 11 miles to Apishapa State Wildlife Area. Follow signs through wildlife area to northeast side and parking lot.
Delorme - 100 B1
Roads of Colorado - 138 B2-C3
Trinchera
Description - Normally this would not be thought of as a birding town, but a flock of White-winged Doves was seen here in 2005, and given the rapid expansion of this species the likelihood is that they are breeding somewhere nearby. Also be sure to check the riparian areas at the Trinchera River crossing. The habitat itself is privately owned, but can be birded from the road.
Habitat - Lowland Riparian, Urban/Suburban
Directions - To get to Trinchera, head south on CO-389 from its intersection with US-160, and go 10 miles to the intersection with CR 6.8, just north of Branson. Trinchera is along this road, 10.5 miles from CO-389.
Delorme - 100 D1
Roads of Colorado - 154 D4
Lake Dorothey State Wildlife Area
Aliases - San Francisco Pass, Raton Mesa
Description - This remote state wildlife area is only easily accessible through New Mexico (but see below). Lake Dorothey's claim to fame is the first state record of Acorn Woodpecker, which colonized this area for a few years in the mid ‘90s. The habitat is generally ponderosa and scrub-oak, with some higher meadows on the Raton Mesa. The ponderosa canyons should be checked for Hepatic Tanager among other more common mountain birds.
If you have four-wheel drive, high clearance, and a bit of a Lewis-and-Clark complex, you can actually reach Lake Dorothey without leaving Colorado. The road over San Francisco Pass (CR 85.5) is a public county road, but you'd never know it by looking at the farmhouse gate marked "No Trespassing." All the land beyond the gate on both sides of the road is indeed private and off-limits, but the road can be driven, barely. The route starts out in PJ and oak habitat and then enters one of the most extensive stands of New Mexico locust in the state before working its way to ponderosa and mixed-conifer forest. It tops out on San Francisco Pass, then heads down to Lake Dorothey, which may or may not be on the other side of a locked gate. The unique vegetation recalls areas far to the south, and the road runs through likely breeding spots for Hepatic Tanager and possibly other outpost colonizers from the south like Acorn Woodpecker and White-winged Dove. Unfortunately, the road surface consists of the same clay dirt that has trapped entire caravans of birders elsewhere in the southeast, and even a seemingly-dry surface can mask a ravenous muckpit. The authors got an SUV stuck on this road, and the county mired a road grader up here. Tow trucks from Trinidad are expensive.
Habitat - Ponderosa Forest, Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Mixed-Conifer Forest, Mountain Meadow, Reservoir
Directions - From Trinidad, head south on I-25 into New Mexico, to exit 462 in Raton. Head east on NM-72 for 4 miles to the intersection with NM-526. Head north on NM-526 for a little over 6 miles to the state line, and the SWA line. From here the road becomes Las Animas CR 85.5. To reach the northern access, head east from Trinidad on US-160 for 1.6 miles from I-25 to CR 24.6, and take a right (east). Go 7.8 miles (the road becomes CR 22 after 7 miles) to the intersection with CR 85.5. Take a right (south), and go past the houses to a barbed wire gate. Open the gate, and continue south for 13 miles to the SWA.
Delorme - 93 D7, 100 D1
Roads of Colorado - 154 B3-B4
Mesa de Maya area
Description - This large, entirely private mesa is unique in Colorado. Not only does it have the only Colorado populations of Texas Beargrass and Mesquite, it also has the largest colony of Hepatic Tanagers. Unfortunately, this mesa is entirely private, and currently not accessible. However, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher has been seen on some of the public roads around the base of the mesa.
Habitat - Grassland/Prairie
Directions - The top of the Mesa cannot be reached by public road, but a myriad of public county road wind around the base, and use of an atlas is essential. Look for Scissor-tailed Flycatcher along these roads.
Delorme - 100 D3
Roads of Colorado - 156 A3-C3
Black Mesa
Description - This mesa is just east of the larger and higher Mesa de Maya, where Hepatic Tanagers have been found breeding. The Black Mesa at this time is the closest one can get to the Mesa de Maya, at least as far as habitat is concerned. While Hepatic Tanagers have not yet been found here, you could chance upon one, and meanwhile the area is good for Ladder-backed Woodpecker and other PJ canyon birds. Be aware that there is virtually no public land on this mesa, so all birding must be done from the road.
Habitat - Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Cholla, Ponderosa Forest
Directions - Reaching this mesa is time-consuming and confusing. From Kim, head south on US-160, and when the highway bends back to the west, keep heading south on CR 197. Follow CR 197 for 4 miles to a fork, and take the right fork, at which point the road becomes CR 22.1. Follow CR 22.1 south for 3.5 miles to another fork, and this time take the left fork, which is CR 193.7. Follow CR 193.7 for 7.5 miles to yet another fork. At this point you have been driving on the mesa for a few miles. Here there is yet another fork. Take the left fork this time, at which point the road becomes CR 10.8. CR 10.8 goes along the top of the mesa all the way to the NM border. At 10.5 miles it makes a "T" with CR 213.7. Confused yet? Take a right, and go 4 miles to the border. This road (which is Union CR B067) then heads south for 2.5 miles to NM-456.
Delorme - 101 D4-D5
Roads of Colorado - 156 C3-C4, 157 D3-D4
Mayfield Ranch
Description - This ranch, owned and operated by Mary and Gary Mayfield, is just a few miles upstream from Cottonwood Canyon along West Carrizo Creek, and nestled against the northern flank of the Black Mesa. The real draw here for birders is more than a mile of riparian deciduous growth along a permanent stream. The cottonwoods, boxelders and hackberries along the creek shade dense willow thickets and other underbrush. Pinyon-juniper forest flanks the shallow rimrock canyon. Along the creek, look for things like Eastern Phoebe, Bewick's Wren and Ladder-backed Woodpecker, and in migration for eastern vagrants galore. The PJ and rimrock could produce Rufous-crowned Sparrow and Greater Roadrunner, while hummingbird feeders at the Mayfield's house are a magnet for Black-chinned Hummingbirds. Wild Turkeys often hang around the homestead in large numbers. The Mayfields also have a couple of very nice options for birders looking for accommodations, including a furnished trailer house and a cute adobe bungalow. They ask $25 per night per bed.
Habitat - Lowland Riparian, Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Stream
Directions - To inquire about access to this ranch and to get directions, please call Mary or Gary Mayfield at 719-643-5303 a minimum of 48 hours in advance of your potential visit. The fee for access is $10 per person per day. Please remember that this is a working ranch as well as a private residence, and there may be times when the landowner cannot accommodate visits. While you are on the ranch, remember to stay on roads, leave gates as you find them (whether open or closed), and refrain from taking anything off the ranch or leaving trash behind.
Delorme - 101 D4
Roads of Colorado - 157 D2-D3
Lazy UO Ranch
Description - This spectacular ranch is jointly owned by Jesse and Sharri Smith and by Everett and Flo Jackson, whose other property is listed on this page as the Everett Jackson Ranch. You can visit both properties for a fee of $10 per person per day. The Lazy UO comprises nearly twelve miles of West Carrizo Canyon, stretching down to its confluence with Cottonwood Canyon. Though water flows most of the year through the canyon, it contains relatively few cottonwoods. Instead, expect huge cliffs, nesting raptors, all the southeast specialty rimrock and PJ birds, and if you are lucky, a glimpse of the local herd of Bighorn Sheep. A few long-but-thin stretches of cattails along the stream may harbor rails. There are some impressive petroglyphs here, as well as large swallow colonies that should be checked for Cave Swallows.
Another part of the ranch, near the head of Cottonwood Canyon, has a prairie-dog town with breeding Burrowing Owls, and the Jacksons maintain a trailer nearby where birders can stay for $25 per bed. Next to the trailer are three RV hookups that can be reserved for $15 per night. These accommodations are less than two miles from Cottonwood Canyon, and they sit on a mesa slope where you may find Rock Wrens and roadrunners frolicking right outside the back door.
Habitat - Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Rimrock/Mesa, Grassland/Prairie, Lowland Riparian, Cholla, Marsh
Directions - To inquire about access to this ranch and to get directions, please call Everett or Flo Jackson at 719-643-5435 a minimum of 48 hours in advance of your potential visit. The fee for access is $10 per person per day. Please remember that this is a working ranch as well as a private residence, and there may be times when the landowner cannot accommodate visits. While you are on the ranch, remember to stay on roads, leave gates as you find them (whether open or closed), and refrain from taking anything off the ranch or leaving trash behind.
Delorme - 101 D5
Roads of Colorado - 157 D3
Kim area
Description - In town, expect lots of Eurasian Collared-Doves and Great-tailed Grackles and the occasional Cassin's Kingbird among the Westerns. Hummingbird feeders attract Black-chinned Hummingbirds throughout the summer and other species in late July and August. The dirt roads nearby are often especially good for Scaled Quail, and the occasional Greater Roadrunner can be found.
In wet years, the grassy basin just north of US 160 and east of GR 173 can fill with water, becoming an oasis for wandering waterfowl and shorebirds. It is in a Comanche National Grasslands pasture, so if you want closer looks, it is okay to hop the fence and walk in.
The same goes for the occasional playa a few miles west of Kim, on the north side of CR 36 just before it bends north to become CR 187.
Habitat - Urban/Suburban, Grassland/Prairie, Pond
Directions - Kim is along US-160, 73 miles east of Trinidad (Las Animas county is BIG), and 17 miles west of the Baca/Las Animas County line. CR 36 heads west from the center of Kim. GR 173 heads north from US-160, 14 miles west of Kim.
Delorme - 101 C4
Roads of Colorado - 156 B2-C2
Everett Jackson Ranch
Description - The main attraction on this property, the permanent home of the folks who own the Lazy UO Ranch (q.v.), is the seasonal playa along the entrance road. When full of water, it can attract enormous flocks of migrating ducks, shorebirds, ibis, and the like, along with the raptors that hunt them. The surrounding grasslands have breeding Long-billed Curlew and Mountain Plover in addition to sparrows. The PJ canyons have some seeps and water tanks that can attract oddities (like Sora), although typical PJ birds are more likely. There are some fascinating positive impressions of dinosaur tracks on the ranch. The Jacksons can provide guided tours for $125 per group per day, or you can just pay $10 to get onto the property. This fee will get you onto the Lazy UO also; see that description for information about accommodations.
Habitat - Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Rimrock/Mesa, Grassland/Prairie, Pond
Directions - To inquire about access to this ranch and to get directions, please call Everett or Flo Jackson at 719-643-5435 a minimum of 48 hours in advance of your potential visit. The fee for access is $10 per person per day. Please remember that this is a working ranch as well as a private residence, and there may be times when the landowner cannot accommodate visits. While you are on the ranch, remember to stay on roads, leave gates as you find them (whether open or closed), and refrain from taking anything off the ranch or leaving trash behind.
Delorme - 100 C3
Roads of Colorado - 156 B1
Bader Ranch
Description - Randy and Kelly Bader's ranch in northern Smith Canyon has a lot of potential attraction for birders. For one thing, the Baders have hosted a male Vermilion Flycatcher in each of the last two springs, and the birds may well be breeding near their house. A Scissor-tailed Flycatcher pair has also been observed in recent springs, and the Baders see roadrunners almost daily. For the ten-dollar access fee, you can check out a small cottonwood migrant trap, a couple of permanent water holes along the canyon bottom, a gorgeous PJ/Ponderosa canyon that looks tantalizingly good for Hepatic Tanager, and innumerable other PJ canyons, some with permanent seeps, all worth exploring for very rare breeders like Gray Vireo and Scott's Oriole as well as the more expected Cassin's Kingbird, Pinyon Jay, Western Scrub-Jay, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Bushtit and Canyon Towhee. Look for Curve-billed Thrasher in the cholla-filled canyon bottoms.
Habitat - Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Ponderosa Forest, Rimrock/Mesa, Cholla
Directions - To inquire about access to this ranch and to get directions, please call Randy or Kelly Bader at 719-384-8624 a minimum of 48 hours in advance of your potential visit. The fee for access is $10 per person per day. Please remember that this is a working ranch as well as a private residence, and there may be times when the landowner cannot accommodate visits. While you are on the ranch, remember to stay on roads, leave gates as you find them (whether open or closed), and refrain from taking anything off the ranch or leaving trash behind.
Delorme - 101 B4-C4
Roads of Colorado - 140 B3-C4
Ninaview Area
Description - This remote and seldom visited area is probably the best place in eastern Colorado to search (probably in vain) for Scott's Oriole. There is also some high-quality PJ habitat as well as some ponderosa canyons, where Hepatic Tanager has been heard once or twice. Wild Turkey is fairly common in this area, and both canyons and the PJ habitat can be fairly productive for species such as Bushtit, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, and possibly Greater Roadrunner. STAY ON THE ROADS in this area of private lands, no matter what you hear.
Habitat - Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Rimrock/Mesa
Directions - There's a maze of roads to explore in this area. The traditional Scott's Oriole spot here is at the intersection of CRs 223 and 72.5. To get to this location, head north from Kim on CO 109 for 16 miles to CR 66. Head east on CR 66 for 8.5 miles to a "T", and take a left (north) onto CR 211. Go 1 mile to CR 70. Take a right (east) and follow this road for 6.5 miles as it curves around and becomes CR 219.4, then 72, then CR 72.5. At 6.5 miles is the intersection with the Orioles. Look all over this area, as they could be anywhere.
Delorme - 101 B5-C5
Roads of Colorado - 140 C3, 141 D3
Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site
Description - To arrange access to this Army base, call 719-846-2806. You need to purchase a $20 pass, good for a calendar year, either at Fort Carson or at the headquarters. Then, upon visiting, go to the Cantonment Area to get three copies of a down-range pass, one copy of which stays with the headquarters so they know you're in there, one of which stays on your person, and one of which stays in your car. Birders cannot camp overnight and must exit the same day. It is recommended to call at least two days in advance to see if training exercises will limit access. The headquarters open at 6:30 AM, and close at 5 PM. Hunters (and birders) must be out by 4:30 PM.
This seldom-birded military site should be checked for rare SE breeders such as Gray Vireo (which has been found breeding near Welsh Canyon), Scott's Oriole, Black-throated Sparrow, and Hepatic Tanager. The grasslands in here are significant in that they have not been grazed in over 60 years.
Habitat - Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Rimrock/Mesa, Grassland/Prairie
Directions - The entrance to the Maneuver site is along US-350 in the town of Thatcher, across from CR 64.
Delorme - 100 B1
Roads of Colorado - 138 B2-C3