BIRDS
Reservations: 1-800-698-0603
970-533-7592
bookings@willowtailsprings.com
From my perch atop cut willow
I glimpse her.
Huge on the pond's face
She hovers low
In full rotation,
Three times,
Checking out my fish.
Treading wind on air currents
Her circled eye
Judges the depth of prey.
Soft white chest
Highlighted patterned wings
Beat as a precise piston
The brevity of an osprey's visitation.
Ripples to waves,
Flapping wings on water,
Breaking free,
Still dripping,
To fly.
Peggy Cloy
Willowtail Springs is a release site for all
birds, registered with the State and Federally licensed Durango Wildlife
Rehabilitation Center. Birds of prey hawks, eagles and owls as well as
songbirds and other varieties of feathered critters have begun a new life here
after being injured.
Settle next to the trunk of an ancient cedar in the field; look up at the night
stars and moon; listen to the owls of Colorado calling to each other. The
species you may encounter are Great Horned, Flamulated, Pigmy, Long-eared,
Western Screech owls and an occasional Barn owl.
Watch an osprey, an oriole or a red tail hawk soar, swoop and dive over the pond
or through the woods.
Feed an orphaned crow learning how to fly from Peggy's hat.
These birds are only visitors here until they are ready to go on their own.
They are, of course, never caged or domesticated except the handling they need
during their short time with us.
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"When I saw the wild adolescent
crow on Peggy's shoulder I knew this was a very special place." |
Many of our guests come here specifically to watch the many varieties of birds at Willowtail Springs or find they cannot resist once they have arrived.
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"Peggy, this is an enchanting spot
enhanced by gracious hospitality. Our next visit will be in May when the
warblers are passing through!
Here are some of the birds we saw from the Bungalow:"
Allie
Denver, Colorado
| Ring-necked Duck | Red-winged Blackbird | Kestrel |
| Pintail | Yellow-headed Blackbird | Black-capped Chickadee |
| Meadowlark | Canada Goose | Say's Phoebe |
| Golden Eagle | Raven | Sharp-shinned Hawk |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Crow | Mallard |
| Mountain Bluebird | Coots |
Magpie |
| Snowy Egret | Great Horned Owl | Night Hawks |
| Cattle Egret | Mourning Dove | Robin |
| Bats | Oriole | Great Blue Heron |
| Finch | Flicker | Kingfisher |
| Peregrine Hawk | Harrier Hawk | Hummingbirds |
"Peggy and Lee, Here is my addition to
Allie's list:"
Michael
San Francisco, California
| Steller's Jay | Female summer Tanager [yellow belly, green back] |
| Turkey Vulture | Acorn Woodpecker |
| Nuthatch | Female Oriole [gray vest and white wing bars] |
| American Kestrel | Grey-headed Junco |
"Peggy and Lee, the Governor does not
treat me as well as you two. I very much appreciate your kindnesses and the
work you did in organizing the pinion ips meeting. I will look forward to
returning and to observe your special partnership of skills and experience
bonded by love for each other and this very unique land.
Here is my incomplete list of birds:"
Dave Leatherman
Colorado State Forestry Service, Entomologist
| Townsend's Solitaire, eats juniper berries | American Robin |
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Ruby-crowned Kinglet, migrant, insect eater |
Song Sparrow, resident |
| White-crowned Sparrow, migrant or winter only | Chipping Sparrow, summer or migrant |
| Black-capped Chickadee, resident | Western Scrub-jay, resident |
| Mountain Chickadee, mostly winter | Black-billed Magpie, resident |
| Bewick's Wren, mostly summer | Common Raven, resident |
| Spotted Towhee, resident | Pine Siskin, winter |
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Downy Woodpecker, resident, ips eater |
White-breasted Nuthatch, resident |
| Hairy Woodpecker, resident, ips eater | Bushtit, resident |
| Dark-eyed Junco, winter |
Pinion Jay, resident |
Many species of ducks migrate through our property in both the spring and the fall, because of the lake. Here are a few that we have seen:
| Cinnamon Teal | Green-winged Teal | Redhead |
| Bufflehead | Northern Shoveler | Common Goldeneye |
| Less Scaup | Mallard | Northern Pintail |
"The morning was so beautiful and full of
feathered creatures! We saw 10-12 species in a matter of minutes."
Russ and Cheryl
Utah
The list of birds sighted
continues to grow daily!
White-faced Ibis
Willowtail Springs
P.O. Box 89 · Mancos, Colorado 81328
Reservations: 1-800-698-0603 · 970-533-7592 · bookings@willowtailsprings.com
Peggy and Lee Cloy, Innkeepers
Site design, graphics, poetry, content copyright ©2002 - 2008 Cloy Arts & Sciences
Photo Credits: © Peggy & Lee Cloy
