Bent On Birding & Heritage

The 15th Annual Santa Fe Trail auto tour, 'Bent On Birding and Heritage Festival' including 4 day tours and evening events is scheduled for May 10-13, 2012. Bent County is one of the greatest areas for bird watching, with thousands of migrating birds, nesting areas of Piping Plover, Least Tern, newly discovered Blue Heron rookery, nesting Feriginous Hawks, water ways with the Black Rail, night birds, owls, swans, pelicans, and more.

Fieldtrips are to be led by expert biologist and bird guide, Duane Nelson on private ranches with canyons, petroglyphs & dinosaur tracks.

Other options: tours of 'The Dry' (African-American abandoned homesteads) and historic buildings, Grand Theatre, Seed Company, Courthouse, Boggsville, Kit Carson's last home, cemetery, renovated homestead and more. Experience 'Wagon's Ho Day' activities at Bent's Old Ft with Don Headlee as 'Trail Doctor', living history, wagon exhibits, Koshare Dance.

A $10 registration includes gift tote bag, plus $10 daily private ranch-tour fees. Cowboy, Dutch Oven lunch/meals extra or byo. For daily tour schedule, registration information or brochure, email BentOnBirding@yahoo.com or call 719-456-1296, 980-1320 or 719-688-5530.