Cobirders,
Brandon Percival alerted birders to the possible burning of the historic
Wood Thrush Grove migrant trap in a recent posting. I saw the fire from
a distance soon after it started yesterday, but the wind increased, and
dust storms made visibility impossible shortly after. I visited the area
today as I headed out to see if any Piping Plovers had returned to John
Martin Reservoir (they hadn't).
The fire is still expanding, and many historic birding spots have been
consumed by fire. The fire was so hot in Wood Thrush Grove that it
downed all the girdled tall trees. Fort Lyon State Wildlife Easement
also burned, but mostly as a brush fire, leaving tall trees standing, as
well as some of the western edge of the grove. Some of the power poles
in the area have burned and toppled. Everything east of Road 16 is
burned, including Green Heron Slough.
Although the fire jumped US 50 in two places near Fort Lyon, it did not
spread after crossing. I didn't see any burned houses. Van's Grove may
have been spared, although I couldn't get close. My best guess is that
everything south of Bent County Road JJ inside the State Wildlife area
at John Martin Reservoir is burned, all the way to the dam. When I left
John Martin for Carlton around 8:30 this morning, the eastern edge of
the fire was around Road 19. By 10 a.m., raging west winds had carried
flames all the way to the dam at John Martin, seven miles to the east.
The fire is still burning and moving east and south.
I believe much of the saltcedar-choked bottomlands on the west end of
the Reservoir have burned. Smoke from the fire had enveloped Lamar and
Carlton, and the red-flag fire warning is supposed to last until dark
this evening. What this might do to birding around John Martin
Reservoir is uncertain, and this is one of Colorado's major birding
destinations.
Duane Nelson
Las Animas, Bent County, CO
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