The Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center is located 5 miles south of Fort
Davis on SH 118. I understand that many birders will be in the Fort
Davis Area for the Open House at the Nature Conservancy this weekend.
CDRI's Nature Center has a nice mix of high desert scrub and rolling
grasslands along with a narrow canyon with water (year round) and large
trees. There is a small playa with water in the grasslands area and a
botanical garden on the property. The Nature Center only feeds
hummingbirds around the main building and there have been four species
seen in the last two weeks: Black-Chinned, Rufous, Broad-Tailed, and an
Anna's. We also have a host of elusive Montezuma Quail in the
grasslands, most often not seen but heard in the early morning.
The normal hours of operation are 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM, however as a
birder myself, I realize that these aren't great hours. If you will
email me directly I can be there to open the gate for you on Thursday,
the 13th, Friday, the 14th and Sunday the 16th. I can also be there on
Monday, the 17th as well. Saturday, the 15th is off-limits as the
Institute is having its annual BBQ fund raiser. You will need to email
me (and I will confirm by same) and then meet me at the front gate so
that I can open and let you in.
CDRI has a nice website at www.cdri.org should you need additional
information. The Nature Center has many visitors who are interested in
plants, geology, insects, and reptiles, and a few birders. We would
like to have more good birders and are willing to "bend" the hours for
special birder requests.
Ralph Reed
Volunteer - CDRI Nature Center
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