Off to lower Arkansas Valley for some birding

I left late this afternoon for a trip to the lower Arkansas valley to take advantage of a unusual cool spell and do some birding. When I stopped in Pueblo to get some gas (6 cents/gal cheaper there) I heard what sounded like a Olive-sided Flycatcher calling. I got out of my car with binoculars and discovered the call was from a Mississippi Kite soaring a few hundred feet above. These kites have fooled me before when they call.

I stopped for dinner at the Carmen's Steaks & Mexican Cuisine in the small town of Las Animas. I have discussed Carmen's before and list it on the right column as one of my favorite eating places in SE Colorado. I was delighted to find that they had a band playing tonight. Las Animas has fewer than 3,000 residents so it is quite amazing to find a restaurant here with a band, even on a Friday night.

Carmen's has a patio and that is where the band plays. It was a pleasant evening so I sat on the patio to eat dinner and listen to the band, which was composed of 2 guys and 2 women. They were playing a country-western song when I drove up. However, they surprised me by later playing Bob Dylan's "Knocken on Heaven's Door". And they did quite a credible job. Later they played Steve Miller's "Swingtown" as well as a Mexican song that was sung in Spanish (several others joined in including Carmen who own's the restaurant).

I believe in full disclosure. Carmen's husband, George, bought me a margherita. Nevertheless, Carmen's is a cool place to eat when traveling in this area. And it is a good place to watch Chimney Swifts that are often seen from the pation in the evening. I only saw one swift tonight but this may be related to the thunderstorm that blew in (though it didn't start raining until I finished my dinner).

SeEtta