Hidden Treasure in the Colorado Plateau
I hear the haunting call of a large bird, but I can’t see the source in the dense green cottonwood tree canopy. For the last several days I’ve gazed upon the terra cotta cliffs, and bizarre sandstone formations found in the vast Colorado Plateau. The cool tree-lined path across a wooden bridge beckons me to enter Matheson Wetlands, a lush shelter for wildlife. The 875-acre preserve, set-aside by the Nature Conservancy in 1991, is a joy to discover. After the shimmering desert creations, the green soothes the eye, and calms the spirit. Most visitors to the Moab Valley scurry to the more prominent Arches National Park and Canyonlands never knowing the preserve, “a place of renewal” exists.
Following the unidentified call takes me deeper into the wetland to a marsh of cattails and knotgrass. Peering up into the leaves of the cottonwood bustling in the breeze, I catch a glimpse of a pair of red-shafted flickers. I find the male with a crimson mustache, and brown back, barred with black, then his more somber colored mate in my binoculars. At first I think I have located the mystery voice, but hear the call of the stranger coming from afar. I follow the kook-a-lee down a tree tunnel of tamarisk on the verge of turning yellow. It is fall, and the morning air feels bright and snappy.
The narrow trail takes me to the mighty Colorado itself; ruddy, swift and wide, relentlessly carving the red sandstone monoliths lining the shores into new shapes, forms and dimensions. Every three years or so, the river rises and floods the wetlands depositing rich sediment that revitalizes the slough. Water flowing from the distant La Sal Mountains feeds creeks, springs and aquifer that together create the wetland. The result is a refuge for birds and beasts alike. More than 200 species of birds have been spotted here, with their numbers peaking during fall and spring migrations. The Nature
Conservancy hopes to ensure the lasting protection of the Plateau’s biodiversity and a landscape unique in the world.
Great blue heron fishing for breakfast on the riverbank distracts me from my quest. I watch a red hawk circling high above and envy his lofty overview. In the distance a wedge of Canadian Honkers are wending their way to parts unknown. Their conversational squawks can be heard from the ground. I hear a co-cooing in the undergrowth; the voice of the mountain dove. A rustle in the brush reveals another birder. I leave her to explore the river in solitude.
Back on the wide wooden walk that serves as a platform across the marsh, I see plump Mountain chickadee in the shrubs, and more flickers on the wing. The walk takes me to a two story viewing blind that overlooks a cattail meadow. Red winged blackbird sway in the breeze on the tips of the bulrushes. An earlier rise would see more, I’m sure. Animals spotted here include beaver, muskrat, mule deer, river otter and the endangered Northern leopard frog.
My stroll takes me to a meadow where the faces of huge sunflowers droop on tall stalks. Purple daisy, yellow rabbit bush, sage and sand verbena pattern the meadow completing the mosaic of habitat in this gift to the wild. Some of these plants offer nest sites or cover. Others provide food in the form of seeds and stems, attracting a tremendous flock of insects. Warblers, busy bushtits, and sparrows hop among the low branches of the willows surrounding the sunlit meadow.
Just as I am about to leave the sanctuary for the twittering denizen, I hear the mystery call once again. This time I spy my quarry high in the sky. I find him in my glasses on wing. He has a long flowing split tail, big white bombardier patches on his wings and a jet-black body. He is a magpie, a flashy new character to me, but a common sight along the roadsides in Southwest, Utah. My curiosity abated, I leave the refuge feeling refreshed and satisfied.
Getting There
From Main Street in Moab (Hwy 191) turn west onto Kane Creek Blvd. drive about a mile to the parking lot and main entrance.
