After two years of no in-person activities due to COVID-19, bird watchers will return to southeast Colorado next weekend for a niche celebration.

That’s the Mountain Plover Festival, honoring the peculiar, diminutive bird that nests in the fields of rural Karval. Starting April 29, tours around private ranches are set for the three-day event, which promises to appeal to history and photography enthusiasts as much as plover lovers.

While teaching about the elusive birds — “ghosts of the prairie,” they are sometimes called — the festival also aims to introduce visitors to ranching families with deep local ties while serving time-honored, country meals. Entertainment is planned, along with antique sales and arts and crafts.

In the past, more than 80 species of birds and other prairie-dwelling animals have been spotted. But the mountain plover is the star, so named for the bird’s flight over the peaks to settle in these desolate plains.

The festival started in 2006, after farmers met someone from Montana State University researching the area at a time the plover was being considered for the endangered list. Land owners were taught how to protect nests, and the idea emerged to market the plovers for the local economy.

Registration is required for the festival, as overnight accommodations are limited to ranches, campsites and the nearest hotels in Hugo and Limon. Pricing and more information at mountainploverfestival.com