Boulder County Audubon announces, "Interludes With Nature" 2020, sign-up starts, Tuesday, 11/26
Pam Piombino
TRIP #1
CALL OF THE CRANES
SANDHILL CRANE MIGRATION IN KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
NASEEM MUNSHI
Leader: Naseem Munshi
Date: Friday-Monday, April 3-6, 2020
Location: Based in Kearney, NE
Fees: $425, 3 nights (double occupancy, +$135 single premium)
Limited to 8 people.
Join Rowe Sanctuary volunteer, Naseem Munshi, for a long weekend in America’s Crane Capital, Kearney, NE. Thrill to the primeval cacophony of tens of thousands of Sandhill Cranes as they fly in and out of their nighttime roosts along the Platte River or graze in the surrounding fields.
This trip, scheduled for early April, provides us with the best chance of sighting some of the 300+ Whooping Cranes that also migrate through this corridor. Other birds to be expected are many species of geese and ducks, raptors, turkey, Woodcock, early shorebirds and several kinds of owls, whose calls can often be heard mixed with those of the Cranes.
We
will have early Saturday morning reservations in one of the newly
remodeled viewing blind complexes, which now include a warming hut
too! On Saturday and Sunday we will car tour and hike local hot
spots, including a trail in the habitat rich Fort Kearney State Park.
Another highlight will be a visit to the Iain Nicolson Audubon
Center at the Rowe Sanctuary in Gibbon, where we will listen to a
fascinating talk entitled, “Crane Behavior Basics”. On Sunday
evening, we will enter a two-story blind with panoramic views of the
Cranes and the prairie landscape. There, we will enjoy socializing
and a picnic dinner with libations.
Naseem
is a long-time resident of Boulder County and a member of BCAS and
BCNA. She enjoys watching birds and learning their behavior and has a
special love for Sandhill Cranes. Since she retired in 2018, Naseem
volunteers for two weeks at Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary during crane
migration season.
Included
in the $425 fees are 3 nights in a hotel with breakfasts, all blind
fees, taxes, one class, entrance costs, a picnic dinner on Sunday
night, and your share of gasoline charges for the drivers. Not
included are all other meals.
TRIP #2
UPPER TEXAS COAST:
BIRDING WITH THE BEST
BILL KAEMPFER AND JOHN VANDERPOEL
Leaders: Bill Kaempfer and John Vanderpoel
Dates: Saturday, April 18, 2020 to Saturday, April 25, 2020
Location: Based in Winnie, Texas
Fees: $1150 per person, double occupancy, +$350 single premium
Limited to 8 people
Join elite birders, John Vanderpoel and Bill Kaempfer, for one full week of birding during spring migration on the Upper Texas Coast. We will go to all of the famous hot-spots including High Island, Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Sabine Woods, Bolivar Peninsula, Boykin Springs (Big Thicket National Preserve), and more.
Expect
to see up to 200 species including 25-30 warblers; shorebirds,
waders, and rails; Brown-headed Nuthatch, Red-cockaded Woodpecker,
Bachman’s, Nelson’s and
Seaside Sparrows
and much, much
more.
The
fee of $1150 (double occupancy, single premium, +$350) includes all
transportation to and from Bush or Hobby Airports, admission fees,
lodging, and 2 stellar leaders. We will be based at one hotel, the
Comfort Inn at Winnie, TX. All rooms have a refrigerator. Excluded
are meals (other than breakfasts which are included at the hotel) and
airfare to Texas.
Trip # 3
OWL PROWL: WHO’S THAT HOOTING?
Scott Rashid
Leader:
Scott Rashid
Date: Sunday, late afternoon/evening, April 26, 2019
Location: TBD
Donation: $50
Limited to 8, willing and able to walk up to two miles in the dark
Scott
Rashid has spent a lifetime studying, banding, recording,
rehabilitating and writing about the different owl species to be
found in Colorado. He has incredible depth of knowledge concerning
all aspects of courtship, vocalizations, breeding, feeding and the distribution of species to be found in our varied habitats. Scott
has a great set of ears too, which can hear and assess which kind of owl is calling and what they are most likely doing.
You will set off in the early evening to begin your search for these “denizens of the dark”. Possible species include Northern Pygmy, Northern Saw Whet, Great Horned, Long-eared, Barn and Boreal Owls. Bring warm clothing, good footwear, flashlights and a sense of awe. BCAS will provide drinks and snacks.
Scott,
Director
of the Colorado Avian Research and Rehabilitation Institute,
is an
artist/illustrator,
licensed bander, a
rehabilitator
of
injured birds, and an author whose books include, Small
Mountain Owls,
The
Great Horned Owl, an In-Depth Study and Northern Goshawk, The Gray
Ghost, and
his most recent,
Exploring the World of the Barn
Owl.
TRIP #4
COMANCHE NATIONAL GRASSLANDS
BIRDS, BUGS AND BOTANY
DAVE LEATHERMAN & PAM SMITH
Leaders: Entomologist & naturalist Dave Leatherman, Botanist, Pam Smith
Date: Friday-Sunday, May 15-17
Location: Based in Lamar
Fees: $150 per person
Limited to 10 people.
Join
Dave and Pam for this field
trip to Comanche
National Grasslands and
surrounding hotspots in
southeastern Colorado. This lightly
visited area contains
amazingly diverse and
biologically rich
habitats. You will be surprised to discover bird
species usually expected much
further south,
wooded hillsides that host Colorado’s only known nesting sites for
Painted Buntings and shaded pools with rare amphibians and
dragonflies.
After
hotel check-in Friday
afternoon, we will meet
at 6 p. m. at Willow Creek Park for a picnic dinner provided by BCAS,
followed by
a walk into
Lamar Community College
woods for migrants.
Later that
evening, perhaps a
Black Rail hunt if one has been seen or heard close to Lamar?
At 6:30
on Saturday, we
head off to the grasslands and canyons to
the south and west. The schedule and
destinations will be
fluid, depending on what is being reported in the area.
Target birds for Friday
evening in Lamar would be Mississippi Kite, possible eastern
warblers,
White-winged Dove, Northern Cardinal. Targets for Saturday south of
Lamar would be Chihuahuan Raven, Long-billed Curlew, Burrowing
Owl, Canyon Towhee,
Ash-throated Flycatcher, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Ladder-backed
Woodpecker, Mississippi Kite, Painted
and other buntings,
Eastern Phoebe, Greater Roadrunner, Curve-billed Thrasher, Pinyon
Jay, maybe a "red" tanager like Summer or Hepatic. Targets
for Sunday
morning north of Lamar would be eastern warblers
at Tempel's, Grove,
good shorebirds
at one of the Great Plains Reservoirs. Other things: Texas Horned
Lizard, Ring-necked Snake, Collared Lizard, Coachwhip, early
odonates.
Dave,
an entomologist by
profession, is also
a superb all-round naturalist
and observer.
Pam is an
outstanding botanist with the
Colorado Natural Heritage Program and an enthusiastic field teacher.
Included in the fees are two
leaders, gasoline
charges and the Friday
evening picnic. You are responsible for the hotel and all other
meals.
Participants must be
comfortable walking up to two miles on
and off
trail.
TRIP #5
MIGRATION BIG DAY AND BIG SIT
LUKE PHENEGER
Leader: Luke Pheneger
Date: May 16, all day
Location: Sawhill/Walden complex
Fee: $50
Limited to 15
Mid-May
is a sweet spot for witnessing the widest variety of migratory birds
in Boulder County. Join one of this area’s most accomplished young
birders, Luke Pheneger, for a big day adventure in this rich and
varied habitat. About 100 species should be attained with the
expected mix of ducks, geese, shorebirds, herons, egrets, hummers,
woodpeckers and songbirds, including warblers and sparrows. The
Sawhill and Walden conservation areas are surrounded by Boulder Creek
and include marshes, ponds, meadows and woods. Many rarities have
been reported over the years and with Luke’s exceptional eyes and
ears, you might well expect some pleasant surprises.
After
a full morning of birding, bring a folding chair, take your picnic
lunch break and do a Big Sit for a while, while all scan the skies
and marshes for more species. Then, it’s back for another loop
around the complex to see what has arrived.
BCAS
will provide soft
drinks
and treats. Be prepared to walk 2-3 miles and bring a
picnic lunch, binoculars,
scopes, cameras and the
usual
outdoor gear.
TRIP #6
JE CANYON RANCH REDUX
TWO NIGHTS AT THE GORGEOUS NATURE CONSERVANCY (TNC) PROPERTY IN SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO
Leaders: Mammologist, Carron Meaney and Biologist, Scott Severs
Date: Friday-Monday, May 22-24
Fees: $150 per person, you will be camping.
Limited to 10 people.
The
nearly 50,000 acre JE Canyon ranch was purchased by TNC and the Terra
Foundation in 2015.
It has since been
sold, but it still co-managed by TNC until the end of 2020. This is
our last chance to visit this astounding property. It
is bordered on three sides by 700 foot deep canyons of the Purgatoire
River and remote Chacuaco Creek. The ranch includes important short
grass prairie habitat, mile
high upland mesas, red
rock canyons, juniper
and pinons
forests, remnant ponderosa patches, and
numerous springs and
pools.
More
than 850 species of flora & fauna have been identified, making it
one of the most biodiverse ranches in the state which has been well
documented by TNC, the Colorado Natural Heritage Program and Denver
Botanic Gardens. JE is considered
one of the most iconic ranches in Colorado, featured in John
Fielder’s “Ranches of Colorado” and in “Colorado: Lost Places
and Forgotten Words.” It is critical habitat for the state’s
largest population of bighorn sheep as well as elk, mule deer,
mountain lion and numerous bird species including a highly important
population of Long-billed
Curlews.
Carron
received her PhD on pika scent-marking behavior. She served as
Curator of Mammals at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science for 10
years, then ran her own wildlife consulting business for 11 years.
Her expertise on Preble’s meadow jumping , helped
to draft the plan that would remove
it from
the Endangered Species list. She is currently semi-retired, and
continues her work on various projects locally and abroad.
Scott is a biologist
for the City of Longmont, a great birder and insect aficionado, who
previously worked for Carron.
We will have a pot-luck the first evening and you will be responsible for all other meals. BCAS will provide drinks and snacks. The ranch is a 4.5 hour drive via I-25, then 1 hour on dirt and gravel roads.
TRIP #7
BANDING BABY KESTRELS
SCOTT RASHID
Leader: Scott Rashid
Date: Early Evening, 1st half of June, 2020, depending on the birds
Location: TBD
Limited to 12 people
Donation: $50.00
American
Kestrels stand out as not only our smallest falcon, but by any
measure, the most attractive. Although not a species of concern, in
many areas population trends are indicating troubling to downright
frightening declines. With that in mind, Scott Rashid, Director of
the Colorado Avian Research and Rehabilitation Institute, has
installed many Kestrel nest boxes to help maintain sustainable local
numbers and provide a source of birds for expansion into abandoned or
underused ranges.
Learn
about their courtship
displays, breeding, brooding, when the eggs hatch and how and what
the young are fed.
Scott will talk about what scientists are positing as the primary
threats to their long term success. Learn if your property might be
suitable for a nest box and a video cam.
The
banding will take place in the northern part of Boulder County.
Boulder County Audubon will provide drinks and treats for the
participants. Bring your camera for great photo opportunities. Date
and place to be determined; it’s up to the Kestrels!
Scott
is an artist as well as a licensed bander and rehabilitator. He has
authored and illustrated the following books, all of which are
available through him: Small
Mountain Owls,
The
Great Horned Owl, an In-Depth Study and Northern Goshawk, The Gray
Ghost. His
newest, published in October of 2019:
Exploring The World Of The Barn Owl.
TRIP #8
BANDING BABY BARN OWLS
Scott Rashid
Leader:
Scott Rashid
Date: Early evening, last third of June, 2020, depending on the birds
Location: TBD
Limited to 12 people
Fee: $50.00
Back
by popular demand: In
2014, Scott Rashid, of
the Center for Avian Research and Rehabilitation Institute, (CARRI),
embarked on an experiment. Would there be more Barn Owls in Boulder
County if there were more breeding cavities? With grants from
Boulder County Audubon and
others, Scott began
installing nest boxes on private properties in northern Boulder
County. Since then, dozens of baby Barn Owls have fledged and been
banded. Thousands of people have addictively
watched one of his live web cams to follow the fascinating processes
of courtship, breeding, brooding, hatching and the feeding of
these enigmatic birds.
Join
us early one evening to
watch Scott band the nestlings from one of these sites on private
property. Scott will talk about the biology of this very special
species and the amazing
places in which some of
his bands have been recovered. You will have charming photo ops and
perhaps the opportunity to even hold one of the young.
Scott
is an artist as well as a licensed bander and rehabilitator. He has
authored and illustrated the following books, all of which are
available through him:
Small Mountain Owls, The Great Horned Owl, an In-Depth Study and
Northern Goshawk, The Gray Ghost. His
newest, published in October of 2019:
Exploring The World Of The Barn Owl.
TRIP #9
Emeralds? In The Woods?
HIGH ELEVATION DRAGONFLIES
AND BUTTERFLIES
John Barr
Leader: John Barr
Date: Sunday, June 21, meet at 9:30 a. m.
Location: Cal-Wood Education Center
Fee: $35
Limited to 8 for ½ day
Boulder
County Audubon has received permission to offer this very special
outing at the private, 1000 acre Cal-Wood Outdoor Education Center,
located in the foothills above Jamestown. This pristine land with
varied habitats will provide us with two ponds and vast meadows to
explore. Emeralds? refers to very special and rare dragonflies which
are only found at higher elevations. With glowing green eyes, they
are a find that anyone interested in Odonata will be thrilled to see.
You
can expect to find another dozen species of dragon and damselflies as
well as flowering meadows aflit with many types of butterflies.
John is a consummate outdoorsman, a great macro photographer and
intimately familiar with all of the local butterflies and
dragonflies.
Pack
a lunch to enjoy at Cal-Wood after the
mornings explorations. Expect to walk a mile or two along trails.
Bring your cameras and the usual outdoor gear.
TRIP
#10
EINE KLEINE NACHTMUSIK
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC With BUGS!!
SCOTT SEVERS
Leader:
Scott Severs
Date: August 15, 2020
Time: 6-9 p. m.
Location: TBD
Fee: $35, limited to 8
Join
Scott Severs for a late afternoon and early evening musical
experience with the singing Orthoptera: crickets, katydids, and
cicadas. This Order of insects provides the musical undertones to the
nights. We’ll learn how to find them, their adaptions to produce
their songs, and simple ways to record their voices. You will be
surprised by the variety of songs and and the beauty of the singers.
Bring
a camera with a flash and macro lens for close up photos. Scott is
one of Boulder County’s best all round naturalists, with a passion
for teaching.
TRIP #11
SOME BIRDS, MOSTLY HERPS
LINCOLN COUNTY, COLORADO
JOHN VANDERPOEL
Leader, John Vanderpoel
Date: Saturday and Sunday, October 10 and 11, 2020
Location: Based in Limon, CO
Fee: $125
Limited to 8
Lincoln
County is incredibly rich in reptiles with 11 species of snakes,
including 2 kinds of rattlers, 2 species of skink, Painted Turtles
and 4 types of lizards, most notably the Short-horned, a species of
special concern. October is the month when snakes heading to their
winter hibernacula become easier to spot along dirt roads in eastern
Colorado.
We
will leave from Boulder on Saturday morning, and in early afternoon,
visit a private ranch north of Limon to look for reptiles and birds.
During this late migration period, we are likely to find raptors,
sapsuckers, lingering warblers and wintering sparrows. After
breakfast on Sunday morning, we head east to work the gravel roads
for migrating snakes and reptiles. We will drive home later in the
afternoon..
Although
John is best known as an elite birder, he is passionate about
herpetology and makes several trips a year searching out various
species in their preferred Colorado habitats.
You
are responsible for the cost of your night in the hotel as well as
all meals. Most of Limon’s hotels serve breakfast to enjoy as it won’t
be necessary to start early on Sunday. BCAS
will provide snacks and soft drinks. We expect all
participants to listen carefully and obey all directions from John
concerning approaching any snakes. You will risk a, “time out”
if we feel that you are endangering yourself or others!