July 15, 2024

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Registration and class details for all BCNA classes

Discover the Details of Boulder County's Ecosystems with Our Plant Identification and Ecology Courses!

🌿 Saturday, August 10 – Willows of Boulder County Field Class

Dive into the fascinating world of willows with expert botanist Gwen Kittel! This hands-on field class offers a unique opportunity to explore various sites in Boulder County and learn to identify these tricky yet beautiful plants.

Gwen Kittel, the author of Willows (Salix) of Colorado: Their Ecology and Identification, will lead the tour and show how to identify willows in their natural habitats, including wetlands, streams, ditches, and forests. We will see as many as 15 different species of willows on this tour.

Whether you're a beginner or an expert, this class is perfect for anyone interested in riparian and wetland ecology.

Registration and class details for Willows of Boulder County

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🌱 Saturday, August 24 – Todd Gulch Fen Phenology

Curious about fens and phenology? Join Gwen Kittel for an insightful journey into these rare wetland mountain ecosystems.

As we discover the unique characteristics of fen wetlands, we’ll cover plant identification and learn how to document the phenological stages (bud burst, flowering, fruiting, etc.) of wildflowers, sedges, shrubs and even conifer trees!

Todd Gulch Fen is designated in the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan as an Environmental Conservation Area because of its high biodiversity.

Join us and be part of a community dedicated to understanding and preserving our natural environment!

Registration and class details for Todd Gulch Fen Phenology

Birds and Butterflies of Boulder Tallgrass Prairies

Friday, August 2, 7:30am

As a prelude to the August 8th presentation, "History from a Birds Eye View," Steve Jones and Scott Severs, both expert birders, are leading an informative field trip to talk about and look for the many changes in bird and butterfly communities as a result of the changes in human land use in Boulder County.  Learn how the building of cities, planting of trees, creation of water projects and other human activities have ushered in many bird and butterfly species and ushered out others.  Identify the factors that still make Boulder County so rich in biodiversity.

Boulder’s protected tallgrass prairies, among the largest tallgrass remnants along the northern Front Range, still support native prairie birds. However, the invasion of deciduous trees along South Boulder Creek and the Boulder urban fringe has given the species composition a decidedly eastern flavor. We should see some typical prairie birds such as lark sparrow, grasshopper sparrow, and Western Meadowlark; but also expect Blue Grosbeak, Cedar Waxwing, Blue Jay, and other species more typical of eastern deciduous woodlands.

As for butterflies, abundant milkweed plants support monarchs and viceroys, and we may see one or two Arogos Skippers, which lay their eggs on the big bluestem. We should also get an intimate look at some of the tallgrass blossoms.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn about our local history through the lens of birdlife!

Registration and class details for Birds and Butterflies

The left drawing of Boulder was done in 1874 and used with permission of the Carnegie Library for Local History, Boulder. The photo on the right is a recent aerial photo of Boulder. Notice the change in vegetation as well as in buildings.

History from a Birds Eye View

Thursday, August 8 at 6:30 pm

Lafayette Public Library, 775 W. Baseline Road

Come explore our local history from an avian perspective. Learn how the building of cities, planting of trees, creation of water projects, and other human activities have ushered in many species (including some of the most familiar) and ushered out others. We’ll delve into the impacts of development and human activity on bird life in Boulder County through a presentation, Exploring History through Avian Perspectives:  Changes in Feathered Fauna in an Evolving Landscape, by Lafayette Open Space naturalist, Martin Ogle, and Gerry Morrell from the Lafayette Historical Society.

This presentation is free, and registration is not required.

A big thank you to all who currently support BCNA!

Please consider renewing today if you have not already done so. New members are always welcome!