Apex Park Fully Reopens – All trails open to the public following flood recovery efforts

/0 Comments/in /by

by Tim Sandsmark, Lookout Region Supervisor, Jeffco Open Space

Apex Park fully reopened on Monday, Nov. 24 for the first time since the devastating floods of September 2013.

Apex Park Fully Reopens - All trails open to the public following flood recovery efforts Apex Park Fully Reopens - All trails open to the public following flood recovery efforts

Jeffco Open Space staff installed several bridges and abutments last week on lower Apex Trail, which was the only remaining area closed. To maximize efficiency and effectiveness, a helicopter was used to deliver the staff-built bridge decks to the park for final assembly and installation. Visitors can now access all 9.5 miles of trail at the popular 697-acre park.

With the full reopening, odd-day directional travel by mountain bikers will be reinstated on Apex, Argos and Enchanted Forest trails, as had been in effect prior to the flooding events.

The flood event severely damaged 3.8 miles – roughly 40 percent – of the trails at Apex Park, which was one of two Jeffco Open Space Parks closed in its entirety. Using a phased approach to recovery, staff and volunteers repaired washed-out segments of the Apex, Pick ‘N Sledge, Sluicebox, Enchanted Forest, Hardscrabble, Grubstake, Bonanza, Poco Calle and Argos trails.

Community support and staff dedication were vital to the recovery effort. Volunteers put in a total of 906 hours during 16 separate projects to reopen the Park for public enjoyment.

“We appreciate everybody’s patience and all the great support we’ve had from volunteers and trail users,” said Kim Frederick, Trail Services Supervisor for Jeffco Open Space. “We’re looking forward to completing flood recovery at other locations.”

Remaining repairs on the Mustang and Wrangler’s Run trails at White Ranch Park will continue during the winter as weather conditions allow. The projection to open those trails, as well as the Mesa Top Trail at North Table Mountain Park, is late spring or early summer 2015. Work is also ongoing on a formalized trailhead on the east side of Apex Park, which is slated to open in spring 2015.

Apex Park Fully Reopens Nov. 24 - All trails open to the public following flood recovery efforts

For a bird’s eye view of bridge installation, see www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Gp0CAeMoxA

MORE INFO:

Apex Park

Apex Park Update – Work Progresses on the New Trailhead

/0 Comments/in /by

by Tim Sandsmark, Lookout Region Supervisor, Jeffco Open Space

You may have noticed the flurry of activity happening at Apex Park. The large dirt mound from excavation and grading is now gone as work progresses on the new trailhead area. In addition, much work has occurred on the closed portion of the lower Apex Trail.

Trailhead Project

Jeffco Open Space and County Road and Bridge crews have been working steadily on completing the new restroom, walkways, grading of slopes for erosion control and construction of the new concrete trail extension. The current pace of activity is dependent on weather and barring other unforeseen circumstances.

Apex Park Trail Network

Most of Apex Park’s trails have been open since last winter, but a severely damaged section of the lower Apex Trail remains closed. State and local permits were obtained and final approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) occurred in October to make significant repairs. Efforts are progressing rapidly and require the installation of 3 bridges and a large culvert in the most heavily washed out areas. The bridges are being constructed off site and will be lifted into place by helicopter. Work is also taking place on trail erosion and maintenance efforts on the west section of Apex Trail.

Thanks to the efforts by our Open Space trails staff and many dedicated volunteers, we are still on track for the Apex Trail restoration efforts to be completed by November 26. Once the lower Apex Trail is reopened, the odd-day directional travel by mountain bike will be reinstated on Apex, Argos and Enchanted Forest Trails, as had been in effect prior to the flooding events.

Remaining activity will include repairs to the upper Apex Trail and the realignment of the damaged Pick N’ Sledge Trail which will continue into the Spring of 2015. Some limited trail detours or closures will occur for this remaining construction activity.

Apex Park Update - Work Progresses on the New Trailhead

Volunteers & Trails staff working on bridge abutments and trail repair on the lower Apex Trail on October 29th at Apex Park (Jefferson County Open Space).

MORE INFO:

Apex Park

Tuesday Birder group visits Lair ‘o’ Bear Open Space Park

/0 Comments/in /by

Author: Ann Bonnell

 

Tuesday Birders lead by Dave Hill, Ann Bonnell and Mary Keithler, visited Lair ‘o’ Bear, a Jeffco Open Space Park, on November 4th for a three hour walk amidst 31 – 53° weather to record bird species and numbers.

The following is their report:

Leader(s): Dave Hill, Ann Bonnell and Mary Keithler

Observers: 27 (three groups)

Time: 0900-1215

Distance: 8.5 miles on foot

Habitat: Riparian, cottonwood, willow, mixed aspen and conifers, some Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir & blue spruce.

Elevation: 6427’-7361’

Weather: Mostly sunny; 31-53°F, SW wind, 0-8 mph

Totals: 19 species +3 taxa., 163 individuals

Summary:

Mallard 4
Red-tailed Hawk 3
Downy Woodpecker 4
Northern Flicker 4
Steller’s Jay 11
Western Scrub-Jay 3
Black-billed Magpie 8
American Crow 6
Black-capped Chickadee 36
White-breasted Nuthatch 5
American Dipper 1
Townsend’s Solitaire 2
American Robin 3
American Tree Sparrow 6
Song Sparrow 7
White-crowned Sparrow 7
Dark-eyed Junco 38 including:

“White-winged” race – 1

“Oregon” race – 2

“Pink-sided” race – 4

“Gray-headed” race – 4
House Finch 14
American Goldfinch 1

Copyright © 2014 Ann Bonnell

Jefferson Conservation District

/0 Comments/in /by

The Jefferson Conservation District is a local unit of state government (a Title 32 Special District), one of 76 conservation districts in Colorado that work to provide a local voice on natural resource issues, and work collaboratively with private landowners, residential communities, and local, state and federal government entities to protect the natural resources of Jefferson, Gilpin, and Clear Creek Counties of Colorado’s Front Range. The district was formed 73 years ago in 1941.

What is a Conservation District?

Conservation districts grew out of the Dust Bowl of the Great Depression. Originally called the “Soil Conservation Districts” they were formed to bring landowners together to protect against widespread soil erosion. Since then their mission has evolved to include conservation of all natural resources, such as water, land, air, vegetation, and wildlife.

What does JCD do?

JCD, like most conservation districts in Colorado, works alongside local, state and federal partners to conserve natural resources within the district boundaries. Within our district, a few concerns dominate:

Wildfire Mitigation – The Front Range is subject to wildfires every summer from roughly April through November. Each summer brings the renewed threat that a wildfire will damage public and private property; degrade air quality, cause injury or loss of life. As more people chose to move into the “Wildland-Urban Interface” (the area populated by humans but not fully urbanized), the risk to property and safety become greater. JCD works with local landowners and agencies to reduce these risks with a selection of fuels treatment projects.

Forest Health – The majority of the land within the District’s boundaries is forested with a variety of common tree species. Human impacts such as timber production and wildfire suppression over the last 150 years have frequently left stands of uniformlyaged, uniformly-sized trees of a single species. These stands lack diversity and can be highly susceptible to insects and disease offering up massive amounts of readily-combustible fuel during a wildfire. JCD works with private landowners to encourage a healthy, resilient forest with a variety of forest management methods.

Source Water Protection – Over half of the drinking water supply for Denver and surrounding communities comes from streams and snowpack within our District boundaries. JCD works collaboratively with water providers, landowners and local communities to meet water quality standards and to conserve water.

Urban Agriculture – Increasing access to nutritious, local foods within our District is important to us, particularly as more residents become overweight and are disconnected from the source of their food. We work with a multitude of partners to educate the public on how to grow one’s own food and to encourage home and community gardens and farmers’ markets that are inclusive for people of all income levels. We also provide technical assistance to beginning urban farmers to implement appropriate conservation practices.

Noxious Weeds – Noxious weeds are ever-present on the Front Range and represent a threat to biodiversity and natural ecosystems’ stability. They are often water-hungry and spread quickly onto lands where they were never planted. JCD provides educational materials to landowners and communities, and sells a native grass seed mix designed specifically for the conditions on the Front Range.

JCD is housed by a long-standing agreement within the Denver Metro offices of the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency of the U.S Department of Agricultural. Our office is located in Building 56 of the Denver Federal Center.

Our mailing address is:

Jefferson Conservation District

DFC, Bldg. 56, Room 2604

PO Box 25426

Denver, CO 80225-0426

Our phone number is: 720-544-2870

Our web site is: www.jeffersonconservationdistrict.org 

Jeffco Open Space Communications and Community Involvement Plan

/0 Comments/in /by

The long-desired goal to develop a Jeffco Open Space Communications and Community Involvement Plan was completed in July and approved by the Advisory Committee at their August meeting. Multiple events garnered momentum for this plan, from the public input during the Crown Hill Park project to the process which updated the Jeffco Open Space Master Plan. Also, as a requirement of the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA), Jeffco Open Space has to have this plan in place.

The Overall Communications Goal is to provide accurate, consistent and timely information to Jeffco Open Space customers – Jefferson County residents, users of parks, trails and facilities, program participants, and service beneficiaries.

Increase awareness of Jeffco Open Space benefits, services, responsibilities and results by increasing Panorama subscriptions, Facebook fans and Twitter followers. Jeffco Open Space will collect email addresses and organize them by park, region and division for various communications.

Produce an annual report from the information contained in the Quarterly Management Reports and post on the Jeffco parks website (http://jeffco.us/parks/).

Improve communication and information management by:

Conducting a statistically valid, quantitative survey prior to updating the Master Plan.

Identify what the audience wants to hear, needs to hear, and already knows, while designing messages that address misconceptions and convey benefits. Seek feature reporting for compelling topics. Use a monthly feature on KUSA-TV’s “Colorado and Company” to address specific issues.

Support rangers in creating materials related to health, safety and natural resource protection issues in our parks, including Share & Care messages.

Employ multimedia communications:

Traditional media – Issue news releases to media — newspapers, radio and television stations. Solicit coverage from individual reporters.

Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube) – Create compelling messages, initiate contests and invite participation. Utilize videos to help convey complex information and highlight enjoyable recreation and nature/history experiences.

Brochures and other printed materials – Use graphic standards and warm, friendly and easy-to-understand messages.

Website – Continually improve and update the website. Review analytics quarterly. Keep content fresh and succinct.

Signs/Kiosks/Displays – Follow style guide, graphics and sign standards. Develop attractive and engaging displays to invite public dialogue at community festivals and promote attention at parades. Construct and maintain a photo database for easy retrieval of images by location and subject.

Increase employee motivation and satisfaction by:

Providing opportunities for employee dialogue and recognition

Supporting the acknowledgment of extraordinary work through award nominations and media placements Supporting continuing education, networking and training for Communications Team members.

The Community Involvement Goal is to increase public involvement that allows Jeffco Open Space to receive information from the community on an ongoing or project-specific basis. This will help Jeffco Open Space formulate decisions related to their projects, programs and services.

Define and promote methods for citizens to communicate needs and interests.

Invite public involvement and make processes apparent.

Build stronger relationships through better community relations.

Develop and implement community involvement guidelines and strategies suited to each circumstance.

Employ email lists and newsletters to invite participation.

Use contacts at Homeowners Associations to invite participation.

Continually improve and provide opportunities for feedback and input.

Engage the public through participation in community festivals, parades and events hosted by partner organizations and neighboring municipalities.

Invite participation through communication mechanisms.

Acknowledge public participation through posting of comments in listening logs, or showing polling results for a particular effort on the website and in media releases.

Marketing Goals:

Increase awareness of Open Space and Parks and our role in enriching life.

Help connect outdoor recreation with health.

Collect, provide and maintain email contacts and subscriptions to promote the benefits and opportunities of life-enriching experiences.

Key Messages to be featured in the planned communications include:

Enriching Life – Jeffco Parks and its divisions enrich life. We provide quality experiences for our customers, visitors, participants, staff and volunteers. With unique and accessible parks across the County and knowledgeable, caring staff, we offer an enduring value for businesses, their employees and the community at large.

Share & Care – Knowledge is powerful. By having an understanding of the value of the outdoors and the amenities within Jeffco Parks, our customers will have a greater appreciation for the park resources that we steward. The Share & Care message is reinforced by Leave No Trace ethics, natural resource management expertise, and programs provided by Colorado State University (CSU) Extension, Lookout Mountain Nature Center and Hiwan Homestead Museum. A variety of volunteer opportunities allows the public to engage in sharing and caring for their parks in a deeper way, and extends the work of the organization.

Lifelong learning and award-winning programs may be emphasized under the banner of Share and Care.

Nature-Health Connection – Enhance the ongoing partnership with Jeffco Public Health to call attention to research connecting outdoor recreation with better health. Produce monthly news releases shared with cities and districts for their communication outlets. Promote healthy opportunities for citizens, promoting physical and economic vitality in the process. 

Dinner Speaker Describes Elk Mountains Retreat

/0 Comments/in /by

by Vicky Gits

Ian Billick, PhD, the executive director of one of the nation’s renowned biological laboratories, founded 80 years in the Colorado ghost town of Gothic, spoke May 8 at Plan Jeffco’s annual dinner with the commissioners at the Applewood Golf Course. Dr. Billick introduced the dinner attendees to the activities of the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL), a scientific research outpost eight miles north of Crested Butte and the Crested Butte ski area. The summer program at this famous biological study center attracts students, scientists, and tourists.

Ian Billick was appointed to head the nonprofit 501c(3) organization in March 2012. He is a graduate of the University of California at San Diego and previously was a student and worked at the lab. He was a visiting professor at Truman State University and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Houston, conducting ecological research on population and community biology prior to accepting the RMBL opportunity.

The RMBL provides living facilities, access to research sites and laboratory sites and helps manage the information generated by resident scientists. The lab employs a staff that varies seasonally from 10 to 75 people and maintains 70 buildins on 1,300 acres. The lab is a gathering place for leading scientists and provides an outdoor classroom where the next generation of field scientists can be mentored.

The lab is inaccessible to the public in the winter but in the summer months welcomes visitors and offers workshops and special classes for children. It operates on a budget of about $2 million a year.

The RMBL Education Program offers students the opportunity to decide if a career in field biology is right for them in an active scientific community with up to 160 scientists, postdocs, graduate students, staff and family members.

RMBL has had the opportunity in the last 80 years to document the positive and negative effects of climate change on the ecology surrounding Gothic. The recent effects are that some migrating birds are arriving earlier in the spring, before some of the insects have hatched. The climate change also is affecting those mammals that inhabit the higher altitudes as the warmer temperatures are forcing them to even higher altitudes where there is less forage.

More information on the laboratory is available at www.rmbl.org 

House Votes to Make Conservation Tax Incentive Permanent

/0 Comments/in /by

Land Trust Alliance
Website: www.landtrustalliance.org

Land Trust Alliance - House Votes to Make Conservation Tax Incentive PermanentIn a show of bipartisanship, the U.S. House of Representatives today passed the House bill to make permanent an enhanced tax incentive for conservation of farmland, rangeland, woodlands and other important open spaces. The bill, which included other charity provisions, passed by a vote of 277-130.

This has been a priority for the Land Trust Alliance since 2006, and it represents a huge victory for conservation that reflects the strength of our community, which came together to urge Congress to act. This would not have been possible without land trust leaders from across the country reaching out to their representatives and their congressional staff to demonstrate the importance of this legislation to voters in their district.

The measure now goes to the Senate, where we have strong support, but will face new challenges in breaking through a legislative logjam.

So please join me in taking some time to celebrate, and then stay tuned for next steps on the march to permanence.

Your Help Needed to Make the Easement Incentive Permanent. … learn how to get involved »

Don’t Miss Rally 2014 (Sept. 18 – 20) in Providence, RI… more info and register online » 

Open Space Local Grants

/0 Comments/in /by

On February 11, the Board of County Commissioners approved the 2014 Local Grants as recommended by the Open Space Advisory Committee. Funds for the grants come from the County share of Lottery proceeds and Open Space Sales Tax Funds. Non-profits, recreation districts, and cities are eligible to apply for grants. Grants from the lottery proceeds must be used on publicly owned lands. Approximately $1.2 million are available for these annual grants.

Grants to non-profits included:

Beaver Ranch Community, $10,125 for improvements to the caretaker residence at Conifer Community Park (Beaver Ranch.) The improvements include insulation, some mold remediation, kitchen renovation with new appliances, and a new water heater.

Evergreen Audubon Society, $5,475 for a sign at the entrance to Evergreen Lake Park, two mural panels, and two new exhibits.

Grants to Park & Recreation Districts and Cities included:

Apex Park & Rec. Dist., $225,000 to partially fund 8 pickle ball courts, restrooms, and shelters at the Simms Street Center ( at 82nd).

Columbine Knolls Rec Dist., $11,375 to partially fund improvements at Marker Park including new swing set, Freenote outdoor instruments, and a separate water line to the restrooms.

Evergreen Park & Rec Dist., $79,000 to partially fund replacement and expansion of the boardwalk along the lake and to hard surface the trail to the Nature Center.

Foothills Park & Rec Dist., $100,000 to partially fund replacement of the playground at the Ridge Recreation Center.

Ken-Caryl Ranch Metro Dist., $42,733 to partially fund replacement of the playground at the Community Park.

South Suburban Park & Rec Dist., $6,125 to partially fund a port-o-let enclosure at TrailMark Park.

City of Arvada, $55,000 to partially fund development of Griffith-Station Community Park, 52nd & Carr.

City of Golden, $223,788 to partially fund a trail along 44th Avenue between Golden and Salvia Street.

City of Lakewood, $100,000 to assist in remediation to Bear Creek Lake Park from the 2013 flood damage.

Five weeks after the Advisory Committee had recommended the Master Plan on January 9, a group from the “development community” expressed concerns to the Commissioners and testified at the February 11 Commissioner meeting where approval of the Master Plan was scheduled. The expressed concern was that they had not had time to review the maps. The Commissioners then delayed approval until they could convey specific concerns to Open Space. They were then invited by Tom Hoby to meet personally and that was declined. Tom then requested that they have comments to Open Space by February 24, prior to the March 6, OSAC meeting. The comments were received February 27.

One of the concerns was that some of the balloons surrounding areas containing rare plants and wildlife could be interpreted that all of the land within the balloon was potential for acquisition by Open Space. As such could impact property values and would be considered during rezoning. In actuality, the balloons were from the biodiversity study done by Natural Heritage Program at CSU and are used so that the exact location of the rare plant or wildlife is not shown. Also the Open Space Master Plan is never considered during a rezoning application.

A second concern was the ability of a land owner who did not want Open Space to consider their property, to have the Master Plan maps show exclusions. Open Space has had a policy since the 2008 Master Plan than any landowner could request that their property not be considered. Until this February, no land owner had requested exclusion. A statement to this effect is included in the 2014 Master Plan text. Since the maps are conceptual, staff and OSAC felt that showing these exclusions on a map would serve no purpose.

At the March 6, OSAC meeting language was added to the Master Plan explaining that the maps contained information relative to all of Jefferson County and that the Open Space Acquisition Criteria focus on land that usually is different than lands suitable for commercial and residential development.

At the Board of County Commissioners on March 18, one of the developers testified that there should be no policy of exclusion, and thanked Open Space for the language that they developed to meet his concerns. The person who asked to have his lands excluded thanked Open Space for agreeing to exclude his lands and to show this on the maps when they are finalized. The Commissioners then approved the Master Plan as presented by Open Space.

The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) Results Are In – from the February 2014 Count!

/1 Comment/in /by

by Michelle Poolet & Ann Bonnell

Website: gbbc.birdcount.org

The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) Results Are In from the February 2014 Count!The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) results are in, and it was a success, with 144,109 checklists submitted, 4,296 different species observed, and 17,748,756 individuals birds counted between February 14-17, 2014!

Browse the results online on the National Audubon/Cornell website:

Results for Jefferson County (Colorado): Jefferson County

Hot Spots for Jefferson County, which includes a number of Jeffco Open Space Parks: Hot Spots for Jefferson County

Results for the nation and worldwide: National and Worldwide Results

The GBBC is one of the more popular projects run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, powered by thousands of citizen-scientists located in nearly every corner of the world. These citizen-science participants are part of one of the world’s largest research teams, gathering data on a scale that would be impossible to achieve otherwise. Scientists analyze these data to understand how birds are affected by environmental change, including climate change, urbanization, pollution, and land use. Participants learn about birds and have opportunities to see their own data on maps along with those of thousands of other participants.

The next Great Backyard Bird Count is scheduled for Friday, February 13 through Monday, February 16, 2015.

Bird watchers and enthusiasts can also check out the following bird projects:

Project eBird »

Count birds anytime, anywhere. A real-time, online checklist program, eBird has revolutionized the way that the birding community reports and accesses information about birds. Launched in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, eBird provides rich data sources for basic information on bird abundance and distribution at a variety of spatial and temporal scales.

Other Citizen-Science Projects »

Find other citizen-science projects on the Cornell website.

Project FeederWatch »

Each year, 15,000 people count birds at their feeders for Project FeederWatch. With more than 1.5 million checklists submitted since 1987, FeederWatchers have contributed valuable data enabling scientists to monitor changes in the distribution and abundance of birds. Using FeederWatch data, scientists have studied the influence of nonnative species on native bird communities, examined the association between birds and habitats, and tracked unpredictable movements in winter bird populations. Participants gain from the rewarding experience of watching birds at their feeders and contributing their own observations to reveal larger patterns in bird populations across the continent.

Project NestWatch »

By finding and monitoring bird nests, NestWatch participants help scientists track the breeding success of birds across North America. Participants witness fascinating behaviors of birds at the nest and collect information on the location, habitat, bird species, number of eggs, and number of young. Scientists use these data to track the reproductive success of North American breeding birds across the continent. Launched in 2007 with funding from the National Science Foundation, NestWatch has collected more than 100,000 nesting records. Combined with historic data, this information will help scientists address how birds are affected by large-scale changes such as global climate change, urbanization, and land use.

Project Bird Cam »

By watching Bird Cams online, visitors from around the world enjoy live images and streaming videos of birds at their nests. Most recently, our Bird Cams have allowed viewers to follow the courtship, nesting, and chick-raising activities of Red-tailed Hawks, Great Blue Herons, and Osprey. Bird Cams are a unique learning experience for the study and appreciation of animal behavior, viewed by hundreds of thousands of people in more than 130 countries.

Project Celebrate Urban Birds »

Celebrate Urban Birds engages urban and rural residents in science, cultural, and community activities related to birds. Participants receive or download a free kit with posters, flower seeds, and data forms, then observe a small, defined bird-watching area for 10 minutes and report on the presence or absence of 16 species of birds. The project assesses the value of green spaces for birds, ranging in size from a potted plant to half a basketball court. Launched in 2007, Celebrate Urban Birds has partnered with nearly 5,000 community organizations and distributed more than 100,000 kits in English and Spanish. The National Forum on Children and Nature selected Celebrate Urban Birds as one of 30 nationally significant projects to connect children with the outdoors.

Project YardMap Network »

Now in Beta, the YardMap Network is an NSF-funded project that builds online communities to investigate the impacts of bird-friendly and carbon-neutral practices in backyards, community gardens, and parks. Participants will locate their yards or parks on a Google maps interface, then document their sustainable practices, such as adding native plants, putting up bird feeders, installing a solar panel, or biking to work. YardMap will serve as a detailed site description for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s citizen-science bird observations. By providing access to rich media resources for learning about sustainable practices and enabling people share their maps and practices with each other, YardMap strives to create online conservation communities engaged in real life sustainable practices. The YardMap Network will be tested and launched in 2011, in partnership with the National Audubon Society, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Roger Tory Peterson Institute, Empire State College’s online alumni program, and the American Community Gardening Association.

Educational Articles »

Learn more about local bird species in Jefferson County, Colorado on the PLAN Jeffco Articles that Educate page. 

The Great Backyard Bird Count between Friday, February 14 & Monday, February 17. Have You Watched Any Birds Lately?

/1 Comment/in /by

by Ann Bonnell
Website: www.birdsource.org

Birdwatching has become a leading national pastime/hobby. If you enjoy watching birds consider joining with other birdwatchers in keeping a list of birds you see between Friday, February 14 and Monday, February 17; it’s the Great Backyard Bird Count, or GBBC for short.

Over 135,000 individuals recorded their bird sightings from 100 countries in last year’s count. They counted 3,610 different species of birds. You count species and numbers of birds you see for at least 15 minutes in your backyard, driving somewhere, or in a park. If you Google the word Birdsource, you will be taken to the joint National Audubon/Cornell website where you can download a data form ahead of time and watch a video tutorial on how to go about your count and record it on eBird.

All this information is added to the Christmas Bird Count and the Cornell Feeder Watch projects. This massive amount of data from birding volunteers helps determine the habits and locations of wintering birds. If you need some help turning in your bird count information, you can check with The Front Range Birding Company – 303-979-2473, or Wild Birds Unlimited stores – 303-987-1065. The Front Range Birding Company is also having a Big Year Contest. You enter the birds that you’ve seen in 2014 on eBird and whoever has the highest number of different bird species at the end of 2014 wins. Front Range Birding Company also sponsors monthly bird trips.

If you are interested in learning more about birds in Colorado or the U.S., there are many opportunities in the Denver area. For example: I have a monthly subscription to Birdwatching Magazine. In the February issue I learned there are 10 different forms of Red Crossbills. They are differentiated not by their plumage, but by their calls! The forms may have slightly differently shaped bills depending on what species of cone they are usually extracting seeds from. In our area we could have the Ponderosa Pine Crossbill whose call sounds like “chowpchowp.” We might find the Lodgepole Pine Crossbill whose call sounds like “clip-clip.” The Crossbills are truly fascinating because their bills appear to cross over each other at the tips.

The same magazine had an interesting article on the history of the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon. Many of us learned a few years ago that the bird we call a Rock Dove that looks just like the pigeons in the park had its name changed to Rock Pigeon. I just received notice from eBird saying that all of the Rock Pigeons (formerly called Rock Doves) in the U.S. should be documented as Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon), as none of ours are really wild and all came from domestic stock. There are some places in the world which have truly wild pigeon stock, but the U.S. is not one of these.

eBird is a wonderful website where you are able to enter any list of birds you have seen on an outing or static location (like your back yard). It helps you keep track and helps Cornell University understand where birds are found year round.

Other ways to learn more: Check out the Denver Field Ornithologists website,for free birding trips each week. If you join, you can get their Lark Bunting newsletter in hard-copy or electronically. They have meetings many months of the year at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, with outstanding speakers on various birding topics. Check out Colorado Field Ornithologists for more in-depth information about Colorado Birds at www.cfobirds.org. They have a quarterly journal Colorado Birds. Jefferson County Open Space sponsors bird walks. The Audubon www.dfobirders.org for free birding trips each week. If you join, you can get their Lark Bunting newsletter in hard-copy or electronically. They have meetings many months of the year at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, with outstanding speakers on various birding topics. Check out Colorado Field Ornithologists for more in-depth information about Colorado Birds at www.cfobirds.org. They have a quarterly journal Colorado Birds. Jefferson County Open Space sponsors bird walks. The Audubon Society of Greater Denver sponsors many birding programs; some are free and some have a minimal charge, www.Denveraudubon.org. Their newsletter, The Warbler, has a separate section on birding excursions. Evergreen Audubon’s newsletter The Dipper (www.Evergreenaudubon.org) lists many opportunities to learn about birds. The city of Denver and Highlands Ranch both have bird walks. Many of the State Parks have special bird programs; check out their websites and your nearby State Park at Colorado Parks and Wildlife on the web. Boulder Audubon has special programs and walks. Tuesday Birders go out weekly – contact Mary Keithler – mk*******@ya***.com. South Suburban Park and Rec’s Carson Center, close to Mineral and Santa Fe, sponsors special bird walks and national and international trips for bird watchers. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science sponsors monthly bird walks. Enjoy your birds and soon you will find yourself noticing more wild flowers, butterflies, trees, the sound of running streams, a beautiful sunrise or sunset, a light rain shower, “Wow, what fun.”