Northern Saw-whet Owls have been called a “gateway drug to conservation” by ornithologist and author Scott Weidensaul. When the volunteers spot the little owl in the hand of the researcher, it’s easy to see why. Pupils widen, smiles break out, and “oohhhs” and “awws” are abound; it’s hard to resist the charm of this owl.
Driving across the plains it is easy to distinguish Conservation Reserve Program fields from original intact rangeland. The vegetation is dense and clumpy with tall stalks and layers of decomposing litter. For some birds, like a Grasshopper Sparrow or a Scaled Quail, CRP makes a significant difference; it IS habitat. For other species…
Of course, this story is about more than just the journey of a single bird between its breeding and wintering grounds. In many ways, it speaks to the work that is at the core of Bird Conservancy of the Rockies: connecting people and places through the common thread of birds.
I never saw myself as someone who could make an impact on birds or the environment. Birds were my hobby, not my field of expertise or my profession. And for most of my life, I was certainly not an activist or an organizer. But then the cranes found me, called to me, and I could not resist that call.
Each summer, campers gather from along the Front Range of Colorado to experience the magic that is Bird Camp! Weekly sessions run Monday through Friday, roughly from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and serve ages 4-17. As the season starts, we kick off with Birding Adventure Camp in early June.
As I stumble out of my tent at 4 a.m. my eyes squint to a blanket of stars in the dark sky above me. My red headlamp light illuminates my tent as I gather my gear, and get ready for my ascent to Columbine falls in Rocky Mountain National Park, a mere 2.6 miles and 1,475 ft gain in elevation to the falls along the Longs Peak trail. This trail is popular among hikers that attempt to summit Longs Peak.
This summer, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies partnered with the Colorado Natural Heritage Program to host two undergraduate students from Colorado State University as interns through the Siegele Internship Program. This internship program creates paid opportunities for early career professionals to get hands-on experience with biologists to gain field skills, explore their interests, and assist with conservation and monitoring programs across a variety of environmental applications.
Bird populations have been declining for decades, with three billion birds lost over the last 50 years. Understanding the drivers of these loses is a monumental task because most bird species have ranges that span large expanses across a mosaic of land uses.
The arid, shortgrass prairie and farm fields of the panhandle of Western Nebraska are the last place you might think to look for a shorebird. But this is exactly the place that Thane Dinsdale found himself on May 12, 2024 near Kimball, Nebraska searching for the elusive Mountain Plover also referred to as the prairie ghost.
It is that time of year when weeds take over gardens and landscapes, absorbing moisture and feeding bugs. Read on to learn more about the complexities of weeds and invasive species.
