This summer, as you work on your landscaping, try to select plants that attract wildlife while still enhancing the beauty of your garden. It’s called “naturescaping,” and it can be quite a challenge at high elevations. David Menough, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited of Arvada and a Master Gardener, offers five plant species that are not only beautiful but hardy, fruitful and bird friendly.
RMBO biologists and field technicians are once again preparing to fan out across mountains, prairies and high deserts to conduct breeding bird surveys under the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR) program. Biologist Nick Van Lanen provides an update on trainings for IMBCR surveys, including a rare bird spotted by a crew member – and former RMBO camper – in South Dakota.
On the third Saturday in May, Wildlands Day is held at Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area. More than a hundred people attended this year’s event to enjoy the abundance of plants and wildlife in the hills of western Nebraska. Educator Maggie Vinson writes about the day and makes a great case for attending the seventh incarnation of the event in 2014.
Binoculars are an essential tool for any birder, but how do you pick out a good pair? There are many factors to consider to make sure you get the best pair for you. David Menough, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited of Arvada, offers tips on selecting binoculars so you get the best birding experience.
RMBO’s field crew discovered its first Mountain Plover nest of the season on May 8. After the cold start to spring, this newly laid nest with a clutch of three eggs was an important find. Biologist Larry Snyder writes about the find and RMBO’s plover nest conservation program on the RMBO blog.
The pine-oak and cloud forests of West Mexico are critical habitat for endemic and migrant bird species. In March, RMBO wrapped up its first year of surveying birds in the region. Our technicians offer a report from Jalisco, Mexico, on their experiences surveying in this challenging, beautiful terrain, including a list of unique species detected.
Eastern Screech-Owls are the most common owl species in North America, yet little is known about their habitat needs or population dynamics. To fill these knowledge gaps – and get citizens involved in science linked to their natural environment – RMBO launched a new project last month in Fort Collins, Colorado, to monitor Eastern Screech-Owls along the Cache la Poudre River.
Mid-April has arrived, and every year at this time our minds turn to the same thing. No, not taxes. Hummingbirds! Scott Menough, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited of Denver, offers tips on attracting these spectacular hovering jewels of nature to your backyard.
There are few sights in life more majestic than a Bald Eagle soaring across a clear blue sky. Fortunately, this is a far more common occurrence today than it was 40 years ago. Educator Emily Snode writes about RMBO’s Bald Eagle Watch and its impact on Bald Eagle populations along the Front Range.
Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory had a productive and successful first field season studying Baird’s and Grasshopper Sparrow overwintering survival and habitat use in the Chihuahuan Desert grasslands of northern Mexico. From early November to early March, RMBO gathered a massive amount of novel and informative data on these two species at Reserva Ecológica El Uno near Janos, Chihuahua, Mexico.
