Hikes and Events
Birds of Prey Slide Show
Tuesday, December 9; 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Longmont Public Library, 4th Avenue and Emery Street, Longmont, Meeting Rooms A & B
Learn how to recognize birds of prey, or raptors — hawks, eagles, falcons, and owls — in the winter skies above Boulder County. During this slide presentation, you’ll observe and learn how to distinguish between different raptors by identifying common field marks. You will also learn about the habitat requirements, behavior, and ecology of these magnificent birds. All ages are welcome.
Birds of Prey Driving Tour
Saturday, December 13; 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Registration is limited; meeting location will be provided to registered participants.
Join volunteer naturalists for a driving tour of some of Boulder County’s best areas to view birds of prey, or raptors. We will carpool from our meeting place, searching for raptors, learning about habitat and behavior, and working on our observation and identification skills. Bring water, lunch or a snack, binoculars, spotting scopes, and a bird field guide if you have them. Older children are welcome. Register by calling 303-678-6214, or emailing lcolbenson@bouldercounty.org no later than the Thursday before each scheduled Saturday tour.
Wildlife and Winter Hike
Sunday, December 14; 10 a.m.-noon
Heil Valley Ranch Open Space (south trailhead); north of Boulder off Lefthand Canyon Drive; meet at group picnic shelter
Join volunteer naturalists to observe seasonal changes and to discover how wildlife in the foothills prepares for winter. You’ll learn about behavioral and physiological adaptations to the shortening days and cooling temperatures, and also look for signs of wildlife that are active year-round. Participants should be prepared for a slow-paced hike of about 2 miles.
Nature Hike for Seniors
Thursday December 18, 10 a.m. –noon
Rabbit Mountain Open Space
The last Thursday of every month (* except as noted below), the Boulder County Parks and Open Space Department hosts a senior’s hike at a county park. Join us this winter for an informal, slow-paced hike along a county trail. All programs begin at 10 a.m. and end no later than noon. Programs will include information about an area’s history, wildlife and current resource management projects, unless specified otherwise. We’ll meet you at the park entrance kiosk, unless another location is listed below. Please call in advance if you plan to bring a large group so we have enough naturalists at the program. For more information and directions to open space properties, please call 303-678-6214, or email lcolbenson@bouldercounty.org.
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For information about these programs or to arrange a volunteer-led program for your group please contact:
Larry Colbenson, Natural History Program Coordinator, Boulder County Parks and Open Space
303-678-6214 or lcolbenson@bouldercounty.org
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Museums
Visit the Agricultural Heritage Center
8348 Ute Highway 66 west of Longmont
Open to the public the first Saturday of each month November through March from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, with tours starting at 11:00am. Groups may make special arrangements for tours.
Learn about the rich agricultural history of Boulder County. This site gives special focus to the years 1900 to 1925 when local families prospered as farmers and witnessed the coming of the Modern Age. The farm includes two barns, an outhouse, a milk house, a blacksmith shop, and a 1909 farmhouse furnished with items from the 1910s
For more information, call 303-776-8688 or send e-mail to jdrew@bouldercounty.org.
