Boulder, CO & Surroundings
26-31
July 2005
by
Henry Detwiler
I took advantage of a training class in Boulder to explore the area
more, visiting Brainard Recreation Area and Rocky Mt. National Park.
93
species -- bird list is at the bottom of the page
Click on
thumbnail pictures for full-sized photos. 
| The afternoon I arrived it was quite cool, but the
days gradually warmed up into the 80's. Long days meant that I
could escape to the mountains after class. The first afternoon
was the only time I actually visited lowland sites: Walden Ponds
and Barr Lake State Park. |
Dark-eyed Junco - Brainard Recreation Area |
Long Lake - Brainard Recreation Area
|
I spent two late afternoons and evenings at Brainard Recreation
Area, the site of many beautiful lakes and Mt. Audubon.
Beautiful trails and lots of birds (juncos, jays, thrushes, warblers
and chickadees) were the order of the day. |
| No matter where I went, flowers were blooming in
profusion. From the fields around Boulder to the tundra at the
mountain tops. The columbines on the right were seen on the way
up the Mt. Audubon trail. |
Colorado Columbines
Brainard
Recreation Area
|
|
Brainard Recreation Area
|
There were many trails to choose from. This
trail to Long Lake went through some swampy areas (note the boards),
and had lots of flowers.
 |
|
American Dipper - Boulder Creek
Along part of the old Boulder Creek road, I found a pair of American
Dippers feeding above and below the water line. |
American Dipper family
They spent a good part of their time under an old bridge, so I
took a peek. There I saw a big round nest with two gaping mouths
looking back at me. They weren't shy at all when Mama came
back to feed them. |
|
Peeling Bark - Brainard
Recreation Area
|
The bark on this pine (or juniper) reminded me of the bristlecone
pines I'd seen years before in western Nevada. It glowed a
beautiful tan in the filtered light.
|
|
In Yuma, we see lots of
Yellow-rumped Warblers in the winter; it was great to see them here
in their breeding plumage. And just like at home, they weren't
a bit shy here, either. This one, as well as others, came
quite close to investigate my "pishing". |
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Brainard Recreation Area
|
|
Clark's Nutcrackers
Brainard Recreation Area |
On Friday afternoon I climbed up the trail to Mt.
Audubon and topped out on the tundra overlooking Long and Brainard
Lakes. Here the birds were White-crowned Sparrows, American
Pipits, and this unlikely trio of Clark's Nutcrackers (the 3rd one
was fly catching).
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