Learn More
What’s disappearing from our forests? Birds
A Brown-capped rosy finch. Mark Fuller photo.
What do the Brown-capped rosy finch, Rufous hummingbird, Evening grosbeak and Pinyon jay all have in common? Well, they are all beautiful. They’re also among the bird species that could become a rare sight in the Roaring Fork Valley, if we see them at all.
Don’t tread on the redd! It’s spawning time
The vibrant spring colors of a rainbow trout.
Warming spring days lure anglers to local rivers hoping to hook up with willing trout. The trout, meanwhile, are busy seeking their own sort of hookup. It is a well-documented conflict: winter-weary fly fishers get passionate about their favorite pursuit just as the trout get passionate about each other.
Big interest in a small flower
The stream orchid (Epipactis gigantea) at Filoha Meadows.
A small flower at Filoha Meadows Nature Preserve may be the single most-studied species on a Pitkin County Open Space and Trails property. The locally rare stream orchid (Epipactis gigantea) has been of keen interest since it was first discovered after land purchases in 2001 and 2003 created the Preserve. In-depth monitoring of the plant began in 2018.
