All Dave’s hikes are free and open to everyone. Follow instructions below to sign up. Since hikes fill up quickly and often have a waiting list, please let Dave know right away if you need to cancel a reservation.
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Ribbons of Life: The Music of Creeks and Rivers. PROGRAM FULL
Saturday October 11, 9:30 – 11:30 am
From the Blue Danube to the mighty Moldau, rivers and creeks have inspired composers to create heart-stopping melodies. Join community naturalist Dave Sutherland to enjoy a little water music on an easy walk along one of our local creeks to learn how this meandering green ribbon shapes the lives of creatures great and small along its banks. Beautiful fall colors promised at no extra charge! We’ll share musical excerpts along the way and challenge everyone: how would YOU try to capture the creek with music? Meet at the front entrance of the East Boulder Recreation Center, 5660 Sioux Dr. This program is free and offered in collaboration with the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra. Bonus: Hike participants will receive a discount code to purchase Boulder Phil concert tickets! To register, just email Dave at dsutherland4747@gmail.com.
Autumn Stars through a Telescope. PROGRAM FULL
Friday October 17, 8 - 10 pm
Autumn provides some of the year's best stargazing. Nights are often crystal clear, while not as cold as winter. Ancient drama plays itself out overhead with Andromeda, Pegasus, Perseus and Cassiopeia. In the south Sagittarius leads us to the heart of the Milky Way, while the Andromeda galaxy, our nearest large galactic neighbor, is just visible overhead. And the ringed planet Saturn shows off its famous rings! Join community naturalist Dave Sutherland and a telescope to peer into the distant reaches of space. Meet at Eldorado Canyon State Park visitor center. Note: Although the program is free, you’ll need a State Parks pass or will have to pay a park entry fee of $10 per vehicle or $4 per walk in. In the event of bad weather (50% cloud cover or more) we’ll reschedule the program. Limit: 20 Follow this link to sign up: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/autumn-stars-at-eldorado-canyon-state-park-tickets-1681349023189?aff=oddtdtcreator
Impromptu “Last Minute” Telescope Program in Mid-October
DATE AND TIME TO BE DETERMINED - WEATHER DEPENDENT
I am going to try to schedule an astronomy program sometime in mid-October with a couple of days’ notice based on weather forecasts for clear skies. We’ll meet somewhere just north of Boulder, possibly the (Lefthand Trailhead on Neva Road for its large parking lot). I will announce the chosen date on my Facebook page and through my mailing list (see subscription link at the top of the page).
Wings and Songs: Birdwatching and Music. PROGRAM FULL
Sunday October 26, 9:30 - 11:30 am
At its upcoming concert (Sunday November 2 at 4:00 pm) the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra will perform the spellbinding Four Last Songs of Richard Strauss. Captivated by the transcendent beauty of the skylark’s song, Strauss scored a pair of flutes as a duet of larks to symbolize two spirits bonded together and ascendant. Take a pre-concert nature walk with community naturalist Dave Sutherland to preview this music, and explore ways that other composers of classical music have captured the essence of birds. Beautiful bird-themed musical selections and amazing bird viewing guaranteed. This program is jointly sponsored by the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra and Environment for the Americas and is free of charge. Limit 20. Meet at the Walden Ponds picnic pavilion. Sign up from the Environment for the Americas web calendar here: https://environmentamericas.org/event/wings-songs-bird-watching-and-music/
Bonus: Hike participants will receive a discount code to purchase Boulder Phil concert tickets!
Double Bonus: DeAunn Davis, the horn player from the Boulder Philharmonic, will join us!!!!
Invertebrates and Music Walk – Halloween Edition
Tuesday October 28, 5:30 - 8 pm
For the special Halloween edition of “Invertebrates and Music” we'll explore the Butterfly Pavilion's walk-in rainforest exhibit IN THE DARK. Guided by naturalist Dave Sutherland and accompanied by classical music selections about insects and spiders, we’ll use flashlights to discover sleeping butterflies and hanging orb weaver spiders up close and personal. The adventure concludes in the Butterfly Pavilion’s exhibit hall with the lights off, where we’ll search for nighttime invertebrates with black lights amidst the Halloween atmosphere. Don’t miss this unique journey into the mysterious world of invertebrates at night! Participants will receive a discount code for Boulder Philharmonic concert tickets. Admission to the Butterfly Pavilion is required: $12 non-members, $10 members. Register here: https://butterflies.org/invertebrates-and-music-walk-halloween-edition/.
Bonus: Participants will receive a discount code to purchase Boulder Phil concert tickets!
Skullduggery!
Wednesday October 30, 6 - 7 pm
Holy cranium! Celebrate the spooky season with a hilarious hands-on talk about mammals by looking at their skulls and teeth. Community Naturalist Dave Sutherland will share a wide variety of touchable replica and real skulls from Colorado mammals - including Homo sapiens - to highlight the similarities we all share, and the notable differences that show how each mammal lives and what it eats. And you never thought bones could be so much fun. This program is suitable for ghouls and fiends of all ages. No reservation required. Meet at Front Range Birding and Optics at 2425 Canyon Boulevard Suite B, Boulder.
Wings and Songs: Birdwatching and Music
Saturday November 1, 9:30 - 11:30 am
At its upcoming concert (Sunday November 2 at 4:00 pm) the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra will perform the spellbinding Four Last Songs of Richard Strauss. Captivated by the transcendent beauty of the skylark’s song, Strauss scored a pair of flutes as a duet of larks to symbolize two spirits bonded together and ascendant. Take a pre-concert nature walk with community naturalist Dave Sutherland to preview this music, and explore ways that other composers of classical music have captured the essence of birds. Beautiful bird-themed musical selections and amazing bird viewing guaranteed. This program is jointly sponsored by the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra and Environment for the Americas and is free of charge. Limit 20. Meet at the Walden Ponds picnic pavilion. This program is free of charge. Event info and sign up here:
https://environmentamericas.org/event/wings-songs-bird-watching-and-music-2/
Bonus: Hike participants will receive a discount code to purchase Boulder Phil concert tickets!
Owl Moon: Story Time & “Owling” for Kids & Families
Wednesday November 5, 4:45 - 6 pm
Jane Yolen’s beautiful book Owl Moon tells the story of a young child who joins their dad to search for owls in a dark and spooky moonlit forest. Join naturalist Dave Sutherland to read the story aloud at sunset, then go look for owls in the gathering dusk as the full Hunter’s Moon rises over the forest. We’ll learn about owl eyes, owl ears, owl feathers, and lots more! This is an easy hike suitable for kids - and grown-up kids - of all ages! Sponsored by Environment for the Americas. Reservations link will be posted soon. This activity is free of charge.