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.
Free community Nature Hikes
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Jungle Birds of Boulder WAITING LIST
Sunday June 8, 7:30 – 10:30 am
Why fly to Belize or Costa Rica when their birds will come to us? Join naturalist Dave Sutherland for an easy hike into a local birding hot-spot to search for colorful migratory songbirds newly arrived from the steamy jungles of Latin America. Bring binoculars, cameras or a spotting scope if you have one, and books, (we will use Birds of Costa Rica as our guide book in the field. - no joke). Limit: 20 people. This hike is sponsored by the City of Boulder's Cool Boulder campaign and is free. To sign up, email Dave at sutherland4747@gmail.com.
Destination: Ice Age
Thursday June 19, 5 – 8 pm
Twelve thousand years ago, mammoths lumbered through Boulder’s cool deciduous forests. As glaciers melted, the climate dried up and the ancient forests vanished . . . except for a few rare hidden pockets. Travel back with naturalist Dave Sutherland to a botanical time capsule, one of the last remnants of the Ice Age forest in Colorado, where natural marvels await. Due to sensitivity of the habitat, space is limited to 15. Meet at the parking lot at Realization Point on Flagstaff Road. This hike is sponsored by the City of Boulder's Cool Boulder campaign and is free. To sign up, please visit the Cool Boulder event calendar https://www.eventbrite.com/e/destination-ice-age-tickets-1394817128579?aff=oddtdtcreator
Your Native Plant Garden, All Grown Up!
Sunday June 22, 1 - 2:30 pm
Planning a new native landscape? What awaits your garden when it “grows up?” Community Naturalist Dave Sutherland has a 28-year old Boulder native wildlife garden that has changed over the years. Plants moved around as if with a mind of their own, got HUGE! - and laughingly wreaked havoc on Dave's best-laid landscape plans. Learn about opportunities, challenges and surprises that you’ll face as your pollinator garden comes of age and asserts itself. Register at Harelquins Gardens web page here: https://harlequinsgardens.com/what-we-offer/classes/. There is a $25 class fee.
Birdwatching for Beginners
Friday June 27, 9 - 10:30 am
Many would-be birders are intimidated by identical little gray birds with similar names. Join community naturalist Dave Sutherland to learn some easy tricks to tell them apart and also tips for picking the best binoculars and bird books. Meet Purple Park in Superior for a stroll around Bowe’s Pond. Birders of all abilities welcome, but it’s primarily aimed at beginners. Bring binoculars and bird guides if you have them. Sign up with Superior’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department: https://secure.rec1.com/CO/superior-co/catalog?filter=c2VhcmNoPTM3NTM5Nz Superior is a designated Bird City in Colorado!
Music For Butterfly Lovers
Saturday June 28, 8 - 9:30 am
Why have composers been fascinated by invertebrates, and how have they tried to capture them in their music? Join us for an “Invertebrates and Music Walk,” a collaboration between naturalist Dave Sutherland, Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, and Butterfly Pavilion. Stroll through the Pavilion's tropical rainforest, while listening to classical music selections inspired by the world of invertebrates as butterflies flutter around us. Then we'll move outside to the Discovery Gardens to look at pollinating insects close up. You never knew so much music was written to celebrate bugs! Participants will receive a discount code for Boulder Philharmonic concert tickets. Admission to the Butterfly Pavilion is required: $12 non-members, $10 members. Sign up here: https://butterflies.org/invertebrates-and-music-walks-2025/
What's Abuzz? Pollination! RESERVATIONS OPEN MONDAY JUNE 16 AT 6 PM
Saturday June 29, 10:30 am - noon
Late summer wildflowers are in full bloom - fireworks in white, purple and yellow! And every flower has an amazing pollination story. Join community naturalist Dave Sutherland for a leisurely hike to look for pollinating insects and the diversity of prairie flowers they frequent. The area burned extensively in December 2021 during the Marshall Fire so you can see how remarkably the prairie recovers from fire. Bring field guides, magnifying glasses, and close-focusing binoculars if you have them. Meet at Davidson Mesa trailhead on McCaslin Blvd. To sign up after June 16 6 pm, email Dave at sutherland4747@gmail.com