Go outdoors and enjoy! More information about these and other July natural events.
Read Ruth Carol Cushman and Stephen Jones’s Nature Almanac column in the Daily Camera “Get Out” section each month.
Old man of the mountain is blooming now on Arapahoe Pass
Harrier Independence Day
Three young northern harriers fledged from their nest in the wetlands west of Boulder Reservoir on July 4. This is only the second successful northern harrier nest reported in Boulder County since 2004. Kudos to Mark and Sue Ponsor for finding the young!
Other July Happenings
Rosy paintbrush, elephantella, and Parry’s primrose bloom in alpine meadows. Colorado columbines flourish in montane forests. Common sunflowers begin to bloom on the plains. (see pp. 99-104).
Butterfly populations peak. The North American Fourth of July Butterfly Count is held during the first week of the month. To participate visit the North American Butterfly Association web site, www.naba.org.
Rufous hummingbirds appear at feeders. They’re completing an elliptical migration that takes them up the Pacific Coast in spring and down the spine of the Rockies in late summer. Along the way, they stake out and defend foraging territories containing nectar sources. Broad-tailed hummingbirds that have nested in the foothills and mountains move down to urban gardens and feeders. A few migrating calliope hummingbirds also appear on the plains.
Golden eagle young fledge from cliff nests in the foothills and mountains, while bald eagle young fledge from tree nests on the plains. The young will stay with their parents for at least a year and not reach breeding age for another four years (see pp. 55 and 57).
Ptarmigan chicks, under parental supervision, hunt for insects in the alpine tundra. You can find these elusive and exquisitely camouflaged birds on Mount Audubon, South Arapaho Peak, and Niwot Ridge.
Toward the end of the month, as many as 1,000 south-migrating Franklin’s gulls may gather at Boulder Reservoir. Some shorebirds appear as well. Many of these early migrants are failed breeders (see pp. 50-53).
Pikas start working on hay piles and continue until snow covers the ground. If you sit by a rock pile above tree-line, you can watch them dashing around with mouthfuls of grass and wildflowers (see pp. 77-78).
Mountain lion kittens are born throughout the year, but the birth rate peaks in July. The kittens huddle in a shallow scrape while their mother wanders off for 24 hours or more to find prey (see p. 24).
