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| Breakfast: | Early morning bird walk followed by breakfast served cafeteria style in the Dining Hall. | | Morning: | All day birding field trip traveling by vans to North Park, an amazing grassland surrounded by high snowy mountain peaks. The Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge is a haven for waterfowl and high mountain song birds. Over 200 birds have been recorded in the refuge with 82 species breeding. Two are on the Federal Threatened Species list. The two hour drive from Pingree Park will transit by way of Poudre Canyon and stops will be made for scenic views and an extended visit at the State of Colorado's Moose Visitor Center. Birding opportunities will exist at all stops with walks up to one mile on level terrain, trails or boardwalks. | | Lunch: | Box lunch in field (pick up at breakfast) | | Afternoon: | Continuation of field trip. The first waterfowl arrive at Arapaho NWR when the ice vanishes in April. The peak migration occurs in late May when 5,000 or more ducks may be present. Canada geese have been re established in North Park and begin nesting on the refuge during April. Duck nesting usually starts in late May and peaks in mid June. The refuge produces about 7,000 ducklings and 150 to 200 goslings each year. Primary upland nesting species include the mallard, pintail, gadwall, and American wigeon. A number of diving ducks, including the lesser scaup, ruddy, and redhead, nest on the larger ponds and adjacent wet meadows. Most species may be observed during the entire summer season. Fall migration reaches its height in late September or early October when up to 8,000 waterfowl may be on the refuge. Refuge wetlands also attract numerous marsh, shore, and water birds. Sora and Virginia rails - shy, secretive birds - are numerous but seldom seen. If they are present, eared and pied-billed grebe, Wilson's phalarope, American avocet, willet, sandpipers, yellowlegs, and dowitchers will be easy to observe. Other less common species include great blue heron, black-crowned night heron, American bittern, and white-faced ibis. The sagebrush upland harbor sage grouse year around. Golden eagles, several species of hawks, and an occasional prairie falcon circle the skies above the refuge in search of food. Their prey includes Richardson's ground squirrel, white-tailed prairie dog, and white-tailed jackrabbit. Badger, muskrat, beaver, coyote, and pronghorn antelope are commonly observed. Now and then one may see a red fox, mink, long-tailed weasel, or porcupine. As many as 1200 elk have wintered here with mule and white-tailed deer seen sporadically. Moose reintroduced in the seventies into North Park may occasionally be observed in the willow thickets along the Illinois River bottoms.
| | Dinner: | Meals served cafeteria style in the Dining Hall. | | Evening: | Short group session to review species lists, free time to enjoy Pingree Park Valley in evening. | |