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BCNA Education Program The education committee is open to suggestions for ideas on class offerings and instructors. Send your ideas to education#bcna.org ... (replace # with @) Scholarships: BCNA offers scholarships to defer all or part of class tuition. To apply, write a short note explaining why you are requesting a scholarship and send it to: Carol Schott, 5239 Niwot Road, Niwot, CO 80503; CarolSchott#comcast.net] (replace # with @) Note: Contact email addresses have been altered to reduce recipient's spam by replacing the normal @ symbol with #. You will need to edit to obtain the correct address. Click this line for online class evaluation form. Spring and Summer BCNA Nature Classes
Identification of Spring Wildflowers Description: Learn to key out Boulder County’s spring wildflowers and begin to recognize different plant families. Your confidence and knowledge will increase as you work using different types of taxonomic keys. Tuition: $65 for Session I or II (BCNA members $55); $120 for both sessions (BCNA members $105). Limited to 12 participants. Equipment: 10x hand lens, dissecting needle, knife or razor. Description: Nine owl species nest in Boulder County, ranging from the fist-sized flammulated to the ubiquitous great horned. We'll observe great horned owls and burrowing owls; and search for other species while discussing their roles in Boulder County ecosystems. Field class destinations include Sawhill Ponds, North St. Vrain Canyon, and Barr Lake State Park. Tuition: Class is full. Equipment: Binoculars and a flashlight. Little Brown Birds: Spotting Sparrows Description: Sparrows are often thought to be drab, hard-to-identify representatives of the bird world (or “LBB’s”). In this class, you will be introduced to their subtle, distinguishing physical characteristics, their beautiful, unique songs, and their ecology. We will focus on sparrows that nest in Boulder County (around 10 species), with one field trip to observe species on the plains and another to study species at higher elevations. Tuition: $80 (BCNA members $70). Limited to 12 participants. Equipment: Binoculars, hat, water, sunscreen, insect repellent and a field guide to birds, such as The Sibley Guide to Birds of North America or the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Recommended CDs: Cornell’s Bird Songs of the Rocky Mountain States and Provinces; Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs: Western Region Bird Song Description: How do birds acquire songs? How did bird singing evolve? What do the songs tell us about individual species (including their identity and birthplace)? We will listen to and record bird songs from the foothills to the high sub-alpine. Each participant will receive a CD of Boulder County bird songs recorded during previous classes. Field classes will require 2 to 4 miles of hiking on moderately steep trails. Tuition: Class is full. Equipment: Binoculars, insect repellent, and sunscreen. Springtime Butterflies in Boulder County Description: May and June are wonderful months to observe butterflies. Use a field guide to identify butterfly families and species. Venture into the field to look for over-wintering and migrant butterflies, local “hatchers,” and caterpillars. We’ll also look for flowers and plants used by adults and larvae for food, and hear intriguing stories about butterfly ecology and behavior. Tuition: $75 (BCNA members $65). Limited to 12 participants; young people age 12 and older are welcome to register if accompanied by a registered adult. Equipment: Binoculars, camera, hat, sunscreen, hiking shoes, lunch and water. Bird Sketching Description: No prior sketching experience is necessary to enjoy and succeed in learning to make quick sketches of birds. Topics covered include bird anatomy, proportion, perspective, and color values as well as sketching methods. During the indoor class, we will work from photos of birds to practice techniques, which will enable you to sketch a bird in the field in twenty seconds. The class is designed for anyone interested in “drawing closer to our feathered friends!” Tuition: $55 ($50 for BCNA members). Limited to 10 participants. Class is full, with a waiting list. Equipment: 8 1/2 x 11 sketchbook, pencils, binoculars, bird field guide. Pika Encounter Description: Have you ever heard a pika calling from an alpine boulder field or seen one scampering over the rocks with a mouthful of flowers? Known as “little chief hare,” this member of the rabbit family is a vocal and bustling icon of alpine communities. Because pika are threatened by climate change, learning about their present status here and worldwide is important. Visiting pika habitats in the field provides us an opportunity to photograph them foraging and storing food for winter use. Tuition: $65 ($60 for BCNA members). Limited to 12 participants. Equipment: binoculars, daypack, lunch, water, hat, sunscreen, hiking shoes with good ankle support (for negotiating boulder fields), and (if desired) a camera with zoom and tripod. Exploring Description: Hummingbirds remain one of the least studied of all bird groups. Their small size, fast flight and soft vocalizations make it especially difficult to track and observe individual birds, and their complex lifestyle poses challenges to researchers. This class examines the life cycle of hummingbirds and their status in Tuition: $65 ($60 for BCNA members). Limited to 12 participants. Equipment: binoculars, bird field guide, camera, sack lunch, water. Wear comfortable, natural colored clothing (avoid white). Bats of Description: Come learn about the wonderful world of bats. Investigate the natural history of these enigmatic mammals by delving into their ecology, physiology, morphology and behavior. See bats upclose- and-personal by conducting field work with mist nets. Listen to and record echolocation calls of several species, and watch bats drinking by using a night-vision camcorder with infrared lighting. Tuition: $60 ($55 for BCNA members). Limited to 12 participants. Equipment: flashlight, good shoes, thick leather gloves. Dazzling Dragonflies and Damselflies of Description: Colorful and dashing are just a few of the ways to describe dragonflies and damselflies. During the indoor class we learn about the distinguishing characteristics of numerous Odonata species, focusing on local species. We examine their duel lifestyles, their amazing flying abilities, and their roles in nature. In the field we discover where and when to look for these jewel-like insects, and how to best approach them for observation. Tuition: $65 ($60 BCNA members). Limited to 8 participants. Equipment: binoculars (close-focusing are helpful), appropriate clothing, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, hat, food, water. The Natural World of the Arapaho Description: Explore Arapaho perceptions of the natural world of the Colorado Front Range and Tuition: A minimum donation of $65 is required. Your donation will go to The Endangered Languages Fund at the CU Foundation and is 100% tax deductible. Quaking Aspen and Bugling Elk Description: In autumn aspen trees turn golden and elk begin their season of rut. Interactions between these two dominant members of montane and subalpine communities form a fascinating story. An evening class includes a slide-lecture featuring these two keystone species. During the field session we explore areas in Tuition: $60 ($60 for BCNA members). Limited to 12 participants. Equipment: binoculars and a flashlight.
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