Birding Colorado by Hugh Kingery

Author:Hugh Kingery
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Falcon Guides
Published: 2023-02-13T00:00:00+00:00

Directions

The park has four entrances. From I-25 take exit 132A, then proceed east on CO 16 for 0.5 mile. Exit to the US 85 junction; turn right on US 85.

To get to the first entrance, the Willow Springs Trailhead, turn right immediately after turning onto US 85/87, onto Willow Springs Road. The parking area is 0.5 mile down the road. A trail leads south along the stream into the main part of the park; two ponds attract migrating waterbirds, and the cattails attract marsh birds.

The Fountain Creek Nature Center provides the best access to the network of trails, including the ponds also available from Willow Springs. Drive down US 85/87 for half a mile, turn right (just south of Mesa Road on the left), and follow Pepper Grass Lane to the nature center (open Tuesday through Saturday; trails always open).

For the second-best place to sample the trails, including one that follows a shaded irrigation ditch that hugs the bluff on the east side of the floodplain, Duckwood Active, use Area 5, follow US 85/87 another half mile, and turn right on Duckwood Road; the parking lot is straight ahead, past the playing fields. For the southernmost, fourth, access point, Hanson Nature Park (Area 7), go past Duckwood Road 1 mile—look for a car wash and the Welte Education Center—turn right and go to the end of Lyckman Drive, then right on Grinde Drive to the parking lot. A footbridge leads into the park. Follow Fountain Creek and the lush cottonwood groves that line the stream.

Lesser Goldfinches come in two plumages: black-backed and, like this one, green-backed. They have spread in recent years and become fairly common summer breeders along the Front Range. BOB STOCKER

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