Domestic and International Travel
To Register: 303-973-9530 or info@denveraudubon.org
Kayak the Niobrara in Nebraska – SOLD OUT
Tuesday, June 11 – Friday June 14, 2013
Ovenbird courtesy of Wikipedia
The Niobrara River flows through a unique ecosystem in the Sandhill area of the northwest part of Nebraska. The river canyon, with many lovely waterfalls, contains remnants of the eastern deciduous forest and the northern boreal forest. This part of the Niobrara is an easy float in single person, recreational kayaks (more stable and comfortable than canoes), moving with the current at about 7 miles per hour. Most of the river waters are about hip deep. We will listen and look for birds along the river, at the cabins, and during our other stops along the way. Wild turkeys are usually seen and ovenbirds call from hidden locations.
This will be the sixth time Audubon has done this trip. The trip is limited to 10 participants. We stay in a cabin at the Niobrara River Ranch, located just north of Smith Falls State Park. The cabin has an expansive view of the river valley and the Nebraska sandhills.
The trip is scheduled for Tuesday, June 11 through Friday, June 14, 2013.
- Tuesday is a travel day in personal cars from Denver to the Niobrara River Ranch, stopping early for breakfast. We then stop for lunch at Buffalo Bill Cody Park in North Platte, and enjoy dinner in Valentine.
- Wednesday is a river day, kayaking about 12.5 miles from the Cornell Bridge put in near Valentine, Nebraska to the Smith Falls State Park take out.
- Thursday morning we will kayak the other 12.5 miles of river taking out at Sunny Brook Camp.
- Friday we will visit The Nature Conservancy Niobrara Preserve, Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge and Fort Falls.
The trip fee includes all meals from Wednesday morning through Friday lunch, park fees, river fees, a donation to Nature Conservancy, shuttles, and single recreational kayak rentals for two days on the river. You pay for your breakfast on Tuesday, bring your lunch for that day, and pay for your dinner in Valentine.
Children over the age of 10 who are able to handle their own kayaks are welcome. Kayak rentals, transfers, and people shuttles for the river will be handled by river outfitters. Each participant is expected to join in group plans and help our super chef prepare at least one meal and help clean up after one meal. We will arrange a free kayak practice time in Denver before the trip. We travel in private cars. If you want to car pool, you will have a participant contact list to make your own arrangements. This year will be special. We had to cancel last year’s trip when a lightning-caused fire was ravaging the Valley. The fire did not burn the parts of the river we run, however, it burned a very large area of the Nature Conservancy Niobrara River Preserve we visit. We will be able to observe first hand the renewal of the bison pastures 10 months after the fire. If there is some good moisture this winter we hope to find wildflowers in bloom. We are going earlier this year to enjoy the breeding bird season.
Niorbrara Kayak Fleet
$595/Friends of the Audubon Society of Greater Denver, or $630/non -Friends members. You may join Friends for $25. Single room supplement is $100. A $300 non-refundable deposit is due Jan 31, with the balance due by May 1. These fees are subject to change slightly if our projected costs change. Any changes will be posted on our website and in the Warbler. If you have to cancel, your full fee will be refunded, if you find a replacement for yourself or someone is able to replace you from a waiting list. If you want to go with us on this trip, make your deposit soon. Sometimes this trip fills early. For your safety the weight limit for participants using the single person kayaks is 250 to 275 lbs. To register call ASGD at 303-973-9530. For other information about the trip, please call volunteer trip leader Ann Bonnell at 303-979-6211.
Fall Wildlife Expedition in Yellowstone National Park
September 13-17, 2013
Bald Eagle courtesy of Sheridan Samano
At Yellowstone National Park in fall, elk bugling is at its peak, a cacophony of noise that’s music to the ears of elk cows. Bears are preparing for winter by stocking up on food. Wolves are hunting in Lamar and Hayden Valleys due to large concentrations of elk. Herds of bison, the largest land mammal in North America, roam Yellowstone’s grasslands. Add resident birds and fall migration to the mix and you have the makings of a wildlife wonderland.
Join Audubon Society of Greater Denver for an unforgettable fall wildlife expedition to Yellowstone National Park. Trip participants will spend three days exploring Yellowstone with a naturalist guide from Yellowstone Association. Lodging will be in Gardiner, Montana, gateway to northern Yellowstone. For those interested in a longer trip, there is an option of carpooling from Denver adding two additional nights to the trip length. More details on carpooling to come.
Trip leader: Sheridan Samano
Price: $1175 per person based upon double occupancy ($1225 for non-members of ASGD). Single supplement: $325. Includes accommodations, three guided days in Yellowstone National Park with transportation and entrance fees, gratuities for guide/driver, and four continental breakfasts, three boxed lunches and a tax-deductible donation to ASGD.
Register by calling Sheridan Samano at 303.860.6045 or emailing her. Participants will be responsible for getting to/from Gardiner, Montana.
Bird Australia
October l8-November 4, 2013
Led by Bill Turner
Cassowary
The southern cassowary, emu, wedge-tailed eagle, Australian bustard, black-necked stork, red-tailed black cockatoo, regent bowerbird, superb fairy-wren, wompoo fruit-dove – these and many, many more are birds we’re likely to see on our tour to the land down under. We’ll be going to the renowned O’Reilly’s Rainforest Lodge where we’ll look for the endemic Albert’s lyrebird. Kakadu National Park is next, site of ancient Aboriginal rock art, and birds such as the chestnut-quilled rock pigeon, rainbow pitta, and red-winged parrot. We finish in the Atherton Tablelands, home of the golden bowerbird, rufous owl, grey-headed robin and Macleay’s honeyeater, among many others. Other wildlife we may see are estuarine crocodiles, tree kangaroos and other species of kangaroos and wallabies, platypus, dingos, and the frill-necked lizard. Expert local birder/naturalists will be our guides at each location. Bill has been to Australia two dozen times, mostly leading tours. Limit 12; 5 spaces available.
The land price of $6395 per person double occupancy includes almost all meals, land transportation, accommodations, and guiding. Air fare including flights within Australia is estimated at about $2400. The land price includes a donation to ASGD. For an itinerary and more information, call Bill at (303) 795-5128 or e-mail him.
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge through Santa Fe, NM
Thursday, November 7 thru Sunday, November 10, 2013
Carpooling to our destination, Bosque del Apache near Socorro, New Mexico, we pass through Santa Fe where we will stay two nights to eat, bird and soak up the local culture. Plan guided birding morning and evening with time for museums, galleries or the plaza during the day. Early Saturday we carpool toward Bosque with a birdy visit to Sandia Crest, weather permitting. We’ll reach Bosque in time to check the birds and Visitors Center in the afternoon and the evening fly-in. Overnighting locally, we’ll be up before the Bosque birds Sunday for the fly-out and a morning of local birding. We’ll begin the return trip to Denver before noon – with a few birding rest stops enroute. Scheduled the week before the Bosque Crane Festival, we expect to see sandhill cranes and snow geese and the wealth of Bosque birds in uncrowded conditions. We hope to see rosy-finches with our stunning view at Sandia Crest and to visit the Nature Conservancy’s Santa Fe Canyon Preserve and the Randall Davey Audubon Center and Sanctuary in Santa Fe.
Leaders: Audubon Master Birders Harriet Stratton and Karen von Saltza.
$595/Friends member, $635/non-members, single room supplement $180. Includes 3 nights lodging with breakfasts, 2 field lunches, guide fees, Santa Fe, tax deductible donations to ASGD. Be prepared to buy dinners and 2 lunches. Participants will provide their own transportation to New Mexico.
Register at 303-973-9530
Meeting Place: Greenwood Village Landmark parking lot, 5415 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village, CO 80111 at 8am Thursday, November 7. Audubon can assist with carpool arrangements if needed. Information: email Harriet
