Wise and Wonderful Great Horned Owls
Great Horned Owls are surprisingly hard to find given that they are so large. Their camouflage and silent flights in the twilight keep them hidden.
Squirrels in our Backyards
Fox Squirrels are common in the Willow Spring Open Space and in backyards nearby, despite not being native to this area.
White Blooms in the Colorado Plains
Here are some of the plants with white blooms that can be found in the Colorado Plains
American Vetch flowers
American Vetch plants are early purple blooms among the grasses out in the Willow Spring Open Space. The blooms start in April- May and continue through August. The purple blossoms are shaped like a butterfly with 5 petals. American Vetches have tendrils at the end of their stem which they wrap around other plants or …
Charming American Goldfinches
American Goldfinches are charming birds that resemble canaries. Males are bright yellow with black caps and black wings making them easy to spot.
Narrowleaf Cottonwood Trees
The Narrowleaf Cottonwood tree is found in the Denver metro area and also can be seen along the river and creek banks up into the mountains. It is found along stream and river beds and floodplains where it can get the regular moisture and periodic flooding that it needs. If you ever see a tree …
Showy Milkweed
Milkweed is a very familiar plant name due to its close association with Monarch Butterflies, but not everyone recognizes it when they see it! Showy or Common Milkweed is a tall plant with pale or deep pink flowers massed together at the top of the plant, large leaves and interesting seed pods later in the …
Quaking Aspen trees
Quaking Aspen Trees are found in the mountains in groves. They are known for their display of gold leaves in the fall.
Aspen Trees – Spectacular Golden Leaves Plus 7 Extra Things to Notice
Here are more things to notice beyond the gold aspen leaves when leaf-peeping in the fall in Colorado.
Willow Spring Open Space – September, 2021 – Signs of Fall, and checking in on the Prairie Dogs
During a pleasant early fall visit to the Willow Spring Open Space in mid-September 2021, plants were starting to show signs of fall, and the Prairie Dogs were active.