New Armchair Birding Program Featured in Front Porch

From the Front Porch: George Ho shared his photos and expertise at the first Armchair Birding session in August. The monthly meetings offer an inclusive experience. Front Porch photo by Linda Kotsaftis

Thank you to the Front Porch for their article on birding at Bluff Lake, highlighting our new Armchair Birding program, spearheaded by our resident birding expert and volunteer, George Ho. From the article:

And while birding is an inclusive activity, there are still some barriers, which prompted Ho to start a new program at Bluff Lake, Armchair Birding.

“It’s always been in the back of my mind to provide something for the people who may have mobility issues,” he said, acknowledging there are others who can’t be in the sun or aren’t comfortable outdoors and are “missing out.”

As a photographer, Ho wanted to recreate the experience of birding so others could enjoy it vicariously through a slide show. In its first meeting in early August, 20 people showed up to experience birding from inside the nature center building.

Central Park resident Judith Pettibone, who lives near Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, said she joined the Bluff Lake group because she wants to get into more birding. “I want to do more, and I just don’t do really great in the heat, so I didn’t want to come to the bird walk,” she said.

Pettibone and others in the attentive group followed along as Ho ran through photos of birds and quizzes about recognizing different birds—some of the more than 10,000 bird species worldwide.

You can read the whole article HERE and sign up for the next Armchair Birding program HERE.

These events are open to anyone who would like to learn more about the world of birds, including those who cannot access outdoor birding opportunities, those new to the hobby of birding, and those who are not "early birds" themselves.

Taking place directly after our first Saturday bird walks, each lecture will cover different topics related to birds with George's excellent nature photography bringing the topics to life. No prior knowledge is needed to enjoy these talks that are aimed at inspiring a love of birds, encouraging conservation, and bringing nature into reach for everyone. All ages are welcome, but participants under 18 should be accompanied by an adult and be enthusiastic about learning. Each event will be hosted at our new nature center's indoor learning space, backed with the beautiful view of the Denver skyline and front range mountains.