Interludes with Nature is a special series of field trips. These trips are led by some of the area’s most knowledgeable naturalists and birders and go places participants often do not get to see.
Take an up-close peek at our nocturnal neighbors on a moth trip with Pam Piombino or get to know the secrets of bats with Rick Adams. See the minute details of the birds you usually look at in binoculars during bird banding with Megan Jones Patterson and the crew at Allegra Collister Bird Banding Station. Identify and photograph the shimmering beauty of dragonflies and damselflies with Scott Severs. Get behind-the-scenes access and special insight into their avian conservation programs at the Denver Zoo.
Monies raised from these Interludes with Nature trips send our Teen Naturalists and other regional teens to the Hog Island birding camp in Maine. You can hear the past scholarship recipients talk about their experience on our YouTube Channel or read about their experiences on our website.
“My time on Hog Island gave me renewed hope for the future. … My experiences on Hog Island and the people I met have motivated me to pursue work and research in the field of biology and work to spread my passion about conserving the world and our feathered friends. ”
How to Register
The initial registration for Interludes With Nature trips will be during the social hour (6-7pm) before the November 22, 2026 program — Night of the Condor. Registration by email will start the next day.
2027 Interludes Trips
Fling with the Flamingos and A Close Encounter with a Southern Cassowary with Carol McCasland & the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance.
April 17, 2027
Enjoy a special private tour of the Denver Zoo with Carol McCasland, a long-time docent at Denver Zoo. Meet the friendly Ambassador flock of Chilean and American Flamingos before getting up close and personal with a Southern Cassowary. Finish up the day with the Great Apes.
Carpe Noctem: The Wonderful World of Bats with Rick Adams
July 16, 2027
Learn about the mysteries of the night-flying bats. Explore their diverse biology, importance, and specifics on Boulder County’s bats with Rick Adams who has spent 40 years researching them. Join Rick for a nighttime excursion to view and listen to our local bats.
Marvelous Moths with Pam Piombino
July 24, 2027
Did you know Colorado has over 10x more moths than butterflies?! Join Pam Piombino for dinner, learning about these creatures who are every bit as beautiful as the day-flying butterflies, and cap the night off with lighting for moths and seeing their amazing diversity.
Bird Banding at Allegra Collister Nature Preserve with Megan Jones Patterson
September 22, 2027
Learn about and participate in songbird banding at one of the longest running migratory bird banding stations in Colorado at the limited-access Allegra Collister Nature Preserve north of Boulder.
Dragonfly Magic with Scott Severs
August 14, 2027
Look into the amazing world of the magical insects of Odonata. This fun morning introduces beginners to the Odonates—better known as dragonflies and damselflies, and often considered the insect equivalents of birds in flight.