The following 4 non-native thistles are found along the front range.  They are listed in order of density.  Musk and Canada grow in great profusion all around us while Bull and Scotch are not as common but they still outcompete our native flora and degrade natural habitat.

Musk thistle - Photo by Marilyn Kaussner

1.  Musk Thistles grow up to 6’ with dark green wavy leaves and light green midrib.  The purple to bright pink flowers are flat and nodding – one flower to a stem.  Blooming in late May and June and setting seeds in June and July, Musk can be a very imposing and tall bush.  Photo at right.

2.  Canada Thistles grow up to 5’ with dark green leaves.  The flowers are light pink to rose-purple with many heads on a tall stem.  Canada Thistles emerge in April or May and bloom in late July and August.  It is a tall plant but not as dense as the Musk.

3.  Bull Thistles grow to 5’ with many spreading branches.  Flowers are 1 – 2” wide clustered at the ends of branches and are dark purple in color.  They are a summer bloomer also.

4.  Scotch Thistle grows to 8’ and has a regal look.  The hairy leaves and stems have a velvety-grey look.  The flowers are reddish-purple to violet   and measure 1 – 2 “

Remember – before controlling any thistle, make sure you have made a positive identification.  Nurture our natives-control the noxious weeds!

For pictures of other thistles, go to Evergreen Audubon’s Photo Gallery.

Join Mike Goldblatt of Lam Tree Service for an open forum discussion of the health of our Colorado Trees. Mike will discuss a range of diseases and insects assaulting our Front Range and Suburban trees, including the Moutian Pine Beetle.

Ages 15 – Adult
Limited to 25 participants
RSVP at 303-330-0489

DOW volunteers (Donna Forrest & Karel Buckley) will have a display of “living with wildlife items”, skins, skulls, etc, for people to examine. Donna will give a presentation of about 10 minutes every hour. The remaining time will be spent answering questions related to living with wildlife such as bears, lions, foxes etc…

Avocet Pair on Crescent Lake

Chapter Meeting
Thursday, November 4, 2010
7:00 PM
Speaker: Steve Jones

Join us November 4th for an informative, multimedia presentation by Steve Jones about the Sandhills of Nebraska. Encompassing more than 20,000 square miles, the Nebraska Sandhills comprise the largest remaining expanse of mixed- and tallgrass prairie in North America. Sharp-tailed grouse, long-billed curlews, and badgers roam the hills; while bald eagles, trumpeter swans, and black terns nest around thousands of shallow lakes and ponds. With a human population of less than one inhabitant per square mile, the Sandhills may resemble the prairie of the of the Cheyenne, Pawnee, and Lakota. The enduring beauty of this landscape, 97 percent of which is under private ownership, demonstrates that rural communities practicing sound land stewardship can preserve native ecosystems.

Steve Jones is a graduate of Stanford and Boston Universities and a long-time resident and teacher in Boulder County, Colorado. He is author of The Last Prairie, a Sandhills Journal and Owls of Boulder County, and co-author of The Shortgrass Prairie, Colorado Nature Almanac, and the Peterson Field Guide to the North American Prairie. Steve was recognized by the National Wildlife Federation as “one of ten volunteers who make a difference.”

Don’t miss this great presentation and an opportunity to learn more about the Nebraska Sandhills. Everyone is welcome. The Thursday, November 4th program will be held at 7 p.m. at Church of the Hills, 28628 Buffalo Park Road (just west of Evergreen Library), in the downstairs Fellowship Hall. Refreshments and the Evergreen Audubon business meeting will follow.

Bison on Rocky Mtn Wildlife Refuge

Though threatened with extinction by 1890, the American Bison now number more than 250,000 in North America. Of these about 25,000 are in public herds and most of the rest on private ranches. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages bison herds at seven midwestern and western locations. Private herds have higher rates of hybridization with domestic cattle. Public herds without detectable or with low levels of detectable hybridization are particularly valuable for the long-term conservation of the true bison.
Bison were historically a key species of the North American prairie. Migrating bison were responsible for grazing and other disturbances that along with fire, were essential components of the prairie ecosystem. Effectively managed, bison can encourage habitat diversity for birds and other species.

In March 2007, thirteen bison were reintroduced as a pilot project at the Rocky Mountain National Wildlife Refuge east of Commerce City. On October 7th, Steve Berendzen, Refuge Manager, will describe the ecological response of habitat and wildlife to refuge bison. He will also present the challenges associated with managing a bison herd, its genetic value and human benefits.

Steve Berendzen is an Evergreen-area resident. He grew up in Missouri on a family farm. He has a bachelor and master of science in Wildlife Management from the University of Missouri-Columbia and University of Massachusetts-Amherst, respectively. Steve has worked on national wildlife refuges in western and other states and is currently the manager of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which includes the Arsenal, Two Ponds, in Arvada, and Rocky Flats, north of Golden.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about the American Bison on Thursday, October 7th, at 7 p.m. at Church of the Hills, 28628 Buffalo Park Road (just west of the Evergreen Library) in the downstairs Fellowship Hall. Visitors are welcome. Refreshment and a business meeting will follow.

]]> http://www.evergreenaudubon.org/?feed=rss2&p=1495 0 http://www.evergreenaudubon.org/?p=1478 http://www.evergreenaudubon.org/?p=1478#comments Tue, 10 Aug 2010 06:16:53 +0000 weeds http://www.evergreenaudubon.org/?p=1478 It is the height of noxious weed season and the seeds are beginning to fly.  Help us stop these invaders in their tracks by volunteering at “Wake-Up and Weed” on Saturday, August 21st at Evergreen Lake.  Weeding will start at 8:30 am followed by  brunch for our wonderful volunteers at 10am.  Your help is needed to ensure that we can cover the entire Lake perimeter.  Please bring pruners and garden gloves if you have them.  Please join us-you can help habitat at the Lake and have a good time too.

For more information contact Cathy at sheltonpublicaddress@hotmail.com.

Habitats for Scentless chamomile include: hayfields, pastures, roadsides, streambanks, fencelines, and moist areas such as drainages.  It is spreading rapidly in the foothills and is particularly evident along our roads and in subdivisions.

NOW is the time to prevent seed production.  Hand pulling can be effective but be sure to bag the flower heads!