Nature and Raptor Center

Nature and Raptor Center Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Nature and Raptor Center, 5200 Nature Center Road, Pueblo, CO.

03/21/2025

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Why does our community bulletin board look so sad? Well, someone stole all of the tacks and pins, leaving the posters an...
03/21/2025

Why does our community bulletin board look so sad? Well, someone stole all of the tacks and pins, leaving the posters and notices on the ground.

Theft and vandalism have long been a problem at our River Campus, and it is sad to see. Picnic tables thrown into the river, tools and equipment stolen, and break-ins to name a few examples.

It is our honor to steward this public land. We are a very hard-working nonprofit organization with a smaller team than you may expect - but our staff/caretaker are present and on-location every day of the week, we close the gates at night, and we are always considering and trying to enact new ways to make this space both safer AND more accessible to our community for all to enjoy (like free parking as of 2025!)

Please help us:

- If you see something, say something.
- Report crimes to law enforcement.
- Most of all, encourage your friends, family, and those around you to care for public land like it belongs to all of us - because it does!

🌼 As winter fades and signs of spring begin to emerge, nature is waking up all around us. The days are growing longer, t...
03/20/2025

🌼 As winter fades and signs of spring begin to emerge, nature is waking up all around us. The days are growing longer, the air feels a little warmer, and the landscape is coming to life with new growth and returning wildlife. Join us as we welcome the changing season and celebrate all the wonders that spring has to offer.

Please enjoy our Spring Nature Journal, out now!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jz-5EjNN-XH3CvWXYjxxT5Avhw1QN2dT/view?usp=drive_link

📣 Exciting Membership Updates at NWDC!

Thank you for your patience while we revamped our membership program! We've refined our benefits and added two new membership levels to better serve you and our community. As always, your membership directly supports nature education, wildlife rehabilitation, and outdoor recreation at NWDC.

Already a member, or unsure if you are? If you prefer receiving a printed newsletter instead of the digital version, please email us at [email protected].

Starting next season, our quarterly newsletters will be available exclusively to NWDC members. Explore our enhanced membership options and join today!
https://hikeandlearn.org/become-a-member/

🐣 Baby Birds 101! Fledgling season will be here before we know it, so we asked Marla Browne with the Arkansas Valley Aud...
03/20/2025

🐣 Baby Birds 101!

Fledgling season will be here before we know it, so we asked Marla Browne with the Arkansas Valley Audubon Society to share her tips & tricks for baby birds in distress. She is a NEW provisionally-licensed wild bird rehabilitator right here in Pueblo, Colorado!

The long-standing Second Chance Wildlife Rehab Center is still available for bird & bat rehabilitation, and of course, our NWDC Raptor Center is your go-to for any and all birds of prey. Marla Browne is now an additional and invaluable resource to our community for wild bird rehabilitation.

Second Chance Wildlife Rehab Center: (719) 543-1946
Marla Browne: (303) 808-1695
NWDC Raptor Center: (719) 485-4444 ext 3001

🌿 From the Field"Creative Recycling & Upcycling in OEP"While we try to spend as much time outdoors as possible in the Ou...
03/19/2025

🌿 From the Field

"Creative Recycling & Upcycling in OEP"

While we try to spend as much time outdoors as possible in the Outdoor Explorations Program, the winter weather requires us to stay inside more. One topic that is just as important to cover as outdoor experiences is recycling and sustainability. We recently discussed what happens to materials and items when we are done with them:

- How are materials recycled?
- What can be reused or upcycled?
- What can decompose, and how long does it take?
- Where does our trash go?

We then put those concepts to work by creating crafts out of recycled materials like plastic milk jugs, paper towel rolls, metal tins, and cardboard boxes. The students came up with some amazing upcycled crafts including bird feeders, dog treat dispensers, and more. The following week, we continued the theme of creative recycling by making our own paper out of old newspapers.

These crafts were a great opportunity for us to flex our creativity muscles, practice sustainability, and consider our impact on the planet together. After all, when you throw something away, where is away?

— Ranger Maddie, Environmental Educator

Read more in our March Ranger Ramblings:
https://hikeandlearn.org/media/ranger-ramblings/march-2025-ranger-ramblings/

🌿 Enrollment for the 2025 - 2026 OEP school year is OPEN NOW:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfo98iC525j8GL92MO62jGOTr2C2wBAw-AiXAc9pwgIn6n9pA/viewform

The Outdoor Explorations Program (OEP) is a FREE weekly enrichment program designed for students in kindergarten - 12th grade. Students in OEP get to learn and explore along the banks of the Arkansas River, interact with birds of prey at our Raptor Center, and adventure through the foothills of the Pueblo Mountain Park as they learn a nature-based educational curriculum.

Join us for our FIRST River on the Yoga program of the season!Our lovely volunteer Laura will lead a peaceful and powerf...
03/19/2025

Join us for our FIRST River on the Yoga program of the season!

Our lovely volunteer Laura will lead a peaceful and powerful flow on the River Deck.
This program is FREE, but we also appreciate any donations made toward our free programs. The class is capped at 25 participants, so PLEASE register ahead of time!

Cost: FREE, suggested donation of $5

Location: River Deck, NWDC River Campus, 5200 Nature Center Road, Pueblo, CO 81003

Time: 10 – 11 am

Register: https://hikeandlearn.org/programs-and-events/18813/march-yoga-on-the-river/

🌿 Tips & Tricks from the Field"You Don't Like Stale Bread, and Neither Do the Birds!"Did you know? Old bread and cracker...
03/18/2025

🌿 Tips & Tricks from the Field

"You Don't Like Stale Bread, and Neither Do the Birds!"

Did you know? Old bread and crackers are a source of empty calories, and they do not deliver the nutrients that wild birds need for a healthy diet. Birdseed is not great for ducks or geese either - and often encourages aggressive behavior towards humans from these wild animals.

Still want to feed & observe wild birds safely? Putting a songbird feeder in your yard and observing through a pair of binoculars is the way to go. You may also consider putting native plants in your garden! This makes for an insect-rich environment. Birds evolved to eat insects, and for good reason — they’re a nutritionally-dense meal.

Source: Audubon.org

"I just want to give a shoutout and many many thanks to Ranger Pine in Beulah at the Mountain Park. He changed my tire w...
03/15/2025

"I just want to give a shoutout and many many thanks to Ranger Pine in Beulah at the Mountain Park. He changed my tire when I had a flat in the park, even though he knew my husband was on the way, and he didn't really have to stay and do it. Thanks again! I appreciate it so much." - Maria Davis

Ranger Pine has been on our team for almost 9 years. He is an Environmental Educator and also serves a vital role as one of our caretakers of the Pueblo Mountain Park. We are proud to have such an amazing human being on our team!

"Everything was PERFECT! Lori and Sandy were the personification of the perfect hostesses and chefs, giving their heart ...
03/14/2025

"Everything was PERFECT! Lori and Sandy were the personification of the perfect hostesses and chefs, giving their heart to our group and making everyone feel special. Once again, thank you and everyone else involved with our retreat." - Vicki

Vicki is one of our lovely retreat customers. Each spring and fall, she brings her retreat group to NWDC's historic Horseshoe Lodge in the Pueblo Mountain Park. With indoor/outdoor meeting spaces, meal service, dormitory spaces, and individual rooms, it is the perfect place to gather, set intentions, and connect with natural beauty.

If you are looking for a venue to rent for your next retreat, please allow us to host you. The Lodge is available year-round, and we have plenty of availability for 2025!

📍9112 Mountain Park Road, Beulah CO, 81023

Visit hikeandlearn.org or call 719-485-4444 to learn more and place an inquiry.

03/13/2025

Check it out! This week, Ranger T taught Beulah School 5th graders about the water cycle in the beautiful Pueblo Mountain Park.

In a creative game, the students became water molecules and experienced what happens to water in various states like a glacier, animal, plant, soil, or an ocean.

If you haven't done one of our public guided raptor tours yet, what are you waiting for?Starting at just $3/ticket, you ...
03/12/2025

If you haven't done one of our public guided raptor tours yet, what are you waiting for?

Starting at just $3/ticket, you can explore our raptor enclosures, meet our incredible resident birds of prey, and learn their backstories! We host these tours just about every other Saturday, including this weekend on March 15th!

Book your tour now: https://hikeandlearn.org/programs-and-events/category/weekendraptortours/

Our team of staff and volunteers are friendly, knowledgeable, and excited to share fascinating facts about these majestic creatures, from their hunting habits to their unique lifestyles. Each bird has its own personal story, making this tour truly special. Come on out to our Raptor Center, and make memories with your family that will last a lifetime!

Once again, this magnificent nesting pair of osprey have returned to our River Campus! Located right by our main entranc...
03/11/2025

Once again, this magnificent nesting pair of osprey have returned to our River Campus!

Located right by our main entrances to the River Campus and Raptor Center, they are easy to spot with the naked eye, and even better to view through a pair of binoculars.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN for the Nature & Wildlife Discovery Center's 2025 summer camps! https://hikeandlearn.org/programs-a...
03/05/2025

REGISTRATION IS OPEN for the Nature & Wildlife Discovery Center's 2025 summer camps! https://hikeandlearn.org/programs-and-events-camps/

This year, NWDC has 7 signature camps with plenty of new adventures built into the curriculum, so even students who have attended camp before can look forward to something new! Among the youth’s favorite camps are our Raptor Camps and Fish Tales Camp. Our staff of trained and highly qualified outdoor camp guides lead multi-day camps from June 9 - July 31.

More information:

🌱 We have brought back the “sibling special” so that more children can enjoy our camps than ever before! The first sibling is full price, and each additional sibling registered afterward is 10% off full price! For every sibling after the first, use discount code: SIB10

🌱 We are also proud to offer scholarships for families who request them and demonstrate a need for financial support for their children to participate.

🌱 Register now through July 23! https://hikeandlearn.org/programs-and-events-camps/

Address

5200 Nature Center Road
Pueblo, CO
81003

Opening Hours

Thursday 11am - 4pm
Friday 11am - 4pm
Saturday 11am - 4pm
Sunday 11am - 4pm

Telephone

+17195492414

Website

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