Wildlife | Fort Chambers/Poor Farm Site Information

The habitat within this property supports a range of wildlife. From mammals utilizing the riparian corridor to birds in the hay fields and forests, over 100 species have been observed on this property since it was purchased by Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP). The property adjoins a broader complex of preserved Boulder Creek floodplain habitats, providing wildlife with a movement corridor among riparian woodland, wetland, and irrigated meadow habitats. The wildlife recorded utilizing these lands include:

13 species of wild mammals were observed using a remote camera. The riparian area along Boulder Creek is part of a USFWS Preble’s meadow jumping-mouse Conservation Zone. No small mammal surveys have been conducted, to date, but various rodents have been spotted (although not pictured below) and studies on a nearby parcel detected species such as the cinereous shrew, deer mouse, and the hispid pocket mouse. White-tailed deer, racoons, and cottontail rabbits are plentiful. Bobcats have been seen hunting rabbits and fox squirrels. Beavers frequent Boulder Creek, and there is one small lodge located in one of the ponds.

Irrigated hayfield and floodplain habitat in the Boulder Valley, including the fields on the Fort Chambers / Poor Farm property, provide nesting habitat for a suite of specialized birds including the bobolink and savannah sparrow. Compared to other hayfield complexes on the OSMP system, the Fort Chambers / Poor Farm fields are of comparatively low quality. Bobolinks have been detected only once in four years. This indicates that the fields may only occasionally be in good condition for bobolinks. Even if the conditions were improved, the fields are small and as a result, may not support a robust breeding population of bobolinks. The fields may be suitable for males who cannot find vacant territories in nearby fields.

OSMP staff have surveyed for hayfield birds throughout the past 4 years; during these surveys, they have detected 26 bird species, including the species below:

The four gravel mining ponds provide important habitat for overwintering and nesting waterfowl. The various depths among the ponds provide foraging opportunities for both diving ducks (e.g. mergansers, scaup) as well as dabbling ducks (e.g. northern shoveler, wood duck). The deeper ponds remain unfrozen for longer, providing a refuge for wintering waterfowl during cold periods when many other waterbodies freeze over. Cottonwoods provide nesting habitat for wood ducks, while wetland vegetation along the pond edges provide nesting habitat for mallards, Canada geese, and the Virginia rail. These ponds are part of a complex of gravel ponds spread across the Boulder Creek floodplain.

62 species of waterfowl have been observed utilizing the ponds on the Fort Chambers-Poor Farm property.

Future field work will more fully reveal the abundance and composition of other taxonomic groups, including fish, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates like butterflies. The ponds have previously been stocked with large-mouth bass, sunfish, and yellow perch. Additional fish surveys might reveal if any native fish exist in the ponds or adjacent Boulder Creek. A single common garter snake has been seen on the property. Colorado Parks and Wildlife ranks the common garter snake as a Tier 2 Species of Greatest Conservation Need and a Species of Concern. Amphibian surveys on the adjacent Sawhill Ponds property have detected Woodhouse’s toad, boreal chorus frog, American bullfrog, and a single northern leopard frog. Common snapping turtles and western painted turtles can be found in the ponds. OSMP staff observed the Viceroy butterfly visiting milkweed flowers. Native willows, common in the wetland areas, are an important part of the Viceroy’s life cycle. The pastures and wetlands on the property might support other butterfly conservation targets, such as the regal fritillary, two-spotted skipper, or monarch.