DURANGO WEATHER HISTORY 

Feb 25, 1986 with a record high of 60 degrees F
Feb 1, 1951 with a record low of –25 degrees F

February’s Average Temperatures (in degrees Fahrenheit)
Max. 40.5 F
Min. 12.6 F
Mean 26.6 F

Source: http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliGCStT.pl?coflew

ANIMAL AND OTHER HAPPENINGS 

Feature of the Month:

You wouldn’t be alone if you thought seeing a butterfly in February was strange. Actually, two species, the Mourning Cloak and Milbert’s Tortoishell butterflies, brave the Colorado winter as adults. Commonly finding shelter in crevasses in bark, caves, or under leaves to hibernate, either of these two species might awaken during a warm February day to feed on tree sap or bird droppings.

Milbert’s Tortoishells have a bright yellow to orange streak across their wings when they are spread. When their wings are folded, they blend nicely with bark or leaves. Mourning Cloak has wings (when spread) with beautiful blue spots with shimmering hints of purple. When wings are folded, these too often blend into their surroundings.

Mammals:

Foxes, coyotes, and wolves are all in their breeding cycles. Listen for yaps and howls!
Three types of foxes live in SW Colorado; the red, gray and kit fox. The red fox, which is actually all different colors and the most common, can be distinguished by white-tipped bushy tail. All three species pair up and mate in February. Although many mate for life, they take a break from each other in the fall and re-unite in spring.

Birds:

The eggs of Golden Eagles, Prairie Falcons, and Great Horned owls are hatching just as baby cottontails, prairie dogs and other small rodents emerge from their winter burrows. This ensures a readily available food source.

Owls do not build their own nests, and great horned owls often take over abandoned hawk, crow, or magpie’s nests. Listen for their distinct call as a pair selects a nest site and lays eggs. The young will hatch about one month later, and stay in or near the nest for the next six weeks and won’t leave their parents completely until fall.

Golden Eagles are renewing pair bonds and refurbishing their nests, which they often use year after year. Males do the majority of the building, while females look on with a cynical eye. Before mating, the male will perform dramatic aerial displays, and the couple mates in flight, locking talons and tumbling toward the ground. Talk about pressure to perform! The adults can be found soaring or locking talons in courtship in the southern La Plata Mountains, Mesa Verde, or Ridges Basin, behind Smelter Mountain. Ridges Basin eagles are monitored closely due to the construction of the Animal-La Plata Project.

Bluebirds should begin arriving toward the end of the month. Both western and mountain bluebirds can be found in and around our area. Bluebirds nest in abandoned woodpecker holes, and readily accept nest boxes, which can be purchased or made. Check out www. Nabluebirdsociety.org for great information on bluebirds and build-your-own nest box plans.

DID YOU KNOW

The state of Colorado has something called a bluebird trail, which is actually a driving route that begins in Northeastern Colorado and ends in Grand Junction. Following Hwy 550 from Durango to Montrose, look for nesting boxes mounted on posts along the roadside.

ASTRONOMICAL HAPPENINGS 

This month we are going to the dogs, the Dog Star, that is! This month, look for the Dog Star Sirius just south east of the Orion constellation. Not only is this star twice as large as the sun, but also it is by far the brightest in the sky and is one of our closest neighbors, just nine light years away.