The Coal Creek Lives Survey on iNaturalist

Great horned owls, ebony damselflies, crawdads and cottonwood trees — Coal Creek supports an abundance of nature. These plants, animals, fungi, insects, and aquatic lives share space with humans in our Front Range communities of Golden, Superior, Louisville, Lafayette and Erie, Colorado.

Walking along the creek during any time of year promises to a chance to glimpse a bit of wing, a fresh animal track preserved in mud or snow, a few notes of a bird’s call, and more of the the natural lives that touch ours. It is this interplay between the different types of life that creates the beauty and serenity that the creek provides as it slips its miles from the foothills to the High Plains.

But what are these creatures, and how do these connections work? We’re applying citizen-science to deepen our understanding of the lives the creek supports and how those lives fit together. Participating is easy: Anyone with a smartphone need only down the iNaturalist app, join our Project (Coal Creek Lives), and begin uploading wildlife sightings for one entire year.

Along the way, we will organize group outings to look for specific creatures (such as birds), and publish articles, blog posts, and podcasts to enrich the creek experience and deepen our connection to this place. From the lowly dandelion to the majestic bald eagle, all species develop deep, mutalistic bonds that are the essence of nature. Life is everywhere.

Image: Chrysomela knabi by Alex Kessock