If you go wildlife watching in Colorado

COLORADO WILDLIFE EVENTS AND FESTIVALS: wildlife.state.co.us/Viewing/EventsFestivals/.

AUTUMN WILDLIFE-VIEWING EVENTS:

• Fall Birding Festival at Barr Lake, Brighton, Sept. 16, 7 a.m.-1 p.m., parks.state.co.us/Parks/BarrLake/BarrLakeNatureCenter/ or 303-659-6005. About 20 miles from Denver.

• Elk Fest, Estes Park, Sept. 20-30, www.estesnet.com/Events/elkfest.aspx. About 70 miles from Denver.

• Northern Colorado Birding Fair, Windsor, late September/early October; www.larimer.org/parks or 970-679-4577. About 55 miles from Denver.

• Georgetown Bighorn Sheep Festival, Georgetown, Nov. 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 888-569-0750. About 45 miles from Denver.

COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE: www.wildlife.state.co.us or 303-297-1192. Some of the places suggested by the agency for wildlife-watching include:

• Pawnee National Grassland Birding Loop, home to over 300 species of birds including the lark bunting, www.fs.fed.us/r2/arnf or 970-353-5004.

• John Martin Reservoir State Wildlife Area, known for birds of prey, small mammals and a colony of cormorants and great blue herons (www.wildlife.state.co.us).

• Comanche National Grasslands, home to prairie birds and pronghorns; www.fs.fed.us/r2/psicc/coma or 719-523-6591.

• Georgetown State Wildlife Area, bighorn sheep viewing (300-350 in the herd) from the developed interpretive site and viewing area across I-70 (fall, winter and spring are best viewing times) (www.wildlife.state.co.us).

• Mount Evans Highway, a three-to-four hour round-trip drive with views of mountain goats, elk and bighorn sheep, or hike a 1.1 mile trail at Goliath Natural Area to see the ancient gnarled bristlecone pine, www.mountevans.com or 303-567-2901.

• Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge ponds and meadows offer birdwatching, while moose, elk and beavers live along the Illinois River, www.fws.gov/arapaho/ or 970-723-8202.

• Vega State Park is home to elk, deer, bald eagles and hawks, www.parks.state.co.us/parks/vega or 970-487-3407.

• Six sites along the Yampa River between Hayden and Dinosaur National Monument offer habitats for birds and small mammals; www.parks.state.co.us/parks/yampariver or 970-276-2061.