Bird and bat watching at Kingery Nature Center — free evening wildlife outing
Free evening outing to watch birds and bats at Denver Audubon's Kingery Nature Center. See bats emerge at dusk over the South Platte River corridor. Jul 12, 7–9:30 PM MDT.
Why we picked this
Kingery Nature Center along the South Platte River is prime bat habitat — multiple bat species hunt insects over the water at dusk, visible to the naked eye as they emerge just after sunset while common nighthawks work the air above them.
This evening outing at Kingery Nature Center covers two wildlife groups at once: birds active in the late evening hours and bats emerging at dusk to hunt insects over the South Platte River. The transition from bird activity to bat activity happens in a relatively short window just after sunset, making a single evening outing productive for both.
The South Platte corridor at Kingery is excellent bat habitat — open water concentrates insects, and multiple bat species are known to forage along the river at night. Common bat species in this area include the big brown bat, little brown myotis, and hoary bat. The outing also covers late-evening birds: common nighthawks hunting insects at altitude (visible as they call overhead), nightjars, and owls becoming active as darkness falls.
Guides from Denver Audubon lead the outing and help participants spot and identify both groups. The event runs 7 to 9:30 PM. Free to attend. Meet at Kingery Nature Center, 11280 Waterton Rd. in Littleton. A flashlight or headlamp for the walk back is helpful.