Birding by Habitat Series

Sopris Creek is home to a wide variety of native birds as it descends the lower slopes of Mount Sopris through richly varied habitats. From the Emma Schoolhouse to the top of Prince Creek Road and sites in between, we will observe birds in cottonwood galleries, aspen forest, mixed shrublands, sagebrush, spruce-fir forest, lush riparian willows, and open meadows. Some of the birds we may see include wild turkey, Bullock’s oriole, Lewis’s woodpecker, American goldfinch, downy woodpecker, plumbeous and warbling vireos, yellow and Virginia’s warblers, red-tailed hawk, black-chinned and broad-tailed hummingbirds, tree and violet-green swallows, green-tailed and spotted towhees, mountain bluebird, blue-gray gnatcatcher, northern flicker, common raven, American kestrel… the possibilities are unlimited… even Rocky Mountain canaries have been seen in the vicinity. Birders of all experience levels are welcome! 

Hike through pinyon-juniper woodland, sagebrush, mountain shrubland and riparian communities where breeding birds include Black-throated Gray Warblers, Virginia’s Warblers, Rock Wrens, Wild Turkeys, Warbling Vireos, Yellow Warblers, Broad-tailed and Black-chinned Hummingbirds, raptors and more!  We will take our time as we observe birds along a trail that contours along both smooth and rocky areas. Views of the valley will allow us to observe birds over adjacent landscapes as well as those in our immediate surroundings.  Join us for this excellent sampler of these vibrant habitats. This is an out-and-back hike of about 3 miles in total.   

Join us for this special outing along Pitkin County Airport's Radar Road* to explore the suite of birds inhabiting various mountain shrubland habitats traversed by this seldom traveled road. At the beginning, we will bird our way through stands of riparian cottonwoods and willows, an historic ranch compound, and open grassland areas. Seldom used, the road continues on through native mountain shrublands that vary according to soils, moisture, and slope aspect. The variety of birds is reflected in these subtle ecosystem changes, and offers excellent birding along the entire route. Spring is prime time in this sunny, dry landscape that is currently bursting with wildflowers and green foliage. Additional highlights include background on airport wildlife management, ranch history, geology, botany, and unique views of the valley where elk migration corridors and glacial landforms can be seen in sweeping views. 


This trip is a hike on a well-maintained gravel road that climbs uphill; our route will gain about 600' elevation to a viewpoint.  Total mileage of this out-and-back route is about 3.5 miles or less, depending on bird activity and our group's pace. We have the potential to see over 25 species along with a few active nests.


Please dress in layers as temperatures will likely change during the outing; bring a rain jacket, sun hat, plenty of water, snacks, and lunch. Bring your binoculars (or borrow ours). 


*With special permission from Pitkin County's Airport and Open Space offices. Note that there are no restroom facilities at this location.


This class requires advance registration to ensure appropriate planning for the field experience. 


This class meets in the Buttermilk parking lot at 6:30am for a prompt departure to carpool to the airport parking lot off Owl Creek Road.

oin birding experts Rebecca Weiss to explore areas of the burn on Basalt Mountain. We will experience a special suite of birds in various post-fire habitats two years after the 2018 forest fire that burned more than 12,000 acres on and around the mountain.  Within burned areas and adjacent green patches, we hope to see American Three-toed Woodpeckers, Olive-sided Flycatchers, Mountain Bluebirds, Hermit Thrushes, Townsend’s Solitaires, Tree Swallows, Black-chinned and Broad-tailed hummingbirds, Western Tanagers and more.  The burned landscape is likened by forest fire ecologists to a treasure chest that has been opened, providing a bonanza of feeding and nesting opportunities for many bird species in succession over the following decades of regrowth.  (Riotous wildflowers provide amazing side highlights on this hike!)  Join us for one or both of these outings in ACES’ annual Birding the Burn series that will reveal the ongoing changes from year to year in this unique habitat zone as seen through the birdlife and the plant communities they inhabit.  This is a moderately strenuous day hike over uneven terrain and mountain trails, covering about 3 miles. 

The montane lifezone is especially diverse, sandwiched between the habitats of the high mountains and the foothills. Slope aspect also plays an important role in montane ecosystems, creating rich patches of diversity on the landscape.  Birds, both migratory and resident, benefit from the rich resources in this broad ecological belt, including nesting sites, forage, and migration habitat.  On this field trip, we will explore the birdlife along Snowmass Village’s Nature Trail, which meanders along upper Brush Creek through aspen groves, stands of conifers, riparian willows, beaver ponds, and open meadows.  Species we hope to see include Yellow Warblers, Western Wood-pewees, Warbling Vireos, Steller’s Jays, Red-naped Sapsuckers, MacGillivray’s Warblers, Tree Swallows, House Wrens, and more.  Hiking distance will be about 3.5 miles. 

July is an excellent time to observe birds in the upper montane aspen forests, wildflower meadows, and riparian groves of spruce of the Castle Creek Valley, offering prime habitat for classic Rocky Mountain birds such as dusky grouse, Red-naped sapsucker, yellow-rumped warbler, mountain bluebird, broad-tailed hummingbird, northern goshawk, various flycatchers, and many more. The fledgling season is in full swing at this time in mid-summer, offering wonderful opportunities for observing family behaviors and learning the juvenile plumages of this special suite of birds. Amazing wildflowers are a fun side benefit on this birding hike!

This moderate hike begins at the Ashcroft Ghost Town and will walk along the River Run Trail. This is an out and back hike. Birding and experiencing this landscape is the primary goal rather than reaching the pass as a destination. 

This field trip will explore the birdlife of montane habitats in Woody Creek and Lenado where we will see a variety of upland and wetland/riparian species. We will begin with some birding on foot at our meeting point where the Rio Grande Trail crosses Woody Creek and accesses grasslands, sagebrush, and mixed, open shrublands, before driving up the scenic valley of Woody Creek. Our primary destination is a private property in Lenado, where tiered beaver ponds and wetlands, the creek, and surrounding mixed forests and open meadows host a variety of birds, including western tanager, ruby-crowned kinglet, yellow-rumped warbler, Lincoln's sparrow, Cordilleran Flycatcher and many more. Fledglings abound at this time, late in the summer breeding season, and bird behaviors and interactions are fascinating.

Pockets of fall migration bird activity are exciting to find in the open landscape of the Marolt Open Space, where clusters of native shrubs in perimeter areas and stands of trees provide excellent foraging and cover.  Join us for a morning field trip to explore this special area that is a hotspot for mixed flocks of migrating songbirds as well as a National Historic Register site. Target birds for this outing include various warbler and sparrow species, tanagers, orioles, bluebirds, and more.  We get some practice with field marks of adult and immature plumages.