Birding by Habitat Series

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.

Join 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 five 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. 

This point-to-point birding hike takes us through a habitat-rich segment of the Rio Grande Trail between Rock Bottom Ranch and Catherine Store Bridge, covering a distance of about 2 miles. Late September is an exciting time during the prolonged fall migration season in the Roaring Fork Valley. We may see lingering warblers, kinglets, various sparrows, tanagers and more as these birds continue to pass through the area, pausing to refuel in the abundant shrublands, riparian forests, and pinyon-juniper woodlands along our route. We may also see evidence of food-caching behaviors in resident birds as they prepare for the coming winter season: Clark's nutcrackers, mountain and black-capped chickadees, Lewis's woodpeckers, and nuthatches. Additional possible species include wild turkeys, jays, waterfowl, flocks of red-winged blackbirds and finches, and a variety of raptors such as bald eagle, golden eagle, red-tailed hawk, Cooper's hawk, and even merlin - an uncommon but annually-seen fall migrant! Join us for this special fall migration exploration!

Special notes:  bring a day pack with plenty of water and hearty snacks, and anything else you may need to keep comfortable and happy for this 3+ hour hike. Wear sturdy hiking boots or walking shoes, bring a rain jacket and sun hat.

We will be sharing the trail with cyclists and will practice safe and considerate trail etiquette as we pause to bird in the many clear spots just off the trail. Restrooms will be available at the start of this hike, at Rock Bottom Ranch.