Birding & Conversation Series

This 5-mile, out-and-back hike traverses below the Seven Castles geologic formations through pinyon-juniper woodlands, scrub oak, and sagebrush meadows, and follows the rugged creekbed of Seven Castles Creek to the base of a waterfall. Bird species on this hike are diverse, reflecting the varied native habitats we'll pass through. Target species include white-throated swift, golden eagle, Virginia's warbler, white-breasted nuthatch, black-throated gray warbler, canyon wren, black-throated hummingbird, Clark's nutcracker, mountain bluebird and western tanager. Additional possible species include swallows, towhees, Steller's jay, Woodhouse's scrub-jay, Cordilleran and dusky flycatchers, peregrine falcon, wild turkey, and lazuli bunting.

The ecosystems affected by the 2018 Lake Christine Fire have many stories to tell. Join birding expert Rebecca Weiss and ACES Forest and Climate Director, Adam McCurdy, to explore the ecological stories and the special suite of birds in various post-burn habitats as well as the underlying climate-related stories we have in this valley. 

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. This is a moderately strenuous day hike over uneven terrain and mountain trails, covering about 3 miles.


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

Meeting location and details will be communicated to registered participants closer to outing date.

Join us at ACES' newly renovated Catto Center at Toklat, a retreat in the Castle Creek Valley, where prime bird habitat and the legacy of this special place come together. Jody and Rebecca will guide a birding walk in the subalpine woods and meadows surrounding Toklat where likely species include red-naped sapsucker, dusky grouse, yellow-rumped and Wilson's warblers, Lincoln's and fox sparrows, western flycatcher, western tanager, red-breasted nuthatch, tree and violet-green swallows, and broad-tailed hummingbird. Other possibilities include American goshawk, red crossbill, and olive-sided flycatcher. After birding in the field, we will gather at Toklat for an informal presentation and conversation about the Mace family legacy and Toklat history, integrating the concept of "slow birding," a mindful approach to observing birds and the natural world, much like Stuart Mace's philosophy and practice. Join us to see birds and nature through a different lens.

About the Instructors:

Rebecca Weiss is a Naturalist specializing in birding, botany, and interpretive program development. She came to ACES as a Summer Naturalist in 1993, and later directed the Naturalist Field School and worked with ACES’ Naturalist Programs. She guides for ACES’ Birding Program outings and is a professional writer and consultant. Rebecca is the author of Birds of Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley. She holds a BS in Biology and a MA in Environmental Education, and loves exploring the natural world.

Jody Cardamone is an Aspen native, environmental education mentor, and life-long student of the natural world. She was the first director of the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, and together with her husband Tom, she nurtured ACES' naturalist field school programs and the Hallam Lake preserve for nearly four decades. She met Stewart and Isabel Mace, founders of Toklat and stewards of the upper Castle Creek Valley, in 19XX, forging a bond and a shared mission that would inspire the Aspen community and its visitors in meaningful and lasting ways.