Birding by Habitat: Woody Creek & Lenado

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.

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

Birders of all experience levels are welcome!  Special attention will be given to orienting beginning birders to local habitats and their associated bird species, and basic field craft skills.

Meeting place will be communicated to registered participants.

About the Instructor:

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 with her husband, Austin, and their children, Anders and Elsie.