Birding by Habitat: Hunter Creek Fall Sampler

The patchy habitats of Hunter Creek’s valley floor attract mixed flocks of both migratory and resident birds during fall when foods, such as insects, berries, rose hips, and wildflower seeds, abound. Downy woodpeckers cling to flower stalks as they lick up ants attracted to nectar and the honeydew of aphids. Flycatchers hawk insects from willows at the edges of the wetlands. Pine grosbeaks feed on rosehips in the understory of the aspen woodlands. Pockets of bird activity are best found on a stroll through the valley’s trails which meander through open meadows, mixed forests, and along the rushing water of Hunter Creek. Join us for this fall birding hike!

Meeting location in Aspen, and will be communicated with registered participants.

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.

About the Instructor:

Rebecca Weiss is a birding guide and naturalist with thirty years of experience in the Aspen area and Colorado’s mountain regions. She is author of the local guidebook, Birds of Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley and the primary guide for ACES’ Birding Program. She is a certified interpretive guide and holds a BS in Biology and a MA in Education. Rebecca’s professional background includes bird banding, field research, and conservation writing as well as outdoor education, program administration, and guide training. Past employers and affiliations include the National Park Service, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Outward Bound, and the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab.