Mid-Valley Winter Birding Blitz

Winter birding is a special treat during this time when the colors and movements of birds stand out against the backdrop of snow and leafless vegetation. Birds’ foraging activities bring vibrancy to habitats rich with seeds, dormant insects, dried berries, and other foods. Join us for ACES’ annual Mid Valley Winter Birding Blitz, a sampler of winter bird habitats in this ecologically rich part of the Valley. This year’s blitz is scaled to suit safety measures while providing experiences in two excellent birding locations. We will meet at Rock Bottom Ranch and explore the meadows, forests, winter farm fields, and wetlands before driving to bird in riparian habitats along the Roaring Fork River. Participants will be able to warm up and stay safely distanced driving separately between these two locations. This outing meets at 9am and will conclude between noon and 1pm depending upon weather conditions and comfort factors.

About the instructor: Rebecca Weiss is a Naturalist specializing in birding, botany, and interpretive program development. She first came to ACES as a Summer Naturalist in 1993, later directed the Naturalist Field School and worked with ACES’ Naturalist Programs. She currently guides for ACES’ Birding Program outings and is involved with the center’s interpretive and custom programs. Rebecca is also a professional writer, developing trailside natural history interpretive signs in the Roaring Fork Valley and elsewhere in Colorado, as well as other writing projects. Rebecca is the author of Birds of Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley. She holds a BS in Biology and an MA in Environmental Education, and loves exploring the natural world with her husband, Austin, and their children Anders and Elsie.