Birding & Conversation: Stories of Success in Bird Conservation

Join us in the field for this special opportunity to bird alongside one of the most inspiring voices in ornithology and bird conservation, author and ornithologist Scott Weidensaul. This field trip follows Scott’s July 28th ACES talk, in which he will share stories from his latest book The Return of the Oystercatcher, released in April 2026. In the field, we will enjoy observing local birdlife at various locations along the scenic Frying Pan River. Possible highlights include white-throated swifts, several swallow species, Lewis’s woodpeckers, American dippers, western tanagers, and more. Our relaxed approach to observing birds will be welcoming and engaging for birders of all experience levels.

As we bird our way upriver, our destination will be a private ranch where we will gather in the sun-dappled shade beneath aspen trees on the shore of a pond for the conversation part of the field trip, in which Scott will share more about the bird conservation success stories he has written about, his involvement in Project OwlNet and Project SNOWstorm, and insights into the process and rationale of writing his new book. You will have ample opportunity to ask Scott questions in this small group setting where birds will hopefully distract us as they share our outdoor space:)

Scott’s infectious optimism and first-hand experience with exciting bird conservation work will leave you energized, motivated, and filled with actions and hope for the future of the birds and our planet. Scott will be happy to sign your book; copies of The Return of the Oystercatcher will be available for purchase or feel free to bring yours if you already have one.

This outing meets at 7am in Basalt at Lion’s Park. We will carpool up the Frying Pan Valley about 10 miles, returning to Lion’s Park by 12pm.

 Interested in joining ACES Bird Club? Click here for more information!

About the instructors:

Scott Weidensaul is the author of nearly 30 books on natural history, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist “Living on the Wind” and his the New York Times bestseller “A World on the Wing.” His latest book, Return of the Oystercatcher, coming in April 2026, showcases what’s working for bird conservation around the world. Weidensaul is a contributing editor for Audubon magazine, a columnist for Bird Watcher’s Digest, and writes for a variety of other publications including Living Bird. He is a Fellow of the American Ornithological Society and an active field researcher, studying saw-whet owl migration for 30 years, as well as winter hummingbirds in the East, bird migration in Alaska, and the winter movements of snowy owls through Project SNOWstorm, which he co-founded.

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.

Birding and Conversation Field Trip Series

In this special series we explore compelling topics pertaining to birds, from local history, to ecology and conservation. These field trips involve a combination of birding and presentations in the field with guests whose deep expertise provides unique insights into birds and the world we share with them. Join us for these opportunities for first-hand experience and discussions that will enhance your birding and broaden your understanding of the feathered wonders and the natural world around us!

2026 guests/locations in this series include CPW Biologist Brett Walker at Wildcat Ranch (birds of the sagebrush shrubland ecosystem with a special focus on Brewer’s Sparrows, the dawn chorus, and related conservation issues), ACES Forest and Climate Director Adam McCurdy at TBD (contemplating the future of our forests and the birds that inhabit them in the face of climate change, beetles, fire, and other challenges), Wilderness Workshop Executive Director Will Roush at Toklat (exploring congressionally designated Wilderness and the meaning of these landscapes to birds), Ornithologist and Author Scott Weidensaul at special Frying Pan Valley locations (Scott’s new book and the idea that bird conservation success brings that same success to the greater planet).