Aiken Audubon Society

Birding By Book | "Birding to Change the World"
2026-06-29 17:30 - 19:00 (America/Denver) | CO
Aiken Audubon’s Birding by Book is a book club for those who love birds AND books! The club meets to discuss selected book titles and create community among birders in the Pikes Peak area.
Read Birding to Change the World by Trish O’Kane at your leisure, then join us on Monday, June 29th for book club discussion.
In this uplifting environmental memoir, a professor and activist shares what birds can teach us about life, social change, and protecting the environment.
Trish O’Kane is an accidental ornithologist. In her nearly two decades writing about justice as an investigative journalist, she’d never paid attention to nature. But then Hurricane Katrina destroyed her New Orleans home, sending her into an emotional tailspin.
In Birding to Change the World, O’Kane details the astonishing science of bird life, from migration and parenting to the territorial defense strategies that influenced her own activism. A warm and compelling work of nature writing that weaves science and social engagement, this is the story of an improbable band of bird lovers who saved their park. And it is a blueprint for muscular citizenship, powered by joy.
Roadrunner Bookshop is offering new copies of Birding to Change the World at a 15% discount to book club members. Please email your request to place an order along with your RSVP.
Seating is LIMITED, and a reservation is required.
RSVP by emailing BirdingByBook@gmail.com.
photo credit: HarperCollins.com

Mid-Week at Manitou Lake with Kip Miller
2026-07-07 07:30 - 10:00 | Manitou Lake CO-67, CO-67, Colorado Springs, 80903, United States
Tuesday, July 7 @ 7:30 a.m.
Join us for this weekday Manitou Lake outing while breeding birds are still present and singing.
Manitou Lake is surrounded by evergreen forests, meadows and wetlands and the recreation
area hosts breeding species such as Red-naped Sapsucker, Plumbeous Vireo, Violet-crowned
Swallow, Western Tanager and MacGillivray’s Warbler. The diverse habitat, flat walking, and
lovely scenery make this a great summer birding destination.
– Difficulty: Easy. This 2 mile hike is along mostly flat, uneven trails.
– Bring binoculars and dress for the Woodland Park forecast. (Need binocs? Request to borrow
some when you RSVP!)
– At the entrance, a $11 fee per vehicle is charged (or $5/car with valid NP pass). Option to
carpool/caravan from Old Colorado City area at 6:45 a.m.
Space is limited. RSVP by emailing trip leader Kip Miller at kipGmiller@gmail.com

* FULL* Flammulated Owls with Dr. Brian Linkhart
2026-07-10 18:30 - 21:30 | CO
Announcing one of our most popular field trips each year – the annual Flammulated Owls trip with Dr. Brian Linkhart! You’ll see Dr. Linkhart collect data on the nesting owls he studies and learn a lot. This is a wonderful experience!
(THIS TRIP IS FULL, AND THE WAITLIST IS FULL. The following is only to show how registration worked. You will not get a reply if you try to register.)
Registration opens May 1 at 8:00 a.m. Aiken Audubon members may register first from May 1 through May 10. Starting at 8:00 a.m. on May 1, you may email fieldtrips@aikenaudubon.com to reserve your spot. Have you donated any amount to Aiken in the past one year? Then you’re a member!

Each person may only register for 2 people. This trip is limited to 12 participants. After May 10th, the offering will be open to the general public if there is space remaining….so register early! If you have attended this trip before, we ask that you delay signing up so that others may attend.

We will meet at the Manitou Experimental Forest (MEF). Meeting details will be provided to confirmed participants closer to the trip. Please note that this experience will likely involve hiking in the dark, possibly over some rugged, inclined terrain.

We kindly request a $25 donation per person, cash or check made payable to Aiken Audubon Society; 100% supports Dr. Linkhart’s ongoing research. If you are in need of partial scholarship to cover this donation, please request with you RSVP.

We will check-in with the twelve confirmed individuals a few days beforehand to confirm. Please list your best contact information within the registration request (email and phone number) for each individual. There will be a waitlist option.

Photo: Flammulated Owl Nestling by Jessica Miller / Permitted Research Activity with Dr. Linkhart

Aiken Canyon Preserve with Pat Paternostro
2026-07-11 07:00 - 11:00 | Aiken Canyon, 3350 Turkey Canon Ranch Rd, Colorado Springs, CO, 80926
Join Pat Paternostro and Aiken Audubon for a summer field trip to Aiken Canyon. We will walk the trails and look for nesting species such as Virginia’s Warbler, Plumbeous Vireo and hopefully an Ovenbird or two.
The walk is about 4 miles and does involve some elevation changes. This hike is considered moderate/difficult. Appropriate for all skill levels of birders. You can RSVP by emailing Pat at broncos30@hotmail.com
We will meet at Aiken Canyon Preserve’s parking lot (map) at 7:00 am. Please bring lots of water and sun protection.
Photo: Black-headed Grosbeak / Evan Barrientos / Audubon

*Waitlist Only* Birds & Brews – Rainbow Gulch Trail & BierWerks - July 26
2026-07-26 08:00 - 13:00 | Rainbow Gulch
Rainbow Gulch (8am) followed by BierWerks (12pm)
This easy/moderate 3.5 mile round trip will take us through the montane forests and briefly along the Rampart Reservoir. Along the way we will look for a great variety of summer birds like Williamson’s & Red-naped Sapsuckers, American Three-toed Woodpeckers, Red Crossbills, Evening Grosbeaks, and more. We’ll make sure to look low, too, for beautiful blooming wildflowers like Rocky Mountain Columbine and Fireweed! Afterwards we’ll kick up our feet and rehydrate at BierWerks down in Woodland Park.
– Difficulty: Easy/Moderate. This 3.5 out-and-back has less than 300 feet elevation gain.
– Bring binoculars and dress for the Woodland Park forecast. (Need to borrow binocs? just ask when you RSVP!)

This trip is at capacity. Join the waitlist by emailing trip leader Jessica Miller at jessicaisbirding@gmail.com

Birds & Brews – Manitou Lake & Mad Hatter Saloon - August 16
2026-08-16 08:30 - 12:00 | CO
Manitou Lake (8:30am) followed by Mad Hatter Saloon (11am)
Manitou Lake is surrounded by evergreen forests, meadows, and wetlands formed by beaver dams. The diverse habitat, flat walking, and lovely scenery make this a great birding destination. On our way home we’ll stop outside Cascade to get a refreshment at Mad Hatter Saloon!
– Difficulty: Easy. This 2 mile hike is along mostly flat, uneven trails.
– Bring binoculars and dress for the Woodland Park forecast. (Need binocs? Request to borrow some when you RSVP!)
– At the entrance, a $11 fee per vehicle is charged (or $5/car with valid NP pass). Option to carpool/caravan from Old Colorado City area at 7:50am.

Space is limited. RSVP by emailing trip leader Jessica Miller at jessicaisbirding@gmail.com
