Be sure to see the “Go Birding” page for information on meeting locations, what to bring, and other helpful hints.
Cancellation policy: Field trip leaders will make the decision and notify participants. We will also post the decision on this page.
Be sure to scroll all the way down to see field trips offered by other organizations!
Saturday, October 19, 8 – 11 am
First Junior Bird Club Meeting at FCNC
Do you know a child who enjoys nature? A new Junior Bird Club, sponsored by Fountain Creek Nature Center, will meet every other month from October through August. Children ages 8 to 15 will learn birding skills, increase their love of nature, and gain a desire to care for the environment. The October meeting will cover birding basics and include a craft. Bring binoculars. Cost is $25 for six club meetings. Prepaid registration required.
Sunday, November 10, 6:30 – 11:30 am
Rainbow Gulch & Rampart Reservoir
Explore the montane forest of western El Paso County along the Rainbow Gulch Trail and a portion of Rampart Reservoir. We will be looking primarily for finches, woodpeckers, and other songbirds that spend the winter at high elevation, as well as waterfowl and other water birds. Be sure to dress for the weather and plan to hike 4 to 5 miles on trails. We will meet at the east end of the Red Rocks Safeway parking lot, 3275 W. Colorado Ave, CS 80904. Maximum of 10 participants. Contact Tyler Stuart, [email protected] with any questions and to sign up.
Monday, November 25, 7:30 – 11:30-ish
Doubletree Pond & Stratton Open Space
Start your Thanksgiving week with this trip led by Diana Beatty. We will visit two good birding hotspots in one morning: the Doubletree Pond, which provides both open water and shrubby habitat, and Stratton Open Space. The trip will start from the Target parking lot just off the I-25 Circle Drive exit at 1630 E. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd., 80906. We’ll walk across the street to see what birds are on and around the pond. Then we’ll carpool to the La Veta Way trailhead at Stratton Open Space, where we’ll walk the Stratton Springs path up to the first reservoir and back—a round trip hike of roughly two miles. Depending on weather/trail conditions, hiking spikes could be useful around the spring. Please bring whatever you need to be comfortable. Here are the eBird Hotspot lists for our destinations:
Doubletree Pond: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L2107980
Stratton Open Space: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L2361953
Trip is limited to 10 participants. Please contact Diana Beatty at [email protected] to sign up.
Saturday, December 14, times vary
Audubon Christmas Bird Count & Potluck Dinner
You can add to a century of community science data by signing up for this year’s Colorado Springs Christmas Bird Count (CBC) on Saturday, December 14, 2019! Everyone is welcome to participate. Plan to spend at least the entire morning finding birds, though times will vary. Come prepared for cold temperatures, and possibly snow and ice. Feeder watchers are also encouraged to sign up and participate.
After the count, we will gather for a potluck dinner, species compilation, and sharing of the day’s adventures at Bear Creek Nature Center from 5 to 7 pm on count day.
The CBC is a long-standing program of the National Audubon Society, with over 100 years of community science involvement. It is an early-winter bird census, involving thousands of volunteers across the U.S., Canada, and many countries in the Western Hemisphere. There is a specific methodology to the CBC, and you must sign up in advance. Each count takes place in an established circle 15-miles in diameter, and is organized by a count compiler. Count volunteers follow specified routes, counting every bird they see or hear. It’s not just a species tally—all birds are counted, giving an indication of the total number of birds in the circle that day.
For more information or to sign up, please contact Tyler Stuart at (719) 661-9308 or [email protected]
Other trips are being planned; check back often!
Would you like to lead a field trip? No experience necessary, just enthusiasm and a friendly attitude. Contact Diana Beatty, [email protected], for more information on volunteering to lead a trip for Aiken Audubon.
More Options
The Mile High Bug Club also hosts numerous field trips and cordially invites Audubon folks to join them. For information, visit their Facebook page, or contact Eric Eaton at [email protected].
Pueblo’s Arkansas Valley Audubon Society welcomes us on their trips. Check their website for the latest information.
Denver Field Ornithologists also sponsors many field trips each month. Check the right-hand bar on their website’s home page for a month-by-month listing.