Upcoming Field Trips

All field trips are free (unless otherwise noted) and currently open to the public. All experience levels are welcome. Bring snacks or lunch, water, binoculars, and spotting scopes. Please understand that changes to dates, meeting times, locations, and trip leaders occasionally are unavoidable. One week before a scheduled trip, please visit the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/FortCollinsAudubonSociety/), or fortcollinsaudubon.org for a link to register. Registration will be posted one week before the scheduled trip. Attendance is limited to 12 individuals.

Looking for other Chapter activities? Please see the Calendar page for a complete listing of all Chapter events and field trips.

May 2025

Friday, May 26

Dixon Reservoir and Maxwell Natural Areas

Leader: Ryan Twedt twedt@outlook.com. Dixon Reservoir and Maxwell Natural Areas are two adjacent and wonderful places to view migrating passerines in a variety of habitat. Dixon Reservoir is a well known migrant trap with annual banding stations operated by Bird Conservancy of the Rockies. The diversity of plant life and the insects attracted to them that surround the reservoir offer an abundance of food for migratory birds. A wide variety of warblers, flycatchers, grosbeaks, and buntings have been seen throughout the years during spring migrations, alongside numerous ducks, pelicans, and other water birds. Maxwell is a picturesque prairie/foothills area where towhees and bluebirds can be found with corvids playing in the breeze and raptors soaring high above. Start time and signup for this trip will be in the May newsletter.

April 2025

Saturday, April 12

Fossil Creek Reservoir Natural Area

Leader: Sirena Brownlee sirena.brownlee@hdrinc.com. Join Sirena for a walk along the Cattail Flats trail for waterfowl and Bald Eagle viewing. Plan for a 2-mile walk on trails. All levels are welcome, and a spotting scope will be available.Time and place will be in the signup link

Saturday, April 13

Bobcat Ridge Survey

Leader: Denise Bretting, dbretting@swloveland.com or 970-402-1292. The survey looks at bird populations and helps local scientists better understand bird dynamics. The little more than 4-mile hike covers moderate to flat terrain with some steep sections. No registration required and there is no participation limit, but please email or text Denise that you plan to attend. Meet at 7:30 a.m. in Bobcat Ridge parking lot. The trip may be cancelled, rescheduled, or relocated if trails are closed due to mud-dy conditions.

Sunday, April 26

LGBTQIA+ and Allies at River-bend Ponds

Leader: Kit Gray, kit@kitgrayillustration.com. Join us for a friendly and social bird outing where we will be looking for Northern Harrier, Virginia Rail, sparrows, Osprey, and different kinds of waterfowl. All levels are welcome. Please bring binoculars if you have them. Meet at 8 a.m. in the park-ing lot on the north side of Prospect Road, located be-tween Sharp Point Dr. and S. Summit View Dr. This outing will be a slow-paced, 2- to 2.5-hour walk on a relatively wide and well-maintained trail with occasion-al benches available. Sign up: www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084CADAE2CA1FEC70-54791848-lgbtqia#/.

Saturday, April 26

Photography Walk at Riverbend Ponds

Leader: Joseph Webber, joe.webber26@gmail.com. We will meet at 6 a.m. and walk along a fairly flat dirt path, working on settings, techniques, and practices to get results with whatever camera participants already have. The walk will last about 2 to 2.5 hours. Be sure to bring water, sun protection, and a snack!

Saturday, April 27

Raptors and Human Interactions: Balancing Coexistence; Fossil Creek Reservoir.

Leader: Jes Gray, jes.e.gray@gmail.com. Join us to explore the fascinating and complex world of raptors and their relationships with human-altered landscapes. As spring migration unfolds, we’re likely to see Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, Swainson’s Hawks, Ospreys, Turkey Vultures, and American Kestrels, along with other resident and passing raptors. This event will be highly interactive, blending raptor spotting, discussion, and thought-provoking activities to engage participants in learning how raptors hunt, nest, and adapt to envi-ronmental changes. The trail is flat, with a slight down-hill from the parking lot to the lake. It begins paved, and switches to a well-groomed gravel pathway about half-way through. Binoculars are recommended but not required. Time and place to meet will be in the sign up link.

March 2025

Saturday, March 1

Sandhill Cranes

Leader: Lori Pivonka, lori.pivonka@gmail.com. Gather at 7:30 a.m. at Jax Farm & Ranch in northern Fort Collins and carpool north to agricultural fields, where we will look for migrating sandhill cranes. The trip will involve driving along agricultural fields to spot the cranes and will take about 2-3 hours due to travel time. Bring binoculars, a camera, and/or a scope if you have one. Lori will also have a scope. Expect to learn about cranes and their behavior and possibly watch their mating dance displays! The signup link for the Sandhill Crane trip has al-ready been released and may be full by the time this newsletter is published. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084CADAE2CA1FEC70-54945798-saturday.

Saturday, March 8

Fossil Creek Reservoir Natural Area

Leader: Sirena Brownlee sirena.brownlee@hdrinc.com. Join Sirena for a walk along the Cattail Flats trail for waterfowl and Bald Eagle viewing. Plan for a 2-mile walk on trails. All levels are welcome, and a spotting scope will be available. Meet at 9 a.m. in the parking lot.

Sunday, March 9

Bobcat Ridge Survey

Leader: Denise Bretting, dbretting@swloveland.com or 970-402-1292. The survey looks at bird populations and helps local scientists better understand bird dynamics. The little more than 4-mile hike covers moderate to flat terrain with some steep sections. No registration required and there is no participation limit, but please email or text Denise that you plan to attend. Meet at 7:30 a.m. in Bobcat Ridge parking lot.

Saturday, March 15

Lee Martinez, LGBTQIA+ Community and Allies

Leader: Kit Gray, kit@kitgrayillustration.com. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the parking lot located at 600 N. Sherwood Street. We will meet at the north end where a paved walking trail meets the parking lot and basketball courts are visible. The majority of this outing is on a flat, paved trail. If you have accessibility questions or need more infor-mation, please contact Kit. Sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084CADAE2CA1FEC70-54791849-lgbtqia.

Saturday, March 22

Riverbend Ponds Natural Area

Leader: Daniel Carrier, dacarrier7@gmail.com or 571-420-7375. Meet at the Riverbend Ponds Natural Area main parking lot at 8 a.m. to check out the many ponds and marshes within this amazing natural area's boundaries. We'll keep an eye out for Virginia Rail, Northern Shrike, Northern Harrier, unique waterfowl, a variety of sparrows, and many others. This outing will involve a couple of miles of slow walking on flat, well-maintained paths around the park.

TENTATIVE: Sunday, March 23

Watson Lake

Leader: Ryan Twedt, twedt@outlook.com. Watson Lake is well-known as a raptor and waterfowl viewing area, but it is also an incredible place to see several species of flycatchers and swallows. The trail is very flat and mostly paved, though we might go off the paved path if we see something good. Additional details will be pro-vided with the signup link announcement.

February 2025

Sunday, February 9

Bobcat Ridge Survey

Leader: Denise Bretting, dbretting@swloveland.com or 970-402-1292. The survey looks at bird populations and helps local scientists better understand bird dynamics. The little more than 4-mile hike covers moderate to flat terrain with some steep sections. No registration required and there is no participation limit, but please email or text Denise that you plan to attend. Meet at 7:30 a.m. in Bobcat Ridge parking lot.

Saturday, February 16

Raptor Alley Pawnee National Grasslands

Leader: Nolan Bunting, nbuntingt@rams.colostate.edu, 907-299-4625. A trip to one of the most amazing ecosystems on planet earth. The Pawnee during the winter is home to a large variety of birds including Lapland Longspurs, Rough-legged Hawks, and Northern Shrikes. The group will meet in Nunn at 8 a.m. to carpool and the trip will likely run until 2-3 p.m. Please pack a lunch and be prepared for some driving and birding.

January 2025

Sunday, January 12

Bobcat Ridge Survey

Leader: Denise Bretting, dbretting@swloveland.com or 970-402-1292. The survey looks at bird populations and helps local scientists better understand bird dynamics. The little more than 4-mile hike covers moderate to flat terrain with some steep sections. No registration required and there is no participation limit, but please email or text Denise that you plan to attend. Meet at 8:00 a.m. in Bobcat Ridge parking lot.

Thursday, January 30

Lee Martinez Park

Lead-er: Amy Roush, canyonwren4@gmail.com or 512-993-0242. Join us for a short half-mile to mile-long trip around the Poudre River to look for resident waterfowl, song birds, and maybe spot a few of the winter raptors. Meet at the parking lot off of Sherwood Street at 8 a.m.

December 2024

Sunday, December 8

Bobcat Ridge Survey

Leader: Denise Bretting, dbretting@swloveland.com or 970-402-1292. The survey looks at bird populations and helps local scientists better understand bird dynamics. The little more than 4-mile hike covers moderate to flat terrain with some steep sections. No registration required and there is no participation limit, but please email or text Denise that you plan to attend. Meet at 8:00 a.m. in Bobcat Ridge parking lot.

December 14 - January 1 2025

125th Christmas Bird Count

Tufted Titmouse. Photo: Michele Black/Great Backyard Bird Count

The 125th Christmas Bird Count (CBC) will take place in count circles across the Americas and some Pacific islands from December 14 to January 5. As an alternative to bird hunts as a Christmas tradition, the first “bird census” was created in 1900. The CBC is the longest running citizen science survey in the world: tens of thousands of participants brave wintry weather and contribute to critical data on bird population trends spanning over a century.

Volunteer teams cover designated areas within a 15-mile diameter circle, counting every bird they see or hear all day (some counts may be shorter). All levels are welcome; beginners can be paired with more experienced birders. Volunteers who live within a count circle who just wish to record what comes to their backyard feeders also are welcome to participate; please contact your local CBC compiler for details. To center attention on this important effort, FCAS will not host any December field trips aside from the Bobcat Ridge Survey. For more information and to sign up, contact the following local CBC compiler for the area in which you are interested.

Fort Collins—Saturday, December 14

7:30am - 5:00pm

Compiler Thomas Hall, redbear44@msn.com. The count starts at about 7:30 a.m., though some groups may go out owling earlier. The count will conclude about 5 p.m. Team leaders compile information for an area and must have numbers by the end of the day for the compilation.

Nunn—Sunday, December 15

8:00am - 2:00pm

Compiler Robert Beauchamp, tyrannusb@gmail.com. The Nunn CBC covers the western portion of the Pawnee National Grasslands, just north of Nunn. Beginning in 1966, this count circle has been active for nearly 60 years. We'll meet at 8 a.m. for a day birding the short-grass prairie

Loveland—Wednesday, Jan. 1.

Compiler Denise Bretting, dbretting@swloveland.com or 970-402-1292. The Loveland CBC circle is a birdy combination of lower foothills, higher Great Plains, managed residential landscapes and gardens, a river corridor and plenty of lakes and reservoirs. Bird highlights are gulls, raptors, waterfowl, and sometimes a small mountain owl.

Rawhide Energy Station—Friday, January 3

Compiler Douglas Kibbe, dpkibbe@msn.com, or 303-910-9476. Please register early so the compiler can provide names to power plant personnel for permission to be on the property, particularly if you wish to survey the reservoir adjacent to the power station. Dress warmly. This is normally a half day outing.

Rocky Mountain National Park—Traditionally the first Saturday in January

Contact compiler Scott Rashid, pygmyowl@frii.com or 970-227-9425, for more information.

To view these count areas and more, go to the National Audubon Society's map at https://www.audubon.org/community-science/christmas-bird-count/join-christmas-bird-count.

November 2024

Sunday, November 10

Bobcat Ridge Survey

Leader: Denise Bretting, dbretting@swloveland.com or 970-402-1292. The survey looks at bird populations and helps local scientists better understand bird dynamics. The little more than 4-mile hike covers moderate to flat terrain with some steep sections. No registration required and there is no participation limit, but please email or text Denise that you plan to attend. Meet at 7:30 a.m. in Bobcat Ridge parking lot.

Friday, November 15

Douglas Reservoir Stare Wildlife Area

Leader: John Shenot, johnshenot@gmail.com, 802-595-1669. Dress warmly for this trip to one of the best spots in Larimer County for migrating waterfowl. Douglas Reservoir is an excellent place to look for scoters and loons in November. We'll meet in the parking area at the South end of the reservoir at 8 a.m. Bring a spotting scope if you have one. Note: Though the requirement is seldom enforced, all visitors to State Wildlife Areas are responsible for obtaining or having a valid Colorado State Wildlife Area access pass, or a valid Colorado fishing or hunting license. Passes and licenses can be purchased

Sunday, November 17

LGBTQIA+ and Allies at Red Fox Meadows.

Leader: Kit Gray, kit@kitgrayillus-tration.com. FCAS is committed to providing a safe space where queer birders and allies of all ages can connect with each other and learn about local bird species. Come join us for a relaxed bird walk with good compa-ny! Meet at 8 a.m. at Red Fox Meadows. The walk will last about two hours. Sign up for LGBTQIA+ walk at Red Fox Meadows: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084CADAE2CA1FEC70-52310524-lgbtqia.

Saturday, November 23

Dixon Reservoir

Leaders: Amy Roush, canyonwren4@gmail.com or 512-993-0242 and Alan Godwin. Expect to walk the approx. 2.1-mile loop around Dixon Reservoir on a fairly level trail. This is a good place to see birds on and around the water in cooler months, as well as a birding hotspot year-round! The walk will begin at 8 a.m. and last for about two hours.

October 2024

Saturday, October 12

Fossil Creek Reservoir Natural Area

Leader: Sirena Brownlee, sirena.brownlee@hdrinc.com. Join Sirena for a walk on the Cattail Flats trail to view late fall migrating and resident waterfowl, and hopefully a few raptors. Plan for a 2-mile walk on the trails. All levels are welcome, and a spotting scope will be available. Meet at 9 a.m. in the park-ing lot.

Sunday, October 12

Bobcat Ridge Survey

Leader: Denise Bretting, dbretting@swloveland.com or 970-402-1292. The survey looks at bird populations and helps local scientists better understand bird dynamics. The little more than 4-mile hike covers moderate to flat terrain with some steep sections. No registration required and there is no participation limit, but please email or text Denise that you plan to attend. Meet at 7:30 a.m. in Bobcat Ridge parking lot.

Saturday, October 19

Accessible Field Trip at Boyd Lake State Park

Leaders: Sheila Webber, 13sheilaw@gmail.com, and Amy Roush, canyonwren4@gmail.com or 512-993-0242. We will meet at the Willow Landing parking area (farthest north within Boyd Lake State Park) and follow the Boyd Lake Trail to the north following the shore of the lake. This is a good place to see shorebirds, and we may see eagles perched on nearby power poles. The trail is a wide, well-maintained, paved concrete surface, mostly flat aside from an incline near the parking area, and the area is typically quiet with occasional bicycle traffic. The trip will start at 9 a.m. and last for about two hours. Addi-tional details will be sent via email, Facebook, and other channels. With any questions or to express interest, please contact field trip committee chair Amy Roush at fcasfieldtrips@gmail.com or 512-993-0242.

Sunday, October 20

LGBTQIA+ and Allies at Pineridge Natural Area.

Leader: Kit Gray, kit@kitgrayillustration.com. Fort Collins Audubon Society is committed to providing a safe space where queer birders and allies of all ages can connect with each other and learn about local bird species. Come join us for a relaxed bird walk with good company! Meet at 8 a.m. at Riverbend Ponds. The walk will last about two hours.

Sign up for LGBTQIA+ walk at Pineridge Natural Area here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084CADAE2CA1FEC70-50838007-lgbtqia#/

Saturday and Sunday, October 26 & 27

Grandview Cemetery

Leaders: Nolan Bunting, nbunting@rams.colostate.edu or 907-299-4625, and Dave Leatherman, daleatherman@msn.com. Prepare for a spooky trip just before dusk at the Grandview cemetery. The trip will be 1.5 hours long and will include some mild walking through one of Fort Collins' hidden birding locations. We may see owls, Brown Creepers, and perhaps stumble upon a murder of crows. Additionally, there will be stories about some of the well-known ghosts and hauntings that are said to happen in the cemetery. The trip will begin at 5 p.m. and will conclude at dusk. Meet at the Mountain Ave entrance near City Park. Please bring a headlamp and flashlight. Registration will be increased to 15 for this trip. Additional cemetery trips may be added if demand is high. Register for the Saturday, Oct. 26 trip at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084CADAE2CA1FEC70-51449059-sept#/; or the Sunday, Oct. 27 trip at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084CADAE2CA1FEC70-51449058-sept#/.