BCAS field trip group on the North Rim of the Black Canyon.
Fall 2025 Field Trips
Please RSVP for all field trips at
First Tuesday Field Trips - Montrose County
All Montrose trips meet at the public parking lot at the corner of N. 2nd Street and N. Cascade Ave. in Montrose unless noted in the trip description. Items you may want to bring include snacks, water, binoculars, and a field guide. Please reserve your spot by emailing black.canyon.audubon.
Third Tuesday Field Trips - Delta County
All Delta County trips will last about 2-3 hours. Bring a snack, water, binoculars, spotting scopes (if you have one), and field guides. Please RSVP for all field trips and include your name, field trip date, and contact information in case weather or illness forces a cancellation. RSVP for all fieldtrips at
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Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Time: meet at Confluence Park at 9:00 a.m.
Trip Leader: Dian Torphy
We will meet at Confluence Park in Delta in the large parking lot on the east side of the lake, Gunnison River Drive. We will explore from there -- either the lake or rivers or wetlands areas. Plan on 2-3 hours.
Audubon's 126th Christmas Bird Count
The Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) occurs December 14th to January 5th every season. Between those dates, local hawk-eyed volunteers will join fellow birders across the country to brave various weather conditions to count birds during the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Birders and nature enthusiasts will take part in this tradition, many rising before dawn to participate in the longest running wildlife census on the planet.
From feeder-watchers and field observers to count compilers and regional editors, everyone who takes part in the Christmas Bird Count does it for love of birds and the excitement of friendly competition -- and with the knowledge that their efforts are making a difference for science and bird conservation.
The count takes place within Count Circles, which focus on specific geographical areas and each circle is overseen by a Count Compiler. Count circles will be divided and areas assigned to participants at the meeting time and place below. If you are a beginning birder, you will be able to join a group that includes at least one experienced birdwatcher.
In addition, if your home is within the boundaries of a Count Circle, you can stay home and report the birds that visit your feeder.
Western Slope Christmas Bird Count Schedule
All levels of birding experience are welcome. We’ll be birding most of the day. Bring: warm clothes (dress for expected weather), boots, snack and/or lunch, water, sunscreen, binoculars, spotting scope (if you have one), and bird books. Clipboards are very helpful. Provided: Map of birding areas, checklist of birds which might be seen, instructions. For more information about CBC participation, visit Audubon's website at https://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count. For additional information on local efforts call the numbers listed above or contact Black Canyon Audubon Society at
Sunday Dec. 14th - Gunnison. This group will meet at 7:30 am at Hurst Hall, Room 130 on the Western Colorado University campus to get organized. Everyone is encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather (which can be a little chilly in Gunnison) and bring lunch, water and sunscreen. Afterward we will have a chili potluck to compile results. Please contact organizer Arden Anderson (arden at gunnison dot com) for additional information and to let him know you are planning to attend. Folks at all levels of birding experience are welcome.
Saturday Dec. 20th - Montrose. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the N 2nd St. and N Cascade Ave. parking lot, Downtown Montrose. We will break into teams and you will be given maps and data sheets to complete the field count. All experience levels are welcome and encouraged. Please contact Missy Siders at (black.canyon.audubon.fieldtrips at gmail dot com) at least 5 days before the count so she can inform you of any last minute changes to the count.
Saturday Dec. 27th - Delta. Meet at the Delta City Market parking lot at 8:30 am. We will break into teams and you will be given maps and data sheets to complete the field count. Please contact (amy dot seglund at state dot co dot us) if you have any questions.
Saturday, January 3rd - Hotchkiss. Meet at the Hotchkiss City Market parking lot at 8:00 am. All experience levels are welcome and encouraged. A catered lunch get-together will be held at Andrea Robinsong's. Please contact Adam Petry at (petry at westernbiology dot com) with questions or to RSVP.
BCAS Field Trip Guidelines
One of the fun aspects of belonging to BCAS is the field trips. The field trips visit numerous hotspots in our area and occasionally to places far afield. These trips wouldn’t be possible without the efforts of the trip leaders. All BCAS trip leaders are volunteers donating their time and expertise to bring a great birding experience to participants. As a matter of keeping the experience top notch there are a few rules in place to help things run smoothly. Please keep them in mind when signing up and participating in the trips.
- Please notify the trip leader of your intentions to participate in a timely manner. Contact the trip leader to sign up and be sure you get an affirmative response from the leader. To sign up for all field trips send an email to
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Be sure to mention which field trip you want to attend. Field trip sign ups close 48 hours before the planned trip. Be sure to leave a contact phone number in case the leader needs to contact you about changes.
- Depending on the field trip, there may be limitations on participation. These limitations are set by the trip leader and announced with the field trip information. Reasons for limitations include parking concerns, visits to private residents, safety, and a trip leader’s comfort level with participant numbers. The exceptions to participant limitations may include special events where a larger crowd in anticipated and the First Tuesday field trips. First Tuesdays are expressly focused on new/novice members and visit nearby hotspots that can accommodate a bigger group. People are still asked to sign up in advance, so no one is left behind.
- Unless otherwise noted, all trips will meet in Montrose at 8 a.m. at the public parking lot at the corner of N. 2nd Street and N. Cascade Ave.
Many of BCAS field trips fill up, so signing up early increases your chances of participating. If, for some reason, you cannot attend a field trip, please notify the trip leader ASAP. Many times, the leader has a waiting list, so contacting the leader allows others to participate. Guests of members are welcome, so please let the leader know how many will be in your party.
Las Pautas para Ecursiones de BCAS
Uno de los aspectos más divertidos de pertenecer a BCAS son las excursiones. Estas excursiones visitan numerosos lugares de interés en nuestra zona y, ocasionalmente, lugares más lejanos. Estas excursiones no serían posibles sin el esfuerzo de los guías. Todos los guías de BCAS son voluntarios que donan su tiempo y experiencia para brindar una excelente experiencia de observación de aves a los participantes. Para garantizar la mejor experiencia, existen algunas reglas que facilitan el desarrollo del programa. Por favor, téngalas en cuenta al inscribirse y participar en las excursiones.
- Por favor, notifique al guía su intención de participar lo antes posible. Comuníquese con él para inscribirse y asegúrese de recibir una respuesta afirmativa. Para inscribirse en todas las excursiones, envíe un correo electrónico a black.canyon.audubon.fieldtrips. Asegúrese de mencionar a qué excursión desea asistir. Las inscripciones cierran 48 horas antes de la fecha prevista. Asegúrese de dejar un número de teléfono de contacto en caso de que el guía necesite contactarle para informarle sobre cualquier cambio.
- Dependiendo de la excursión, puede haber limitaciones de participación. Estas limitaciones las establece el guía y se anuncian junto con la información de la excursión. Las razones de las limitaciones incluyen problemas de estacionamiento, visitas a residentes particulares, seguridad y la comodidad del guía con el número de participantes. Las excepciones a las limitaciones de participación pueden incluir eventos especiales donde se anticipa una mayor afluencia de público y las excursiones del Primer Martes. El Primer Martes está especialmente dirigido a miembros nuevos o novatos y visita lugares de interés cercanos con capacidad para un grupo mayor. Se ruega a los participantes que se inscriban con antelación para que nadie se quede atrás.
- A menos que se indique lo contrario, todas las excursiones se reunirán en Montrose a las 8:00 a. m. en el estacionamiento público ubicado en la esquina de N. 2nd Street y N. Cascade Ave.
Muchas de las excursiones de BCAS se llenan, así que inscribirse con anticipación aumenta sus posibilidades de participar. Si, por alguna razón, no puede asistir a una excursión, notifique al líder de la excursión lo antes posible. Muchas veces, el líder tiene lista de espera, por lo que contactarlo permite que otros participen. Los invitados de los miembros son bienvenidos, así que informe al líder cuántos serán en su grupo.