Join naturalist and photographer Arden Anderson for birding in the Gunnison Valley. We will meet at 8 a.m. at the base of the Rainbow Lake Road along Highway 50 about one mile east of the road to the Elk Creek Marina on Blue Mesa Reservoir or about 14 miles west of Gunnison.  At this meeting point we will regroup to minimize cars and begin the day by driving east to Gunnison then south on the Gold Basin Road to look for sagebrush birds, including Gunnison Sage Grouse.  Returning along  the Gunnison River we will stop at the McCabe Wetlands and Neversink riparian area.  Continuing west we will check Blue Mesa Reservoir for ducks, grebes and other water birds. Around noon we will return to the  Rainbow Lake Road and allow those who are short on time to break off from the field trip.  The rest of the group will continue up the Rainbow Lake Road traversing a variety of habitats as we go from 7,500 ft. to 11,000 ft. on a well-maintained gravel road. As time and weather permit we might have time to hike a bit into the West Elk Wilderness to look for some high altitude birds. We should end up back at the base of the road around 4 or 4:30 to end the field trip. The higher altitudes and cooler temperatures should be a welcome relief from the heat of summer. We hope you will join us.