Upcoming Field Trips

 

Click the Details button to view complete trip information and register for a trip. Trips highlighted in green are filled, but register to be added to the waiting list. Often, some original registrants drop out, opening spots to those on the waiting list. If you have symptoms of illness please be courteous of the welfare of other participants by canceling your registration for the trip.

Some field trips require carpooling with volunteer drivers so that we may lessen our impact on the environment, provide for logistical needs of having fewer vehicles, and improve the quality of the field trip experience. DFO recommends mileage reimbursement to volunteer carpool drivers of $0.50/mile divided by the number of persons in the car. This amount may be optionally reduced at the discretion of a driver. Riders should please come prepared to reimburse the driver at the conclusion of the field trip. 

Please note:

  • You must register as an individual (separate login) so that the liability waiver on file is attached to your registration.
    • If you are having trouble registering multiple individuals in the same family membership, please contact the Field Trip Chair (see "Leadership" list in the "About DFO" section of the website).

    Please help us make DFO field trips better. Read our condensed guidelines or even better, check out the full document BETTER BIRDING WITH DFO: How to Get the Most Out of Your Denver Field Ornithologists Field Trip.

    • eBird HotspotseBird Hotspot - site descriptions and photos (submit your additions)
    Key to Special Focus Trips
    Birds Plus+
    Birds Plus+
    Developing Birder
    Developing Birder
    Patch Birding
    Patch Birding
    Bird Song Focus
    Bird Song Focus
    Birding By Bike
    Birding By Bike
    Summer Hummers
    Summer Hummers
    Aiken Audubon Co-sponsored
    Aiken Audubon Co-sponsored
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored
     WhereDateLeader(s)DifficultyMaximumRegistered
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored Developing Birder Tucker Gulch (Developing Birder Trip)
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored

    Thu, Sep 10
    4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
    Ryan Corda
    Easy88
    Aiken Audubon Co-sponsored Fountain Creek Regional Park (El Paso County)
    and Nature Center - Fall Migration!!!

    Aiken Audubon Co-sponsored

    Fri, Sep 11
    5:30 AM - 12:30 PM
    Linda Purcell & Judy McKeon
    Moderate88
    Barr Lake State Park Bird Banding Station
    Explore Bird Banding and Ecology of Barr Lake SP

    Fri, Sep 11
    7:00 AM - 10:30 AM
    Charles Chase
    Easy1514
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored Developing Birder Bluff Lake Nature Center (Developing Birder Trip)
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored

    Sat, Sep 12
    7:00 AM - 9:30 AM
    Cassandra Stroud & Lisa Pera
    Easy122
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored Developing Birder Mount Zion Hawk Watch at Windy Saddle Park (Developing Birder Trip)
    Watch migrating and non-migrant hawks and eagles

    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored

    Sat, Sep 12
    8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
    Ajit Antony & Liza Antony
    Moderate115
    Developing Birder Flying J Ranch (Jefferson County Open Space) (Developing Birder Trip)
    Sun, Sep 13
    7:00 AM - 11:00 AM
    Timothy Condon
    Moderate1012
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored Developing Birder Belmar Historic Park (Developing Birder Trip)
    Early fall at Belmar

    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored

    Sun, Sep 13
    7:30 AM - 10:30 AM
    Shay Lyons
    Easy1010
    Chatfield State Park
    Drop-in Sunrise Sit at Catfish Flats Picnic Area

    Wed, Sep 16
    6:00 AM - 8:00 AM
    Cynthia Breidenbach & Joey Kellner
    Easy9
    Leyden Lake in Arvada
    Wed, Sep 16
    7:00 AM - 9:00 AM
    Judy McKeon & Diane Roberts
    Easy813
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored Audubon Kingery Nature Center and Trails
    Explore Bird Banding and Ecology of the S. Platte

    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored

    Thu, Sep 17
    7:15 AM - 10:45 AM
    Charles Chase
    Easy1514
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored Developing Birder Tucker Gulch (Developing Birder Trip)
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored

    Thu, Sep 17
    4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
    Ryan Corda
    Easy88
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored Rueter-Hess Reservoir (Douglas Co.)
    Birding by boat at Reuter-Hess Reservoir

    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored

    Fri, Sep 18
    7:00 AM - 11:00 AM
    Robert Sanchez & Heather Sanchez
    Moderate122
    Confluence Open Space (Aurora)
    Explore a less birded hotspot

    Fri, Sep 18
    8:00 AM - 10:30 AM
    Cynthia Cestkowski
    Moderate88
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored McCabe Meadows Trailhead
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored

    Mon, Sep 21
    8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
    Denise Reznicek & Sue Summers
    Easy1212
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored Developing Birder Tucker Gulch (Developing Birder Trip)
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored

    Thu, Sep 24
    4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
    Ryan Corda
    Easy88
    Barr Lake State Park Bird Banding Station
    Explore Bird Banding and Ecology of Barr Lake SP

    Fri, Sep 25
    7:00 AM - 10:30 AM
    Charles Chase
    Easy151
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored South Platte Park--South End
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored

    Fri, Sep 25
    8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
    Cynthia Breidenbach & Julia Gwinn
    Moderate1014
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored Developing Birder Chico Basin Ranch (Developing Birder Trip)
    Bird Banding & Fall Migrant Search

    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored

    Sat, Sep 26
    5:00 AM - 3:30 PM
    Ryan Corda & Ryan Dibala
    Moderate122
    Chatfield State Park - Marina sandspit
    Sat, Sep 26
    7:00 AM - 11:00 AM
    Joey Kellner
    Moderate3
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored Colorado 103 near Mt Blue Sky
    Learn to identify 9 species of conifers

    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored

    Sat, Sep 26
    7:00 AM - 1:00 PM
    David Suddjian
    Easy88
    Confluence Open Space (Aurora)
    Explore a less birded hotspot

    Reg. opens 9/11/2026 at 12 pm
    Fri, Oct 2
    8:00 AM - 10:30 AM
    Cynthia Cestkowski
    Moderate81
    South Republican WMA and Pipit Hill
    5th Annual Sprague's Pipit Adventure

    Reg. opens 9/13/2026 at 12 pm
    Sun, Oct 4
    6:00 AM - 5:00 PM
    Gary Witt
    Strenuous121
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored Prospect Park (Wheat Ridge Greenbelt)
    Participate in World Migratory Bird Day!

    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored

    Reg. opens 9/19/2026 at 12 pm
    Sat, Oct 10
    7:30 AM - 10:30 AM
    Shay Lyons
    Easy101
    Developing Birder Wetland Park, Sand Creek Regional Park (Developing Birder Trip)
    Easy Saturday Morning Birding Stroll

    Reg. opens 9/19/2026 at 12 pm
    Sat, Oct 10
    9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
    Gary Witt & Jill Boice
    Easy102
    Confluence Open Space (Aurora)
    Explore a less birded hotspot

    Reg. opens 9/30/2026 at 12 pm
    Wed, Oct 21
    8:00 AM - 10:30 AM
    Cynthia Cestkowski
    Moderate81
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored Clear Creek Trail
    Birding Discovery #6 270 to the S. Platte

    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored

    Reg. opens 9/30/2026 at 12 pm
    Wed, Oct 21
    4:00 PM - 6:30 PM
    Linda Purcell
    Moderate61
    Patch Birding Denver City Park (Denver County) (Patch Birding Trip)
    Reg. opens 10/4/2026 at 12 pm
    Sun, Oct 25
    7:30 AM - 11:00 AM
    Patrick O'Driscoll
    Easy121
    Heron Pond Natural Area / Heller Open Space (Denver County)
    Work is almost complete!

    Reg. opens 10/4/2026 at 12 pm
    Sun, Oct 25
    7:30 AM - 10:45 AM
    Linda Purcell
    Easy88
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored South Platte Park--South End
    Denver Audubon Co-sponsored

    Reg. opens 10/9/2026 at 12 pm
    Fri, Oct 30
    8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
    Cynthia Breidenbach & Julia Gwinn
    Moderate102
    Chatfield State Park - Marina sandspit
    Reg. opens 10/10/2026 at 12 pm
    Sat, Oct 31
    8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    Joey Kellner
    Moderate1
    Mountain Lakes and Scoter Trip
    Reg. opens 10/17/2026 at 12 pm
    Sat, Nov 7
    5:00 AM - 6:00 PM
    Joey Kellner
    Strenuous121
    Chatfield State Park - Marina sandspit
    Reg. opens 11/7/2026 at 12 pm
    Sat, Nov 28
    8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    Joey Kellner
    Moderate1

    Click on an icon for some basic trip details

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