Field Notes: When the Monarchs Returned
It was the first time I’d been back to this monarch sanctuary in three years. Not by choice. There simply hadn’t been enough monarch butterflies to occupy this stand of oyamel fir in the reserve. The 2025-2026 season brought the highest monarch counts in over a decade. People ask me all the time if I […]
Field Notes: On the Lek
Long before sunrise, we loaded into vehicles for the hour-long drive to the spot just west of the Kansas border in southeastern Colorado. It was unusually warm for a lek morning. The temperature was far more enjoyable than the 3 am start time. We could hear them before we could see them. The first calls […]
Birding & Beers: 4 Noses Brewing Company
4 Noses Brewing Company is located in Broomfield, Colorado, just east of the Rocky Mountain foothills. The family-owned brewery features an open, lively taproom, a spacious patio, and a rotating selection of taps that regularly include lagers, ales, porters, and stouts. The brewery was founded in 2014 by the Bibliowicz family: brothers Tommy and David, […]
Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas… Bird Count Time!
A Tradition Worth Joining Every winter, tucked between holiday errands, extra layers, and unpredictable weather, birders across North America take part in one of the continent’s oldest and most enjoyable traditions. The Christmas Bird Count is part citizen science, part social outing, and part perfectly valid excuse to spend a day watching birds—no matter […]
What Early Signs Are Revealing About the 2026 Monarch Season
If you’ve been waiting for the right year to experience the monarch migration in Mexico, 2026 is shaping up to be something truly special. The 2025 season brought a wave of hopeful news—something we don’t often get in conservation—and everything indicates a memorable overwintering season ahead. Even though the monarchs got a late start in […]
Ever Seen a Green Jay? Why South Texas Should Be on Your Nature Travel List
A backyard in Texas recently became the epicenter of birding news when the first naturally occurring hybrid between a blue jay and a green jay was spotted near San Antonio. See photos and read more here → The discovery surprised many—especially those who didn’t even realize a bird called a green jay existed. But […]
Birding & Beers: Elevation Beer Company
Elevation Beer Company is in Poncha Springs, Colorado, just outside Salida. It was founded thirteen years ago by four friends: Christian Koch, Carlin Walsh, Sheila Bustamante, and Xandy Bustamante. Two of them are Chaffee County natives. The idea for the brewery began on a cool Colorado summer evening during a barbecue. The friends realized they all […]
The Colorado Tarantula Migration: Where, When, and How to See It
It’s almost September, which means one of Colorado’s most fascinating wildlife events is about to begin—the so-called Colorado tarantula migration. Every fall, hundreds of people head to the prairies of southeast Colorado hoping to witness large brown tarantulas walking across the grasslands. Here’s the catch: it’s not technically a migration. What visitors are actually seeing […]
A Week of Wonder in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a place where the boundaries between nature and observer blur, where hummingbirds land on your shoulder and sloths seem to smile down from the trees. For a group of nine travelers from Wild Birds Unlimited, many experiencing the American tropics for the very first time, this was a journey rich in discovery, […]
What Is Your Spark Bird?
In the language of birders, a “spark bird” is the species that first stirs a deep and lasting fascination with birds and the natural world. It is often a quietly transformative encounter, a moment when something previously unnoticed takes on extraordinary significance. For many, this first spark leads to a lifelong pursuit—sometimes a career, sometimes […]