Included:

• Guided birding for seven days.

• Lodging for six nights.

• All access fees for private leks, state and national parks.

• Portable blinds to facilitate close viewing and great photo/video opportunities.

• Meals beginning with dinner on the first night through breakfast on the final day.

• Transportation including airport pickup and drop off at Denver International Airport (DEN).

• Optics – I will have a Kowa 99mm scope available throughout the tour.

NOT Included:

• Flights to and from Denver International Airport (DEN).

• Lodging/Meals prior to or after the tour dates: Mar. 13-20, 2027.

• Personal items such as alcohol with meals, laundry, etc.

Mar. 13 – Arrivals at Denver International Airport (DEN)

Depending on arrival times, we may make a stop at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal to look for raptors, waterfowl and early migrant grassland birds.

Night at Table Mountain Inn, Golden

Mar. 14 – Golden to Norwood

After an early breakfast, we’ll drive into the mountains en route to Norwood. It’s a long drive, but we can make a few stops for birding and lunch to stretch our legs. We’ll hope for good weather as this is a beautiful drive through the Rocky Mountains and over the Continental Divide!

Night at the Back Country Inn

Mr. 15 – Gunnison Sage-Grouse Lek

This morning is the first of our five grouse leks, this one for the highly endangered Gunnison Sage-Grouse. Distinguished from Greater Sage-Grouse by its billowy filoplume crest, more prominently banded tail and smaller size, this grouse is range-restricted to southwestern Colorado and just into Utah, making it one of the most endangered birds of North America. Though this lek is not close, we should have scope views of the Gunnison Sage-Grouse displaying in the sage. Singing Western Meadowlarks, Vesper Sparrows and displaying Wilson’s Snipe will add to the experience!

After breakfast, we’ll drive to Craig with a few stops along the way.

Night at Best Western Plus

Mar. 16 – Greater Sage-Grouse Lek

An early morning will find us at a Greater Sage-Grouse lek. We’ll set up our portable blinds just before dawn and watch as the light reveals the grouse. The lek is on agricultural land, so we will have unobstructed views of the displaying males and we can appreciate the subtle differences between the Gunnison and Greater Sage-Grouse species.

Afterwards, we will search for Dusky Grouse and other local birds.

Night at Best Western Plus

Mar. 17 – Sharp-tailed Grouse

Another early morning will find us on a Sharp-tailed Grouse lek. This is the Columbian subspecies, smaller than the Sharpies found on the prairies. Their display behavior is terrific, with tails held high and wings spread parallel to the ground as they stomp their feet and dart around the lek.

After breakfast we’ll wrap up the mountain section of our tour with a drive back over the Continental Divide and across the plains. We’ll make a few stops before finally arriving in Oakely for the night.

Night at the Kansas Country Inn

Mar. 18 – Lesser Prairie-Chicken

Lesser Prairie-Chickens are extremely range-restricted and their population has been drastically reduced due to over hunting and the loss of habitat as short grass prairie has been converted to agriculture. The lek is located on private land about 30 minutes from our hotel.

After a late breakfast, we’ll drive to Wray, Colorado, exploring the sandhill region of western Kansas and eastern Colorado where Red-headed and Red-bellied Woodpeckers can be found and possibly an early longspur.

Night at Cobblestone Inn & Suites

Mar. 19 – Greater Prairie-Chicken

This morning, we will view Greater Prairie-Chickens on a private Ranch. After the birds have dispersed, we’ll return to Wray for breakfast and then bird our way to Denver. We’ll check into our hotel near the airport and enjoy a farewell dinner together.

Mar. 20 – Departures

The hotel provides breakfast and a shuttle to the airport.

Please read through Rocky Mountain Birding terms and conditions here.