Birds of the Rockies and Prairies with David Sibley

May 30 – June 5, 2010                                                                                     @Eric Bergman/TNC

Overview:

This workshop provides a rare opportunity to spend a week in the field with one of the world’s preeminent ornithologists and in one of the world’s most extraordinary natural places.   Nature Conservancy's sprawling Pine Butte Swamp Preserve and the surrounding wild lands are set along a dramatic transition zone where the Great Plains abruptly give way to reefs of the Rocky Mountains. The setting is rich in diverse habitats and the bounty of wildlife that inhabit them. In short, it’s a birder’s paradise. During the course of a week, we’ll traverse native short grass prairie, mountain foothills, a large fen wetland, rich riparian corridors, and vast coniferous forests. As with each of our natural history workshops, there will be plenty of opportunities for questions, discussion and simply taking in the beauty and solitude of this very special place.

Field trips for this workshop will entail van travel along with daily walking and hiking over varying terrain. Our hikes are conducted at a leisurely pace, with frequent stops for natural history observation and discussion. The length of these hikes will vary from 2–5 miles round-trip, at elevations ranging from 3,500–6,500 feet.

The Instructor: 

 Pine Butte is honored to be hosting world renowned birding guide, author and artist David Allen Sibley for this weeklong workshop of birding and instruction. D.A. Sibley has set a new standard in birding guides with his talent and dedication as both ornithologist and painter. It would be difficult to overstate his contribution to the birding community, and our good fortune in having him instruct a Pine Butte natural history workshop. He has generously contributed leadership for outings through The Nature Conservancy’s Migratory Bird Program, which included a tour of eastern Montana in 2003. Birding with David is a truly rare opportunity, and combining his instruction and company with the intimate setting of the Pine Butte Guest Ranch and Montana’s  Rocky Mountain Front will create a once in a lifetime experience.

Enrollment and Cost: 

Price includes lodging, meals, airport shuttle, and all activities. Cost is $2250. Please contact Pine Butte Guest Ranch for more information.
 

Accommodations:

You’ll stay at the historic Pine Butte Guest Ranch, set in a spectacular mountain valley surrounded by thousands of acres of wilderness. It’s the perfect place to "get away from it all" and enjoy outstanding food and cozy lodging.

Learn more:

• Travel to the ranch
• What to bring

We look forward to hosting you at Pine Butte Guest Ranch!