Celebrating & Identifying Breeding Birds in the Mountains of Montana
Join seasoned naturalist and expert birder Ashley Martens in a daylong exploration of Jack Creek Preserve and the amazing birds who breed there. We'll spend a little bit of time in the classroom getting oriented to some basic identification skills and then head out to the field to learn from the birds themselves. Expect to witness courtship antics and to hear a cacophony of sounds as we enjoy a gorgeous spring day at the Preserve.
In this workshop you will:
Learn how to awaken all of your senses to help you identify and appreciate wild birds anywhere you go
Learn basic bird identification skills by sight and sound
Learn about the different strategies birds use to find a mate, build a nest, and raise a family in the high country
Spend time at a sit spot to observe how bird behavior changes when we get quiet and still
Connect more fully to place using strategies to engage our analytical mind and our quiet mind
Details:
Date: June 14, 2025, 9:00AM to 1:30PM
Meet at Jack Creek Preserve’s Outdoor Education Center (OEC)
Cost: $40 per person
Bring your own binoculars and a field notebook.
No experience necessary!
There will be a brief indoor classroom part of the workshop and a field portion.
Bring your own lunch, water, snacks, and weather-appropriate gear.
We are capping the event at 16 people.
About the instructor: Ashley Martens
Ever since hand-feeding chickadees with her grandparents as a young child, Ashley has sought out intimate relationships with nature through both scientific inquiry and mindful nature-connection. After meandering her way through studying the life sciences in her young adulthood, she finally settled on a B.S. in Biology, an M.S. in Environmental Science, and certifications in teaching yoga, dance, and meditation. She has studied with leading researchers at various Universities and renowned teachers from the Wilderness Awareness School through the Art of Mentoring. Becoming a naturalist takes time and attention — from hunting for arrowheads in the gullys of high-desert Wyoming as a child, to surveying woodpeckers in the backwoods of north Idaho, to researching seabirds on a remote wildlife refuge island in the Straight of Juan de Fuca, to reintroducing Mountain Quail in eastern Washington, Ashley weaves all of her experiences into her work. She brings her values of lifelong-learning and community-building forward in her teaching and facilitation. Her approach is to empower your learning journey by guiding you to learn from nature, rather than simply about it.
