Field Trips

Last Chance Audubon Society offers birding trips lead by experienced birders to local areas around the Helena valley. Trips are free and open to members and nonmembers. Participants at any level of skill and experience are encouraged to attend. Trip leaders provide information on bird identification, natural history and conservation. Bird trips are most commonly scheduled between March and June.  Trips are a half day or longer depending on the area visited and usually involve car pooling among trip participants.

Each trip participants needs to have binoculars. Bring snacks or lunch if appropriate, water, and dress for the weather. A bird identification field guide is useful.   All field trips are free for LCAS members. For non-members, they cost $15 – which includes an annual membership. RSVP required – contact the field trip leaders (listed below) to sign up (or if you’ve already signed up and need to cancel).

LCAS 2026 Field Trips 

MAY 24: SHOREBIRD MIGRATION AT LAKE HELENA WMA (7AM – 11AM)

Stephen Turner and Bob Martinka will lead a group of canoers/kayakers to the mudflats on the west side of Lake Helena WMA in search of north-bound shorebirds, waterfowl and other wetland bird species. This trip can, at the best of times, generate upwards of 20 species of shorebirds including Black-bellied Plover, Stilt Sandpiper, Semi-palmated Plover, American Avocet, and many others. White-faced Ibis are often seen at this time of year as well. Virginia Rail and Sora are commonly seen along with several warbler species. As this is a paddling field trip, those with personal watercraft (canoes or kayaks) will be given the first opportunity to register. Others will be placed on a waiting list pending availability of boats. Participants will need to be able to transport their boats to the launch site, and carry them from the parking area to the boat launch (approximately 150 meters). A Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks conservation permit is required for all participants. In addition, personal floatation devices are required for each individual in a boat. We will leave the boat ramp around 7:15 and paddle directly to the mudflats. We will survey the area for about two hours before slowly paddling back along the shoreline. Windy conditions could cause a postponement or cancellation of the trip. We will cap the group at eight participants in order to reduce stress on the birds. Please contact Stephen Turner at turnstonest@gmail.com to register for this trip. Registrants will receive a confirmation email which will include some additional details for the trip.

JUNE 6: VIGILANTE CAMPGROUND/TROUT CREEK TRAIL (6:30 – NOON)

Participants will begin the morning surveying the Vigilante Campground area and will then proceed up the trail along Trout Creek. The campground area is the go-to spot in the area for breeding Ovenbird. Other bird species found here include Hammond’s and Western Flycatcher, Ruffed Grouse, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Veery and possibly Golden-crowned Kinglet. The hike along Trout Creek is relatively easy with minimal elevation gain, and participants can expect a round-trip hike of less than 2 miles. White-throated Swift and Violet-green Swallow nest in the towering cliffs along the riparian trail. The trip will end with a visit to the Prickly Pear Land Trust conservation easement, Vista Da Serra Ranch where hosts Tia and Derek Nelson will share excellent views of their feeders. Expect to find several hummingbird species which may include Calliope, Broad-tailed and Black-chinned as well as other mountain feeder specialties. Meet June 6 at Costco northeast parking lot @ 6:30am. Limit 10. Please email the Leader Sharon Dewart-Hansen at smdewarthansen@charter.net to sign up. Planning to be back by noon.

JUNE 27: LITTLE PRICKLY PEAR CREEK, SILVER CITY TO SIEBEN (6:30 AM – NOON)

Come join Don Skaar and Ray Breuninger for a birds and geology combo field trip down Little Prickly Pear Creek. We will begin along the sagebrush flats near Silver City and then move to the irrigated meadows near the mouth of the Little Prickly Pear Canyon.  Once we are in the canyon, the road follows the creek pretty much all the way to Sieben. Driving will be on gravel roads, and we will make frequent stops with short walks primarily along the road.  Birds we will be looking for include Say’s Phoebe, Bobolink, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Yellow-breasted chat, American Redstart, Least Flycatcher, Cedar Waxwing, Lark Sparrow and much more.  Geology highlights include the 1.4-billion-year-old rocks of the Belt Sea.  We’ll see a clear transition between the marine and non-marine shales and see the south end of the Hoadley Thrust Fault which slices through and offsets the Belt rocks. We’ll also explore the St. Mary’s-Helena Valley fault and the Hilger Valley fault.  We’ll look for ancient “chain of beads” fossils.  Group size will be limited to 12. Please contact Don Skaar at skaar.fcs@gmail.com to reserve a spot.

JUNE 28: PRICKLY PEAR PARK (7:30 – 10:30 AM)

Prickly Pear Park is a new public area on the southeast side of East Helena along Prickly Pear Creek, with excellent bird habitat and a well maintained 1.6-mile trail. It has the potential to be one of the best birding locations near Helena. Habitat types include stream side willows and alder, grasslands, aspen stands, ponds, and cattail marshes. Bob Martinka will lead a field trip there beginning at 7:30am on June 28. Limit 10. Meet at the Park parking lot along the highway. The tour will conclude by about 10:30am. Contact Bob at: rmartink@aol.com to register.

JULY 11: JERICHO MOUNTAIN BURN SITE (7 AM – NOON)

Join Grant Hokit for a morning of birding in the recent Jericho Mountain burn scar and adjacent areas. Possible burn-associated species include American Three-toed Woodpecker and Black-backed Woodpecker along with Hairy, Downy and Pileated woodpeckers all sighted in the area. Grouse species, including Dusky and Spruce Grouse have been sighted here, along with several montane and mountain meadow species such as Mountain Bluebird, Western Tanager, Pine Grosbeak, Dark-eyed Juncos, and nuthatch and chickadee species. Meet at 7:00 am at the intersection of Rimini Road and Minnehaha Road. There is a pullout parking area on the east side of the intersection. From there, we will carpool in higher clearance vehicles to the site. Any SUV will be fine but lower clearance sedans would be risky. We will walk along the Continental Divide Trail/Road for 1-2 miles. Good footing and gentle topography with the option of going off trail for the more adventuresome.  Contact Grant Hokit dghokit@gmail.com to sign up. Group size will be limited to 10.

AUGUST 16: SHOREBIRD MIGRATION AT LAKE HELENA WMA (6:30 AM – 11 AM)

Stephen Turner and Bob Martinka will lead a group of canoers/kayakers out to the mudflats on the west side of Lake Helena WMA. We will be surveying for shorebirds migrating south for the winter (Yes, that early!). We will also be on the lookout for challenging eclipse plumage waterfowl. This can be an excellent time to catch fall migrants as they leave their breeding grounds in the Arctic and move south. In addition, Virginia Rail and Sora, including young of the year, are commonly seen along the shores of the WMA.  We will give registration preference to those with personal watercraft (canoes or kayaks). Others will be placed on a waiting list pending availability of boats. Participants will need to be able to transport their boats to the launch site and carry them from the parking area to the boat launch (approximately 150 meters). In addition, personal floatation devices are required for everyone in a boat. A Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks conservation permit is required for all participants. We will leave the boat ramp around 6:45 and paddle directly to the mudflats. We will survey the area for about two hours before slowly paddling back along the shoreline. Windy conditions could cause a postponement or cancellation of the trip. This trip will be capped at eight participants to reduce stress on the birds. Please contact Stephen Turner at turnstonest@gmail.com to register. Registrants will receive a confirmation email which will include some additional details for the trip.

AUGUST 29: AQUATIC INSECTS (10 AM – NOON)

If you have ever wondered why riparian areas are bird hot spots, then join Seth and Mattie’s Big River Adventure author and ecologist, Sara Owen, for a late morning trip to Ten Mile Creek Park to learn about aquatic insects and the hidden world in the stream bed. Sara will also help you look for emerging insects and predatory spiders in the vegetation along the creek. Participants have the option to get their feet wet or stay dry on the bank. Wear shoes or boots for getting wet (or not). Sara will have bug guides, a few hand lenses and a microscope for magnifying bugs, and a few shallow containers for viewing bugs up close. Meet at 10:00 am at the shady picnic table near the kiosk by the bridge between Ten Mile Park and Spring Meadow Lake State Park. Email Sara at sara.owen@swbell.net to register. Group size will be limited to 10.

SEPTEMBER 6: WORLD SHOREBIRD DAY (7 AM- 1 PM) 

Please plan to join Last Chance Audubon in support of World Shorebird Day! This field trip will focus on surveying shorebirds and other species at Canyon Ferry WMA. Likely shorebirds we will find include: Pectoral Sandpiper, Semi-palmated Sandpiper, both yellowlegs species, Least Sandpiper and possibly a few others. Shorebird surveys are conducted each September and provide a setting for observing, appreciating, and helping to sustain shorebird populations. All levels of birders are welcome, and several shorebird ID experts will be on hand to assist with identification of this sometimes-challenging group of birds. We will meet at the northeast end of the Costco parking lot at 7:00 am (please arrive a few minutes early). We will return no later than 1:00 pm. This trip has limited space and fills quickly. Please sign up today! This trip is free to current LCAS members. Non-members pay $15, which includes a calendar year membership to LCAS. A Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks conservation permit is required for all participants. Participants can expect a 1.5-mile round-trip walk on dirt roads. Contact Stephen to register: turnstonest@gmail.com.