By Dan Casey

Rare and Notables – August – September 2023

It was a great month for uncommon shorebirds, with a few, such as the Red Knot at Pablo Reservoir and the Hudsonian Godwits at Creston wetland, lingering long enough for multiple local birders to enjoy them. Broad-winged, Swainson’s and Ferruginous Hawks contributed to the diverse early-season counts at the Jewel Basin Hawk Watch (JBHW). See JBHW Early Results on page ? Lower than normal water levels at Flathead Lake provided access to some good finds on the North Shore, (Sanderlings, Ruddy Turnstone, and Lesser Black-backed Gull). Bohemian Waxwings arrived early and in some numbers.

See also: https://ebird.org/region/US-MT-029?yr=all

  • 08/19 – Herring Gull (5) Flathead Lake WPA (first of fall) (Joey A.)
  • 08/21 – American Golden-Plover (1) Flathead Lake WPA (Craig H. and Dan C.)
  • 08/22 – Red Knot (1) Pablo Reservoir (Shawn R.) 
  • 08/25 – American White Pelican (4) Jewel Basin Hawk Watch (Grant P.)
  • 08/28 – Broad-winged Hawk (3) Jewel Basin Hawk Watch (Dan C.) (24 more through 9/15)
  • 08/31 – Ruddy Turnstone (1) Flathead Lake WPA (Shawn R.)
  • 09/02 – Ferruginous Hawk (1) Jewel Basin Hawk Watch (Nicki B., Pam W.)
  • 09/03 – Franklin’s Gull (1) Flathead Lake WPA (Joey A.)
  • 09/04 – Lapland Longspur (4) West Valley Ponds (Joshua C.)
  • 09/04 – Caspian Tern (2; one banded in 2016) Flathead Lake WPA (Shawn R.)
  • 09/05 – Hudsonian Godwit (3) Creston wetland (Jake B.)
  • 09/05 – White-throated Swift (1) Jewel Basin Hawk Watch (Joshua C.)
  • 09/05 – Bohemian Waxwing (15) Creston (first of fall) (Jake B.) Also at JBHW, Glacier NP
  • 09/06 – Swainson’s Hawk (2) Jewel Basin Hawk Watch (Dan C.)
  • 09/07 – Veery (1) River’s Edge Park, Columbia Falls (Grant P.)
  • 09/10 – Magnolia Warbler (1) South of Creston (Craig H.)
  • 09/10 – White-throated Sparrow (2) South of Creston (Dan C.)
  • 09/13 – Lesser Black-backed Gull (ad) Flathead Lake WPA (Craig H., Rod W., Shawn R.)

What to Expect – October 2023

As the raptor migration starts shifting from accipiters to eagles, the first Rough-legged Hawks of the season will also be arriving. Watch for flocks of mixed waterfowl, especially diving ducks (scoters, scaup, Redheads). Check lakes for migrating loons, with both Pacific and Red-throated Loons possible. Increasing Bohemian Waxwing numbers may be a precursor to other displaced or irruptive boreal breeders such as Common Redpolls and White-winged Crossbills. Sparrow flocks, now dominated by Savannah and Chipping Sparrows, will start to have more White-crowned, White-throated, Lincoln’s and potentially (in wetland habitats) Swamp Sparrows.