By Lewis Young Named for Captain Meriwether Lewis, who first scientifically described them during the 1804-1806 Lewis & Clark Expedition, Lewis’s woodpeckers are unusual in that much of the year they feed mostly by catching insects in acrobatic flight. They swoop out from a perch like a flycatcher or circle in the air like a…
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Townsend’s Warbler
Cassin’s Finch
By Jeannie Marcure Did you know that a group of finches can be called a charm, a company or a trembling? Personally, I like to refer to the group that frequents our feeders as a company, since their large, invasive flocks remind me of a military company or at times even a battalion! The various…
Read MoreWhite-crowned Sparrow
By Mary Nelesen I have been watching daily for the return of the White-crowned Sparrows that frequent our yard each spring. They typically spend several days hopping and scratching on the ground below the bird feeders to expose insects and seeds to feed on before heading to higher elevations to breed. This handsome sparrow nests…
Read MorePacific Wren
By Ben Young Birders have enjoyed much activity in the world of the wren in recent years, months, and weeks. Over a year ago I found myself chasing a Sinaloa Wren, originally found near Patagonia, AZ, a bird that would later be accepted as a new ABA record. More locally, Montana birders were treated to…
Read MoreWhite-tailed Ptarmigan
By Mary Nelesen For the past five summers, I have searched in vain for a glimpse of a White-tailed Ptarmigan. This past summer, I was fortunate and saw a flock of them just by chance. Myfirst experience in seeing this elusive bird was while walking along the Highline Trail at Logan Pass in Glacier National…
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