by Dan Casey Rare and Notables – Jan/Feb At least two Snowy Owls persisted in the Lower Valley northeast of Somers throughout the period and were enjoyed by many local and visiting birders. Seasonally uncommon to rare, a White-throated Sparrow and a Brown-headed Cowbird continued at feeders in Whitefish and Creston, respectively. Migrant waterfowl numbers…
Read MoreAuthor: Jake Bramante
March 2022 Program – “Bird Brain” is a Compliment!
presented by Denny Olson Birds have often been described in disparaging terms as “dodos” — incapable of anything but instinctive behaviors, and having tiny brains with limited learning capacity. After all they’re just reptiles with feathers, right? Bird brains are smaller, to be sure, but mostly because of the weight limit demands of flight. Even…
Read MoreFebruary 2022 presentation on the challenges of grassland bird conservation now available for replay!
At our February 2022 General Meeting, Dan Casey discussed his work on grasslands preservation primarily with ranchers to help grassland birds and their preferred habitats. His work entailed going from town to town, meeting with ranchers and landowners to discuss ways to help them achieve goals of feeding cattle (and keeping their lands as grazing…
Read MoreConservation Educator’s Niche – February 2022
by Denny Olson It was such a relief, after seemingly endless COVID variants, cancellations, sequesterings and quarantines, to see real people in front of me at the January “hybrid” meeting. I almost felt that I recognized some of the well-spaced upper halves of faces in the audience — but it’s been a while, you know…
Read MoreGetting to Know Owen Sowerwine Natural Area – Part 1
by Pam Willison and Linda Winnie BRIEF HISTORY Over the past twenty-five years Flathead Audubon and Montana Audubon have assumed the management roles for the Owen Sowerwine Natural Area (OSNA). Many FAS and community members have volunteered time to assist in this management, and to help keep OSNA available as a valuable community resource for…
Read MoreBad Rock Canyon Conservation Project Completed with Bedrock of Hard Work and Community Support
by Gael Bissell The close of 2021 can be marked by the completion of one of the most important Flathead River To Lake Initiative’s*1 conservation projects, the Bad Rock Canyon Project. In December 2021, Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks (MFWP) closed on the purchase of 772 contiguous acres of Columbia Falls Aluminum Company’s (CFAC) riparian/wetlands…
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