By Dan Casey
Rare and Notables – November/December 2025 See also: https://ebird.org/region/US-MT-029?yr=all.
Real winter weather arrived just before Thanksgiving, bringing birds back to some of the feeders, where they had been noticeably absent over the abnormally mild fall. There were several reports of White-winged Crossbills and Northern Shrikes, yet Redpolls, Bohemian Waxwings, and even Rough-legged Hawks were less widespread than is typical for the period. Most outstanding were Flathead Lake’s fourth ever RED THROATED LOON and a SCARLET TANAGER in Eureka, well out of range and well out of season! Scoters were noticeably absent from some expected locations (e.g., Foy’s Lake), while the ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD south of Creston survived the first real winter conditions.
11/12 – Surf Scoter (2) Ducharme Pt, Polson (Braydon L, Dan S)
11/15 – Spotted Towhee (1, late) Polson (Dan S)
11/17 – Bonaparte’s Gull (1, late) Lake Five (Shannon D)
11/20 – RED-THROATED LOON (1) Wayfarer’s SP (Roy M), present thru 12/01 (Pam W)
11/21 – White-winged Crossbill (25) Swan Lake area (Dan S)
11/29 – Western Bluebird (1, late) S Columbia Falls (George S)
12/01 – Northern Saw-whet Owl (1) Eureka (Patrick B)
12/01 – Spotted Towhee (3, late) Wayfarer’s SP (Pam W)
12/03 – SCARLET TANAGER (imm male) Eureka (Patrick B)
12/03 – Lewis’s Woodpecker (4) Wild Horse Island (James M)
12/05 – Long-tailed Duck (1) Wayfarer’s SP (Roy M)
12/06 – Yellow-headed Blackbird (1, late) Ronan (Thomas K)
12/07 – ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD (1 still present) S of Creston (Michell T)
What to Expect – December 2025/January 2026
As we truly enter winter, local birders are best advised to look for raptors in the open country, waterfowl on whatever open water remains, and birds attracted to feeders and fruiting shrubs and trees. It remains to be seen if “winter finch” (e.g., Redpoll) numbers will pick up. There have been relatively small numbers of Bohemian Waxwings reported prior to the first CBC weekend, but we would expect those to increase, as there appears to be no shortage of mountain ash fruit for them to find. Watch for Merlins attending the flocks!