Avian Influenza on the Rise by Carole Jorgensen Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MTFWP) has noted an increase in the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu and pigeon paramyxovirus, a naturally occurring virus that has also been documented in Montana recently. The National Audubon Society has previously discussed impacts of HPAI. The…

Birds and Glass: Reducing Avian Window Strikes by Grant Pegram  On the nights of October 4th and 5th 2023, thousands of migrating warblers, thrushes, grosbeaks – and a host of other songbirds died due to window strikes in Chicago and all around the Midwest. Bird migration monitoring program BirdCast, run by the Cornell Lab of…

By Jill Carlberg Sometimes seemingly small steps lead to big things. When Michele, already an active member at Hawk Watch and at Owen Somerwine work days, was asked if she would take on the simple task of picking up the Flathead Audubon Society’s (FAS) mail once a week, she agreed. Luckily for Flathead Audubon, Michele…

by Pam Willison, Work Day Coordinator After a chilly morning, the sun warmed the air and highlighted the beauty of the colorful leaves and the rippling Stillwater River. It really was a great day to enjoy the exceptional autumn sights offered in the Owen Sowerwine area. Fourteen volunteers worked a total of 41 hours on…

by Linda de Kort and Rosemary McKinnon Rachel Potter was presented with Flathead Audubon’s Lifetime Conservation Achievement Recognition (CAR) at the October 9 FAS general meeting. Rachel grew up in Berkeley, California, where her parents took the trouble to introduce her to the “great outdoors.” She migrated to Montana with her partner, Jack, in the…

By Kate Stone and the late Lewis Young With big game rifle hunting season approaching, you can help wildlife by switching to non-lead bullets if you are a hunter. Lead bullets, even copper jacketed lead bullets, fired from high velocity guns fragment on impact losing 20-40 percent of their mass when they hit an object….

by Pam Willison Save the Date!! The Owen Sowerwine Fall Work Day is scheduled for Saturday, October 7, 2023.  We will meet in the parking lot of Kalispell Montessori (on Willow Glen Drive) at 9:00 a.m., and spend about three hours doing some weed and trail maintenance. Dress for the weather, wear sturdy footwear, and…

by Rosemary McKinnon A few summers ago, I had an unusual set of visitors to my bedroom. This bedroom has a fireplace, rarely used, with a chimney. Swifts arrived to nest there. Accustomed to silence, I was not aware of their presence until the chicks hatched. From then on, for weeks, I could barely sleep….

by Kathy Ross Need help picking fruit on your property? Want to donate to local Food Banks or the Yellowstone Wolf and Bear Discovery Center? Check out the Flathead Food Gleaning Group Facebook page to connect with folks that can help pick and/or those who might be looking for fruit for winter. It will help…

by Gael Bissell Great news! Thanks to 150 of you amazing FAS donors, plus hundreds of other supportive community members, we met the $100,000 Spring Challenge Match for the proposed Owen Sowerwine Conservation Easement! Many, many thanks to all of you who gave so generously! And our sincere thanks to Molly Miller and Mark Jungerman,…