Hummingbird Highlight By Shannon Donaldson Compare these two male hummingbirds, both are common in Northwest Montana. Do you see some differences? You may notice their shiny, iridescent throat feathers first, also called their gorget. Gorget comes from the French word for throat. Male Rufous Hummingbirds are a rusty brown color with a flashy red-orange gorget. Male…
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by Denny Olson “The Nature of Cities” In 1900, 14 percent of the U.S. population lived in cities. Now, more than 70 percent (240 million) of the U.S. population live in urban and urbanizing areas (U.S. Census Bureau 2021). Improving the sustainability and livability of cities is a long-term challenge that many cities are beginning…
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We’re looking for a few good judges, for the Flathead County Science Fair on Thursday, March 7, from 8:30am to approximately 1pm, Flathead County Fairgrounds Expo Building (south side). Complimentary continental breakfast and lunch. Register online at: https://www.flatheadcountysciencefair.org/judges, or visit the website, https://www.flatheadcountysciencefair.org, and click on “More,” “Judges” and “Sign Up“. The registration page allows you to choose grades…
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Hey there young birder! Welcome to our first edition of Kids’ Corner. Below we have two fun activities for you! Check out our “Owl Facts” crossword puzzle below, then color in your Great Horned Owl drawing below and email your finished artwork to info@flatheadaudubon.org so we can feature it in next month’s Kids’ Corner. Don’t…
Read Moreby Denny Olson It’s been a busy winter of Christmas Bird Counts, Flathead and Mission Valley raptor surveys and Short-eared Owl roosting research. Birds are everywhere, all-the-time on this Planet. The winter, and the surveys, are not done with me yet. That’s why it seems counterintuitive to be sitting here thinking about breeding birds just…
Read Moreby Denny Olson The long dark nights of this winter solstice time of year give us much opportunity to quietly contemplate the big unknowns in this world, and what constitutes the “spiritual” in our lives. For me, it is a sense of wonder and awe about the size and mind-boggling complexities of our Milky Way…
Read Moreby Denny Olson The Value of “Our Place” in Education In Montana, we are lucky in that education has always had a tradition of local control. Unfortunately, it has seldom had a tradition of local emphasis. In fact, the primary key to living well politically, economically, ecologically, spiritually and as a community member (on all…
Read Moreby Denny Olson I’ve been lucky enough to sit on a high promontory and watch a group of raven rascals – who always seem to have spare time on their talons – showing off their flight skills. Twice, perhaps the same raven both times, one cackled the raven version of “Hold my beer, watch this!”…
Read Moreby Denny Olson As with most good things in life, it starts with getting up. Early. Lunch for the day, raingear, extra layers of clothing to adjust to the autumn temperature swings at high elevation, extra drinking water, bear spray, binoculars, foam sit pad, first aid kit, sunscreen and hat, hiking poles, multi-tool and headlamp…
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