2023 Kalispell Christmas Bird Count

The 25th annual Kalispell CBC will take place on New Year’s Eve, Sunday, December 31. The Kalispell count area is a large circle, 15-miles in diameter, centered at the junction of Highway 93 and Reserve Drive by Home Depot. From Happy Valley to the north and Herron Park to the south, Fairview Marsh to the east and McMannamy Draw to the west, the Kalispell CBC covers a wide variety of habitats. It includes the Flathead River corridor between Presentine and Foys Bend, the Whitefish River downstream from Hodgson Road, and the Stillwater River downstream of Ray Kuhns WMA. Favorite birding spots like Lone Pine State Park, Foys Lake, Owen Sowerwine, McWenneger Slough, Kuhns WPA, the “Flathead Gull Sanctuary” (dump), and much of West Valley lie within the boundary as well. The Kalispell count has produced a total of 132 species. 72 species is the average while 83 was the maximum count in 2012. Let’s see if we can break that record this year! 

The day will start with breakfast (optional) at the 4B’s restaurant in Kalispell (formerly Finnegan’s) at 7am. Everyone is welcome to join the CBC effort, whether it’s out in the field or counting backyard feeder birds. If you reside in the count area and would enjoy collecting feeder data, we’re happy to get more feeder watchers signed up. If you would be able to lead, we are seeking at least one experienced birder to cover a section this year. If anyone observes an unusual or rare bird during count week, 12/28-1/3, please let Shannon and Bridger Donaldson know about it. They will be contacting everyone who covered sections last year to make a plan to get your packet to you.

Sign up at the FAS general meeting December 11 or contact Shannon at shannon@flatheadaudubon.org or 406-261-3466.