I grew up on Puget Sound, roaming the cobbled beaches amidst a cacophony of gulls. A family camping trip to Glacier National Park set in motion my move to Montana in the early 1970s. In the ensuing years I have lived
in East Glacier, Whitefish, St. Mary, Babb, Cut Bank, Columbia Heights, Columbia Falls, and, since 1991, in Kalispell.
Some fifteen years ago, I was walking along the shore of Redrock Lake, returning from a hike up to Swiftcurrent
Pass. I heard, but could not spot, several small birds twittering in the lodgepole. Thinking back over the glorious day, I realized one thing had been missing. I hadn’t seen any animals. No deer, elk, sheep, bear, or moose. Not even a chipmunk or a squirrel. But wait, what about the birds? I’d seen and heard many birds throughout the day. That realization inspired me to start learning more about birds. I always see or hear birds, no matter where I go or how long I am out.
A few years back, I began attending Flathead Audubon Society meetings in order to enjoy the wonderful presentations. Auks living in underground burrows in Scotland? Wow. Over time I have become more involved, most recently joining the board in 2025. I’ve discovered that as much fun as it is to learn about birds, getting to know all the wonderful people has been even more significant for me.