* Note that this is a change of presentation from what was in our January edition of the Pileated Post Do you keep bird lists? Do you visit birding hotspots when you travel? Are you curious about which birds can be expected, where, and when? With the creation of eBird in 2002, the Cornell Laboratory…
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by Lynda Saul Who Was Owen Sowerwine? Ever wonder about the person behind a named landmark, national forest, or natural area? How about our local Owen Sowerwine Natural Area? A look at the headstone mounted on an erratic boulder in the back row of the Columbia Falls Fairview Cemetery reveals Owen Evan Sowerwine. Aug 1,…
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Rare and Notables – Nov/Dec 2022 As we shifted into winter weather, smaller lakes froze and the waterfowl flocks on Flathead Lake and River grew, particularly mixed flocks of Aythya species (Redhead, Canvasback, scaup). The first Snowy Owls of the season arrived, and there were a few notable lingering birds that more typically leave us…
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At our December 2022 General Meeting, Erick Greene, Professor Emeritus in the Division of Biological Sciences and in the Wildlife Biology Program at The University of Montana, shared his summer studying Gray-crowned Rosy-finches in the Pribilof Islands. Not only did he discuss these wonderful birds, but also gave us an exploration of the islands both…
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“The overall message is that most people in North American and Europe can live very close to wolves and be perfectly OK in 99.99999% of cases,” said John Linnell, senior research scientist with the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research and the lead author on the recent report. “But it’s never 100%. Things can happen. We need…
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by Denny Olson I love the woods, the changing rivers, the vistas from above tree-line, and of course, the birds that are always there — everywhere. I can’t begin to count the ways that the outdoors has contributed to my general well-being. But my work as a conservation educator isn’t always driven by all those…
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by Bridger Donaldson Birds and Glass: Preventing Avian Window Collisions Many of us have at some point come across a deceased bird underneath a window or investigated after hearing the startling noise of a bird hitting a glass pane. One of the largest anthropogenic causes of avian death in the US, along with habitat destruction…
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Six participants, along with Darcy Thomas, joined Shannon and Bridger Donaldson at the West Valley Wildlife Viewing Area on Thursday, November 3. The valley was blanketed in white from the early season snowfall the day before. Soon enough, the sun was shining which made for a great afternoon of birding. As soon as we pulled…
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Highlights from the November 7, 2022 Board of Directors Meeting Nov 7th was snowy and cold so the in-person board meeting was changed to a Zoom meeting. Some of the items under discussion are highlighted below: ATTENTION ALL BIRDERS: NEW FIELD TRIP LEADERS NEEDED Do you have a special place you like to see birds?…
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by Theresa Ciraolo The Common Merganser, as the name implies, is a common bird. However, their status as common is not a downfall for these adaptive, beautiful animals. In fact, since they are frequently spotted in the Flathead Valley, the Common Merganser was the first bird I encountered in Glacier National Park. I had just…
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