Highlights from November 6, 2017 Board Meeting Appointed Jake Bramante ‘poet laureate of Flathead Audubon’ in recognition of his calendar poem in the November Pileated Post Approved sending an end of the year appeal letter to Flathead Audubon members, with a challenge donation from the Board. Last year’s letter raised over $2000 A calendar sales…
Read MoreAmerican Bittern
by Denny Olson American Bitterns are in the heron family, all no strangers to swamps. They are often described as “secretive” or “elusive”, but those conclusions are drawn by a high-and-dry species (us), which does not spend much time in the marshes and swamps. Another reason for that perception is their amazing cryptic coloration (buff…
Read MoreDecember 2017 Program
Christmas Bird Counts in the Flathead and Early Winter Birds Presented by Pete Fisher and Craig Hohenberger As we roll into December, it is once again Christmas Bird Count (CBC) time! Join compilers Craig Hohenberger and Pete Fisher on Monday, December 11 for a presentation that will combine summaries of trends, some “virtual birding” and…
Read MoreRare Birds Observed in Montana
The Montana Bird Records Committee (MBRC) recently accepted a new rare bird for Montana: the Wood Sandpiper. To quote the minutes of the meeting: “[h]ighlights in 2017 included the state’s 1st record for Wood Sandpiper (one of only a small number of inland North American records), the 3rd record for Mississippi Kite, and the 2nd…
Read MoreNew Montana Bird Advocacy Organization
The Montana Bird Advocacy (MBA) was established in 2017 in Missoula, Montana, and is in the process of becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our mission is to increase knowledge of the distribution, status, and biology of Montana’s native birds and to promote conservation of these birds and the habitats that support them. Although the MBA…
Read MoreEducation Committee News – November 2017
by Gail Shay Linne, Education Chair Jay Sumner presented a program about Peregrine Falcons at the September general Audubon meeting. His three month old Peregrine was the evening’s highlight. Because these falcons were nearly extinct in Montana in the 1940’s and are now slowly making a recovery due to public awareness and education, Peregrines could…
Read MoreConservation Educator’s Niche – November 2017
by Denny Olson About this time last year, I was bushwhacking through a trail-less part of Audubon’s Owen Sowerwine Natural Area and happened upon a two-inch diameter sapling, rubbed barkless at about knee level. A few cream-colored bark shreds speckled the leaves below – leaves which had fallen just hours before. It was a fresh…
Read MoreNew Montana Audubon Director
Montana Audubon announces the appointment of Larry Berrin as its new Executive Director. An avid birder, Berrin has dedicated his career of more than 25 years to conservation science and environmental education in multiple states including Pennsylvania, Vermont and Oregon. Montana Audubon is a leader in wildlife conservation in Montana and one of the largest…
Read MoreNovember 2017 Chirps and Squawks
Highlights from October 2, 2017 Board Meeting Kay Mitchell is pricing a 2nd vinyl FAS banner to be used by the Education Committee. The hawk watchers have surveyed 26 days and listed over 1800 raptors. Net profits from calendars sales were $2,620 to date. Carole Jorgensen will co-chair Conservation reviews with Lewis Young. The Birds…
Read MoreTownsend’s Warbler
by Gail Cleveland It’s November. We are thinking turkeys, chickadees and nuthatches, our permanent fall and winter residents, as well as flocks of waxwings, redpolls and, if we are lucky, a snowy owl. But, it is also good to look forward to the splashes of color and songs of warblers that will return in the…
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