by Bob Lopp

Yellow Warbler – Photo Credit: Dan Casey

Thanks to Cory Davis and Will Beyer, the 2019 Bird-a-thon was a great success. They did the heavy lifting and provided excellent leadership! Receipts to date are $1,310 and more pledges will come in as we get closer to September and much of our birding will slow down.

As Cory reported, “Saturday, June 15th started with a beautiful morning of partly cloudy skies and ideal summer temperatures, resulting in a wonderful birding day for Flathead Audubon’s seventh annual Bird-a-thon.  Members of the Jays and the Tanagers searched mostly closer to home this year to see and hear as many species as possible in one day. The furthest excursion went only as far as the Mission Valley, otherwise we stuck to favorite haunts in the Flathead such as Swan River Refuge, Smith Lake, Tally Lake, and Glacier National Park.” Highlight for me was seeing a Smith Lake Bald Eagle dive for a fish just 20 feet in front of me!  

Cory continued, “It was a close competition this year, but the Jays pulled out a two-species victory over the Tanagers, 130-128. Both teams had five birding teams with varying birding skills, from beginner to expert. The top team spent 18 hours covering probably 200 miles. But the day wasn’t just about being in the natural environment and searching for bird species. The goal was, also, to raise money for Flathead Audubon.” Thanks to all of you who participated by birding and fund raising!