by Sneed B. Collard III Scientific Name Picus is Latin for woodpecker, from a legend in which the enchantress Circe turned Picus, the son of Saturn, into a woodpecker; -oides is Greek for “resembling,” so Picoides means “woodpecker-like”. The word arcticusis Latin for northern or arctic. At first glance the newly burned forest looked devoid…
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by Dan Casey Rare and Notables – March-April Although mid-April snows reminded us that winter was not entirely over, winter resident bird species such as Snowy Owl and Bohemian Waxwing departed, and spring migrants (swallows, cranes, waterfowl, shorebirds and more) continued to arrive on schedule throughout the period. Snow Geese were seen throughout the valley,…
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by Lisa Bate Glacier National Park (GNP) held its annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) on Sunday, December 19, 2021. Twenty-two participants contributed to this event by covering 10 different routes in Glacier. Participants spent the day counting all bird species and individuals detected. The weather was overcast with light winds, and temperatures ranged between 29…
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Coming September 14th at Lone Pine State Park Continuing a tradition started by the family of the late Rod Ash in 2006, Flathead Audubon, partnering with Lone Pine State Park, will expand on our big public event of the year with exhibits, booths and programs beginning at 9:00 AM until 1:00 PM. US Forest Service,…
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by Lisa Bate Glacier National Park (GNP) held its annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) on Sunday, December 16, 2018. Thirty participants contributed to this event by covering 10 different routes in Glacier and 1 bird feeder in West Glacier. Participants spent the day counting all bird species and individuals detected. The weather was unusually mild…
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by Lisa Bate There’s an easy answer to the question: how many toes does an American Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides dorsalis) have? They have three! So why give this birds such an obvious name? It turns out that having three toes in the woodpecker world is unusual; most woodpeckers have four toes. The only other woodpecker…
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by Ali Ulwelling Rick Trembath’s presentation at last month’s general meeting blended his interest in wildfires and birds, so we’d like to follow up with more information about a local FireSafe Flathead group and tips on how to prepare for our next inevitable wildfire season. Our Flathead area is covered in forests that have evolved…
Read MoreWildfires in Western Montana Presented by Rick Trembath Flathead Audubon will have a special program on Monday, January 8 by Bigfork resident, Rick Trembath. He will provide a historical perspective on wild fires and how they affect flora and fauna based on fire intensities and behavior. Other fire-related topics include: how forest fires burn; forest fire…
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by Cory Davis and Kathy Ross It was another full and exciting spring and summer for birdwatching in the Flathead Valley. We had a lot of fun, observed some excellent birds (lifers anyone?), and saw some beautiful country. Thank you to all of our wonderful and dedicated field trip leaders! Earth Day 2017, April 22:…
Read Moreby Lisa Bate When you look into a recently burned forest, what do you see? Destruction and loss? Or can you sense the pulse of new life created by stand-replacement fires? Every species has unique needs. For many plant species, fire provides a new lease on life by releasing abundant nutrients resulting in vigorous growth….
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