by Don Jones, compiler The Troy Christmas Bird count was scheduled to be on December 30th 2017 but was postponed one day (the 31st) as the Troy area experienced a large snowstorm dumping 14+ inches of snow. Due to the change in count dates, we lost a number of participants due to conflicts. We still managed to…
Read MoreTag: Sharp-shinned Hawk
February 2018 Chirps and Squawks
Highlights from January 2, 2018 Board Meeting Because FAS made only about $4,000 from the 2018 calendar sales we will not produce another phenology calendar next year. FAS plans to apply for inclusion in the Great Fish Challenge sponsored by the Whitefish Community Foundation. No Birdathon is planned for this year because FAS is hosting…
Read MoreJewel Basin 2017 – Anything but Average
by Dan Casey The 10th annual hawk migration survey at the Jewel Basin got off to a roaring start; we recorded birds at record rates from late August through Sept. 22nd. But just as we hit our usual peak season, the snows started to fall. As much as we welcomed the early season snow following…
Read MoreGlacier National Park CBC 2016 Report
by Lisa Bate This year’s Christmas Bird Count in Glacier was fantastic! We had a number of rare birds, first-time birds, unusual birds for this time of the year, and some new high counts for species. It was also 25 degrees warmer than the morning before (minus 15° F) and we had light, fluffy snow,…
Read MoreAn Unusual, but Successful Season at the Jewel Basin Hawk Watch
As 2016 comes to an end, Flathead Audubon volunteers and our funding partners have conducted nine years of season-long hawk migration surveys at the Jewel Basin Hawk Watch. After recording 60 birds over four surveys during the last week of August, we conducted 22 surveys in September, including a six-day stretch (Sept 25-30) where 1,129…
Read MoreJewel Basin Hawk Watch 2016 – A Great First Half
By Dan Casey This fall season marks the 9th year of full-time surveys at the Jewel Basin Hawk Watch, and the second year with Flathead Audubon as the primary sponsor of the effort. Thursday, Oct. 13th marked the 31st survey of the 2016 season, bringing us to 2,417 birds counted. We were on a record…
Read MoreNorthern Goshawk
GO GOSHAWK! By Ben Long Some birders prefer pretty, showy waterfowl. Some like little perching birds that sing so lovely. Some of us go for goshawks, because they are enormously gifted predators, and dress the part. The Northern Goshawk is the largest of the tribe of hawks called accipiter. These are the fighter jets of the…
Read MoreEureka Christmas Bird Count 2015 Results
by Lewis Young The 23nd annual Eureka Christmas bird count was held on Sunday December 20 in mild weather. We are one of about 30 counts in Montana that are part of National Audubon Society’s long running citizen science Christmas Bird Counts. Twenty people went to the field and 19 people counted at their feeders. …
Read MoreSharp-shinned Hawk
By Lewis Young The Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) is a small, very agile hawk of the forest and woodlands. With a wingspan of 17-22 inches and a length of 10-14 inches, it displays an amazing ability to fly rapidly through dense trees and shrubs in pursuit of prey. Adults are a slatey blue-gray on the…
Read MoreAmerican Kestrel
By Jeannie Marcure Although my years of bird watching have familiarized me with many of the beautiful birds in our area, I have to confess that when it comes to raptors I’m still often frustrated by my inability to make positive identifications. Most people tend to think of all the day-flying birds of prey with…
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