By Dan Casey Rare and Notables – MAR/APR 2024 In typical fashion, late March and early April provided a variety of migrant waterfowl at Flathead Valley hotspots. Eurasian Wigeon were seen at multiple sites, and a hybrid wigeon was photographed at Church Slough. Greater White-fronted Goose and the Siberian form of Tundra Swan made appearances…
Read Moreby Dan Casey Rare and Notables – MAR/APR 2023 Mid-March offered its usual diversity and abundance of waterfowl, with great numbers of geese and ducks throughout the valley (despite the late ice-out). Eurasian Wigeon were seen among the flocks at many sites around the valley, from March 17through April 11. A Eurasian Green-winged Teal at…
Read Moreby 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 Dan Casey Rare and Notables, Arrivals – March/April 2021 3/18 – White-throated Sparrow – Big Mountain (Shannon and Bridger D.) 3/20 – Ross’s Goose – Egan Slough Rd. (Craig H.) 3/20 – Mew Gull – (present two weeks) Somers Bay (Danny T.) 3/31 – Red-necked Grebe (6) – (first of year) Smith Lake (Derrick…
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Highlights from the February 1, 2021 Board of Directors Meeting Rod Wallette reported that the Finance Committee met, and will be working on writing a Financial Plan, which will include information such as the responsibilities of the committee, and guidelines for investments and/or endowments. Margaret Parodi reported that the Field Trip team is proceeding with…
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By Margaret Parodi. Seventeen people participated in the Flathead Audubon field trip to the Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge (northwest of Marion) on June 19. Participants met at the refuge headquarters at 8:30 am. The day was cool, breezy, and sunny, with morning temperature in the lower 50’s, later reaching a high of 65 degrees. The…
Read MoreBy Ben Young And the winner for the “Most Despised Native Bird of North America” award is . . . the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater). “An open solicitation for cowbird recipes.” Such titles as this in a prominent North American birding journal in 1994 illustrate the collective disdain for this native songbird among bird-watchers and…
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