Snow Geese above pond Photo Credit: Dick Walker

There is nothing like Snow Geese and the Rocky Mountains at the same time and place. The place is Freezout Lake WMA near Choteau; the time is the annual Flathead Audubon Society field trip to Freezout. The Snow Geese are moving from their wintering grounds to their arctic nesting areas along with thousands of other waterfowl.

Folks from FAS will meet at the old KMart parking lot at 10 AM on March 26. Note that this is a little different than past years … this year’s trip will be on a Thursday-Friday to try to miss some of the large crowds that gather. We’ll caravan/carpool to Choteau and arrive in time for the afternoon “fly-out.”

After spending a night in Choteau, we will head back out just before daybreak to watch the “mass ascension” of geese from the ponds of Freezout. After a morning’s birding, we will head home in the early afternoon arriving in Kalispell around 5 PM.

Bob Lee will provide a suggested schedule and route, and will be in the front of the group. Participants may choose to pursue the geese on their own as much or as little as they, the weather and the birds allow.

Please make your own arrangements for lodging; primitive camping is available at Freezout WMA. Motel options include the Stage Stop (406-466-5900), the Gunther (406-466-5444) and the Big Sky (406-466-5318). Make your reservations early as these motels often fill up.

For more information, including the meeting location, contact Bob Lee at 270-0371 or RML3@centurytel.net.