FAS President Gael Bissell 

CANCELLATIONS AND POSTPONEMENTS. As we continue coping with this unfortunate pandemic, our non-profit organization, like many others, will be following CDC and state/local regulations to minimize people-to-people exposure for a bit longer. As such, we are cancelling our May Annual Meeting and Potluck at the Whitefish Community Center. The annual business meeting, including election of Officers and Board Directors, is postponed until September or as soon as we can meet after that date. The terms of current Officers and Board Directors have been extended until that time.

In addition, the planned Spring Birding Trip to Central MT, May field trips, and Warbler Weekend are cancelled. We will keep you informed of new activities, alternatives, and all June activities on our website and through press releases. Thank You to all who have led FAS field trips this year.

OUTDOORS THROUGH INDOORS. The good news is that wewill be offeringmany exciting online activities, our new Birds Rock! video, and virtual field trips for families and adults via our website and Facebook pages. Denny’s upcoming Conservation Educator’s Niche has more details. And we are collaborating with Lone Pine State Park to develop at least two “virtual” bird and native plant field trips. Please check for these releases here on our website and make sure you like us on FaceBook www.facebook.com/FlatheadAudubon/ and Lone Pine State Park on www.facebook.com/LonePineStatePark for these and other upcoming natural history field trips. We appreciate your participation and feedback.

ESCAPE WITH BIRDS. Birding and nature walking ARE healthy and excellent ways to avoid too much screen and indoor time. We suggest getting out to: Owen Sowerwine Natural Area (bird list available here, please leave dog at home), Otter Island (off Anderson Lane or south of Old Steel Bridge Fishing Access Site), small isolated trails at Lone Pine and Herron Park, the river walk/trails along Whitefish River, trail at the base of Columbia Mountain, Somers Walk/Bike path, and the Wild Mile in Bigfork. Or, drive out to Tally Lake or through Smith or Mission Valleys looking for sandhill cranes, long-billed curlews, late spring waterfowl, migrating/nesting raptors and soon our songbirds! We have guidance on our website brochure “Birding in the Flathead” and birding checklists; also, check out e-birding in Montana (Cornell E-bird application) that has our latest local bird observations. Go to https://ebird.org/mt/news/welcome-to-montana-ebird.

THANK YOU! We appreciate your support of FAS this year and we hope you are staying healthy. Any support you can give us during May 5th Day of Giving will help us maintain our incredible Conservation/Education and other programs through the summer. Please send us feedback on how you think we are doing at info@flatheadaudubon.org.