by Lewis Young E-bird, a service of Cornell Lab of Ornithology, has a product that gives migration forecasts for the next 3 days and shows real time bird migration pathways and numbers each night. Click on http://birdcast.info/ The migration forecasts give you a quick glance at what to expect for the next three days, with…
Read MoreMigration Miracles
by Kathy Ross Feathers, hollow bones, no more than air cloaked in brilliant hues. Our neotropical birds migrate at speeds up 100 mph, at elevations as high as 15,000 feet, for up to 8 hours at a stretch or some never stopping for thousands of miles. To top off this feat, they know their way…
Read MoreMay 2019 Chirps and Squawks
Highlights from the April 1st Board Meeting A sample and explanation of the Birds In Motion video project was provided by bj Worth, in hopes of coordinating with FAS for our mutual benefit. Bruce Tannehill provided an annual financial review, which recommended splitting the Treasurer position into a bookkeeper and a Treasurer due to the…
Read MoreSpring Reminders – 2019
Loons and Lead – you can help! Here in northwest Montana we are fortunate to have both a population of common loons and good fishing in many lakes that support loons. Unfortunately, the lead sinkers and jigs often used for fishing pose a significant threat to loons. Loons often swallow fishing tackle and lead is…
Read MoreConservation Educator’s Niche – May 2019
by Denny Olson “You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby (and still have a ways to go)” Despite our recognition that women have played a very important role in our knowledge of science (see last month’s column), the background shows that cultures, and prevailing thought, do not change overnight. Gender inequality is still the norm in…
Read MoreWarbler Weekend 2019 at Tally Lake
Come join FAS at the Tally Lake Campground on 5/31/19 – 6/2/19 for an extraordinary two days of birding and relaxing. The pavilion campsite at the campground has been reserved for us. We will be focusing on bird identification, birding by ear, and photography. This is an ideal time of year to find a wide…
Read MoreEducation Committee News – May 2019
by Gail Shay Linne, Education Chair The Education Committee has had a productive year. I wish to recognize and thank our members for their expertise and commitment in meeting our education goals. They are Renee Cortes, Linda de Kort, Amy Jacobs, Kathy Ross, Rod Wallette and Pam Willison. A special thanks to Conservation Educator Denny…
Read MoreRichard Kuhl, Walking Man
by Ben Long Richard A. Kuhl – a man with a long stride and longer vision – died on March 17. A wilderness ranger, educator and conservationist, Kuhl left his campsites and community better than he found them. Richard was born in 1938 in rural New Jersey. After college and the military, he traveled North…
Read MoreAmerican Avocet
by Linda de Kort Several years ago our neighbor and I stopped by West Valley Ponds on a sunny May morning. The ponds were filled with migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. I immediately recognized two of my favorites: Ruddy Ducks with their distinctive blue bills and American Avocets with boldly patterned black and white wings and…
Read MorePresident’s Column – May 2019
by Kay Mitchell, President THIS FLOCK JUST WON’T FLY IN A STRAIGHT LINE Nature is messy. It thrives on principles, not order. Sometimes we try to impose order, by lists, field guides, and occasionally cages. That doesn’t make anything more orderly except us. You have to agree that humans are pretty ridiculous in trying to…
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