Highlights from January 2016 Board Meeting:

  • Heard Treasurer’s Report that generous donations and memberships continue to arrive and that a full report will be emailed to board members.
  • Heard Education Committee report that more work with Flathead High School is expected. New Conservation Educator Lisa Flowers reported she had a good transition with Patti Mason and is looking forward to the work.
  • Heard that a field trip to the American Prairie Preserve in eastern Montana is being organized and more details are forthcoming.
  • Approved suggested changes to the Memorandum of Understanding between Montana Audubon and Flathead Audubon for the management of Owen Sowerwine Natural Area. It will now be sent to Montana Audubon for their approval.
  • Discussed some options for E-commerce on the Website and agreed to have the Website Committee further review options and bring them back to the Board.
  • Heard that the decision whether to pursue a calendar fundraiser project for next year is pending and partially dependent on finding a volunteer(s) to take on the sales, marketing, and distribution aspects.

Extra Binoculars Laying Around?

EXTRA binoculars? Frank and Linda de Kort are heading to Ecuador this spring and will spend two weeks volunteering at a rural school. We are bringing lessons on birds and would like to leave some binoculars for field studies. If you have some binoculars sitting around that you are seldom using, could you kindly bring them to the February or March general meeting or call 755 3704 and we will pick them up. Thank you.

Thank You to Jack Jay

Jack Jay has generously donated his time and expertise, as well as the cost of materials used, to contribute significantly to weed control at Owen Sowerwine in 2015. This is the second year that Jack has contributed to the Owen Sowerwine weed effort in this way and in prior years, has also helped in variety of ways with the upkeep and maintenance. Thank you Jack, from Flathead Audubon and the Owen Sowerwine Committee, for all your support and help.

Don Snow Memorial

By Denny Olson

The Flathead Audubon community was saddened to learn of the passing of Don Snow. Our thoughts and condolences go out to Phyllis, his talented wife, and their family. Don had great interest in birds–birds of all kinds. His interest began when he was a youngster, growing up on the coast of Washington, in the Gray’s Harbor area. Shore birds were abundant. He enjoyed them immensely. He spent spare moments in his college years in eastern Washington and western New York studying birds of those areas.

His main career was teaching music to children in the Seattle public school system for 30 years. He also played bass in the Seattle Symphony and in several dance bands. It was in the Seattle area that he became heavily involved with Audubon. Whenever possible he would join with Audubon field trips or lectures as well as go birding by himself. When he retired and moved to Kalispell, he expanded his interest in birds by being part of the local chapter of Audubon. He always kept a bird book and binoculars on the dining room buffet so he could reach over and pick up one or both items to watch, and identify when needed, birds that came to feeders at mealtime.

Don was a great supporter of Flathead Audubon and was instrumental in expanding the Rails to Trails system. We will miss his great wit and intelligent conversations.

Monarch Mystique

Endangered Monarch butterflies need Milkweed plants in open, sunny areas. They can smell it up to 20 miles away! To obtain “showy milkweed” seeds for suggested germination indoors in February, please phone Lois Drobish at 756-7405.

Board Challenge Results

The 2015 end-of-year Board Challenge has closed. This year the Board of Directors won the Challenge. (Last time, the membership won.) Many thanks to our Directors and to our members for your generous donations. All contributions go to support our Conservation Education Program, which helps kids and adults of all ages experience Flathead Valley nature and birds. Thanks for all the help!