Highlights from January 2017 Board Meeting

  • Heard the informal financial review conducted by Bruce Tannehill found that everything looked correct and clear.
  • Discussed if there is a need for an Important Bird Area (IBA) committee to put more emphasis on the existing IBA’s and potentially develop additional IBA’s. No committee was formed at this time.
  • Agreed to reduce the amount of paper used at Board Meetings by using a computer projector to view as many documents as possible.
  • Heard the Education Report from Denny Olson, Conservation Educator. The Education Trunk, Riparian Wetlands/Birds and the River, has been completely revised and is available for use.
  • Received an update on progress on the 2018 calendar project. Nine of the 12 months have sponsors already and the monthly write-ups are being reviewed.
  • Heard that the website has been moved over to a new host that costs considerably less although the transition was not easy.

The Great Backyard Bird Count February 17-20, 2017

The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages birds watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot where the birds are. Everyone is welcome—from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes a little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event.

It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds. Participants tally the number of individual birds of each species they see during their count period. They enter these numbers on the GBBC website.

Go to http://gbbc.birdcount.org/ for more details and to sign up.

Montana Audubon’s 17th Annual Bird Festival

Remember, it’s not too early to begin planning your summer birding adventures! Come join us in Great Falls for Montana Audubon’s 17th Annual Bird Festival, this year co-hosted by Upper Missouri Breaks Audubon. We have over 20 field trips planned for each day! — guided by knowledgeable birders and naturalists familiar with the species and their habitats in the Great Falls area. Keep watch in early March:  Festival Registration Brochures with all field trip information, speakers and schedules will be in the mail, and the online system for registration will be active.

For more information please contact Montana Audubon Bird Festival Coordinator, Cathie Erickson, cerickson@mtaudubon.org, or call (406) 443-3949.

Thank You Soroptomists of Whitefish!

Flathead Audubon is very grateful for a significant grant made to us by the Soroptomists of Whitefish. The mission of the Soroptomists centers on advancing opportunities for women and girls. Through our education and other programs, Flathead Audubon provides non-traditional learning and experiences in science and the natural world for women and girls of all ages from the Flathead Valley. We appreciate our partnership with the Soroptomists!

Kay Mitchell, FAS President