Highlights from October 2016 Board Meeting

  • Heard and accepted treasurers report. Largest single expense was for Wiley Dike Blind Construction.
  • Heard Denny Olson’s Education Report outlining numerous activities throughout the summer and upcoming
  • activities.
  • Discussed potential recipients of the Conservation Achievement Recognition Award.
  • Heard report that membership is about normal for this time of year.
  • Heard that Hawk Watch is going well with over 2000 raptors being recorded so far.
  • Heard that 20 people attended OSNA workday and several tasks were accomplished.
  • Bob Lee reported on MT Audubon meeting that included Great Falls being selected for next Bird Festival
  • and that Steve Hoffman is retiring as Executive Director.
  • Website committee is now chaired by Jake Bramante and memberships may be renewed online.

Meeting room change for November

Flathead Audubon’s November 14 general meeting will be held in a different room than usual at the Gateway Community Center. For this month only, park on the east side of the Center, near the north end. Enter through the double glass doors marked “26.” (Look for the FAS banner.) An easy way to end up in the right spot is to take Meridian Road to the MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks corner, turn west on Two Mile Drive, go one block, turn left and take the first driveway on the right. This room change is for one month only.

Glass Recycling in the Flathead

There are two places in the Flathead that recycle glass:

  • Glacier National Park Lodges Drop- Off Site, 1014 1st Ave W, Columbia Falls, MT 59912. Bins for glass are located behind warehouse (which is the old IGA store, next to Montana Coffee Traders). Open 24 hours, every day.
  • New World Recycling, 4969 US- 2, Columbia Falls, MT 59912 (2 miles north of Glacier Airport, look for sign on left side of hiway). Drop glass in bright green shed located in driveway. Open 7 AM- 9PM, every day. 406- 257- 5899, http://www.newworldrecyclingmt.com

Comprehensive information on all recycling in the Flathead (what and where) is available at http://www.wastenotproject.org/.

West Valley Naturalists – by Linda DeKort

If you happened to have missed the FAS program last month then be sure to come to the West Valley Naturalists meeting on November 17 at 7 PM. We will be meeting at West Valley School (2290 Farm to Market Rd, Kalispell)  in the Commons area and there will be guides to show you the way. It is free and all are welcome, especially FAS members!

Laura Katzman will focus on the Flathead Land Trust project that is underway to conserve almost 400 acres of crucial Sandhill Crane habitat in the West Valley. Find out about a proposed bird viewing area and education site overlooking a 45- acre pothole wetland that is part of this project and what you can do to help bring the project to fruition. The presentation will include information about a four square mile area in the West Valley in which this project is located that is ecologically significant for tens of thousands of migratory waterfowl, 20 species of shorebirds, and hundreds of Sandhill Cranes. Laura will also share information about the life history of these elegant birds. Laura kindly led an evening field trip to this area on Oct. 1st at sunset where more than 300 cranes were seen.

Become and Armchair Activist – by Amy Seaman

As the legislature faces tough problems concerning wildlife and the environment we need as many conservationists and Audubon Chapter members as possible calling their Representatives and Senators to encourage them to vote responsibly. When local input is needed, Montana Audubon will contact you by email, explain the issue, explain how and why to take action, and let you know which legislators to contact for needed encouragement.

We limit the use of the action alert program to the most critical issues, but they provide a powerful way to make our voice heard.

Please assist us with our efforts this year! Find out more at http://www.mtaudubon.org, or by emailing Amy (aseaman@mtaudubon.org) where you can sign up to be an Armchair Activist and find out how your legislators voted last session!