Kalispell CBC 2022 Results

The 24th Kalispell Christmas Bird Count was held on Sunday, January 1, 2023.   A total of 75 species was recorded, a number which is about average for this count.    Highlights included the 2nd ever Yellow-headed Blackbird (Craig Hohenberger et. al.), the 2nd ever Pied-billed Grebe (Elaine Snyder et al.), the 3rd ever Northern Saw-whet Owl…

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Birds, Bugs, Berries, and Beds for the Chicks

Nature provides it all with NATIVE SHRUBS IN YOUR GARDEN by Kathy Ross Tanagers, grosbeak, solitaires, chickadees, vireos, woodpeckers, robins. In a small dense patch of native serviceberry, chokecherry, dogwood, mountain maple, and juniper I have watched with delight on a late summer afternoon, song birds feeding on the berries and the insects of these…

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Bigfork CBC 2020 Results

by Craig Hohenberger  The 47th annual Bigfork Christmas Bird Count was held Saturday, December 19, under cloudy skies, periodic light showers, with mild to moderate SW winds throughout the day.  Snow depths were non-existent and/or limited to the higher eastern edges of the count circle; temperatures ranged from 36-46 degrees F. Lakes and ponds were…

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Conservation Educator’s Niche – December 2019

The Meta-Threat by Dennis Olson In the last Pileated Post, FAS Board member Carole Jorgensen and Post Editor Lewis Young wrote two wonderful short summaries of two separate “meta-studies” – regarding the 29% decline in North American bird populations in the last 50 years, and, respectively, an Audubon study outlining the 64% of North American…

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Eureka Christmas Bird Count 2018 Results

The 26th annual Eureka Christmas bird count was held on Saturday, December 15 in mild weather that ranged from 31˚F to 41˚F. A record 33 field observers and 16 feeder watchers recorded 61 species and 4953 individual birds. The 61 species tied the fifth highest total in our history and the number of individuals was…

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Kalispell Christmas Bird Count 2018 Results

The 20th Kalispell Christmas Bird Count was held on Sunday, December 30. Milder than usual weather (28-35˚ F) and minimal snow cover (2 inches) made for an interesting count. This count could be dubbed “The Year of the Goose”. We encountered astounding numbers of Canada Geese, which were taking full advantage of the exposed farm…

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Trip to Flathead Lake Bio Station

By Doug MacCarter. On a beautiful June 19th, fifteen scientifically curious folks met at the Flathead Lake Biological Station to learn about birds and research conducted at the University of Montana’s field station at Yellow Bay. The group was met first by field trip leader Doug MacCarter, and later by the Station Assistant Director Tom…

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Ninepipes CBC 2016 Report

by Brian Williams The Ninepipes Christmas Bird Count was held on Sunday, 18 December 2016.  Sixteen observers braved the single-digit weather and treacherous roads to count birds.  The deep cold made open water scarce and held our total species down a bit from 5 and 10 year averages, but we found some excellent birds.  Short-eared…

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Kalispell CBC 2016 Report

by Pete Fisher The 18th annual Kalispell Christmas Bird Count (CBC) was held on January 1, 2017.  Twenty-eight intrepid field observers braved wind and drifting snow to count 75 species of bird. Four feeder watchers contributed data as well. Major highlights were an Iceland Gull at the Flathead Dump and a Northern Saw-whet Owl at…

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