The Stellar Steller’s Jay

by Bridger Donaldson Anyone who spends time birdwatching in high or low elevations of coniferous forests in the Western United States and Canada are likely to see the bold and inquisitive Steller’s Jay. They do well in forests disturbed by humans, such as thinned areas and campgrounds. Maybe you have heard the Steller’s Jay as…

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Surrounding NW Montana CBC 2022 Results

Upper Swan CBC December 15 Upper Swan held its annual Christmas Bird Count on Thursday, December 15, with nine field observers. We had decent weather with temperatures ranging from 19 to 27, cloudy skies, and wind at 7 mph.  Most still water was frozen and moving water was partly open. Snow depths ranged from six…

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Glacier National Park CBC 2021 Results

by Lisa Bate Glacier National Park (GNP) held its annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) on Sunday, December 19, 2021. Twenty-two participants contributed to this event by covering 10 different routes in Glacier. Participants spent the day counting all bird species and individuals detected. The weather was overcast with light winds, and temperatures ranged between 29…

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Smith Lake Field Trip Report – September 2021

by Darcy Thomas A morning of bird watching at Smith Lake in Kila was very successful September 8 with  eleven birders joining Darcy Thomas around the lake. Two were visiting from out-of-state and the youngest was only 5 years old. It was a bit chilly at 41 degrees when we started but warmed up comfortably…

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Smith Lake Field Trip 9-8-21 Report

by Darcy Thomas A morning of bird watching September 8 at Smith Lake in Kila was very successful. Eleven birders joined leader Darcy Thomas; two were visiting from out-of-state; the youngest was 5 years old. It was a bit chill at 41 degrees when we started but warmed up comfortably later in the morning. A…

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Glacier National Park Christmas Bird Count 2018 Results

by Lisa Bate Glacier National Park (GNP) held its annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) on Sunday, December 16, 2018. Thirty participants contributed to this event by covering 10 different routes in Glacier and 1 bird feeder in West Glacier. Participants spent the day counting all bird species and individuals detected. The weather was unusually mild…

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Field Trip Report: Wild Horse Island

by Laura Katzman Ten lucky participants enjoyed an amazing tour of spectacular Wild Horse Island led by Doug MacCarter of Flathead Audubon on June 22. We boated to the island and started the tour at Doug’s family cabin on the south central shore of the island. We then hiked to Skeeko Bay learning about the history of…

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Glacier National Park CBC 2015 Report

by Lisa Bate and Jami Belt On December 20, 2015, 23 observers on 11 field routes and one feeder site (West Glacier) recorded 406 birds of 33 species. This count marked the 42nd Glacier National Park Christmas Bird Count (CBC) since 1973, contributing to the 116th year of the National Audubon Society’s CBC. The main…

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Pileated Woodpecker

By Karen Nichols & Ben Long Big, raucous and handsome, the pileated woodpecker is a favorite of hard-core birding enthusiasts and casual nature-lovers alike. The pileated woodpecker is the classic “Woody Woodpecker.” The word “pileated” refers to its bright red crest, its most distinguishing feature. The name may be pronounced either “PIE-leh-ated” or “PIL-eh-ated.” The…

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