Audubon will hold two bird counts in Flathead Valley
The Flathead Audubon chapter will host two Christmas bird counts this month.
It is a citizen science census of winter bird species that takes place all over the United States and Canada. This is the 122nd year the census has been carried out, making the Audubon Christmas Bird Count the longest running bird census ever.
Two counts will take place in the Flathead Valley: the Bigfork Count, now in its 48th year, and the 23-year old Kalispell Count.
In addition, there will be six more counts in Northwest Montana.
Here are the dates and contact information for each count:
Bigfork: Saturday, Dec. 18, Craig Hohenberger, asoleado2003@yahoo.com, 406-890-1629.
Eureka: Saturday, Dec. 18, Ellen Sullivan, kesullivan@interbel.net, 406-291-1794.
Libby: Saturday, Dec. 18, Gene Reckin, gnreckin@gmail.com, H 406-293-9344, C 406-291-8482.
Upper Swan: Saturday, Dec. 18, Sara Lamar, sara@svconnections.org 406-407-6535.
Ninepipe: Sunday, Dec. 19, Jim Oates, oates65@gmail.com, 406-270-7826.
Glacier National Park: Sunday, Dec. 19, Lisa Bate, Lisa_Bate@nps.gov, 406-888-7833.
Troy: Saturday, Jan. 1 Donald Jones, don@donaldmjones.com, 406-546-3832.
Kalispell: Sunday, Jan. 2, Dan Casey, danielcasey55@gmail.com 406-270-5941.
Participating in a Christmas Bird Count is fun and rewarding. You don't have to be an expert birder to take part.
In fact, for many of us, the Christmas Bird Count is a chance to improve our birding skills as we learn from the more experienced birders we go out counting with.
The Flathead Audubon chapter's regular monthly meeting on Dec. 13 will be held via Zoom.
The program will be "Ecological Effects of Recolonizing Wolves in Washington."
Aaron Wirsung, Wildlife Ecologist, University of Washington, will present the program. Wirsung has spent 10 years looking at how wolf reintroduction in Washington has affected the behaviour of large carnivores, and how prey species balance the risks posed by the wolves and human hunters.
To join the Zoom Meeting, visit: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82491234594
Meeting ID: 824 9123 4594
For calling in: +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
If you have been hesitant to try Zoom, it is actually quite easy. For a brief tutorial contact
Videos of earlier FAS meeting presentations are available at https://flatheadaudubon.org/videos.
Also, a winter solstice field trip at Owen Sowerwine Natural Area will be led on by FWP biologist and FAS board member Derrick Rathe, on Tuesday, Dec. 21.
The focus will be on the signs left by the birds - from caches to tracks. Registration is required.