Bird Notes

by John Parker The mild weather this fall noticeably delayed the movement of waterfowl from the north.  By mid-November the expected push of Snow Geese and Tundra Swans still had

By John Parker What a mild fall it’s been. Day after day of sunshine and temperatures pushing record highs deep into October. This weather pattern hasn’t been conducive for any

by John Parker A wide range of unusual birds moved through this area during the spring and early summer.  Whether in the backyard or out on the prairie, the variety

As far as the birds were concerned, spring arrived right on schedule this year.  During early March Mountain Bluebirds, Sandhill Cranes and Ring-billed Gulls are the first migrants, other than

Late winter has been full of large and small surprises from around the Gallatin Valley and beyond.  Most of these birds were seen after the severe cold spell mid-January, so

Christmas Bird Count 2023 by John Parker Overall, participation for this past season’s Christmas Bird Counts was quite good. No doubt the relatively mild weather conditions played a part in

by John Parker In late fall visiting nearly any lake or pond before freeze-up will eventually produce surprising birds. Maybe it will be a first for the location, or possibly

By John Parker As I’m sure you are aware, we had an exceptionally mild early fall. The mild weather without any major storm systems moving through southwestern Montana during the

There were a handful of unusual warblers this past spring, starting with the Black-throated Gray Warbler that Matt Ruuhela and Dave Benes found May 4th. They discovered this warbler at