Sacajawea Audubon Society

March Book Club
2026-03-18 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Denver) | Hope Lutheran Church, 2152 W. Graf St, Bozeman, Montana, 59718, United States
Join us as we discuss Graeme Gibson’s The Bedside Book of Birds: An Avian Miscellany, Reprinted in 2021 with a foreword by Gibson’s wife and writer, Margaret Atwood. Atwood writes: “What he was after [in this book] was the many ways birds have affected people throughout many centuries and many cultures.”

And Gibson himself explains: “It is about the richly varied and sometimes very intimate relationships that we have established with them [avian life] during the hundreds of thousands of years that we have shared life on earth.”

Many good bird books have been published in recent years, but this 20 year labor of love is different. Canadian novelist and birdwatcher Gibson has assembled all manner of artistic forms that our affinity for birds have been expressed in; paintings, poems, essays, stories, creation myths, scientific observations and even recipes. Contributors are legion: ancient and modern, primitive and accomplished, famous and obscure…. Gibson’s own graceful and erudite essays are as satisfying as are the other texts and illustrations. The literature is as diverse as Ovid, Thomas Hardy, Kafka, Thoreau and T.S. Eliot. Birds figure charmingly and tellingly in the work of such nature writers as Gilbert White, Peter Matthiessen, Farley Mowat and Barry Lopez. The book contains more than 100 stunning images of birds depicted in bestiaries, folk art, ancient sculpture and works of artists such as Audubon, Landsdowne, and Catesby.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) which judged this a Best Book of the Year states: “Put this on your list for those who love birds, for those who appreciate fine writing and beautiful art, and for those who wish to accompany a noble mind on a journey into the heart of things.”

We meet the third Wednesday of the month through April at Hope Lutheran Church, Room 123 from 6:30 to 7:45 PM. We will meet this month on March 18th and hope to see you there. If you have any questions please call or email Hilary Johnson at (406) 599-1446 or ralphhilary@gmail.com. To join virtually please email Sarah Paulos ahead of time at Sarahmarilynpaulos@gmail.com.

SAS April Program
2026-04-13 19:00 - 20:00 | Hope Lutheran Church, 2152 W. Graf St, Bozeman, Montana, 59718, United States
Sharing Landscapes: Managing Human Behavior to Protect Wild BearsWhy human attractants—not bears themselves—drive most conflicts, and how simple actions by residents and communities can keep bears wild.

Grizzly bears are moving back into landscapes they’ve been absent from for generations—just as people, homes, and recreation are expanding onto that same precious ground. What draws them into conflict is rarely the human/wild interface alone; it is most commonly our garbage, fruit trees, livestock, birdfeeders, and other human-related foods. In 2025, 74 grizzly bear deaths were recorded in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem with the majority tied directly to conflicts with people. When bears gain access to calorie-rich attractants, they quickly learn that human areas mean food. Once that association forms, conflicts often repeat—and the bear usually pays the ultimate price. Preventable attractants are turning wild bears into management problems.

Bear Smart initiatives address the root cause: human behavior. By securing garbage, properly storing food and livestock feed, managing fruit trees, using electric fencing for high-risk attractants, and educating residents and visitors, communities can dramatically reduce the likelihood that bears become food-conditioned. These programs protect public safety, reduce property damage, and keep bears wild.

Everyone has a role to play. There are many actions we can take every day to support grizzly bears’ recovery right here where we live. Small actions taken by many people can determine whether a bear passes through a community—or becomes the next conflict statistic. Keeping bears wild starts with us.

Bio:

Evan Stout grew up in rural Maine, where forests, rivers, and rugged coastlines fostered a lifelong connection to wildlife and wild places. After graduating from the University of Maine, he guided across North America before relocating to Gardiner, Montana in 2015. Evan now owns and operates a wildlife safari company focused on Yellowstone National Park. He also leads Bear Awareness Gardiner, a community-based program he assumed leadership of in 2021, advancing grizzly bear conservation by reducing human–bear conflicts through education, attractant management, and collaborative partnerships across Park County and the Greater Yellowstone region.

Evan Stout

For virtual attendance, please register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/9045687013721949015. Attendees, whether in person or virtual, are encouraged to share their bird sightings at this and every monthly program. SAS monthly programs are free and open to the public, feature a special guest speaker the 2nd Monday of the month, September through May. For more information, contact Chris Nixon at programs@sacajaweaaudubon.org

SAS April Book Club Meeting
2026-04-15 18:30 - 20:00 | Hope Lutheran Church, 2152 W. Graf St, Bozeman, Montana, 59718, United States
Please join us for this last meeting before fall. We’ll meet at Hope Lutheran Church in Room 123. We will be discussing Leigh Ann Henion’s Night Magic. If you would like to attend virtually, please email our new book club leader, Chris Brown at chrisb.sunroom@gmail.com or call him at (902) 742-0191 before the meeting.

Earth Week Citizen Science Program
2026-04-21 17:30 - 19:00
Earth Week Community Citizen Science Program

Indreland Audubon Wetland Preserve

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

5:30PM -7:00PM

April is Citizen Science month! Join us for this free, family-friendly program to explore the beautiful Indreland Audubon Wetland Preserve while learning how you can contribute meaningful scientific data—locally, statewide, and globally.

Please check the map for parking options and plan a few extra minutes to walk the trail to our meeting location. Register HERE for the program.

At the welcome station, you’ll check in, grab a name tag, and be guided to the Kingfisher Pavilion, where you’ll learn about this collaborative event between Montana State University’s SMART FIRES project and the Sacajawea Audubon Society. Register HERE for the program.

During the evening, you’ll:

Learn what citizen science is and why it matters

Explore popular bird, plant, air quality, and weather‑related citizen science apps

Take photos at one or more of the Preserve’s five Chronolog monitoring stations

Learn about ongoing conservation and research at the Preserve

Discover upcoming hands‑on citizen science opportunities

Join the Montana Citizen Science Network & have a chance to win a PurpleAir Zen air quality monitor(nearly $300 value)

There will also be activities for young children.

Light snacks & refreshments will be provided.

Please note that dogs and other four‑legged friends should stay home.

April Wildlife Trivia
2026-04-21 18:00 - 20:00 | Lockhorn Cider House, 21 S. Wallace Ave., Bozeman, Montana, 59715, United States
SAS Wildlife Trivia Night at Lockhorn Cider HouseCome test your knowledge of wildlife at our monthly Trivia Night. Grab a cider, choose your team name and enjoy a fun-filled evening while benefitting Sacajawea Audubon Society! Social starts at 6:00 at Lockhorn Cider House with Trivia kicking off at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, April 21st. Western Meadowlark by Doug McSpadden21 South Wallace Ave., BozemanSocial at 6:00pm, first round at 6:30 pmThere are usually 4 rounds lasting until about 8:00-8:30 pm.Winning Teams include:Team with the most points at the end of 4 roundsBest Team Name! (Creativity, wit and humor all apply!)Best Doodles on answer sheets! (again, its all about creativity, wit and humor!)

ALL ARE WELCOME! Come as an individual or as a team.

All proceeds go towards supporting the Indreland Audubon Wetland Preserve and Sacajawea Audubon Society!

2026 Birding Classes - Cavity Nesters
2026-05-06 17:30 - 19:30 | Hope Lutheran Church, 2152 W. Graf St, Bozeman, Montana, 59718, United States
Knock! Knock! Learn about and delight in the woodpeckers, nuthatches, and others who excavate cavities and those species who use them again. Deepen your connections with birds this season with a class or two with our local educator, Ashley Martens. Contact her at truenatureed@gmail.com with questions.

Red-naped Sapsucker by Lou Ann Harris

Saving Siberian Tigers in Russia & China
2026-05-13 18:30 - 19:30 | Bozeman Public Library, 626 East Main Street, Bozeman, Montana, 59715, United States
Winter/Spring 2026 Science Inquiry Series

Sponsored by the Gallatin Valley Friends of the Sciences.

Co-sponsored by Hopa Mountain.

Wednesdays at 6:30 pm in the community Room of the Bozeman Public Library, 626 E. Main Street, Bozeman, Montana.

Free to the public. Seating on a first-come, first-served basis.

Explore cutting edge science topics, their latest developments, and their relevance to Society–through speaker presentations followed by a question-and-answer period.

May 13 – A 30-Year Quest to Save Siberian Tigers in Russia and Northeast China

How do you ensure a future for a rare predator in a remote region of the world? Dr. Dale Miquelle, retired coordinator of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Tiger Program, will share his 30-year collaborative quest to stabilize Siberian tiger populations and the ecosystems they depend on in the Russian Far East, leading to a multinational vision for interconnected tiger landscapes across Northeast Asia.

Sweet Grass Prairie Birding Tour
2026-05-15 08:00 - 2026-05-18 17:00 | J Bar L Ranch, Big Timber MT, Melville, Montana, United States
Join us for a 3-day/3-night prairie birding tour based out of the Sweet Grass Lodge on the J Bar L Ranch, May 15-18, 2026. Participants will enjoy an array of daily field trips in the varied habitats of the ranch and nearby areas, with an emphasis on observing and learning about prairie birds, as well as conservation ranching. The group will engage in a citizen science effort, reporting the results of their bird surveys to the ranch staff for use in guiding land management. Ranch managers will share info about regenerative grazing and their strategic ranching practices, which are aimed at improving ecological resilience on ranch lands.

Participants will carpool or drive their own vehicles to the ranch (20 miles N of Big Timber).

· 3+ days, 3 nights: Depart Bozeman Fri, May 15 – Return Bozeman, Mon May 18

· $435/person double occupancy only

· Includes 3 nights lodging in the Sweet Grass Lodge, and 9 catered meals

Sweet Grass LodgeMelville MT

· Small group: limit of 9 participants

· Guides: Beth Madden, John Parker, Ed Harper

Registration will open April 1: register and make payments by emailing meg@jbarl.com. For tour information or questions, email bethmadden64@gmail.com.

2026 Birding Classes - Beginning Birding
2026-05-20 17:30 - 19:00 | Hope Lutheran Church, 2152 W. Graf St, Bozeman, Montana, 59718, United States
Deepen your connections with birds this season with a class or two with our local educator, Ashley Martens. Contact her at truenatureed@gmail.com with questions.

Beginning Birding – Love birds? Curious about learning to identify them without having to use another app? Learn basic identification skills you can use anywhere you go to connect with the birds around you. One classroom session and one field trip included.

Register HERE

2026 Birding Classes - Warblers
2026-05-27 17:30 - 19:00 | Hope Lutheran Church, 2152 W. Graf St, Bozeman, Montana, 59718, United States
Deepen your connections with birds this season with a class or two with our local educator, Ashley Martens. Contact her at truenatureed@gmail.com with questions.

Warblers – Learn about and delight in these wonderfully colorful little birds by focusing on plumage, habitat, songs and calls. One classroom session and one field trip included.

Register HERE

2026 Birding Classes - Sparrows
2026-06-10 17:30 - 19:00 | Hope Lutheran Church, 2152 W. Graf St, Bozeman, Montana, 59718, United States
Deepen your connections with birds this season with a class or two with our local educator, Ashley Martens. Contact her at truenatureed@gmail.com with questions.

Sparrows – Learn about and delight in these little brown birds’ subtle beauty and differences by focusing on plumage, habitat, and songs and calls. One classroom session and one field trip included.

Register HERE

2026 Birding Classes - Bird Kinship
2026-06-16 17:30 - 19:00 | Hope Lutheran Church, 2152 W. Graf St, Bozeman, Montana, 59718, United States
Deepen your connections with birds this season with a class or two with our local educator, Ashley Martens. Contact her at truenatureed@gmail.com with questions.

Bird Kinship – Settle into a deeper relationship with birds in this session. We’ll learn the ancient and wise skill of listening for “Bird Language” and spend time appreciating birds without (necessarily) having to identify them. You’ll develop a sensitive, grounding, and relaxing practice to take with you anywhere you go. Two field trips included.

Register HERE

2026 Birding Classes - Birding By Ear
2026-06-24 17:30 - 19:00 | Hope Lutheran Church, 2152 W. Graf St, Bozeman, Montana, 59718, United States
Deepen your connections with birds this season with a class or two with our local educator, Ashley Martens. Contact her at truenatureed@gmail.com with questions.

Birding By Ear – Cultivate presence and listening skills. Learn a variety of techniques to help you identify the bird soundscapes around you.One classroom session and one field trip included.

Register HERE
