Category: Birding
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Why Is SW Montana Such a Biological Treasure Trove?
Yesterday, The Middle Daughter (TMD) and I took off for a mid-day excursion to connect with nature outside the Helena Valley. We encountered an impressive array of birds suited to various habitats, mammals typically associated with alpine areas, and flowering plants found in only a handful of western US habitats – all within about 30…
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Obsidian Black Dog
April 11, 2026 update- we lost Obsidian at 4pm today. We had a terrific last day with him and he will live on in our hearts and memories forever. Original postThe chapter of my life that includes my long-time constant companion, Obsidian, is nearing the end. Late last week, we noticed him slowing down; he…
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A Front Row Seat
Living in Montana isn’t just about having a scenic backdrop for your life; it’s about a fundamental shift in how you navigate the world. When the boundary between your doorstep and the wilderness thins – in, for instance, a place like Helena, where a 100-mile trail system serves as our collective backyard, and Freezout Lake…
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Pileated Woodpecker
While at work today, in a quick, impromptu discussion about a work item, I heard a call outside the window and thought “pileated”. Then it flew past the window. One of the other participants waited for a break in the discussion and looked over at me and asked “What was the bird?” I replied that…
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Spring Migration is Starting to Trickle In
A week into the month, we’ve only managed two days of quality birding, but we already have nine species logged. Mountain Bluebirds often show up in February, so I tend not to use them as a reliable indicator of the shift. Nevertheless, we saw our first Mountain Bluebird yesterday along the Missouri River. On rare…
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Watchable Wildlife
Watchable Wildlife could be a great gift to Montana In Montana, our collective identity is connected to the landscape. For generations, that identity has been defined largely by the “hook and bullet” traditions of hunting and fishing. While those roots run deep and remain vital, a new frontier of conservation and connection is emerging. Watchable…
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On A Good Roll
The weekend arrived, offering a bit of space for a few more “pushes” to expand the year list. The mornings remained quite cold, though the late afternoons teased us with a flirtation in the 30s. At 9:00 AM Saturday, the Lab and I were walking down a dirt road through hundreds of acres of stubble…
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Bit cold right now
We’re off to a very good start from a birding perspective. We are currently sitting at 70 species to date – which is great, considering we usually average about 53 by the end of February. Meanwhile, The Middle Daughter (TMD) is in Hawaii racking up an impressive 19 or 20 life species at the halfway…
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Four Owl February!
I’ve been taking Obi to the Tenmile every morning at about 7am since late January. I’ve been hoping to hear, or see, a Great Horned Owl. I know from previous experience that they could be in that area, and since I had seen three species of owls, I became a little obsessed with adding a…
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Superb Owl Weekend 2026
A superb owl weekend it was, indeed! Last evening two daughters, the Lab, and I went into the hills a bit to listen for a Northern Saw Whet Owl that had been heard by a few other folks in the last week or so. So, as the darkness descended, we found ourselves walking up the Mini-Ridge…