Category: Uncategorized
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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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Helena Birding Spots
Whether you’re a seasoned “lister” or just starting your birding journey, the Helena Valley is a wonderful place for avian enthusiasts. To get you started, I’ve rounded up six accessible hotspots where you can hone your skills. Before you head out, keep in mind that certain “everyday companions” like Magpies, Ravens, Robins, and Mallards are…
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January Ends – 59 Species ID’ed
It’s dark out now, and I have just one last walk with the Lab planned for the evening. There is a small chance I might hear a Great Horned Owl if the wind dies down, but barring that, January is over. It closes with a new monthly record of species seen—and a lot of effort…
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Birding vs. Birdwatching: A Difference of Intent and Effort
Here in Helena, we are blessed with an abundance of birds. From the back porch feeders to our high ridges, birds are our nearly constant companions. Several times out in the field, I’ve had someone refer to me as a birdwatcher. I always silently bristle just a little, because I was out in a field…
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Finding the Shady Trails
The Upper Waterline trail is a whole different world from the rest of the trail system right now. Lady Slippers, Richardson’s Geraniums, and a few Yellow Columbine are thriving. I suspect the Columbine are escaped garden varietals- they don’t look like the native plants to me. The shaded areas on all four of our “rises”…
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Obsidian, My Trail Companion
Obsidian Black Dog has accompanied me on every single one of the now 1,301 trail miles I’ve taken this year. And all the miles I’ve taken in the prior 8 years as well. He’s got lots of favorite trails and he often refuses to go the way I want to go- particularly when we get…
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1000 Miles in Helena’s Hills
On December 31st of 2023, while walking on the Helena Ridge Trail, I decided I wanted to walk every named trail in the south hills system and attempt to surpass 1,000 trail miles. The first goal was obtained when I walked Far East on November 10. From Aftershock to Waterline, and Barking Dog, to West…
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Butterflies and Moths
When I walk in the hills, I always have a few things in my pouch- dog items, bear spray, a small wind meter, and a Nikon super zoom camera are my mainstays. I also carry my phone. For flowers, rocks, and landscapes, I use my phone. For birds, mammals and most reptiles, I reach back…
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Last Day of Autumn
There are two ways to define winter. One is meteorological winter and the second is astronomical winter. They differ primarily in what criteria are used. Meteorological winter is based on temperature cycles and is aligned with the calendar. December 1 is the start of meteorological winter. Astronomical winter is based on the position of the…
Nature, every day. 