The red crossbill visiting my feeders have been absent for a few weeks but today they are back (or another flock is visiting). The flock today has a number of juveniles with them. You can see the progress of spring if you compare the needle/leaf buds of my larch today to the buds a few [...]
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Mom, Bridger and I enjoyed a busy day with lots of variety on Saturday. Saturday afternoon we were spectators at Forestry Day at the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula. It was the first time I’ve ever watched woodsmen competitions or “forester olympics,” as my son preferred to term the events. I was impressed by the [...]
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This morning there was a very light dusting of snow on my car and it was 35 degrees Fahrenheit when I drove to work. So, it didn’t feel very much like spring but there are more signs of the season every day. The grass has greened up. In fact, our lawn needs mowed. This morning [...]
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Peeking out, originally uploaded by BigSkyKatie. A garter snake peeks out of the rocks that concealed a mob of them. While I was sitting there today a couple slithered right under and along my legs. I became aware of the “nest” yesterday when I missed a mating ball by about an hour. A young couple [...]
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Those of us opposed to the leasing of National Forest land on Lolo Peak to the Bitterroot Resort for development of a “premier” ski area cite a catalog of concerns on which we base our opposition: environmental, impact on the local community, access issues, water rights issues, etc (see the Friends of Lolo Peak website [...]
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…More lawsuits I hope the judges that hear the suits brought by The Blue Goose Alliance and PEER (“Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility”) against the Department of the Interior (DOI) over its agreement with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) for management of the National Bison Range see through these suits for what they [...]
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This evening I enjoyed a brief but very enjoyable birding trip to the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. On the way there, along the Eastside Highway, I saw my first-of-year osprey. At the Refuge I saw my second and third ospreys of the year which I took to be last year’s young returning to their [...]
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Last July I posted a report about how much my family and I enjoyed the 70th Annual National Folk Festival which was held for the first of three years in Butte, Montana last year. We are looking forward to the 71st National Folk Festival with great anticipation. Today I read an article in the Montana [...]
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A male red crossbill surveys the area. My feeders continue to be busy with red crossbills, dark eyed juncos, and pine siskins. They are not at all shy. A friend of my husband’s has been replacing our flooring downstairs (new tile). He has reported that during the day the crossbills have been so bold as [...]
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My feeders have been red crossbill central for the last two mornings. I’ve never seen so many of them at my feeders and in my western larch at one time before. They were dining at the same snowy restaraunt as dark eyed juncos and house finches while the calls of a red-shafted northern flicker rang [...]
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