Pileated Dreams
Of the Montana woodpeckers, I have to say that the Pileated Woodpecker is by far my fave. Since moving to the Missoula area, I have only caught fleeting glimpses of these impressive ghosts. But that all change this past Friday. Walking around Greenough Park, the Pileated Woodpeckers were calling loudly, and following the sound […]
Leucistic American Coot
At Polson Bay, a massive raft of American Coots were being harass by two Bald Eagles, when Terry found a surprise lurking in the sea of slate gray, a single leucistic American Coot was swimming. The bird was ~90% white with some dark speckling.
The Time of the Gathering
As we enter into the season that has the most death and the emergence of life, a gathering takes place in the valleys of western Montana. Multitudes of Bald Eagles descend to watch over the birthing of calves, the last failings of winter, and the first ground squirrels as they race atop the snow. I see them […]
The Amazing Black-billed Magpie
How can any not like the Black-billed Magpie. They are remarkably intelligent and savvy. If you just watch these guys for a while, you will find yourself in awe.
Cackling Goose at Lee Metcalf
During an afternoon visit, I observed a single Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) in with the Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) on the ice at the north end of the pond nearest to the Visitor’s Center. The goose in question was apparently half the size of the surrounding Moffitt’s Canada Geese (B.c. moffitti). The bird possessed a […]