From the Brink – Peregrine Falcon Recovery in Montana
The following post is part of the Raptor Blog Tour celebrating the release of Crossley ID Guide: Raptors. Make sure to check out all the really great articles about this superbly fine guide. By early 1980s, the skies over Montana were missing the fastest aerial predator. The Peregrine Falcon had ceased to breed in a state where it was […]
American Dipper – Naturalist Minute Ep. 1
The American Dipper is the enigma of the songbirds…it swims and dives for its food. Living on the wildest of mountain streams, American Dipper is uniquely at home in the torrent. The Dipper has an extra translucent eyelid for seeing underwater. The Dipper’s feathers are water repellent, and it flies, yes FLIES, underwater. The dipper […]
More Than Birds Field Trip – Owl Banding – Episode 1
I spent the day with Denver Holt and staff of the Owl Research Institute as they captured Long-eared Owls for their research. We were also joined by a dozen students from a local high school as part of their wildlife biology class. We observed 12 Long-eared Owls, a couple of Great Horned Owls, and one […]
More Than Birds Podcast – Episode 1
In this episode of the More Than Birds Podcast, I talk to Konchog Norbu, an American Buddhist monk, birder, and friend, about Buddhism, spirituality, and mindfulness as it relates to birding. We discuss gateway birds, listing obsession, and birding travels. Please subscribe to this podcast at iTunes
The Avian Collection of the Philip L. Wright Zoological Museum
Recently, I had the immense pleasure of perusing the drawers of the avian collection at the Philip L. Wright Zoological Museum located on the campus of the University of Montana. In each of drawers, there were lined with preserved skins of many birds, including representation of almost the entire Montana native bird community. The specimens date from […]
Thoughts on the Bridger Raptor Festival
It has been a week plus since I give a couple of presentation at the Bridger Raptor Festival, which is held appropriately at the Bridger Bowl ski area outside of Bozeman, MT. The festival was widely attended with setting a record for the Saturday activities. I know that I had the best audiences that have […]
Smokey morning at the National Bison Range
On Saturday, we went to the National Bison Range early in the morning. The object of the quest was the bugling elk in full rut, but alas, this scene alluded us. We were able to able see plenty of the other ungulates though. Large antlered deer of both species and Pronghorn all posed nicely for […]
Odes of Late Summer – Dragonflies of Lee Metcalf NWR
On Monday, Tom Forwood and I spent a couple of throughly enjoyable hours at the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge and Bass Creek. The first we found was a racer near my home along the Bitterrooot River (what a treat to have a racer stay still and pose). We had originally arrived thinking of birding, […]
The Culmination of all our blessings and practice
The July Consecration Retreat has come to an end, and, boy, it we send it off with a bang. We sang, danced, told stories, and enjoyed each other’s company until the wee hours.
Final Sunday morning – Tibetan Procession and speech from Tashi Namgyal
It is bittersweet when something amazing comes to an end. I woke up this morning feeling a bit of melancholy, but upon arriving at the Garden of 1000 Buddhas, these feeling quickly evaporated. The first person I saw was my old friend Karma Tensum for the Tibetan Children’s Foundation. Following a wonderful Tibetan Procession and Dakini […]
Dancing Dakinis and Tsok – Saturday night equals party night
Dakinis, the female embodiment of enlightenment, danced for us this evening. They danced so gracefully, and I found my attention focused on their hands. Each hands holding a damaru or bell flowed. Following their dance, we engaged tsok that lasted into the wee hours.
Flames of the Fire Puja
After lunch on Saturday we, engaged in a Fire Puja, in which we placed the names/images of those who have passed away with intention of aiding the in the purification of any negative karma.
Final consecration and kora of the Garden
Late in the morning, Rinpoche led us in the final elements of the consecration of the Garden of 1000 Buddhas. The circumambulation procession filled the air with bells, conches, banners, and mantra as it paced the entirety of the Garden.
The making of a very large drum for the Garden
Some 5 years ago, sangha member Tim began a big project, to make a large drum for Rinpoche and Ewam. He asked Rinpoche how big, and Rinpoche held his hands apart so far. Tim quickly grabbed his tape measure and the result was a drum with a diameter of 40 inches. Tim made the body […]
Brilliant Moon over the Bitterroot
The brilliant moon travels upstream under the bats and over the leaping trout yellow sunset becomes blue twilight eight deer cross at the shallows i used to think that the moon followed the car now i know that it follows the Bitterroot is Dilgo in the moonbeams?