Beyond Binoculars: The Science and Impact of Bird Banding By Tricia Rodriguez and Kate Stone Our April program will welcome professional bird bander and avian ecologist Tricia Rodriguez from the University of Montana’s Bird Ecology Lab (UMBEL). Field ornithologists collect information about wild bird populations in a variety of ways, with the goals or questions […]
May 4, 2025 8:00 AM to about noon We will meet in Hamilton at 8 am, arrange carpools, and caravan 20 miles to Lake Como where we will make two stops and walk about a total of 2-3 miles along well-established trails. We should see about 30-40 species that might include ruffed grouse, red-necked grebe, […]
May 4, 2025 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM Bitterroot Bird Alliance and the Feminist Bird Club of Northwestern Montana are pleased to welcome birders of all backgrounds and abilities on a spring walk through the Ruffatto Ranch’s Block Management “River Unit” off of Highway 93 between Stevensville and Florence. Kate Stone will lead birders on […]
Join BBA's Alex Kearney and Teller Wildlife Refuge's Nicole Ballard to view one of the Bitterroot Valley's great blue heron rookeries. The parents should be busy at this time getting the next generation of herons off to a good start. Scopes and field glasses are suggested, but will also be provided for viewing. Please contact […]
West Cow Creek Road to Sheafman Creek Trailhead, May 15, 2025 at 7:30 AM to 12PM: We will meet at the Woodside Cut-off Road and U.S. Route 93 intersection to arrange carpools. From there we will bird our way west toward W. Cow Creek Road and the Bitterroot National Forest and the Sheafman Creek Trailhead. […]
This field trip is brought to you by our friends to the north: Five Valleys Audubon Society. Join Larry Weeks and Five Valleys Audubon for a beginning bird walk at Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge from 10:00 am-1:00 pm. Meet the field trip leader at the Refuge Visitor's Center. This field trip involves walking on […]
Big Creek Ranch, May 24, 2025 (8-11AM) Walk just over two miles of mostly flat ponderosa forest and field habitat through a private ranch near Stevensville. We could see 30 to 40 species, which, if we are very lucky, might include a great gray owl. We'll meet at the ranch and the walk should take […]
Larry Creek Riparian and Bobolinks Meadow, May 27, 2025 at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM: Sherry Ritter will lead an evening field trip to watch Bobolinks and Savannah Sparrows in a ranch meadow and look for songbirds at Larry Creek. At Larry Creek we’ll walk a short way along the Larry Creek Road in a […]
Kootenai Creek and Canyon, June 1, 2025 at 8:30AM to 11:30AM Robert Petty will lead a morning field trip along Kootenai Creek and Canyon. We’ll explore the riparian habitat near the mouth of the canyon that has a mixture of cottonwood, alder, aspen, larch and ponderosa pine. Then we’ll take a walk up the trail into […]
June 5, 2025 7:30 AM to 10:30 AM Sherry Ritter will lead a morning field trip in cottonwood/ponderosa pine riparian habitat on the Ruffatto Block Management Area. This is an easy round-trip walk of approximately 1.5 miles. Some of the species we might see include Bank Swallows, Northern Waterthrushes, Red-eyed Vireos, Gray Catbirds, Willow Flycatchers, […]
Ruffatto Ranch River Walk + Additional option, June 5, 2025 at 7:30AM to 10:30AM Sherry Ritter will lead a morning field trip in cottonwood/ponderosa pine riparian habitat on the Ruffatto Block Management Area. This is an easy round-trip walk of approximately 1.5 miles. Some of the species we might see include Bank Swallows, Northern Waterthrushes, […]
