Bitterroot Bird Alliance

Ospreys of the Bitterroot Valley: Monitoring, Conservation, and Citizen Science
2026-04-20 19:00 - 20:30 UTC
Sign up by Sunday 4/19 at 7pm: https://forms.gle/fX4EKL8BvJ8wdT6p7
Date: April 20th , 2026
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Virtual
Audience: Bitterroot Bird Alliance
Presenter: Kylie Denny
What if you could contribute to scientific research – just by watching an osprey nest?
Ospreys are a familiar sight throughout the Bitterroot Valley, but we still have much to learn
about their migration, overwintering, and breeding ecology. At Raptor View Research Institute,
we’re working to better understand each stage of the annual cycle through our long-term
monitoring of the local osprey population. Using GPS tracking technology, we are collecting
data on movement patterns, survival, and habitat use throughout the entire annual cycle.
However, GPS data alone cannot provide details about breeding behavior and nest success. Thus,
we are still missing key details about how environmental contaminants, food availability,
weather conditions, and other environmental factors influence the reproductive success of our
local ospreys. To address these gaps, we are working to expand our nest monitoring efforts
during the 2026 breeding season.
We hope to do this through an Adopt-a-Nest program, which invites community members to help
us monitor osprey nests throughout the Bitterroot Valley. By involving volunteers, we can
monitor more nests across a larger area and visit them more frequently than would otherwise be
possible. This approach will allow us to collect valuable data on breeding activity and nest
success while providing an opportunity for the local community to contribute to ongoing
research and conservation.
This talk will share what we’re learning about local ospreys and the value of citizen science in
wildlife research — so join us if you’re interested in learning more about these birds and how
you can contribute to local research and conservation efforts!

Rufatto Ranch, Riparian Block Management Area
2026-04-25 09:00 - 12:00
Rufatto, Riparian Block Management Area
4/25/26, 9am-12pm
Chelsea Klocke
Bitterroot Bird Alliance is pleased to welcome birders of all experience levels on a spring walk at the Ruffatto Ranch’s Block Management “River Unit” off of Highway 93 between Stevensville and Florence. Birders will enjoy a round trip walk of about 1.5 miles on a mostly flat, unpaved ranch road, with one gentle downgrade at the beginning followed by level conditions as the road winds towards and then along the Bitterroot River. We’ll hope to observe early spring migrants and waterfowl. Nice stands of ponderosa pine may host all three nuthatch species, Western Wood-pewees, and various woodpeckers. This site’s parking area is on the east side of Highway 93, 0.5 miles north of the Bass Creek Fishing Access site and just north of where Bass Creek Rd joins Hwy 93 from the west side. For people coming from the north, it is approximately 1 mile south of where Larry Creek Rd intersects Highway 93 from the west side. Or use these coordinates: 46.574675, -114.092736
Contact: chelsklocke@gmail.com

MPG Ranch Hawk Watch with Raptor View Research Institute
2026-05-01 07:30 - 10:00
Friday, May 1. MPG Hawk Watch
We will venture onto the MPG Ranch and meet the Raptor View raptor watchers and learn about spring raptor migration. We will explore on foot some of the nearby areas to look for spring arrivals. Participants must fill out an online waiver before admission to the private property. Please contact Larry several days ahead of the field trip so we are sure to take care of the waiver in time for the trip. 208-471-8297.

West Cow Creek Road
2026-05-13 07:30 - 11:00
West Cow Creek Road
5/13/2026, 7:30am-11am
Larry Barnes
We will meet at the Woodside Cut-off Road and U.S. Route 93 intersection to arrange carpools. From there we will head west toward W. Cow Creek Road and the Bitterroot National Forest. The area is great for calving elk and is therefore closed to vehicles. We will walk on secondary roads and foot trails for about 2-3 miles. The road and trail passes through several different habitat types as it gains elevation and we should see 20-30 different species. Bring snacks and water.
Contact: 208-471-8297

Big Hole Field Trip
2026-05-25 06:30 - 17:00
To participate please sign up with Sherry Ritter by May 22nd
Contact: 406-370-4778
5/25/26, 6:30am to 5pm
We’ll meet in Hamilton and get back there no later than 5:00 PM. Stops might include the rest area at Lost Trail Pass, the Big Hole Battlefield riparian area and lodgepole pine forest, sagebrush habitat west of Wisdom, and Trail and Joseph creeks. Participants should bring snacks, drinks, and lunch. The trip is limited to 12 people in no more than 3 cars (minimum number of participants is 3). Some of the many species we hope to see or hear are: Long-billed Curlews, Sage Thrashers, Brewer’s Sparrows, Lincoln Sparrows, Sandhill Cranes, Fox Sparrows, Northern Waterthrushes, Swainson’s Hawks, and Hermit Thrushes. This will mostly be a drive-and-stop field trip except for at the Battlefield where we’ll walk about a mile.

Big Creek Ranch field trip
2026-05-30 08:00 - 11:00
Big Creek Ranch
5/30/26, 8am to 11am
Jill Davies
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 between 2.5 to 3 hours.
Contact: 406-360-1751

Soft Rock Natural Area
2026-06-03 07:30 - 11:00
6/3/2026
7:30 AM to 11:00 AM
Larry Barnes
Come on a 3-4 mile walk through the shrub-steppe sagebrush habitat at Soft Rock Natural Area about 6 miles east of Corvallis. We will focus on some of the local bird species that are associated with sagebrush in Montana. The birds will be singing and the bitterroots should be blooming. Come and enjoy the miracle of being alive on a June morning in Montana. Call or text Larry at 208-471-8297 for details.

Larry Creek and Bobolinks Field Trip
2026-06-06 08:00 - 11:00
Larry Creek and Bobolinks
6/6/26, 8am to 11am
Chris and Pam Scranton
Join us for a field trip at Larry Creek on Saturday June 6. Meet 8:00 a.m in the parking area where the horse trailers park, (there is plenty of car parking). We will walk about 3 miles through riparian zones and ponderosa forest. Expected birds include three species of vireo, Red-eyed, Cassin’s and Warbling, along with several warblers (Nashville, MacGillivray’s, Yellow-rumped, American Redstart, and Wilson’s). Other possible species include crossbills, nutcrackers, creeper, two chickadees, goshawk, Steller’s jay, etc. We’ll finish with a drive to a nearby epicenter of Bobolink activity. Last year we saw over a dozen at once.
Contact: 406-880-4751

Doyle's Slough and Riverside Park, Lolo Field Trip
2026-06-11 08:00 - 11:00
6/11/26, 8am to 11am
Doyle’s Slough and Riverside Park, Lolo
Elena Ulev
Join us for a morning of birding at Doyle’s Slough and Riverside Park in Lolo with Elena Ulev, owner of Blue Heron Nature Tours. At Doyle’s Slough we will see numerous waterfowl species as well as passerines. From there we will drive 1/2 mile to Riverside Park, and bird a total of 1.5 miles along the Bitterroot River. Here we will see up to 35 species of birds, including red-naped sapsuckers and Lewis’s woodpeckers, yellow warblers, wood ducks, and raptors. We will meet at the north end of the Harvest Foods parking lot at 8:00 a.m., just off of Hwy 93 and Glacier Drive then drive a few blocks to Doyle’s Slough. Space is limited to 15 participants. Please sign up by RSVPing to info@blueheronnaturetours.com

Lost Trail Pass to Gibbons Pass
2026-06-13 07:30 - 14:00
Lost Trail Pass to Gibbons Pass
6/13/2026
7:30 AM to 2:00 PM
Jill Davies and Larry Barnes
We will leave Hamilton and head toward Lost Trail Pass and then drop down Highway 43 for about 8 miles to the Trail Creek Forest Service road on the left. This road goes through marshy/grassy habitat on the left and forest/meadow habitat on the right that has lots of warblers, sparrows and other birds. The gravel road goes over Gibbons Pass and gradually descends through a variety of habitats until coming out near Sula. We’ll make several stops to get out of the cars and listen and observe. Round trip will be about 100 miles and with stops along the way we should be out for about 6 hours. We’ll caravan and have radios for communication between cars. Call or text Larry at 208-471-8297 for questions and to sign up.

Butterflies: The New Birds. A Journey to Skalkaho Pass.
2026-07-10 09:30 - 15:00
Butterflies: The New Birds. A Journey to Skalkaho Pass.
7/10/26, 9:30 am to 3 pm
Bob Danley
We’ll take Hwy 38 to the top of Skalkaho Pass, which is about 25 miles from the intersection with Hwy 93. It will take about 45 minutes to reach the Falls/Pass. Parking at the Falls limits participation to five vehicles (20 people maximum). I advise against pickup trucks unless only a few people sign up. We’ll meet for carpooling in Hamilton.
Given plenty of sunshine there will be an opportunity to see Parnassians, Swallowtails, Whites, Sulphurs, Coppers, Elfins, Hairstreaks, Blues, Greater Fritillaries, Lesser Fritillaries, Checkerspots, Crescents, Commas, Tortoiseshells, Ladies, Admirals, Satyrs and Skippers. There will be an abundance of wildflowers; my favorites are Lewis Monkeyflower, False Hellebore, Green Gentian, Lousewort, Mountain Death Camas, Pearly Everlasting, Lupine and Beargrass. Less common/unfamiliar dragonflies will be found at Mud Lake. Imagine what a Zigzag Darner, Ocellated Emerald or a Hudsonian Whiteface might look like! Bring binoculars (close focus is best!) and cameras. I have equipment to record action video and stills for your post trip viewing enjoyment.
Temperatures at 7,200 feet will be comfortable. Walking and hiking will be minimal, mostly on a gravel road. The exception will be the bog bordering Mud Lake. Pit toilets are far apart: at Bear Creek Campground (little less than halfway to the Falls) and Crystal Creek Campground (past the Pass near Mud Lake).
Contact me ahead of the trip. text: 406-274-1702 or email: groundstreak@gmail.com
