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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Bitterroot Bird Alliance
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250120T190000
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SUMMARY:Monthly Program- Shorebird Migration in Montana
DESCRIPTION:Monday January 20th\, 7 pm \nNocturnal peeps: what night sounds can tell us about shorebird migration in Montana \nShorebirds cover huge distances during spring and fall migration\, passing over entire states without touching land. Where they settle\, wetlands provide critical resources for refueling. With widespread population declines\, understanding all aspects of their life histories is important to conserving populations. Because most shorebirds migrate at night and daytime shorebird identification challenges many birders\, we understand very little about their migration through Montana and the Intermountain West. However\, shorebirds make unique flight calls while migrating\, and we can often identify them to species based on these calls. \nSome of you may recall the “Bitterroot Array”- an installation of up to 50 recording units deployed annually from 2013 to 2019 at sites in Montana to study nocturnal bird migration. Though we set most units in the Bitterroot Valley\, we had a handful of sites east of the Continental Divide. We focused most effort on fall migration but also had some units recording in the spring. Several Bitterroot Bird Alliance members hosted recording units at their property\, as did schools like Florence and Darby High Schools. We also had units at familiar locations in the high country- sites like St Mary’s Peak and Sula Peak. \nThis effort resulted in over 20 terabytes of acoustic data. Because of the massive amount of data and the difficulty in identifying some western bird species by flight calls\, we decided to tackle shorebird calls during the year 2017 for an initial analysis. In this presentation\, we’ll walk you through how our Bitterroot data helped train the machine-learning model “Nighthawk” (think “Merlin” for nocturnal flight calls) and how scientists everywhere can use this application to better understand bird migration happening at night. But more importantly\, we’ll share some of our results about the shorebirds migrating over our valley- species you might never see or even expect. We’ll also compare the findings from our recordings to the on-the-ground surveys several BBA members performed at Lee Metcalf NWR the past two years as part of the Intermountain West Shorebird Survey. \nKate Stone is a long-time board member of Bitterroot Bird Alliance and an ecologist at the MPG Ranch. Like many people\, she struggles with visual shorebird identification in the field because she sees relatively few of them. But as an “ear birder” at heart\, she loves the use of acoustic tools to study bird populations. \nPlease join BBA for this glimpse into the scientific process of innovation and discovery during our January virtual program. You will need to register in advance for this meeting:\nhttps://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/BOsWvJQTTlOzuJX7sDot5g \nAfter registering\, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. \n 
URL:https://bitterrootbirdalliance.org/event/monthly-program-shorebird-migration-in-montana/
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250118T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250118T130000
DTSTAMP:20260605T170302
CREATED:20250102T230154Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250102T230154Z
UID:1060-1737194400-1737205200@bitterrootbirdalliance.org
SUMMARY:Beginning Bird Walk at Lee Metcalf NWR
DESCRIPTION:This field trip is brought to you by our friends to the north: Five Valleys Audubon Society. \n\nJoin 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 level paved and unpaved paths.\n\nThe group will observe and identify birds on the Visitor Center Ponds\, Kenai Trail and in the Wildlife Viewing Area.\n\nThere are outdoor toilets at the Visitor’s Center and the Wildlife Viewing Area.
URL:https://bitterrootbirdalliance.org/event/beginning-bird-walk-at-lee-metcalf-nwr/
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241228T073000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241228T170000
DTSTAMP:20260605T170302
CREATED:20241220T181256Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241220T181256Z
UID:960-1735371000-1735405200@bitterrootbirdalliance.org
SUMMARY:Stevensville Christmas Bird Count
DESCRIPTION:Join Bitterroot Bird Alliance for the Stevensville Christmas Bird Count! We will gather at 7:30 at the Forest Service’s Stevensville Ranger District at 88 Main St in Stevensville for location assignments and to form small groups. Birders of all levels are welcome! Questions? Contact compiler Deborah Goslin 406-214-7879.
URL:https://bitterrootbirdalliance.org/event/stevensville-christmas-bird-count/
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