continued on page 4

Fall 2012

For the conservation of native birds other wildlife and their habitats

A nyone who has been to a Greater Sage-Grouse lek and seen the elaborate (and rather goofy) courtship display undoubtedly thinks ldquoWowmdashwhat a sightrdquo

And considering the effort it can take to get to the viewing spot you might also say ldquoWhoamdashwhat a siterdquo Sage-grouse leks (the area where these birds congregate for courtship) arenrsquot just found anywhere They are generally found in large unfragmented healthy expanses of sagebrush habitat sometimes with cows fences and even a few 2-track roads Add too many fences roadsmdashand just about any energy developmentmdashand the birds disappear from the area

Watching a sage-grouse lek Steve Sherman Lonewolf Photography

Populations of Greater Sage-Grouse have declined severely over the last century In fact these grouse have entirely disappeared from their historic range in six western states and provinces This grouse has been petitioned for protection under the Endangered Species Act currently it is considered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to be ldquowarranted but precludedrdquo from listing because of higher conservation priorities The USFWS will review this status in 2014 In the meantime we are using this time to strengthen our partnerships enhance successful monitoring efforts and develop new strategies for conservation Montana still harbors healthy sage-grouse populationsmdashand wersquod like to keep it that way

Montana Threats and SolutionsThe most significant and immediate threat to sage-grouse

is habitat loss either from the conversion of native habitat to tilled agriculture or from energy development projects Indeed across the West we are facing unprecedented energy extraction demandsmdashfrom fossil fuels to renewable energy Habitat can also be degraded by unsustainable grazing practices or the invasion of non-native plant species like

Support Montana SharesMontana Audubon is a member of Montana Shares your source for workplace giving through payroll deduc-tions Montana Shares is a partnership of 42 Montana-based nonprofit groups devoted to improving the quality of life in communities throughout the state We greatly appreciate your support of Montana Audubon through this program

2 wwwmtaudubonorg Fall 2012

Dear Fellow Conservationists

Greetings Thanks to your ongoing generosity Montana Audubon continues to advance its conservation programs across the state I am incredibly passionate about everything we do but our long-term effort to ldquosave a place for birdsrdquo holds special significance for me

This newsletter is largely ldquofor the birdsrdquo It describes several of our citizen science projects where we are engaging volunteers in gathering information about birds to help us learn WHICH birds may be in trouble and WHERE rare or declining species maintain healthy numbers For example we are monitoring Greater Sage-Grouse through the Adopt-a-Lek program (cover story) and inventorying waterfalls for Black Swift nests

(see page 6) In addition we are involved in annual migration counts of Golden Eagles in the Bridger Mountains and monitoring birds along the Yellowstone River (see page 6) The 100-year Audubon tradition of the annual Christmas Bird Count is another fine example of where citizen scientists help us learn about changes in the abundance and distribution of Montanarsquos birds (see back page)

In addition to our monitoring projects a significant part of our conservation work is directed at protection of habitats This work is showcased in our efforts to advance the global science-based Important Bird Area (IBA) program here in Montana Towards this end one of our most recent conservation achievements at Kevin Rim IBA focused on moving wind turbines away from a significant raptor nesting area (see page 7)

And finally although monitoring birds and on-the-ground habitat conservation is the backbone of our efforts we are currently gearing up for some of the most difficult work we engage in for birds and their habitats in January we turn our attention to the 2013 Montana Legislature (see page 3) Much is at stake for wildlife during this whirlwind 90-day session

Updates about these and many other conservation and education projects are provided in the following pages Happy reading and THANKS again for your ongoing support

For the birds

Steve

Montana audubonPO Box 595 Helena MT 59624

Phone (406) 443-3949 Fax (406) 443-7144

Email mtaudubonmtaudubonorgWebsite wwwmtaudubonorg

audubon ConServationeduCation Center

7026 S Billings BlvdBillings MT 59101

Phone (406) 294-5099 Website wwwmtacecorg

Helena StaffSteve Hoffman

Executive Directorshoffmanmtaudubonorg

Janet Ellis Program Director

jellismtaudubonorgNorane Freistadt

Development Directornoranemtaudubonorg

Cathie Erickson Business Manager

cericksonmtaudubonorg

bird ConservationGlobal Warming

Amy Cilimburg Director of Bird Conservation

amymtaudubonorgPhone (406) 465-1141

audubon Conservation education Center Staff

Darcie Vallant Center Directordvallantmtaudubonorg

Heather Ristow Education Directorhristowmtaudubonorg

Mihail Kennedy Land Stewardship Coordinator

mkennedymtaudubonorg

Montana audubon

board of directors

officers

Dan Sullivan PresidentFred Weisbecker

Vice-PresidentCary Lund Secretary

Bernie Rose Treasurer

delegates

Bitterroot AudubonBecky Peters

Five Valleys AudubonPat Little

Carolyn Goren

Flathead AudubonBob Lee

Last Chance AudubonBob Martinka

Coburn Currier

Mission Mountain Audubon

Bob BushnellJim Rogers

Pintler AudubonJack Kirkley

Sacajawea AudubonWano Urbanos

Upper Missouri Breaks AudubonBill Miller

Yellowstone Valley Audubon

Bill DeMeyerSheila McKay

at-large board Members

Bob Mackin

Harriet Marble

Peter Norlander

Donald Seibert

Judy Tureck

2 wwwmtaudubonorg Fall 2012

Dear Fellow Conservationists

Greetings Thanks to your ongoing generosity Montana Audubon continues to advance its conservation programs across the state I am incredibly passionate about everything we do but our long-term effort to ldquosave a place for birdsrdquo holds special significance for me

This newsletter is largely ldquofor the birdsrdquo It describes several of our citizen science projects where we are engaging volunteers in gathering information about birds to help us learn WHICH birds may be in trouble and WHERE rare or declining species maintain healthy numbers For example we are monitoring Greater Sage-Grouse through the Adopt-a-Lek program (cover story) and inventorying waterfalls for Black Swift nests

(see page 6) In addition we are involved in annual migration counts of Golden Eagles in the Bridger Mountains and monitoring birds along the Yellowstone River (see page 6) The 100-year Audubon tradition of the annual Christmas Bird Count is another fine example of where citizen scientists help us learn about changes in the abundance and distribution of Montanarsquos birds (see back page)

In addition to our monitoring projects a significant part of our conservation work is directed at protection of habitats This work is showcased in our efforts to advance the global science-based Important Bird Area (IBA) program here in Montana Towards this end one of our most recent conservation achievements at Kevin Rim IBA focused on moving wind turbines away from a significant raptor nesting area (see page 7)

And finally although monitoring birds and on-the-ground habitat conservation is the backbone of our efforts we are currently gearing up for some of the most difficult work we engage in for birds and their habitats in January we turn our attention to the 2013 Montana Legislature (see page 3) Much is at stake for wildlife during this whirlwind 90-day session

Updates about these and many other conservation and education projects are provided in the following pages Happy reading and THANKS again for your ongoing support

For the birds

Steve

Montana audubonPO Box 595 Helena MT 59624

Phone (406) 443-3949 Fax (406) 443-7144

Email mtaudubonmtaudubonorgWebsite wwwmtaudubonorg

audubon ConServationeduCation Center

7026 S Billings BlvdBillings MT 59101

Phone (406) 294-5099 Website wwwmtacecorg

Helena StaffSteve Hoffman

Executive Directorshoffmanmtaudubonorg

Janet Ellis Program Director

jellismtaudubonorgNorane Freistadt

Development Directornoranemtaudubonorg

Cathie Erickson Business Manager

cericksonmtaudubonorg

bird ConservationGlobal Warming

Amy Cilimburg Director of Bird Conservation

amymtaudubonorgPhone (406) 465-1141

audubon Conservation education Center Staff

Darcie Vallant Center Directordvallantmtaudubonorg

Heather Ristow Education Directorhristowmtaudubonorg

Mihail Kennedy Land Stewardship Coordinator

mkennedymtaudubonorg

Montana audubon

board of directors

officers

Dan Sullivan PresidentFred Weisbecker

Vice-PresidentCary Lund Secretary

Bernie Rose Treasurer

delegates

Bitterroot AudubonBecky Peters

Five Valleys AudubonPat Little

Carolyn Goren

Flathead AudubonBob Lee

Last Chance AudubonBob Martinka

Coburn Currier

Mission Mountain Audubon

Bob BushnellJim Rogers

Pintler AudubonJack Kirkley

Sacajawea AudubonWano Urbanos

Upper Missouri Breaks AudubonBill Miller

Yellowstone Valley Audubon

Bill DeMeyerSheila McKay

at-large board Members

Bob Mackin

Harriet Marble

Peter Norlander

Donald Seibert

Judy Tureck

Fall 2012 wwwmtaudubonorg 3

A s you read this November elections are just around the cornermdashwhich means that Audubon is gearing up for the 2013 Montana Legislature Once again we will be well represented by veteran lobbyist Janet Ellis Starting in January Janet will be on the front line in our efforts to protect birds and other wildlife

their habitats and our clean water and air This session the stakes are highmdashwith much to gainmdashand so much to possibly lose

Our main emphasis this legislature will be defending Montanarsquos current environmental laws working hard to keep them from being

weakened or repealed We will also work on funding key wildlife programs as well as supporting wildlife conservation issues

If you are interested in helping with our legislative work here are two important things you can do

u Donate to Montana Audubonmdashto help pay for face-to-face time with legislators send out action alerts at critical

times and research key issues to defend Montanarsquos natural heritage

u Sign up for our action alert networkmdashso you can contact your legislators at critical times (visit mtaudubonorgissuesactactivisthtml)

ldquoMontana Audubon is a critical voice at the legislature Veteran lobbyist Janet Ellis is one of the best in the statemdashwhich is great for wildlife and other conservation programsrdquo

~ Howard StrauseGreat Falls MT

Montana Bird Distributionmdashnew edition Gets rave reviews

Looking for a holiday gift for that special Montana birdwatcher in your life The new 7th edition of P D Skaarrsquos Montana Bird Distribution is perfect This book of maps is an excellent companion to field guides for all of Montanarsquos 427 observed birds

maps show breeding and wintering areas In all Montana has 260 birds known to nest 233 species reported during the winter and 66 species considered species of conservation concern First published in 1975 this book is a cooperative project among Montana Audubon the Montana Natural Heritage Program Montana Fish Wildlife amp Parks and the Montana Bird Records Committee

The cost is $20 (includes shipping and handling) This edition is accompanied by a 2012 Bird Checklist for Montana Books can either be ordered on our website (mtaudubonorgbirdsdistributionhtml) or by mail Montana Audubon PO Box 595 Helena MT 59624

4 wwwmtaudubonorg Fall 2012

Greater Sage-Grouse drumming

Steve Sherman Lonewolf

Photography

cheatgrass And there are direct mortality threats like barbed-wire fences and West Nile virus (a disease predicted to increase as our climate changes)

What can be done First based on a program developed by Audubon Wyoming we are focusing our work in ldquocore areasrdquomdashwhere populations are the strongest These areas have been identified through our Important Bird Areas (IBA) program Currently we are working to steer energy development on public lands away from these IBAs as well as to prioritize conservation actions within the IBAs

To address habitat conversion we are advocating for such provisions as ldquosodsaverrdquo in the upcoming federal Farm Bill where ranchers keep ranching on private lands by promoting good stewardship practices that work economically (see sagegrouseinitiativecom) There are also on-the-ground projects we can help withmdashlike marking fence wires so they are visible to flying grouse

And there is a bonus with Greater Sage-Grouse conservation this ldquoumbrella speciesrdquo is so tightly tied to healthy sage habitats year round that if we protect this grouse we also safeguard a suite of other sage-associated birds and other wildlife

In a nutshell a lot can be done for the sage-grouse if we work with landowners agencies other conservationists and you We also know that our efforts to get a handle on climate changemdashwhen pooled with those of many othersmdashcan reduce the need for more energy development

Adopt-a-LekFor over a decade the ldquoAdopt-a-Lekrdquo sage-grouse

project (AAL) has worked with citizen volunteers to monitor some of the largest remaining Greater Sage-Grouse populations in Montana and the West Last spring this project led by conservationist Ben Deeble came to Montana Audubon from its former host the National Wildlife Federation We are currently gearing up for another successful volunteer season in 2013

How does AAL work Every April citizen scientists travel to leks they have ldquoadoptedrdquo count the birds present (including other sage-obligate birds) and collect basic habitat information Lek-adopters are selected based on their experience availability and willingness to conduct dawn counts in remote locations under (sometimes) adverse weather and travel conditions We are currently looking for new volunteers to visit specific leks

Last spring AAL fielded 31 volunteers who surveyed 79 Greater Sage-Grouse leks in Montana emphasizing leks in southwestern Montana on the C M Russell National Wildlife Refuge and at a handful of other locations These volunteers also collected grouse feathers for a genetics study Additionally they had a lot of fun (see ldquoAdopt-a-Lek Volunteersrdquo article on page 5)

The Bureau of Land Management is providing much needed funding for Adopt-a-Lek and wersquore actively seeking additional matching funds

What can you do We look to you through our Armchair Activist program to help when it comes to advocating for smart policies You can also get to know local landowners help with habitat enhancement projects support our work with donations of any size and consider adopting a lek

For more information about the Adopt-a-Lek program visit our website or contact Ben Deeble at bddeeblegmailcom

Fall 2012 wwwmtaudubonorg 5

adopt-a-Lek volunteers Love the Prairie

Montanarsquos sagebrush prairies in April can be unforgiving places but for the past eight years that hasnrsquot kept Martha Vogt and Jim Greene from loading up their trailer and heading

out onto rural dirt roads in search of elusive sage-grouse leks As Jim says ldquoMonitoring Montanarsquos Greater Sage-Grouse has become a spiritual experience Wersquore alone on the expansive central Montana prairie initially in the dark and then privileged to witness another day begin It is silent at first then Western Meadowlarks and coyotes begin their celebratory songs sometimes drowning out the popping sounds of the courting sage-grouse As the birds gather our hearts quicken and we begin our count which has become a cross between a meditation and a prayerrdquo

For these two enthusiastic lek observers it started with an advertisement in The Missoulian calling for volunteers to help biologists get a better understanding of Montanarsquos sage-grouse populations They were hooked after one weekendmdashand now look forward to bouncing along 2-track roads covering 32 square miles of sagebrush landsmdashcome rain shine sleet snow and always wind They have observed grouse at Bannack State Park C M Russell Refuge Baker and Cow Island Trail in north-central Montana

Why are these star observers so dedicated They had been avid birders for years but became hooked seeing the morning light shine through the sage-grousersquos white tail feathers as they flew into their lekmdashnot to mention experiencing the breathtaking Montana prairies as the sun peeks over the rolling expanse of land

It is Martha and Jimrsquos hope that their story will inspire people to find out more about this vital volunteer opportunity and to sign up to be lek observers Not only can you witness these birds dancing on their ancestral grounds you can also become a citizen scientist contributing much information to biologists on the nationrsquos largest remaining populations of Greater Sage-Grouse

To hear about a day in the life of Jim and Martha as sage-grouse observers read the lsquorest of the storyrsquo at mtaudubonorgbirdsaalekhtml

C o-authors Jeff Marks Dan Casey and Paul Hendricks have completed more than 80 percent of the species accounts for Birds of Montana the new book that will summarize information on the status distribution biology conservation and

historical aspects of the 427 bird species known to occur in the state Samples of new accounts are posted at mtaudubonorgbirdsbookhtml We are grateful to everyone who has donated funds (see mtaudubonorgbirdssponsorhtml) and to those who have provided information used in the species accounts

Signed limited-edition prints of the Boreal Owl painted by Albert Gilbert (which will grace the back cover of the book) are available for sale through the Helena office at a discounted price of $200 See wwwabaorgbirdingv43n4p5w1pdf for information about Mr Gilbert and his bird art

Birds of Montana is slated for completion by the end of 2013

Breakfast is served on the prairie Jim Greene photo

Townsendrsquos Warblers Illustration by Shawneen Finnegan

6 wwwmtaudubonorg Fall 2012

of their historic range Funding for this reintroduction effort is provided by Montana Audubon and several individual donors This project is possible only because of the successful OrsquoDell Creek wetland restoration project which began in 2003 and is being funded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and PPL Montana

Yellowstone River Surveyed for Important Bird Area Program

A fter surveying songbirds along the middle and lower Yellowstone River this summer we are one step closer to nominating one or two

new Important Bird Areas (IBA) The IBA program identifies monitors and conserves areas critical to bird species of conservation concern

Andy Robinson holds a Trumpeter Swan for release Dan Sullivan photo

The Mystery Birds Montanarsquos Nesting Black Swifts

T herersquos a reason people call the Black Swift both the ldquocoolest birdrdquo and the ldquomystery birdrdquo Theyrsquore always on the wing except

when nesting behind a cascading waterfall where they raise one lone chick Until last summer we knew of only three active nesting areas in

Montana Through our citizen science efforts wersquove helped double that number

This past summer Black Swifts were found at two new sites in western Montana One site found by Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks biologists and students from Northwest Connections is behind Lower Holland Falls in the Swan Valley More nest sites await discovery though surveying behind most falls is more challenging than along a popular hiking trail

By now the swifts have headed south But those of us whorsquove caught the ldquoswift bugrdquo will be out again next summer and the one beyond that Let us know of waterfalls we might want to check out or if yoursquod like to help

For more of the story see the SeptemberOctober 2012 Audubon magazine article ldquoOut of the Shadowsrdquo on our website

Trumpeter Swans in the Madison Valley

T hanks to a successful partnership spearheaded by Montana Fish Wildlife amp Parks biologist Tom Hinz and the commitment of landowner

Jeff Laszlo rare Trumpeter Swans may soon nest again in the Madison Valley Important Bird Area On August 15 volunteers and partner organizations witnessed the inaugural release of five 10-week-old swan cygnets onto the Grainger Ranch near Ennis Swan releases must continue here for at least 5 years before breeding swans are likely to be established This project holds great promise for re-establishing a breeding population of Trumpeter Swans to this part

Fall 2012 wwwmtaudubonorg 7

Kevin rim Wind Farm amp raptor update

On August 16 Montana Audubon and wind devel-oper NaturEner signed a

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) pledging their commit-ment to work together to pro-tect the nesting raptors at Kevin Rim Important Bird Area (IBA) located 20 miles north of Shelby The agreement puts in writing that NaturEner will move its wind turbines within the IBA from frac14 mile to at least frac12 mile away from current and historic raptor nests In other words Montana Audu-bon was able to get NaturEner to double the distance between the turbines and nests In addition to moving turbines Audubon and NaturEner will also work together to monitor the impact that this wind farm may have on nesting birds This work will include sharing the results of research studies through longer-term moni-toring efforts

Kevin Rim is known for its high density of nesting eagles hawks and owls with ten species of nesting raptors documented including four species that are of Global (Ferruginous Hawk) Continental (Swainsonrsquos Hawk Prairie Falcon) or State (Golden Eagle) conservation concern In addition to these species the IBA has also hosted nesting American Kestrels Red-tailed Hawks Northern Harriers Peregrine Falcons Great-horned Owls and Burrowing Owls For more information on this project maps of the wind farm and raptor nests and a copy of the MOU visit our website at mtaudubonorgbirdskevinhtml

Partnering with the Yellowstone River Conservation District Council our Yellowstone River survey was funded by the Northern Great Plains Joint Venture and Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Three seasoned bird surveyors braved mosquitoes ticks snow and many many days over 100degF as they collected data We are currently analyzing volumes of information to determine what birds were found where However it was thrilling to find good numbers of Red-headed Woodpeckers (a species for concern) Other species of interest include Black-billed Cuckoos Willow and Least Flycatchers Ovenbirds and Red-eyed Vireos

Stay tuned for more results as boundary lines along the Yellowstone are determined for the IBA nomination

Bryce Pierce Russell Seeley and Rya Rubenthaler had a great summer surveying birds along the Yellowstone River MT Audubon photo

Wind tower construction near Kevin Rim NaturEner photo

ldquoMoving a wind farm at the 11th hour in order to protect nesting raptors was no small feat Thanks to Montana Audubon for this impressive victoryrdquo

~ Fred WeisbeckerHamilton MT

8 wwwmtaudubonorg Fall 2012

Center In addition to the Outdoor Explorerrsquos camp we also held a Raptor Rapture camp which taught students about the special adaptations of birds of prey and included viewing Osprey through binoculars before a trip to ZooMontana to see Bald Eagles up close and personal

The summer staff at Audubonrsquos camps is a diverse combination of college and high school interns two AmeriCorps service members and a year-round Audubon staff member Each staff member brings his or her unique interests and background to the camps making for an exciting collaboration and mingling of ideas The dedication of our staff members shows in the quality of the programming As the mother of one of our campers said ldquoI loved the teachers and how personable they all wererdquo

Get Outside Montana

F or the second year the Get Outside Montana competition encouraged families to be more physically active and to enjoy the many

recreational opportunities in Billings Red Lodge and surrounding areas by competing in a free 8-week outdoor exploration The competition is a collaboration among several conservation organizations government agencies and local businesses Fifty-eight participating families competed to be one of the top three teams eligible to win up to $1500 in prizes

The final event held at Lake Elmo State Park hosted 11 teams who came to swim cook-out and turn in their nature passports in hopes of winning some prizes The first place team The Goofballs completed 35 out of the 39 activities winning a $100 gift card to Montana Cycling and Ski along

During a hot August morning in Billings ten campers clambered aboard the Vehicle for Adventures in Nature (VAN for short) As the

students pieced together Billingsrsquo natural and cultural history this Outdoor Explorers camp taught them how early explorers survived in Montana The campers

spent one morning at the Bureau of Land Managementrsquos Four Dances property where nesting raptors can be viewed along cliffs over the Yellowstone Next they visited the historic Will James cabin later heading to the Yellowstone Art Museum to look at Jamesrsquo paintings They also visited Pompeyrsquos Pillar and the new Yellowstone River State Park

Thanks to our newly acquired 14-passenger VAN this year the Audubon Center was able to take campers on several field trips

visiting parks and museums across Billings including the Western Heritage Center the Yellowstone County Museum and the Dino Lab Field trip experiences build upon campersrsquo hands-on discoveries at the Audubon

ldquoThis is one of the best field trips Irsquove been on

The activities and lessons were well-organized

thought-provoking and super fun Now our students are better able to understand the land

animals and nature around themrdquo

~ 4th grade teacher

Summer camp was fun for all MT

Audubon photo

Get Outside Montana 2012 Winning Team The Goofballs MT Audubon photo

Fall 2012 wwwmtaudubonorg 9

help the volunteers providedmdashand look forward to many more years of participation

with four new bikes from The Spoke Shop Second and third prizes went to The Fantastic Four and The McKevitts respectively Teams explored local parks hiked in the Pryor Mountains fished at Red Lodge and visited a variety of natureoutdoor centers ldquoWe loved this programrdquo said a team leader ldquoItrsquos a great way to have fun and explore the outdoors with the familymdashfor freerdquo

Thank you to all the Get Outside Montana partners supporters and especially our sponsors who made this event possible

Day of Caring 2012

T his yearrsquos United Way Day of Caring was a huge success Over 80 volunteers from Billings including many from the business community

(see list on page 15) converged on the Audubon Center to plant more than 400 trees and shrubs as part of our ongoing restoration work NorthWestern Energy brought out heavy equipment to help us prepare for the installation of our new and improved Heritage Brick Walkway in front of the Center With their skid steer and mini excavator in four hours we accomplished what it would have taken our staff a week to do United Wayrsquos Day of Caring has been a wonderful event over the last 20 years We are extremely grateful for all the

evening under the big SkyThe Audubon Centerrsquos inaugural fundraising event Evening Under the Big Sky was a resounding success We hosted 161 guests who drank dined on a delicious spread donated by Chefs and Cooks of Montana danced to bluegrass by Kemmick and Friends and enjoyed conversations with other Center supporters The highlight of the evening was keynote speaker Monte Dolack a Missoula-based artist whose conservation passion was evident in his engaging program Folks purchased auction items ranging from one-of-a-kind locally crafted birdhouses to exotic getaway adventures to financial support of core Center programs like

ANTS (Audubon Naturalists in the Schools) We raised more than $20000 in much-needed funds to support our conservation education programs

We would like to thank the Audubon Centerrsquos Advisory Council and other volunteers who helped make this event such a success In addition thanks are extended to our event sponsors Yellowstone River Parks Association Chefs and Cooks of Montana ExxonMobil NorthWestern Energy McCall Homes Wild Birds UnlimitedndashBillings Sunburst Consulting and Ninkasi Brewing

Day of Caring volunteers 2012 MT Audubon photo

10 wwwmtaudubonorg Fall 2012

M ontana Audubon and Flathead Audubon teamed up to organize another exceptional Wings Across the Big Sky Bird Festival in

Kalispell June 8ndash10 The rainy weather failed to dampen anyonersquos spirits in the field and as always our festival speakers were most entertaining and informative

audience to identify a variety of bird songs he so deftly imitated

After Saturday morningrsquos field excursions participants were treated to the lunch keynote address by scientist Peter Sherrington Peter summarized two decades of migrant Golden Eeagle studies along Albertarsquos Rocky Mountain Front His data document the largest known flight of Golden Eagles on earth (up to 6000 eagles per season) Unfortunately his counts also show alarming declines in northern eagle populations Peter gave a number of plausible explanations for these sobering trends

Saturday afternoon talks were punctuated by Brian Sullivanrsquos discussion of eBird a user-friendly tool for all birders Other diverse topics included birding in West Africarsquos Gambia region hawk watching across western Montana studies of nesting colonial waterbirds on the Flathead Indian Reservation and results of recent bat surveys in Glacier National Park

Festival field trips visited the diverse wetlands and forests of northwestern Montana including Glacier National Park the Mission Flathead and Swan River Valleys and the shores of Flathead Lake Some trips were especially designed to meet the needs of beginning birders and families others focused on wildflowers or birding-by-ear Overall festival attendees tallied nearly 200 species of birds and everyone had lots of fun

Many thanks to all who helped make the festival such a tremendous success (see list on page 11)

Festival birdwatchers did

not let the weather dampen their

experience Jan Wassink photo

Fridayrsquos pre-festival workshops explored two significant conservation topics 1) the exciting highly successful ldquoRiver to Lakerdquo land conservation partnership in the Flathead Valley and 2) the consequences and solutions for climate change in terms of the regionrsquos birds and natural habitats On the lighter side Friday eveningrsquos humorous ldquoProfessor Avian Guanordquo provided amazing little-known insights into the natural history of our feathered friends He also challenged the

Passion for birds on License Plates

I t would be hard not to notice the Montana Audubon Bird Habitat license plate as you travel around our state This eye-catching plate sporting some favorite

Montana bird speciesmdashAmerican Avocet Ruddy Duck Lewisrsquos Woodpecker and a trio of Black-billed Magpiesmdashis becoming more popular each year as people choose their favorite specialty plate at their local DMVs By purchasing this plate you are directly supporting our work to ensure the long-term protection for critical

wildlife habitat With an initial cost of only $35 and an annual renewal rate of $20 it is the easiest way to advertise your passion for birds and their habitats

Make a meaningful impact for the birds of Montana by choosing the Bird Habitat license plate For more details visit wwwmtaudubonorgsupportstorehtmlplate

Fall 2012 wwwmtaudubonorg 11

Festival volunteers

Tess Barker

Lisa Bate

Kalon Baughan

Jolene Bebich

Marilyn Bennett

Karen Berry

Robert Berry

Gael Bissell

Barbara Boorman

Ted Brewer

Lou Bruno

Dan Casey

Peggy Casey

Mattie Clark

Gail Cleveland

Karen Coleman

Joshua Covill

Kate Davis

Linda DeKort

Lois Drobish

Dan Fagre

Christie Ferruzzi

Carol Free

Steve Gniadek

Chris Hammond

Lou Ann Harris

Dennis Hester

Sheryl Hester

John Hughes

Ryan Hunter

Pat Jamieson

Leslie Kehoe

Lynn Kelly

Reed Kuennen

Richard Kuhl

Bob Lee

Janene Lichtenberg

Bob Lopp

Jane Lopp

Bob Martinka

Ashley Mason

Janice Miller

Brent Mitchell

Kay Mitchell

Debbie Moon

Kathy Myerowitz

Mary Nelesen

Karen Nichols

Denny Olson

Maggie Olson

Marylane Pannell

Trish Peebles

Betty Powell

Dean Robbins

Jim Rogers

Kathy Ross

Paul Rossi

Tracy Schiess

Paula Smith

Kate Stone

Brian Sullivan

Dan Sullivan

Delight Sullivan

Bruce Tannehill

Dick Thweatt

Suzanne Thweatt

Judy Tureck

Carla Wambach

Jan Wassink

Fred Weisbecker

Becky Williams

Linda Winnie

Marilyn Wood

BJ Worth

Ben Young

Lewis Young

W e want to thank everyone who contributed time energy and expertise to make Montana Audubonrsquos 2012 Wings Across the Big Sky Bird Festival a success Special thanks go out to the Flathead Audubon Society as our outstanding co-host and to those who donated terrific raffle prizes live and silent auction items and custom tours The donation of these

items helped tremendously with our festival fundraising We are deeply indebted to the following sponsors and volunteers who went the extra mile to ensure that the event was awesome

Sponsors

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes

Flathead National Forest

Glacier National Park Fund

Hilton Garden Inn

Montana Department of Natural Resources and

Conservation

Montana Fish Wildlifeand Parks

Montana Loon Society

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Plum Creek Timber Company

US Bureau of Reclamation

Valley Bank of Helena

A gift given to Montana Audubon in memory of a special person helps preserve our birds and their habitats for perpetuity We owe a special thanks to those of you who have made a tribute in memory of the following people

Al Bishop Anne Cowan Arlene Hilden Thomas Hurtle Elizabeth Johnston Mary Munsell Jean Smith

Suzann Stickney and Gordon Weber

You can ensure an abundant future for Montanarsquos birds and wildlifemdashplease remember Montana Audubon in your estate plans

12 wwwmtaudubonorg Fall 2012

Bob Lopp was honored with our Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades of work for Flathead Audubon Owen Sowerwine Natural Area and the Flathead Valley As one of his fellow chapter members noted ldquoBobrsquos advice always offered gently keeps us realistic but always inspired to do morerdquo

W e wish to welcome incoming Montana Audubon Board members Jim Rogers (Mission Mountain Audubon chapter alternate) and Sheila McKay (Yellowstone Valley Audubonrsquos alternate) Departing Board members include

Elsie Tuss (Secretary of Montana Audubon for the past 8-plus years) Jim Brown (At-Large Board member and former Board President) Rita Harding (Yellowstone Valley Audubon) Craig Barfoot (Mission Mountain Audubon) and Nora Gray (Upper Missouri Breaks Audubon) Many thanks to each of you for your dedicated service and exceptional support of the Audubon cause We will miss you

And finally we recently said good-bye to Montana Audubonrsquos office manager for the past two years Larissa Berry Many of you met her through her dedicated work on

our annual Bird Festival We wish Larissa much success and happiness in her future endeavors

In June Montana Audubon recognized four Montanans for their exemplary conservation work Read more about these

champions on our website mtaudubonorgaboutawardshtml

Ashley Mason was chosen as Educator of the Year because of her inspiring work as a conservation education professional in the Flathead Valley for over 20 years including two years as Flathead Audubonrsquos Conservation Educator We are all lucky to have such a dedicated educator in our midst

John Parker received our first Citizen Scientist of the Year Award because of his dedication to carefully documenting birds in the greater Bozeman area thereby contributing significantly to our knowledge and understanding of birds and their habitats including the newly-established Harrison Lake Important Bird Area

Linda Winnie was recognized as Conservationist of the Year because of her outstanding work for Flathead Audubon and Owen Sowerwine Natural Area Linda plays the role of lynchpin worker bee and facilitator in numerous conservation projects

Long-time Board member Elsie Tuss

Fall 2012 wwwmtaudubonorg 13

W e know Becky Peters as the enthusiastic ldquosparkplugrdquo on both Montana Audubonrsquos Board and Development Committee Three years ago after Beckyrsquos retirement from teaching in

Spokane she and her husband Bill were thrilled to make the Bitterroot Valley their home They both were interested in birds and could be found with binoculars in hand but when Becky was asked to serve on the Bitterroot Audubon Societyrsquos (BAS) board she asked herself ldquoWhat could I possibly offerrdquo Fred Weisbecker quickly suggested the perfect role as chapter representative to Montana Audubonrsquos Board of Directors Lucky for us she agreed to give it a try

Becky proudly describes herself as an activist with past experience on the Spokane YWCA Board as well as the Hanford Education Action League (FBI armed guards Geiger countersmdashoh my) This experience makes Audubon seem tame and it taught her to appreciate democracy in action and the need for fundraising Now along with her Development Committee involvement Beckyrsquos promoting a BAS calendar project featuring local photographers kidsrsquo drawings and information about local birdsmdashall to raise funds for BASrsquos educational scholarship fund

We welcome Beckyrsquos keen commitment and eagerness to tackle new projects to benefit all levels of Audubon

Wildlife Grants availablemdashapply today

Montana Audubon is offering small grants ($500 maximumapproximately $1600 total) for wildlife research and education projects with an emphasis on nongame wildlife Grants come from our Audubon Wildlife Fund of Montana

endowment The funds can be used for mileage equipment printing and communications Ineligible uses include salaries stipends and personal equipment In 2012 grants funded the 7th edition of Montana Bird Distribution (see article on page 3) a Yellowstone River research project on Osprey as indicators of water quality and a Black Swift monitoring study in western Montana

To apply for an Audubon Wildlife Fund grant visit our website (mtaudubonorgaboutgrantshtml)

Applications must be postmarked or emailed by Friday December 14 2012 Grant recipients will be announced by February 1 2013

a Hearty thanks to our Supporters

We havenrsquot forgotten to recognize all of our fantastic supporters who make our efforts

to conserve bird habitat possible We will be publishing our first annual report in

February 2013 where a complete listing of all Montana Audubon supportersmdashindividuals

foundations corporations organizations and agenciesmdashwill appear

G etting conservation done means working at the scale that provides the most

opportunity for success For our work on climate solutions this means providing leadership at the community level where efforts are driving solutions from the ground up

Therersquos nothing better than when effective conservation leadership is both recognized and supported with funding training and other support For the past five

years National Audubon has partnered with Toyota to sponsor TogetherGreen Fellowships that do both

Amy Cilimburg Montana Audubonrsquos Director of Bird Conservation and Climate Policy was recently awarded this Fellowship to help motivate people to save energy and water at the community level where outcomes are not only long lasting but also inspirational

Amyrsquos TogetherGreen project has three parts First in cooperation with the Clark Fork Coalition and featuring Missoula-area kids Amy is creating a video

Amy Cilimburg MT Audubon photo

to showcase the Hidden Life of Watermdashhow water in the Missoula area travels is treated and returns to the Clark Fork River and how much energy is used along the way The film release date Sometime before the warblers return in Spring 2013

Secondly shersquos developing an action project targeting youth and their families to directly reduce home energy and water use With the help of a ldquoKill-a-wattrdquo which measures energy use kids will track energy use Theyrsquoll then sleuth out reasons behind month-to-month variation and make efforts to conserve

Finally Amy will use this Fellowship to continue working with local leaders on climate action planning

One of Amyrsquos Montana co-Fellows this year is Sacajawea Audubonrsquos Wano Urbanos the founder of a fledgling Montana conservation organization known as the Western Environmental Leadership League (WELL) For his Fellowship Wano is spearheading the development of a core team (dubbed ldquoWELL drillersrdquo) to create place-based conservation leadership training tools and exercises to develop a new watershed training program

Congratulations TogetherGreeners

14 wwwmtaudubonorg Fall 2012

W e want to THANK the following volunteers for donating their time and expertise to specific Montana Audubon projects including working at the Audubon

Center in Billings in any number of capacities as an animal keeper assisting with programs working to make the Evening Under the Big Sky event a great success andor helping with site restoration work assisting with the design data management and other tasks associated with the new Montana Bird Distribution helping with policy work performing various tasks for the Helena office and more We want to recognize these individualsmdashand thank them for their important work

Save these 2013 tour datesCosta Rica Birding March 12ndash20 2013

Southwest Montana Sage-Grouse Lek Tour May 3ndash5 2013

Eastern Montana Prairies and Wetlands May 22ndash31 2013

Alaska DenaliKenai Peninsula June 2013 (specif ic dates TBA)

Details are set ndash Make your plans now

C osta Rica has earned its reputation as one of the premier destinations for birdwatchers and others seeking

ecologically responsible types of eco-tourism Montana Audubon is offering a 9-day natural history excursion to this tropical paradise with a major focus on seeing the wide variety of birds and other wildlife that inhabits the countryrsquos varied habitats We will be staying at several outstanding sites and will be led by local

guide Orlando Vargas who is trained in Costa Rican natural history and culture and who specializes as a birding guide Past participants of Montana Audubonrsquos international tours led by Professor Jack Kirkley will attest to the fact that these tours offer a wide spectrum of experiences including exploring local foods native markets archaeological history and the local culture Co-leading this tour will be Montana Audubonrsquos Executive Director Steve Hoffman a seasoned birdwatcher whose strong background in tropical birding will greatly enhance the tour Costa Rica is a ldquomust-seerdquo destination for anyone who loves the Central American tropics and our tour promises to be an outstanding introduction to this fascinating country

The cost of this tour is $2500person for double-occupancy lodging (single supplement is $400 extra) which includes all meals entrance fees and transportation from San Joseacute Costa Rica Participants are responsible for making their own international travel arrangements A $500 deposit is due upon reservation with the balance due by February 1 2013

individuals

Karen Berry

Robert Berry

Candi Beaudry

Janie Bierzonski

Bart Bilden

Alison Blee

Jeremy Brooks

Jim Brown

Cindy Butler

Steve Butler

John Carlson

Jeannette Davis

Tom Davis

Shari Dayton

DD Dowden

Nate Evans

Kelsey Flathers

Rachel Guidi

Neal Gunnels

Alex Howard

Kenedi Howard

Mary Johnson

Cedron Jones

Matt Keefer

Boris Krizek

Jane Krizek

Heather Landsdown

Cary Lund

Jennifer Lyman

Tom Lyman

Bob Mackin

Bob Martinka

Sheila McKay

Kristian Mesce

Diane Nickman

Derek Nichols

Becky Peters

Loreene Reid

Susan Russell

Norm Schoenthal

Donald Seibert

Bill Sterns

Wyatt Sterns

Colby Sterns

Precious Sterns

Howard Strause

Dan and Delight Sullivan

Suzanne Thweatt

Bo Walker

Jenna Watters

Chrissy Webb

Severin Willis

organizations that Provided volunteers for the Day of Caring restoration Work

Castlerock Middle School Honor Roll

First Interstate Bank

Hydrosolutions

NorthWestern Energy

Riverside Builderrsquos Club

Target West Billings

True North Steel

United Way

Yellowstone County Courthouse

Slaty-tailed Trogon Paul Loehnen photo

Fall 2012 wwwmtaudubonorg 15

Montana AudubonPO Box 595Helena MT 59624

NonprofitOrganizationUS Postage

PAIDGreat Falls MTPermit No 151

Printed on FSC Certified stock with 100 soy-based ink

G reat news the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is coming to a location near you This yearrsquos CBC will be conducted between December 14 2012 and January 5 2013 Montana offers more than 30

counts from Libby in the northwest to Miles City in the east In November we will post details about exactly where when and how to participate on our website (wwwmtaudubonorgbirdscbchtml)

And there is even more good news National Audubon no longer charges $500 for each CBC participant Now you can bring your family and friends with you and not worry about awkwardly telling them that it will cost them to help with this long-standing citizen science effort

We look forward to seeing you at one of Montanarsquos CBCs this winter Have a wonderfulhellipFREEhellipChristmas Bird Count

Mark Your CalendarsMontana audubonrsquos 2013 bird Festival

June 7-9 in LewistownOur 2013 Bird Festival is coming to the grasslands sagebrush island mountains and marshes of central Montana The festival will be headquartered at Lewistownrsquos Yogo Inn Stay tuned for details on

speakers field trips and more