Continue reading »]]> This past Saturday, Vida and I decided to hike up to the tippy-top of Mount Blackmore (10,154 feet ASL), the highest peak in the Hyalite group of Peaks in the Gallatin Range. The best way to describe this hike is an ass-buster. It gains over 3500 feet at a steady always up slope in about 6 miles. But man are the views worth it. Oh, did I mention mosquitoes? We had a few; well, we actually had a biblical style plague of the pesky bloodsuckers. Usually, the higher you go, the less of a swarm is possible. Today was the exception that proves the rule. At the very summit we encountered an electrical buzz. Is it static build-up from the approaching thunderstorm? Nope, it was thousands upon thousands of mosquitoes, and I guess you forgot the bug dope (sorry Sweets). One of the real treats were the chirping Pikas of the talus slopes below the final pass.

Continue reading »]]> Yesterday, Somewhat Birding Vida and I went for an 11-mile hike up to the Squaw Divide, which divides (duh) the Squaw Creek (or Storm Castle as the new name) drainage from the Hyalite Basin. This is a hike that I’ve wanted to take for quite awhile. Many times I have stared at the route and thought about all the times that I had hiked to the basin and not attempted to make it to the ridge top. It is quite a haul with more than 2800 feet elevation gain and a top elevation of over 9800 feet. The Squaw Creek Basin is outstanding with many American Pipits and several Gray-crowned Rosy-finches. I even heard a Pika that called from directly beneath my feet as it hid in the jumble of talus. We had to traverse across a large snowfield, which was alternating between slick but stable to total postholing up to the crotch. The wind at the top was, well, outstanding; I had a couple of visions of sailing over the edge and down a 1000 feet to Hyalite Lake.

This is a great hike that doesn’t appear on hardly any guide books or websites. Maybe that’s a good thing, in that we had the trail to ourselves. The sun and snow made for some good sunburns, just ask my arms and Vida’s back. There are an absolutely ton of switchbacks as you ascend into the basin. The distance and elevation gain makes this one a good challenge while completely enjoyable.

Continue reading »]]> I went for a hike up to Lava Lake and extended it to a trudge up to Tabletop Mountain. The hike itself was great if not tiring. Not much in the way of birds, but a few butterflies. A lot of water is flowing in Cascade Creek. I found a couple of Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels at the rocks around the lake.

Panoramas

Map and Google Earth

Google Earth KML

Continue reading »]]> This evening I went for a quick jaunt up Leverich Canyon. Both Swainson’s and Hermit Thrushes were singing along with McGillivray’s Warblers and Dark-eyed Juncos. I managed to run into both Hairy and American Three-toed Woodpeckers in the Douglas-fir forest above the old mine. The first orchids of the year were seen – Fairy-slippers as well as Trillium.

Trail Information

Continue reading »]]> Every year (well almost), Sam Koenen and I make a trip to the Pryor Mountains and specifically Bear Canyon for bird species that cannot be found elsewhere in the state or are very difficult to find. These include Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Canyon Wren, Blue Grosbeak, and rarities such as Black-throated Gray Warbler. Full trip report at WilderTrack.

Our route took us first to Itch-Kep-Pe Park near Columbus and Barb Jaquith’s house in Red Lodge. The park produced White-breasted Nuthatches and a multitude of songsters. The sunrise was spectacular and Barb’s house kick ass as usual. At Red Lodege, there was lots of interesting variations of plumage coloration among the Red Crossbills. There was also a female Broad-tailed Hummingbird and several Cassin’s Finches among the Pine Siskins.

Leaving Red Lodge, we headed for Bear Canyon. When we arrived the morning was cool and ground was actually damp. Immediately, the Rock Wrens and Dusky Flycatchers were singing. We found many Blue-gray Gnatcatchers as the Sagebrush Lizards scurried in the undergrowth. White-throated Swifts were very active and vocal. Say’s Phoebes were in abundance as well. Besides the birds, we had several great butterflies; Acmon Blue, Melissa Blue, Sagebrush Checkerspot, Nevada Skipper and Juniper Hairstreak.

Leaving the canyon, we headed towards Gyp Spring for Mountain Plovers (hopefully). As we drove to the spring, we turned up Loggerhead Shrikes and Sprague’s Pipit. Arriving at the spot, we started scanning the short vegetation for the plovers, and there it was, a lone Mountain Plover followed by woo-hoos and high fives. After this we decided, to keep driving until we were south of the border – the Wyoming border that is. We had no maps or experience in this area, but we managed to come out at Cowley, Wyoming. We headed back into Montana and stop at the traditional Blue Grosbeak spot, and we could not find any grosbeaks. We did, however, turn up a Northern Mockingbird (my second state record). I managed a few documentation images. From here we headed back to Bozeman.

Full trip report at WilderTrack.

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Singing Veery

In the afternoon, I decided to go for a hike along the new Drinking Horse Mountain Trail, which is a great route for birding and doing a little flower photography. I was treated to great views of Green-tailed Towhees, Rock Wrens, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk.

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Topographic Trail Map

Continue reading »]]> In Montana, we learn that June doesn’t necessarily mean summer. Today, there was several inches of fresh snow in the Hyalites, so I naturally decided to grab Olivia and go for an early morning hike to Arch Falls. The gray skies and heavy, wet snow didn’t make for many photo opportunities, but the stillness of the air and sound of falling snow made for a memorable morning. Not many birds, save for a few American Robins, Golden-crowned Kinglets and Dark-eyed Juncos.

Continue reading »]]> I’ve been largely absent from posting for awhile as I have been having a great life and along with it, too much fun. I’ve shot a lot of frames and seen a few good birds. The highlight of the past few days is definitely the Rose-breasted Grosbeak along the Sourdough (just south of Bozeman). I unfortunately don’t have pics of it, yet (it still there as of noon today). I also managed a Townsend’s Warbler at the Kirk Hill area.

May 20th

May 21st (My birthday)

May 22nd

May 23rd

May 24th

May 25th

Continue reading »]]> This post covers both Saturday and Sunday of an incredible weekend

Saturday

This morning I started the day at the Cherry River Fishing Access with several Cinnamon Teals and a Great Yellowlegs. The surprise was a Columbia Spotted Frog engaged in amplexus with an otherwise dead partner. Seems like froggy love knows no bounds. It was very unexpected to have a frog this early…a nice pleasant surprise. I decided to walk down the trail to the East Gallatin Recreation Area, and I happened upon a deceased Meadow Vole…a bio-geek’s dream. Of course, I had to pick it up and take a documentation pic with the cell phone (camera battery was dead…bummer).

Later in the day, Non-birding Vida (NBV) and I went down to the Bear Trap Canyon on the Madison River for a little relaxation and vino. A Canyon Wren was singing high up on the rocks and Red-breasted Mergansers (a single male and his two “bitches” – NBVspeak).

Sunday

The morning started at the Cherry River Fishing Access where a male Northern Harrier was doing a remarkable display flight that consisted of acrobatic roll and twists. As he was flying by, a Wilson’s Snipe was winnowing overhead, a welcome sound indeed. Three Ring-necked Ducks were swimming in the pond with a multitude of American Coots carrying-on with their squeaks and chases with the participants running atop the glassy surface. An American White Pelican glided overhead briefly as the Sandhill Cranes trumpeted in the open fields. The Killdeer numbers are definitely picking as well.

At the East Gallatin Rec. Area, the spring’s first Tree Swallows were calling and feeding over the cottonwood forest. Richardson’s Ground Squirrels were all over the place.

What a great weekend!

Continue reading »]]> We are very pleased to announce the release of WilderTrack 2.0. WilderTrack is the most comprehensive birding and outdoor-focused web application available. If you enjoy watching and studying the natural world, and you need to be able to record, track, and share your outdoor life easily and quickly, WilderTrack is definitely for you.

With WilderTrack you get access to more than 29,000 species in the current database and the ability to record all of your birding, wildlife, hiking, and other outdoor activities in one simple, easy-to-use online package – no downloading or installing software.

Introducing WilderTrack for iPhone. Finally, there is a listing web application for the iPhone mobile device. Imagine being in the field and simply tapping your iPhone as you record and share your sightings and trips. Entering your data with WilderTrack for iPhone could not be any easier and quicker.

There are a host of new improvements and features to the core software.

• The launch of WilderTrack for iPhone
• Improved performance
• Rare Bird and ID Challenge sighting entry
• Easier sighting entry with new and improved QuickSight

Remember, as a member of WilderTrack.com, you automatically receive access to WilderTrack for iPhone. Just go to wildertrack.com on your iPhone or find the web app at apple.com.

Continue reading »]]> This morning felt like the first day of spring. The sun was bright and warm, and the birds were very active. I went to the Triple Tree trail for a little birding hike with the Wunder-Mutt, Olivia. Right in the middle of this wealthy neighborhood, a herd of ~100 elk were bedding down and chewing their cuds. The herd was mostly cows with a sparkling of spikes and rag-horn bulls. I remember this area when it was the Meyers’ Ranch, seemed like there were a lot of elk in those days. Now this place is a series of Mac-mansions of 10 acre parcels.

Along trail, there were American Goldfinches, Pine Siskins, and Mountain Chickadees. These were joined by the ever-present chorus of Black-billed Magpies. As the trail enters the Douglas-fir forest, there were Brown Creepers and a multitude of Red Crossbill. I was able to watch these “Montana Parrots” as they called to one another and went from tree to tree. I could hearing the cracks of cones being pried open with the specialized bills. The Red-breasted Nuthatches were calling with such numbers and fervor that the resulting sound seemed to be almost syncopated.

Along the sun soaked ridge, a pair of Clark’s Nutcrackers were in the treetops, and one of them was carrying seem nesting materials (a sure sign of spring). This species has always held a particular place for me, and seeing them today was special and reassuring. A Cooper’s Hawk went overhead as I started to descend and I won’t mention the part where I slipped on the needle-covered ice into my arse.

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A full trip report is at WilderTrack

Continue reading »]]> The day started off dreary with gray skies and a skiff of light snow covering the bare patches of ground and old, rotten snow. This time of year in Montana is the quietest month. As I started along the icy trail with clear ice like an ice cube, the predominant sound was the wind passing through the trees with occasion groans from the sturdy trunks and the clear note of a single Townsend’s Solitaire. In the under-growth, a Mountain Cottontail stood motionless in an attempt to blend in with its surroundings.

The hike was marked by silence. The kind of quiet that lets one’s mind wander to the past experiences had in this place. I can almost see the Great Gray Owl on the overhanging at the edge of the meadow. The crack of fallen sticks caused by the cow moose’s hooves is replayed in my head. These clouds of memories are interrupted by a couple of feeding Red-breasted Nuthatches. Each of them softly call to one another and maybe to me as they feed along the dead branches.

The silence is harshly broken by the various rattles and mimics of a Steller’s Jay – a flash of electric blue on a gray background. I watch as it picks its way through the brushy undergrowth, a different sound for each hop and branch. It suddenly spooks and lets out a harsh rattle. The corvid flies off and the silence returns.

Full trip report at WilderTrack.com

Continue reading »]]> Today we (Olivia and I) went for a little hike along South Cottonwood Creek. The weather was overcast and warm, and the trail was a little muddy. It took 3 changes of water to get Olivia clean when we return home. These kind of days bring that unique quiet where you only hear what you choose to concentrate on. The running of the water over the worn rocks. The unique dampened squish from the thin layer of mud under my boots. The rolling calls of Clark’s Nutcrackers in the forest. The bird count was slow and low with Golden-crowned Kinglets, Brown Creepers and Mountain Chickadees making up the bulk of the sightings. I was able to scare up a lone Dark-eyed Junco.

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Continue reading »]]> This Saturday morning Olivia and I went up to Hyalite for a little hiking and check out the waterfalls. The weather was severely overcast with moments of sprinkles and glimpse of sunshine. Olivia loves to hike and explore rabbit trails. It was nice to see some old friends. Clark’s Nutcrackers were abundant and Golden-crowned Kinglets active fed among the spruce and fir.

Continue reading »]]> Sometimes I choose not to go for a hike because there doesn’t seem to be enough time for it. Well, this evening that awful assumption was put to rest completely. With the nice weather and all, I rushed home after work and grabbed Miss Olivia for a quick loop up and down Kirk Hill. It was perfect weather for a hike and Olivia was had a great time.

The light was great and the air crisp, although the extent of the bird life was a few Red-breasted Nuthatches and Mountain Chickadees. A nice leg stretcher after was exactly what I needed.

Continue reading »]]> This afternoon, Andy, the dogs and went for a quick hike up to Golden Trout Lakes. These lakes lie beneath Elephant Head Mountain at the head of Portal Creek in the Gallatin Range. During the hike, I realized that I was not in the best hiking shape, but this hike will fix that issue. I was little worried about how Miss Olivia would hold up, but these concerns were soon dispelled. She was awesome has Maddie’s mini-me. Everything that Maddie did, Olivia did…it was hilarious. After the hike, we went down to Big Sky for a refreshing pint or two at the lone Peak Brewery.

KML

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