February 24, 2010

Swan Valley Bird Count
by Steve Lamar

Photo by Erika Edgley

I recently participated in the 4-day Great Backyard Bird Count sponsored by Audubon and Cornell. It is always a fun time getting out in the woods to see what I can observe. This year’s outing was no exception. I saw and heard a number of birds as well as other wildlife and their sign. One highlight included watching 6 bald eagles and a golden eagle feeding on a couple of deer carcasses. As great as that sight was, my best experience was hearing a Western screech owl calling near my house one night. Although others have seen or heard this species of owl in Swan Valley, it was my first time. Other owls heard were a Northern pygmy owl and a Northern saw-whet owl. I mostly saw the usual wintering bird species that included Pileated and hairy woodpeckers, black-capped and mountain chickadees, golden crowned kinglets, red breasted nuthatches, gray and Stellar’s jays, ruffed grouse, black-billed magpies, common ravens, and Bohemian waxwings. Other highlights included having 6 elk feed around my house early one morning and finding wolf tracks while skiing up a gated road along the Swan Range. All of this activity was topped off with a beautiful sunrise on the fourth morning.