Notes from Missoula

Since I have been in Missoula at my sisters I haven’t had time to do much birding, because I am here to care for her following some foot surgery. I am chief cook and bottle washer and I am generally keeping the household running for my nephews. My brother in-law is a coach and he is away with his team during spring break.

The little bit of birding I have done has been window birding and I took a walk as well. I have seen a precious Red-breasted Nuthatch excavating a good sized hole into a utility pole, and a pair of Black-billed Magpies is building a nest four doors down so there is plenty of “spring in the air”. Those poor home owners with the magpies don’t know the racket they are in for when the young arrive.

Here is my window and walk list; Black-capped Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, House Sparrows, Coopers Hawk, Townsend’s Solitaires, Common Ravens, Crows, Red-tailed Hawk, Starlings, American Robins, Northern Flickers, and I have heard a Pileated Woodpecker.

On my drive up here from Idaho I kept an mph list and here are the results: Great Horned Owls on nests 5, Red-tailed Hawks on nests 4, and 30 seen total, Ferruginous Hawks 3, Rough-legged Hawks 8, Golden Eagles 7, Bald Eagles 5, Sandhill Cranes 5, Tundra Swans 59, Turkey Vulture 1 (seen 40 miles east of Missoula on March 29. I did not count ducks and geese…too hard at 65 to 75 mph.

In the mammal category: Pronghorn 83, Deer 73, and Elk 32.
I have of course continued to post a daily entry of the Majestic Feathers Blue mug. Here is today’s shot.



Caption on Facebook: Is that a delicious conscientious mug of organic shade grown bird friendly coffee? Deer I have a small sip?

Sure come on down, I deer ya!


I wish you all great birding and yummy mugs full of steaming bird friendly coffee.

To learn more about the Majestic Feathers Blue Mug scroll down. To read other blog postings continue to scroll down.