Montana Outdoors: Birding Trails Montana

Cedar waxwing munching Russian olives

One of two Bohemian waxwing flocks we saw yesterday in Birch Creek

As posted a couple days ago I've been hard at work on our upcoming book Birding Trails Montana. And as also posted recently the time outs between key punching sessions have been devoted to Annie's rehab but...Why not kill two birds with one stone? Why not indeed... So instead of loosing Annie any old place there is room to ramble we been checking out spots we might also include in the book.

Yesterday it was Birch Creek. A tributary of the Big Hole born high in the East Pioneers, it flows for several miles through national forest before spilling out into mostly private ranch lands. Years ago a retired professor at then Western Montana College mentioned Birch Creek as one the spots he took his ornithology students. As I recall he said something along the lines, "Birch Creek is not the best but a good spot to find some forest species you don't normally find in the willows/cottonwoods/sagebrush and grass which make up most of my other spots close to town."

And sure enough we found but a handful species though we find discover something we'd heard of but never seen. Two flocks Bohemian waxwings, the small one above and another huge flock of at least 100 birds...For us a first since our biggest flock to date had been a dozen or so showed up in the backyard a couple winters ago.

Cedar waxwings are common backyard visitors all summer long. In fact we had one nest last August in the tree the one above is eating olives. Bohemians show up too in the backyard but usually in singles or small flocks of a 8 or 10. By the way 100 is no where near in record territory I read the other day of a group of birders counting several hundred in one bunch.  Whether Birch Creek will make the cut is still up in the air but we plan to return soon perhaps set a new personal record...

Nez Perce Trail Saves Day

What began as fishin' trip in the upper Big Hole quickly deteroiated as a sea of muddy roads foiled access to what most certainly would have been folly anyway--as suddenly, almost overnight--the combination rain and snow melt have the area streams literally ragin'. The Big Hole at Melrose for example two days ago was running in the mid 2000s and yesterday jumped to nearly 4000 and this morning is still rising.

When we hit rain near Wisdom it became obvious as a fishing expedition this one just wasn't going to happen. But with already 60 miles driving invested as Gale said, "Seems pretty dumb to turn around and head back to Dillon, it's been nothing but muddy roads since since we left town."

OK.

So we put together a quick Plan B and headed toward Chief Joseph Pass the only hint of clearing skies on the horizon. What the hell we'd do once we got there, who knows?

May Creek, like every other stream in the county was all but over the banks so any idea of fishing was officially declared DIW...literally.

So...

We turned off on the first two track looked rocky enough to allow at least getting off the blacktop not get mired down. At the first pull off we got out more to stretch our legs than anything, also the dogs probably needed to pee. An old forest service jack fence beckoned we take a stroll up the mountain whereupon we soon came on a well-trodden trail. While I went to the truck to grab a camera Gale went down hill to the trailhead. And discovered the trail was none other than the Nez Perce Historic Trail...Imagine.

So off we went.

The trail climbed gently offering a great view east to the Big Hole valley and the West Pioneers beyond. Elk and deer tracks and droppings littered the trail and the mountainside, as did the droppings of coyote and what I think was pine marten but can't prove it.Wildflowers were everywhere, some in full bloom others just starting. Marsh marigold, Nuttall's and blue violet, penstemon, alpine buttercup, spring beauty, a teeny tiny blue flower we couldn't ID and a bunch other stuff just starting to show. All in all, the wildflowers, a few old growth snags such as the one pictured, the music of several small creeks and the constant vista made for a scenic, downright pleasant hike more than making up for the aborted fishing sojourn.

Sage Hen Alley, Antelope and Rabbit Trails

Sage Hen Alley lived up to its handle big time today as the Pointer Sisters pointed an estimated 40 or so during a couple hour loop through the snow-covered sage. While we only saw two antelope you could not take a step and not trample a track; ditto rabbit tracks(jack, cottontail,pygmy). Sage hen sign, tracks and droppings everywhere. Yesterday we saw far more rabbit sign and way less sage hen and antelope sign, no sage hens or antelope sighted and just two rabbits, a whitetail jack and a pygmy. Curious since today we were actually just over the ridge from yesterdays hike. Good thing our goal wasn't to shoot sage hens since they were about as wild as sage hens get...several times the Sisters locked up long range and each time the birds boogied, like right now. I saw one big cock stretched to full height gawking our approach; watching cautiously he stood his ground until we closed to about 75 yards. When he flushed so did 4 of his buddies and as they flapped to put distance between another single flushed wild, at least 200 yards off. All in all I would have been lucky to kill even one bird...so much for the piece of cake reputation you so often hear bantied about, eh? Believe it or not but if there are any other critter tracks in the above rabbit thorofare I could not identify any.