Natural History Journal

The Great Plains in general, and Montana's prairies specifically, are certainly one of the great natural wonders of the North American continent.  And like all of North America's iconic landscapes, this one is also inhabited by its own special compliment of birds.   On our trip through the Rocky Mountain states last June, while making our way toward Yellowstone National Park, we took a quick detour north of I-90 to a very specific patch of prairie habitat, home to a few very special birds.   My target birds (i.e. birds I especially wanted to see) at this location were Sprague's Pipit, Baird's Sparrow, Thick-billed Longspur, Upland Sandpiper and Sharp-tailed Grouse.  I am happy to report that I found four out of the five - all except the notoriously difficult Baird's Sparrow.  Although in full disclosure, I must admit that I only heard Sprague's Pipit, as males defend their territories by pouring forth a gorgeous cascade of song from on high and are very rarely

Picking a favorite spot in breathtaking Rocky Mountain National Park is incredibly difficult.  From alpine lakes surrounded by rugged peaks, to lush green mountain meadows dotted with wildflowers, beauty met us at every turn.  But one of our best birding experiences during our four days in the park last June took place way up on the alpine tundra, nearly 12,000 feet above sea level.   Alpine Tundra in Rocky Mountain National Park From a trailhead along famous Trail Ridge Road, we set out early one frigid morning across the tundra in search of two very special birds: White-tailed Ptarmigan and Brown-capped Rosy-finch.  Happily, we successfully found both species (though photos were only possible of the ptarmigan.) White-tailed Ptarmigan, round, chicken-sized birds of the tundra, are exquisitely designed for life in this harsh habitat.  Pure snowy white in the winter, save two shiny black eyes and small pointed bill, ptarmigan disappear into a desolate landscape of hummocky snowdrifts. 

This summer's birding adventures once again took us east ( though not nearly as far as last year! ), into the wide open spaces of Colorado, Wyoming and the southern fringe of Montana.  After several rather wet days in the Rocky Mountains back in mid-June, we dropped down into the rolling green grasslands of Weld County.  Storm across the Grasslands... During our summer visit, we were delighted to find an abundance of prairie wildflowers in full bloom across Pawnee National Grassland.   While we came for the birds, the real breath-taking experience turned out to be the incredible wildflower show! Signature bird species of Pawnee National Grassland include Lark Bunting, both Chestnut-collared and Thick-billed Longspurs, Burrowing Owl and Mountain Plover.  Some species were abundant... while others eluded us altogether.  Male Lark Bunting Lark Buntings were one of the most abundant species we encountered across the grasslands.  Their jumbled song filled the air above us, and it was su