The natural environment and history of Kalispell’s West Valley area
by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
November in the West Valley is like this trail that diverges in the forest. Fall-like conditions can continue or it can become the entry into winter. Either way, the golden needles of Larch light the way forward. Read on for a sampling of local views.
Continue Reading →by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
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Solitary Sandpiper at Bowser Lake in West Valley on August 8, 2026
During the first three weeks in August, I was drawn to visit Bowser many times to observe the early-migrating Shorebirds as they arrived and departed and to learn how this small saline lake attracted them. Read on to enjoy the little-known activity.
Continue Reading →by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
Thirsty birds taking advantage of a puddle in the woods 8.26.25
Birds use water much as people do: they drink it to rehydrate; they bathe in the same pool they drink from. They are seen introducing their offspring to puddles. Somehow, they seem to communicate about water sources and appear to plan a gathering there. I’ve been delighted, amazed, and delayed by coming upon a gathering of birds at their “oasis”. Read on to see some of the sights I’ve observed as I walk in natural areas.
Continue Reading →by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
This Townsend’s Solitaire’s bright white eye rings are what helps many birders recognize the species in a flash. Many other birds have a similar feature that not only help people, but other birds to identify others of their kin. Read on to see a number of variations of this feature.
Continue Reading →by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
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Moth Mullein (Verbascum blattaria)
There are two species of Mullein in the West Valley; both are non-native plants with potential for spreading extensively. Read on to see images of both and to learn about their characteristics.
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by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
Saltmarsh Moth with eggs and three views of Saltmarsh Moth caterpillars
Connecting a caterpillar you find with its parent butterfly or moth is an interesting puzzle. Read on to see some of the connections I have made in the West Valley.
Continue Reading →by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
My first sight of Euphorbia esula, Leafy Spurge, in the West Valley was thanks to this caterpillar as I walked through an abandoned field. This 3 1/2 inch caterpillar’s appearance entranced me! Curiosity pulled me headlong into research and the information that follows.
Continue Reading →by Skip Via
skip@westvalleynaturalists.org
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Lenticular clouds are stationary, lens-shaped clouds that typically (but not always) form over or near mountains. The word “lenticular” comes from the Latin word lens, which describes their smooth, curved shape. (“Lentil” also comes from this root, appropriately enough.) Unlike most clouds that drift across the sky, lenticular clouds often stay in the same place for hours. The wind is still moving through them, but the cloud itself keeps forming and evaporating in the same spot, making it appear motionless.
Continue Reading →by Skip Via
skip@westvalleynaturalists.org
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Editor’s note: This post was edited on June 22, 2026, to include additional information about crepuscular rays, along with some minor editing.
If you were gazing at the southeastern sky on the early afternoon of June 14, you may have noticed what appeared to be a rogue horizontal rainbow segment, or a sun halo that wasn’t circling the sun, or a Bob Ross-inspired happy little cloud with extra colors. (Alizarin crimson, yellow ochre, phthalo blue–you know the rest…)
Continue Reading →by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
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The Pygmy, Red-breasted, and White-breasted Nuthatches are very familiar here in the West Valley. Tiny, acrobatic, vocal birds that usually stay here year ’round, they are fun to watch. Read on to see what I have discovered about their unique gifts.
Continue Reading →Pat Jaquith
pjaquith@westvalleynaturalists.org
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The American Robin may be the most familiar of the Thrush (Turdidae) family of birds. We used to think of their arrival as a sign that winter was over, but more recently, they have become a common sighting year ’round. In addition to pulling earthworms out of thawed earth and capturing a great variety of other insects, Robins feed on Juniper cones as well as frozen fruit and berries when the ground is frozen. Read on for more stories and pictures about members of the Thrush family that I’ve seen in the West Valley.
Continue Reading →by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
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Pine Siskins are nomadic little finches that wander the northern hemisphere, taking advantage of plentiful food supplies. This has been a “cone year” in our area, and the Pine siskins have been abundant. Gregarious little birds, they travel in flocks of up to 1000, their high-pitched chatter announcing their presence. Some years we don’t see them at all; other times, the Christmas Bird Count reports their numbers in the thousands.
Continue Reading →by Skip Via
skip@westvalleynaturalists.org
Editor’s note: More details on what constitutes hoar frost, rime frost, and rime ice may be found in this article on our web site: Hoar Frost or Rime Ice, or Something else?
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On December 30 and 31, 2025, the conditions in the West Valley were perfect for creating rime frost: low, dense fog, cold temperatures, and steady winds.
by Skip Via
skip@westvalleynaturalists.org
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If you were in the West Valley area during the middle of the afternoon of December 9, 2025 and happened to be looking through The Notch toward GNP , you may have seen a rare and typically brief atmospheric phenomenon–a Kelvin-Helmholtz cloud system forming.
by Jeanine Buettner
nammy@montanasky.com
Arthur Milton Hodgson (1859 – 1931) was born in Livingston County, Illinois on August 30, 1859 to Zimri and Martha Hodgson, who were successful farmers. Zimri Hodgson was a well-known breeder and raiser of pure-bred livestock. Arthur Hodgson was raised on the family farm and received his education in the local schools. For many years he remained associated with his father in business but finally engaged in farming and stock raising at Forrest, Illinois and later at Healey, Illinois. From boyhood on he had always been interested in the breeding of livestock, particularly the improvement of the breed and the maintenance of as high a standard as possible. Arthur arrived in Montana in 1904 and immediately came to the Flathead Valley, where he was successful in his chosen vocation.
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