The natural environment and history of Kalispell’s West Valley area
By Linda De Kort
linda@westvalleynaturalists.org
THE SONG SPARROW, MELODIOUS AND HEARTY
As October arrives, many of the songbirds have left our valley. Some stopped for a while and raised a brood or two, some just passed through on their way to or from their breeding grounds.
Continue Reading →by Skip Via
skip@westvalleynaturalists.org
The valley is home to two bluebirds: the western bluebird and the mountain bluebird. We usually get at least one pair of western bluebirds in one of our birdboxes each spring due to our close proximity to open fields where they like to feed.
Continue Reading →by Skip Via
skip@westvalleynaturalists.org
Click on an image to enlarge it.
West Valley is home for a huge variety of migratory and resident ducks and other waterfowl. While some waterfowl are waders (e.g., sandhill cranes, great blue herons, dowitchers) or skimmers (none around here, although some gulls do this occasionally), ducks can be broadly separated into two groups based on how they obtain food: dabblers and divers.
Continue Reading → by Pat Jaquith
pat@westvalleynaturalists.org
Bowser Lake is a shallow lake in a bentonite depression in the western part of Pig Farm; with only meltwater or rain to fill it, it evaporates rapidly, but it attracts an interesting variety of birds while it has water.
Continue Reading →
by Skip Via
skip@westvalleynaturalists.org
A pair of great horned owls nest near my home between West Valley and Farm to Market roads. Each year, we see 1-3 juveniles (and at least one adult) in the ponderosa pines in our yard. From there they can watch for voles and gophers in the agricultural fields next to our property. We find lots of owl pellets and more than a few feathers–especially the downy ones that are dropped as the juveniles mature.
Continue Reading →