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REFERENCE MATERIALS
The Great Bear Almanac by Gary Brown
Rocky Mountain Natural History
by Daniel
Matthews
The Birder’s Handbook
by Paul Ehrlich,
David Dobkin, and
Darryl Wheye
Fishes of Montana
by C.J.D. Brown
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks on-line field
guide,CLICK
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Bloomin’ and Movin’
Nancy
Zapotocki, Flathead Audubon Education Coordinator
The cold of winter is melting away, with the
warming arrival of spring. As day length changes and
temperatures slowly increase – a wake-up (and
welcome back) call goes out to many inhabitants in
northwest Montana.
 One of the earliest plants of the season has already
made its appearance in the wetlands of the valleys –
western skunk cabbage. The flower has a
pungent, skunk-like odor, which evolved to attract
pollinators, like flies and beetles that feed on
decaying, smelly organic matter. In the higher
elevations, we’ll soon be seeing the glacier or
avalanche lily. By expending some of its large
reserve of stored carbohydrates, this plant can
generate enough heat to melt its way through the
last few inches of snow!
 Grizzly and black bears begin to emerge from
their winter dens. The males and poorly conditioned
bears typically emerge first, then sows with cubs,
later. They begin seeking large quantities of water,
eating snow if water is not available, and also
roots and herbs to help clear their kidney and
digestive systems. They are also on the look-out for
winter-kill carcasses and other high protein foods.
A good time to remember to put away your bird
feeders, suet and garbage cans, so they are not
attracted to your back yard!
Welcome back to many members of the bird community.
Some are returning to the local forests, lakes,
rivers and wetlands to breed, and others are just
passing or migrating through. Their territorial
songs are a symphony in early morning and evenings.
 Ospreys or “fish hawks” have returned from
their wintering areas, flying in from the Gulf of
California (also known as the Sea of Cortez). Many
successfully return to nesting platforms and trees
near rivers and lakes, adding sticks, cow dung, sod
and the like to their perennial nests. Returning
from Mexico, Wood warblers, such as the
yellow and Townsend’s, will soon be singing high
in the tree-tops. There is also a myriad of ducks,
from northern pintails and redheads, to mergansers
and buffleheads on the now un-frozen lakes.
Rivers are running high, as the warmer days begin to
melt the mountain snow. Fish, such as the
Westslope cutthroat trout, designated a Fish of
Special Concern in Montana, begin to spawn April or
May through July, depending on water temperature.
Others, such as the mountain whitefish and
kokanee salmon begin to hatch from their eggs as
early as February and March. The kokanee is the
landlocked version of the sockeye salmon. Kokanee
were first introduced into Montana in Flathead Lake
in 1914 and are currently fairly widespread in the
western half of the state.
 It is a time to get out the boat, canoe, kayak;
fishing rods and binoculars; saddles and bicycles;
cameras and backpacks. A time to get out and
experience this wonderful and lively time of year.
To keep track of this fascinating performance of
nature –
try keeping a daily journal. Notice what is coming
into the valley, the mountains and your yard, for
use now and to compare to future years. Enjoy!
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