Montana State Bird: The Western Meadowlark

Sean Jansen

The different pitches and hues of the call are different than anything else in nature. Carried by the wind and into the ears much like the sounds of an orchestra playing every instrument going off perfectly and seamlessly in sinc. Mother Nature has always been the greatest artist, and if that’s the case, the Western Meadow Lark is her platinum album, seminal work, Oscar performance or her National Geographic cover shot.

The Meadowlark, or specifically the Western Meadowlark, Sturnella-Neglecta, is Montana’s state bird. By the grace of some school children, they pushed a vote, winning in a landslide to make the Meadowlark the states bird. Montana, coupled with a few of the northern states of the country and a few of the southern areas of Canada’s provinces are the meadowlarks breeding grounds. We will typically see and hear these remarkable bird during their mating season which show up in Spring, depending on snow melt they will stick around until late fall. Their winter migratory patterns shift southward to warmer climes of most of the Midwest and southwestern states and certainly down into most of Mexico’s states for much of the winter.

A generally small bird in stature with relative size to the common Robin we see around the state and country but one of the chunkier kids on the block. What it makes up for with its rounder shape compared to the Robin, it gains in its long beak for hunting. The meadowlark differs in color, with its yellow breast mixed with patterns of brown and white help it to blend into the grasslands with which the bird nests.

The nests are made usually in a depression in the ground or low lying spot in a field covered by thick foliage. These birds thrive and depend on the grasslands for nesting and foraging, which is why we often see them on our pastures and farmlands of southwest Montana, eastern Montana, and sometimes in the high alpine meadows.

They eat a varied diet consisting of ground vegetation, insects plucked from recent field clearings or vulnerably sitting for an easy grab, or seeds from sprouting plants. Grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, snails are all on the buffet table for the Meadowlark however over one third of their diet consists of seeds most of which is consumed during fall and winter.

The birds nesting habits are astounding. A male meadowlark can happily mate with as many females as he wishes and will help in feeding the young, even though as typical, the female will do most of the feeding. A female will typically lay around 5 eggs a hatch and will incubate for about two weeks. Once done, the young will leave the nest although they are not quite ready to fly. The parents will continue to watch over them during this period until they can take flight on their own journey.

So the next time you drive by and hear an intense and unique call, different than any other bird you’ve heard, chances are it’s a Meadowlark. If you get the chance, pull over and just listen. You’ll often see them sitting perched on fence posts singing away to the audience of others. Sometimes you may not be able to see the bird as they are on the ground foraging and blending into the surroundings perfectly, but the real treat to this bird is its call. One of the most beautiful sounds in nature, no instrument required, just seeds, bugs, and a wonderful set of lungs.

Star Party at Glacier Park

   ~Amy Grisak

Glacier National Park’s night sky is more spectacular with the installation of the new telescope observatory at the St. Mary Visitor Center. Slated to explore the cosmos by the beginning of July, it will offer a magnificent perspective of this precious resource.

“Anyone who has camped out gets to see something we don’t see during the days,” says Doug Mitchell, executive director of the Glacier National Park Conservancy, the non-profit arm of the Glacier National Park that spearheaded the funding for the project. “There’s something extra special about the night sky.”

More than two-thirds of the population has never viewed the Milky Way, so for many visitors to Glacier, this is their first time experiencing the magic of the night sky. The new telescope and observatory will give them a deeper perspective into this complex realm above us.

The Logan Pass star parties, held once a month from July to September, allow visitors to feel like they can practically touch the stars from the perspective at over 6600 ft. Several days a week throughout the summer, volunteer and NPS astronomers set up telescopes in the parking areas of the Apgar and St. Mary Visitor Center several nights a week, giving visitors a tour of the cosmos. The observatory in St. Mary expands this vision with big screens situated on the observatory itself displaying what the powerful telescope sees.

“Our telescope is a PlaneWave 20inch CDK, and that will tour around the night sky on top of a Paramount ME II robotic telescope mount. We will use a MallinCam SkyRaider DS16C. 3 to feed two 55-inch monitors mounted on the outside of the observatory with high resolution images of the night sky,” says Lee Rademaker, astronomy coordinator for the Hudson Bay District of Glacier.

For those who aren’t in tune with telescope specifications, this means they’ll be able to see into deep space far beyond what even the large, portable telescopes they currently use can view.

“This is a matter of being able to share this gift with more people. With the observatory, we will be able to magnify that,” says Mitchell.

Providing this unique experience is part of why the GNPC is passionate about the astronomy programs. They also supported the efforts of the NPS in their successful quest for Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park to be designation as the first international Dark Sky park from the International Dark Sky Association. This status recognizes their efforts, and continued progress, on adjusting lighting to reduce light pollution.

“We need to protect this resource that was given to us,” says Mitchell. “To be able to protect it is quite a gift.”

Beyond the summer programs, Mitchell says they are continually working on more distance learning outreach for educational programs throughout the country and the world.

“We’d love (for the observatory) to be part of that. We’re not done,” he says.

To learn more about the specific dates and times for the astronomy programs within the park, go to https://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/nature/night-sky.htm. And for information on the many projects of the GNPC, visit their site at https://glacier.org.

NATIONAL PARK Service Areas
   ~Visit Mt

There's more to Montana's National Parks than Glacier and Yellowstone. In fact, Montana has a total of nine National Park Service areas. Explore everything from historic battlefields to natural wonders across all corners of Big Sky Country.

Find a National Park Service area by clicking below.

1. Glacier National Park

2. Yellowstone National Park

3. Nez Perce National Historical Park

4. Big Hole National Battlefield

5. Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site

6. Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail

7. Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site

8. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

9. Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

5 Tips for hiking in Bear Country

  ~Montana Wilderness Association

I was awestruck as the large mother grizzly charged toward me. She was a beautiful creature with thick silvery fur and a huge head, and as I gaped at her, mesmerized by her beauty, a small voice in the back of my mind screamed at me to react. But I couldn’t - I was enthralled. When the bear was only a few feet from my passenger-side window, she wheeled around and ran into the forest following her two small cubs, both of whom had the same markings as she.  

My hiking partner and I had been driving a narrow Forest Service road in the Whitefish Range, traveling to a trailhead a few miles from the Canadian border, when we rounded a curve and encountered the sow and cubs. Our unexpected presence in this remote area startled them and precipitated the bluff charge, which accomplished its goal of giving the cubs time to escape.  This was a mother’s natural reaction to a perceived danger to her babies. Luckily, I was in a vehicle.

This wild public land west of Glacier National Park is home to a large number of grizzlies. They’re the iconic species that makes this place special, and we have the pleasure of living and hiking in their home. While we’re enjoying our wild places, it’s important that we remember that bears are present, and they’re just doing the things that bears do: eating, sleeping, mating, and raising their young. They are the creatures who rule this landscape, and it’s up to us to behave with respect.

Acting respectfully can reduce conflict, but it’s still smart to be prepared and alert when you venture into grizzly country. I’ve seen over 75 grizzly bears in the past 38 years and they’ve always tried to get as far away from me as possible, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop being vigilant. 

Here are some things to remember when hiking in grizzly country

1. Keep your bear spray handy

Always carry bear spray, and make sure it’s accessible. Don’t keep it in your backpack - a charging bear won’t wait for you to find it. Make sure that the expiration date has not passed. Bear spray is a more effective bear deterrent than a firearm, so carry it at all times when you’re in bear county.

2. Know how to use it

If you see a bear, don’t run. Most of the time, the bear will run away from you. In the unlikely event that it does charge, stand your ground and don’t fire your bear spray until the bear is within 20 feet of you. Spray toward its feet, moving the can back and forth. The spray will float upward, forming an evil-smelling wall between you and the bear. One whiff of this highly concentrated pepper spray and the bear will be gone.

3. Know your bear etiquette

Again, don’t run from the bear. Stay calm, and move away slowly and sideways (you’re more likely to trip if you back up). Speak in low, soothing tones to indicate that you’re not a threat. Make yourself look as large as possible, but don’t make eye contact, which can be interpreted as aggressive behavior.

Some people have escaped bears by climbing trees, while others have been pulled out of trees by bears. Generally, climbing isn’t recommended. Climbing a tree takes time, which you probably won’t have, and bears can climb better than you can. 

Playing dead should be your last resort, only to be employed if you can't avoid an attack. While this technique has worked for some people, being passive while a huge grizzly bear towers over you takes more courage than most of us have. (Note:  Don’t play dead if it’s a black bear. Fight back instead.)

4. Travel in groups

This is probably the simplest and best way to avoid bear attacks: bears are far less likely to attack a group of three or more. Always make noise when hiking, especially when the visibility is not good, you’re hiking into the wind, or when natural sounds like water might cover your approach. Talking or singing are more effective than bear bells. Remember, bears generally want to avoid you, and will do so if you give them the chance. I have often wondered how many bears have heard me coming and melted into the brush as I passed by. 

Don’t let fear of grizzlies keep you from experiencing the backcountry. Bear attacks are unusual, and by being respectful and prepared, you’ll reduce the likelihood of an unpleasant encounter even further. 

Remember that when we’re in the backcountry, we are visitors in the bear’s home. We should respect their space like a good guest and aspire to give up the notion that humans are the dominant species. If we’re prepared and alert in bear country, we can continue to safely enjoy the wild places where these creatures live and rule.

- Debo Powers is a longtime MWA board member. She lives in Polebridge, Montana.

The Best Time to Visit Montana
   ~Carmella Rodriguez

Montana is a popular vacation destination thanks to its abundance of stunning natural scenery, largely due to where the state merges from US to Canadian wilderness. From glaciers to mountains, lakes, and national parks, there’s so much to see and do here.

The most popular months to visit are the summer months, when vacationers want to make the most of the state’s beautiful, sunny weather. The three busiest months of the year to visit Montana are June, July, and August. Using unique data from travel start-up AllTheRooms, we know that in July vacation rentals are 68.5% booked; in August 60.1% booked; and in June 54.5%.

The summer is an amazing time to explore Montana’s national parks -- go boating on the lakes, such as on the crystal blue waters of Lake McDonald, or hiking in the Rocky Mountains. You could also consider staying in West Yellowstone, which is a gateway to Yellowstone National Park, one of the US’ most incredible spots.

With summertime sunshine comes higher demand for accommodation and therefore higher prices. The average daily rate for home rentals is $220 per night in July; $208 per night in August; and $196 per night in June -- so if you can get away from work in June, you’re likely to be able to make a decent saving.

The weather in June averages between 70°F to 80°F, making it the perfect month to get the most of the sunshine, without breaking the bank. June is also a good time to visit as schools haven’t ended for summer break yet and summer tourism isn’t in full swing. This means that you don’t have to share the state’s mountains and lakes with so many people.

If you’re looking for the cheapest month to visit Montana, November is when accommodation is the least booked with only 28% occupancy rate as of 2018 and an average daily rate of just $145 per night. Cheap deals across hotels, hostels and vacation rentals can be found as accommodation owners knock prices down in order to increase occupancy.

November is a good time to visit if you like skiing, as snowfall is high over the month. It’s worth bearing in mind that November is very cold, with average temperatures between 42°F to 50 °F, and it can be much colder the higher up in the mountains you are. December is also a good time to visit for winter sports, although it’s more expensive as it coincides with the Christmas vacation period. The average daily rate in December goes up to $224 per night.

April is also a good month to visit, with low occupancy at just 29%. Spring is in full bloom during this time and visitors flock for the change in foliage and lower prices. The average daily rate of home rentals in April is $166, while the average weather in Montana in April is from 50°F to 59°F. April is also known as the best month to visit Yellowstone because the weather is mild, the crowds are smaller, and if camping is your thing, you can sleep outside.

VISIT  AllTheRooms, the world's first vacation rental search engine.

Surf's Up in Montana!

   ~Sean Jansen

A low-pressure system forms at the polar regions of our planet. With cold ferocity, the winds whip in a hurricane like motion while having a barometric pressure measurement similar to that of what poverty looks like in a bank account. That pressure and wind create waves that curl outward from the storm and march thousands of miles in a fan like motion until it reaches a coastline.

Surfers study these storms and how long they take to get to where they are located. Timing swells perfectly with utmost accuracy and precision to meet these waves at the beaches, point breaks, or rock and coral shelves that waves then peel over and along where surfers catch and enjoy the sometimes long rides the waves offer.

Enter Montana.

The storms at the polar regions of our planet have the same effect to the waves that grace the coastlines like California but instead bring the snowfall needed for our waves to form in Montana. The same Low Pressure system that was spinning in Alaska that sent waves to Washington and Oregon continue to march inland as precipitation creating snowfall. Once our days in Montana begin to thaw and the temperatures climb above freezing, the snow melts and drips off our roof’s and mountains and into the rivers. Swelling the waters to flood stages where the national weather service warns of the dangers associated with the flooding river. Surfers lick their chops at the report.

Surfers on the Pacific Coast for example study wind, swell and buoy charts memorizing the swell heights and periods between the waves to dictate size and shape once breaking on the shore. Surfers in Montana study snow pack from the winter previous, with the water flow charts of their local rivers with discharge they hope breaks flood stage.  I know no other surfers with such gratitude and drive like those who live in Montana. And Brennan’s Wave in Missoula is a classic example of the stoke associated with the coming spring, warmer days, and the flood of Spring.

Sitting smack dab in the middle of town in Missoula, Brennan’s Wave, a man made wave, has a concrete structure submerged underwater. Once the Clarks Fork River hits a certain CFS in flow, the surfers come out of their winter dwelling habits and slap their wetsuits on and hit the river. Long are the days when kayakers and fly fisherman were the only enthusiasts on the river.

The rise in popularity of surfing the river wave has grown to coverage in Distinctly Montana, Local News sources, Outside Magazine, NBC, and even surf magazines on the coast, bringing professional surfers like Dylan Graves of Puerto Rico and Kai Lenny of Maui, inland to Montana to check out the action.

Kevin Brown, a local resident of Missoula, has been surfing the wave since the wave. He even has his own surf shop in Missoula and shapes specific surfboards designed just for river surfing. Similar to waves in the ocean, the river wave curls and forms what is known as white water, where the wave breaks creating a white, oxygenated foam that the surfers use to help propel through the water. With a curved face and white water following behind, the surfers can carve and turn while some can even pop airs like snowboarding or skateboarding.

As a surfer born and raised in California having grown up surfing ocean waves for the better part of two decades, the challenge of river surfing to ocean is as night and day as anything. An ocean wave pushes you in toward the beach. Where as a river waves stands in motion with water surging upward and curling, keeping you standing and moving in place. The first couple of tries I fell flat on my face, but with anything, practice makes perfect and before long I was having the time of my life, giggling at the fact that my surfing life had all but gone with my move to the mountains of Montana. Man was I wrong about that, and to be honest, happily surprised that I was stood corrected but yet another surprise Montana had to offer.

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Kayaking Safety: Tips for a Safe & Adventurous Day

   ~Ashley Casey

Kayaking enables us to connect with the outdoors in ways that no other activity can. Kayakers get to explore the world just inches above the water surface, and in vessels that get us to areas that our two feet cannot. It is that aspect of being taken from our usual surrounding and into the unknown that makes kayaking so thrilling.

But as with any outdoor activity, kayaking comes with certain risks. If you fall into cold water and are unable to get out for a long time, you risk getting hypothermia. Other dangers include drowning, dehydration and impact injuries.

If you want to enjoy your kayaking adventure, you need to be prepared for all these risks. Here are a few tips for a safe and adventure-filled kayaking trip.

Equipment: What to Bring?

Packing for your kayaking trip is loads of fun. You get to determine what you’ll use and try out new gadgets. This whole process enables you to anticipate what your adventure will be like. One of the things we recommend you invest in is the best sit on top kayak. This is particularly important for first-time kayakers and those who’re always worried about their boats capsizing.

A sit on top kayak is simply a craft that has a sealed hull and molded seat for easy entry and exit. The fact that the craft is completely sealed means that you can roll back over even if it capsizes. With a sit-inside kayak, the craft would quickly become filled with water, making it harder to use it again.

Even though we’ve cited the possibility of flipping underwater several times, this is a very unlikely occurrence if you’re using a stable, high-quality sit on top kayak.

Apart from a sit on top kayak, other gear you need to bring are floating devices, paddle floats, ropes, whistles and flares and dry-bags.

Work as a Team

Kayaking, especially for the novice, is best done with a group of friends or other experienced paddlers. But even pro kayakers can run into trouble when kayaking solo as the weather and water conditions are unpredictable.

For instance, if there is heavy rain upstream, the river can quickly be transformed into an area with a dangerous set of rapids. Similarly, if the direction of the wind changes rapidly, paddling can be more difficult and exhausting.

In the event of such risky situations, it’s a good idea to have people you can rely on to rescue you or keep you safe. If you don’t know any experienced kayaker, try enrolling in a club or taking a guided kayaking tour as opposed to going solo.

Plan your Route

The easiest way to mitigate the dangers associated with kayaking is to plan your route beforehand. When doing this, ensure you take all important factors into consideration. For instance, just how experienced are you in kayaking? Are your crew members more skilled in this activity? What will the weather be like?

One of rule of thumb is to take only those routes that are protected from strong winds and waves. Also, your kayaking spots should be within reasonable swimming distance from the shore.

If you’ll be kayaking in the sea, then be sure to attend an advanced kayaking course first. Sea kayaking can be more thrilling, but it also poses more risks as it presents tougher conditions in terms of waves, tides and winds.

Before heading out, inform at least one person who is staying on dry land. Let them know where you plan to go, how long you’re likely to take and how many people are accompanying you for the trip.

Nutrition and Hydration

As mentioned earlier, one of the risks of kayaking is getting dehydrated. Most of the time, you’ll be in remote areas with no access to foods or drinks. Factor in the amount of paddling you have to do and the fact that you can’t communicate with the outside world.

Therefore, it’s very important that you plan what you will eat and drink while on your adventure. Pack plenty of high energy food bars because they’re easy to store and they don’t go bad. You can also pack some fruits although these will have to be consumed within a short time. In addition, bring plenty of water.

Learn Basic Safety Maneuvers

Before you start your adventure, you should understand and practice the necessary safety maneuvers. When practicing these drills, opt for calm, shallow waters. Also, have an experienced kayaker with you.

If you’re still not confident in your kayaking skills, it’s best to stay within swimming distance of the shore. These are the main safety moves you should know:

The Capsize: capsizing is the most common risk. Thus, you should learn what to do in case it happens. If you’re using a sit on top kayak, then it’s easy to exit it. However, if you’re using a sit in kayak, learn how to exit your craft swiftly and safely.

The Wet Entry: after exiting your kayak, the step that follows is locating it and re-entering. Unfortunately, it’s much harder to enter your vessel from the water than land, which is why you need to practice this skill.

The Eskimo Roll: this is a more advanced maneuver as it entails flipping your kayak to the right position without exiting it. Rolling is not a self-taught skill. This is something you need to learn from a professional or experienced instructor.

Final Word

Follow the golden rules in our article for your kayak safety. Work as a team, invest in the right equipment, practice safety maneuvers and plan your route beforehand.