Last Chance Audubon Society
Promoting understanding, respect, and enjoyment of birds and the natural world
through education, habitat protection and environment advocacy.

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FIELD TRIPS

The Last Chance Audubon Society offers birding trips lead by experienced birders to local areas around the Helena valley. Trips are free and open to members and nonmembers. Participants at any level of skill and experience are encouraged to attend. Trip leaders provide information on bird identification, natural history and conservation. Bird trips are most commonly scheduled between March and June.

Trips are a half day or longer depending on the area visited and usually involve car pooling among trip participants.

Each trip participants needs to have binoculars. Bring snacks or lunch if appropriate, water, and dress for the weather. A bird identification field guide is useful.

Trip Schedule:

Please call the leaders to let them know your interest in attending their trip. Bring snacks and water, and dress for the weather.

May 10, Tuesday - Helena evening bird walk Meet Cary Lund at the Lewis and Clark Library at 5:30 p.m. for an easy stroll around the neighborhood near the library looking for a variety of local species. Call Cary at 449-3180 for details.

May 14 through September 10 - "Birds and Beasley's Saturday Birding Soirees" Sandy Shull and Jane Beasley are again sponsoring their popular two hour morning birding adventures every Saturday from May 14th through September 10th. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at 70 S. Park, in front of Birds and Beasleys. Trips to local birding sites will be led by a B&B staff person and destinations will vary throughout the summer, open to group members' input. Call 449-0904.

May 14, Saturday - Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge Join Assistant Refuge Manager Bob Johnson, Brian Shovers and Jo Lace for a "behind the gates" tour of Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge. In the past we've seen a nice variety of water and grassland birds, including White-faced Ibis, Night Herons, Godwits, a variety of ducks and grebes, Chestnut-collared Longspurs, and an occasional Burrowing Owl. Please contact Jo Lace or Brian Shovers for details at 406-443-6640 by May 7th. We will meet at the southside Montana Department of Transportation parking lot at 7:30 a.m.

May 17 - Helena evening bird walk. See description above for the May 10th walk.

June 3-5, Friday through Sunday - Montana Audubon Bird Festival. This weekend is the state Audubon Birding Festival in Glasgow. There will be no Helena area trips scheduled. To register, go to www.mtaudubon.org/birdwatching/festival or call the Montana Audubon office at 406-443-3949. There are an abundance of enticing trips planned for the festival this year---peruse them in the most recent Montana Audubon newsletter.

June 11, Saturday - Trumpeter Swan Release Del Straub is again coordinating the opportunity for our chapter to participate in this singular event in the Nevada Valley near Ovando. Thank you Del! This year's release will be a "non-quota" release, meaning as many folks as wish to may attend and witness the release. Further details will be in the May newsletter.

June 11, Saturday - McClellan Creek This trip will be a loop from Montana City to East Helena, exploring a variety of habitats in the McClellan Creek area. Expect to see birds inhabiting mountain riparian habitats, mountain grassland habitats and the areas in between. Meet at the southside Montana Department of Transportation parking lot at 7:00 a.m. Call Don Skaar at 442-3254.

August 6, Saturday - The third annual Blue Light Special! Bob Martinka is eager to share the world of dragonflies with you. This year he's going later in the season, in order to see more species. You know you'll also see some interesting birds at this unusual Helena birding hotspot. Meet Bob at the west side of the K-Mart parking lot at 9:00 a.m. Call him at 449-3313 to confirm meeting time and location.

Other Bird Trips:

Birds & Beasleys Saturday Morning Birdwalks - A birdwalk every Saturday from May through September. Meet trip leaders at 7:30 am at Birds & Beasleys, 70 S. Park Ave. Bring binoculars if you have them and dress for the weather. Walks will be about 2 hours in length and destinations will be to local birding areas, i.e., Helena Reservoir, Spring Meadow, Lake Helena, etc. Location of the week’s walk will be known by Thursday, so call Birds and Beasleys at 449-0904 to learn the location, or just show up Saturday morning ready to have fun.