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

About LCAS
Membership
Contact
Calendar
History

Birding
Field Trips
Christmas Bird Count
Birdathon
Birding in the Helena Area

Learning
Chapter Programs
Monthly Newsletters
Natural History Lecture Series

Conserving
Habitat Protection
Environmental Advocacy

Bird of the Month
Bohemian Waxwing - The Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) is a member of the waxwing family of passerines. A sleek bird, 18–21 cm long with a pointed crest, it travels in large, nomadic groups with a strong, direct flight. It breeds in coniferous forests throughout the most northern parts of Europe, Asia and western North America. The Bohemian Waxwing is the only member of this family whose range circumnavigates all the continents just below the sub-Arctic latitudes.

Its name refers to the bright red bead-like tips of the secondary feathers on its wings, which look like drops of sealing wax, while 'Bohemian' refers to its (presumed) origin from Bohemia (at the time, a relatively unknown but "distant, eastern" place). It is larger and greyer than the Cedar Waxwing and has bright yellow tips on its tail feathers and a yellow or white stripe along the wing feathers. Under tail coverts are a deep rust color. Both beak and feet are dark and the brown eyes are set in a narrow black mask underlined with white.

Upcoming Programs
MEMBERSHIP MEETING: Last Chance Audubon Society meets the Third Monday of the Month, September - May, at 7:00 pm at the St Paul's Methodist Church at at the corner of Lawrence St and Cruse Ave(enter off Cruse, first room on left).


A program emphasizing Birds, Natural History or other topic of local interest will be presented.

Recent News

The Last Chance Audubon Society conducted a birding class and field trips that were attended by 23 people. Thanks to Jo Lace for a great job in organizing the class. Coburn Currier and Dan Sullivan provided classroom presentation on bird identification, field guides, binoculars, and bird biology. Several other LCAS members provided assistance during the field trips. The birding class is part of LCAS efforts to provide community education about birds and bird conservation.

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 449-0940 to learn the location, or just show up Saturday morning ready to have fun.

See the field trip list for other LCAS sponsored birding trips.