Last Chance Audubon Society

All talks begin at 7 p.m. and will be held at the FWP Commission Room at FWP Headquarters in Helena. People should access the building through the door on the west side of the building. Since this is a fund raiser to help protect Montana’s Important Birding Areas, there will be an admission fee. Cost is $5 per talk or $25 for all six talks. Admission is paid at the door.

March 4 - Richard Manning - “The Montana Prairie: It’s History, Biology, and Promise” - As author of Grasslands: The History, Biology, Politics, and Promise of the American Prairie (1995), Richard will lead off the series with an overview focusing on the biological importance of grasslands, their historic destruction, and plans for grassland conservation in Montana.

March 11 - David Ausband - “Swift Fox on the Northern Plains: A Success Story” - Dave is a Research Associate at the Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Montana currently working with wolves in Idaho. He will talk about his studies of Swift foxes on the Blackfoot Indian Reservation.

March 18 - Jack Taylor - “Plants of the Montana Prairies” - As range science researcher and teacher at Montana State University, Jack Taylor spent over thirty years studying grassland ecosystems. Taylor will discuss what he learned and its significance to birdwatchers.

March 25 - Bob Bramblett - “There’s Fish in Them Thar Cricks: Prairie Stream Research at Montana State University” - Bob is an Assistant Research Professor at Montana State University and has worked for 21 years on prairie fishes in eastern Montana and Colorado, as well as some misspent time in Alaska and the Grand Canyon. He will talk about fish, herptiles and even bird life in and along Montana’s prairie riparian corridors.

April 1 - Coburn Currier - “Grassland Birds of Northeastern Montana” - As Project Biologist for the Montana Natural Heritage Program, Coburn has been studying the grassland birds of northcentral and eastern Montana for the Program since 2003. He will provide an overview of grassland birds and their habits and habitat needs. Photos and sounds of these birds will be included in his talk.

April 8 - Mike Madel - “The Prairie Grizzly Bear” - Mike has been involved with research and management of grizzly bears since 1978. He has been in Choteau since 1983 as Grizzly Bear Management Specialist with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. He will talk about grizzly use of the prairies and riparian areas along the Rocky Mountain Front.

Bob Martinka will present “Birds of the Aleutians” this Tuesday, February 19th, at 7:00 p.m. in the L&C Library large meeting room. The event is sponsored by the Last Chance Audubon Society and is free and open to the public.

The Aleutians are an arc of islands that extend westward approximately 1100 miles from southwest Alaska toward Russia.

In 2006 the avian bird flu was spreading through Asia. There was mounting concern as to when and where the virus would first enter North America. Numerous monitoring plans were implemented including extensive sampling of birds in the outer Aleutian Islands. Bob was fortunate to be selected as a volunteer to assist in the monitoring of birds as they migrated from Asia through this region of Alaska. For three weeks in September 2006 he was stationed on Shemya Island, very near Attu Island, which is the farthest west island in the Aleutian Chain. This has become a hallowed place for avid birders due to the Asian rarities that temporarily immigrate to the U.S. there.

Bob’s presentation will cover his experiences with monitoring, some of the history of the area, and birding in this remote portion of the world.

Bob retired from Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks after 30 years as a wildlife biologist and administrator. In 2007 he celebrated his 40th year as a permanent resident of Montana. Among the many interests and activities he currently pursues, birding and photography have come to dominate his time. He is a board member of Last Chance Audubon and keeps track of bird comings and goings in the Helena area.

Our February 2008 Newsletter was mailed to LCAS members and is available online and in print at several locations throughout Helena.