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Presumptive Cackling Goose in the left

During an afternoon visit, I observed a single Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) in with the Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) on the ice at the north end of the pond nearest to the Visitor’s Center. The goose in question was apparently half the size of the surrounding Moffitt’s Canada Geese (B.c. moffitti). The bird possessed a triangular bill and rather steep forehead. The neck appeared thick and short, and possessed an obvious neck-band. After consulting a number of references and comparing my all-to-distance images, I believe that the Cackling Goose is a member of the Taverner’s (B. h. taverneri) subspecies.

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The Ouzel never sings in chorus with other birds, nor with his kind, but only with the streams. And like flowers that bloom beneath the surface of the ground, some of our favorite’s best song-blossoms never rise above the surface of the heavier music of the water. – John Muir from The Mountains of California

American Dipper in the sunlight

They have always fascinated me as to how they possibly survive in such a harsh environment. American Dippers live in conditions that no other songbird can survive. Most of the boulder-strewn stretches of streams in Montana have a resident pair or two of American Dippers. They song over the dull roar of the stream and feed beneath its surface. What a second isn’t this a songbird? Shouldn’t it be in a perch in the forest? I had the great pleasure of being in the company of 3 American Dippers along Rattlesnake Creek for the better part of an hour.

The most amazing behavior of the American Dipper is its ability to forage in the torrent. Their typical prey items consist of aquatic insects, small fish, fish eggs, and other invertebrates. These food items are obtained through one of three preferred hunting methods, which I was able to see all of the foraging techniques during my time on Rattlesnake Creek;

1. Wading into the shallows, and plunging the head underwater.
2. Swimming in deeper water, and diving to the stream bed.
3. Leaping from a perch into the water.

Once submerged, the American Dipper uses its wings as flippers. A wonderful adaption that you can see in the cold, clear waters of mountain streams. Once along the bottom, they will occasionally grasp the surface with their strong feet.

Just before the leap into the icy waters	Swimming and peering downward
What's down there	The American Dipper is one hardy bird

Why are they called dippers anyway? As they perch atop of mid-stream boulder, the American Dipper consistently bobbing its entire body up and down. The behavior is very similar to ones adopted by other stream-dwelling creatures. The Spotted Sandpiper bobs its tail and rump in a similar manner, and Rocky Mountain Tailed Frogs display by raising alternate legs as they sit on top of a stone. The reason for this display may be accounted to a territorial defense that requires minimum physical effort and is visible, rather than audible as the stream noise dampens sound. Another display of the American Dipper is the flash of the white eyelids, which is visible from some distance. The American Dipper’s song is rather long and loud, both of which aid in such a noisy environment.

American Dippers spend a good deal of time preening as they are required to ensure that the feathers remain waterproof and provide insulation against the icy waters. Their preening bouts can last upwards of 10 minutes on occasion.

Note the white eyelids	Found a singing boulder
The American Dipper at home in the riffles	Facing upstream

American Dipper silhouette

As spring approaches, the American Dipper will begin to search out nesting sites under overhanging cliffs/rocks and bridges. The dome-like nest often looks like a clump of moss, that is until a slaty dipper comes flashes out of the mass of vegetation. I will be back to Rattlesnake Creek to watch the American Dippers as the snow recedes up the slopes and the water runs higher.

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The noble Bohemian Waxwing. Note the red "waxy" bead on the wing

Fruits were ripped from their stems as the ravenous flock worked to clean this tree. Sharp, hooked bills spear the red flesh as more waxwings pile into the tangle of branches. The composite flock of ~300 birds was predominately (95%) Bohemian Waxwings and the reminder were Cedar Waxwings. The game was to pick out the occasional Cedar from amongst all of those Bohemians. The casual identification workshop kept me entertained for the better part of an hour, just before inclement weather moved into the valley.

The first identifying characteristic of both waxwings is their unique waxy beads located on the tips of the secondaries of adults. The waxy substance is generally bright red. The red coloration is due to a carotenoid pigment (a pigment coming solely for the waxwings’ diet). The size of the beads increases over the course of the first few basic molts. So, waxwing is not such a creative name after all.

Identifying Characteristics

Note the undertail coverts, white patch, yellow wing spots, and grayish color overall

Note the undertail coverts, no white patch, no yellow wing spots, and brownish color overall

Here in Montana and for majority of the United States, there is a prevailing seasonal pattern of occurrence for these two species. Bohemian Waxwings dominate the winter numbers with a smattering of Cedar Waxwings that have stayed behind as the majority of their species moved south. During the summer months, it is almost with 100% certainty that every waxwing is a Cedar. The Bohemians have gone, for the most part, into the boreal forests of the Canada and Alaska.

A rather stylish Bohemian Waxwing	Brightly plumaged Cedar Waxwing
Bohemian Waxwing in a classic pose	Bohemian Waxwing chowing down

The Juvenile-plumaged Cedar Waxwing

As Cedar Waxwings breed and nest quite late in the summer as to take advantage of the flush of ripening fruit, their young undertake their molt into adult plumage late as well. In fact, they may be in juvenile plumage in January, as was the case with the bird below.

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Petrels, Albatrosses & Storm-Petrels of North America cover

Here in Montana, petrels and albatrosses are not usually on the birding radar. Their foreignness and distance have only served to intrigue me. I imagine a giant albatross dynamically soaring amongst of crowns and troughs of mid-ocean swells. I can almost feel the salt-laden mist needling at my face. Heck, I might even be a little bit sea-sick. All of this is nothing more than a daydream. I have never seen a tubenose (the catch-all name for all petrels, albatrosses, and storm-petrels) in the state…nobody has, except for a handful of observers on the VENT tour in May 2004.

Denver Holt and Brennan Mulrooney were co-leading the tour, and they had their group scanning the productive waters of the Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge. They scoped the usual masses of American Coots, Double-crested Cormorants, and Western Grebes. Next to a displaying pair of Western Grebes, they noticed an odd black and white bird swimming. To their astonishment, it was a seabird, a Manx Shearwater. This bird had absolutely no earthly business being in the Mission Valley of western Montana. If anything, it rightfully should have been flying over the Atlantic somewhere or maybe, just the Pacific. It definitely shouldn’t have been within nearly 500 miles of the refuge. There were no strong weather systems that could have presumably pushed the hapless bird across the Cascades, across eastern Washington/British Columbia, and over the first Rocky Mountain ridges. All the tour participants got their looks, the leaders reported the bird, and no one else ever saw Montana’s first and only Manx Shearwater. It disappeared into the ethers of Montana birding lore, an item on the checklist that will, in all likelihood, go unchecked.

Manx Shearwater, Lake County, MT, Ninepipe NWR 30 May 04 © Brennan Mulrooney – Images from SurfBirds
Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge

Petrels, Albatrosses & Storm-Petrels of North America species account

Steve N.G. Howell cannot be commended enough for this information dense and throughly enjoyable text. I have to admit it, I usually skip the preface and introduction sections of most books, but Petrels, Albatrosses & Storm-Petrels of North America has some the best information in the first 51 pages. Building up from an understanding of ocean currents and how they create a variety of habitats that are fairly invisible to a land-lubber like me. Then, the summary of tubenose taxonomy follows. The relationships between species and even who are the true species in this large and diverse group of living beings is more than confusing. Everything is changing so rapidly. Many subspecies or presumed morphs have been spun into full species. It is a life lister’s paradise as splits create new species.

The species accounts are heavy with scholarly data and facts.  The Field Identification section is particularly notable with its powerful blending of hard measurements, gist tips, similar species and ranges.  The Descriptions utilize many consistent elements of identification, so that it is straight-forward to compare and contrast an unidentified bird with similar species. Each account has a generous amount of images that show the respective tubenose throughout its life cycle. Howell also uses much of the same molt terminology that he detailed in his book from last year, Molt in Northern American Birds (my review of it)

As with his past work, I stand in awe of Steve N.G. Howell’s thoroughness and straight-forward writing style (he iss not one to waste words). With this tome sitting on my desk, I will counting the days until I go out to Vancouver Island in the first part of June. I know that I will read and re-read this text for many of the dark nights between now and then.

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Cover of The Atlas of Birds

I rushed into the Lolo post office to receive a parcel from Princeton University Press. It was my review copy of The Atlas of Birds: Diversity, Behavior, and Conservation. I raced home and tore open the box, and fished the text from a sea of packing peanuts.

The first thing that leapt out at me was the wonderfully entertaining layout of the book. The graphics and images grab your attention to the vignettes of topical information. I have learned a whole new batch of bird trivia for some folks (sorry in advance). The abundance of maps rather nicely summarize global trends and/or facts relating bird behavior. The format is very similar to the recent Guinness Book of World Records…a bunch of facts given in digestible bite-seize pieces of knowledge.

Did you know that kiwis have nostrils positions at the tips of their bills? The reason is so that they can smell their invertebrate prey as they probe the soil.

The Atlas of Birds is a perfect coffee-table type book that will peak anyone’s interest. I love picking it up for the quick read…maybe just read a section or two. This is the beauty of the book, its accessibility and simplicity.

Continue reading »]]> 2012 has been the year of the invasion. An invasion of normally arctic-dwelling bird species has descended upon the northern tier of the United States. There have been upwards of 50-60 separate Snowy Owl observations in the state of Montana. The causes for the invasion are, most likely, due to a couple of synergistic factors: the owls have enjoyed several good breeding seasons in the North and the vole population in Montana has exploded. This event is called an irruption. The summer of 2011 saw massive numbers of lemmings scurrying across the tundra like fleas on the rump of a cur dog, and, therefore, providing the owls with more food than normal for their ravenous young. The 2011 crop of young owlets experienced higher than normal survivability due to the surplus of lemmings. This substantial increase in the population has meant that the available hunting territories in the North are over-capacity this winter, which has force many owls further south than usually seen. The great thing is once these owls made it south, they were treated to tons of voles here as well. The perfect storm of rodent population fluctuations and competitive territory allocation has led to the most enjoyable event for us Montana birders.

The best Snowy Owl image I have been able to capture.	Snowy Owl being not the least bit concerned
Presumptive Meadow Vole aka Lunch

Summary of Montana Snowy Owl for 2011-2012

The red numbered pins reflect generalized counts for an area. The yellow diamond pins represent precise observation locations.
Download Google Earth version of this map

Another irruptive species that has been seen rather readily this winter has been the Common Redpoll. Common Redpoll irruptions are due to the success of the previous year’s seed crop.  With lots of food available, the survivability of the young redpolls are increased. However, the next year these survivors are pressed to find food sources. So, they move farther south, and they end up on the alder trees in my little neighborhood. I see these birds in small flocks of around 20 individuals that have continually worked my neighborhood for the past 3 weeks. Occasionally, they are in mixed-species flocks with Black-capped Chickadees and American Goldfinches.

Common Redpoll in an alder	Common Redpoll handing on an alder catkin
Common Redpoll portrait

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Mission Range and the valley below

Before I could bear to watch the Green Bay Packers lose to the Giants, Tom and I went up into the Mission Valley on a Snowy Owl mission.

We initially checked around the Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge and the surrounding agricultural lands, and we turned up nada. No Snowy Owls or much else, other than Gray Partridge and ring-necked Pheasants. Coming to the conclusion that we should try up near Polson, we fired off along Highway 93 and arrived in Polson in no time.

The Mission Mountains from near the National Bison Range	The Missions from another perspective
The Mission valley from the fields north of Charlo	The long, empty road near Charlo, MT

Once we arrived at Polson, we soon found one Snowy Owl on top of a cell tower. which was quickly followed by 5 others. All of these were perched atop houses on the subdivision atop the hill. We speculated that they were making use of the roofs because they were warmer than perching on a fence post or rock.

Snowy Owl being not the least bit concerned	The best Snowy Owl image I have been able to capture.
Snowy Owl on top of house - not exactly natural	The roof must be a great place for a nap

The reason for all these Snowy Owls this winter is the epic explosion in the vole population this year. Everywhere you walk, you hear the little buggers scurrying through their tunnels.

Presumptive Meadow Vole aka Lunch

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Dharma Wheel at Jokhang Temple

Most simply put the Noble Eightfold Path is the course of actions as prescribed by the Buddha that leads to cessation of suffering and the achievement of liberation.

Divisions and Factors of the Noble Eightfold Path

Before we tackled the particulars of the Noble Eightfold Path, we need to have a basic understanding of the structure of the Path. The eight factors are grouped into 3 divisions: Wisdom that contains Right View and Right Intention, Moral Discipline with its factors of Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood, and Concentration enclosing Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. Wisdom awakens the ability to perceive things as they really are. Concentration develops the calm and tranquility needed to cultivate wisdom. Moral discipline dispels with unwholesome dispositions that negatively effect concentration. Thus, the path progresses towards enlightenment as moral discipline being the foundation for concentration, concentration is the foundation for wisdom, and wisdom being the instrument for reaching liberation. 

The Noble Eightfold Path in relation to the Four Noble Truths

The Buddha’s teachings can be boiled down to their essence with an understanding of the Four Noble Truths and their relation to the Noble Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths comprise the doctrine that leads to understanding, and the Noble Eightfold Path is conduct of code that is put into practice by the follower. This arrangement of doctrine and practice are united as the Dharma.  The last of the Truths is the prescription of the Noble Eightfold Path, and the first factor of the Path, Right View, is the proper understanding the Four Noble Truths. They are intertwined into one continuous path of understanding into the reality of nature.

Four Noble Truths

1. The truth of suffering - Suffering appears in all events: birth, death, change, sickness, and pleasures
2. The truth of the origin of suffering - Suffering stems from our own internal attachments to phenomena
3. The truth of the cessation of suffering - If one ceases to craving, suffering ends.
4. The truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering - This path is the Noble Eightfold Path

The Path to the End of Suffering

A spiritual tradition is not a shallow stream in which one can wet one’s feet and then beat a quick retreat to the shore. It is a mighty, tumultuous river, which would rush through the entire landscape of one’s life, and if one truly wishes to travel on it, one must be courageous enough to launch one’s boat and head out for the depths.

-  Bhikkhu Bodhi

Buddha sits serene

The Noble Eightfold Path is the Buddha’s road map that ends dukkha and leads to liberation. Dukkha is defined conventionally as suffering, but its more nuanced connotation embodies the basic unsatisfactoriness of our lives. The Path is a practice of daily discipline (in its broadest sense) to leads one to cessation of dukkha and towards Enlightenment. The Noble Eightfold Path relies on actions, rather than scholarly knowledge; however, deep knowledge of the Four Noble Truths and their subsequent implications is required to dutifully implement the Noble Eightfold Path into your daily life. This is the point where Right View, the first factor of the Path, comes into play. The Noble Eightfold Path is not given in sequence as all factors can be practiced simultaneously with some degree of practice, the Right View factor is presented initially as it encompasses the proper view of Four Noble Truths. If you were to engage in the practice without a proper understanding of Right View, you run the risk of wandering aimlessly within a forest of teachings.

Right View

Right View can be understood as the correct understanding of entire Dharma, which can be broken further down into two breadths of scope. The first is the mundane Right View, which the correct understanding of karma and difference between unwholesome and wholesome actions with regard to the underlying motives of those particular actions. Karma has the capacity to produce effects that are equal to the ethical quality of the action. This continual cycle of action and result spans across lifetimes that cross eons of immeasurable time. The second type of Right View is the Superior Right View is the deep understanding of Four Noble Truths that leads one to enlightenment. 

Right Intention

Second factor within Wisdom division is Right Intention. This is the factor where the practitioner applies their conscientious decision-making abilities to direct their actions. Right Intention is a three-fold concept where correct intention counters wrong intention: the intention of renunciation counters the intention of desire, the intention of good will counters the intention of ill will, and the intention of harmlessness counters the intention of harm. The Intention of Renunciation runs quite contrary to our everyday existence, which is largely driven by our own grasping. Renunciation is more than a simple act of will; rather, it requires a radical change of perspective in terms of how we see the objects of our cherishing. We are to put our desires aside as the desire is the very root of dukkha, and the absense of craving leads to freedom from attachment. The Intention of Good Will is the foundation of metta or loving-kindness, the all-encompassing, radiating concern for others well-being and happiness. Loving-kindness is born out of a state that is free of obligation or the self. The last fold of Right Intention is the Intention of Happiness, which is arouses compassion for all living beings. Compassion is the partner of loving-kindness as it is the wish that beings be free from suffering and unhappiness.

The next three factors of the Noble Eightfold Path are grouped into the division of moral discipline. Taken together, they form the essential foundation of the other trainings. This morality in the Buddhist sense is not seen in terms of obligation, but as a harmony at all levels (social, psychological, karmic, and contemplative).

Right Speech

Right Speech as taught by the Buddha is composed of four elements: abstaining from false speech, abstaining from slanderous speech, abstaining for harsh speech, and abstaining from idle chatter. These elements of abstinence cover the spoken word as well as others forms of communication such the written word and art. Abstaining from false speech is simply entails not uttering untruths, regardless of situation, or the other side of coin is to always tell the truth when it is asked of one. Truthful speech is the foundation of any society. Lying is completely disruptive of the social contract. Abstaining from slanderous speech is staying away from communications that are intended to create the alienation of a person or group. The Buddha viewed slanderous speech has one of the gravest moral transgressions. Your speech should promote friendship and harmony. When you speak in a manner intended to cause others pain, it is considered to be harmful speech. Harmful speech can take the forms of abusive speech, insults, and sarcasm.  Idle chatter is speech devoid of purpose or any real depth. Much like the phrase, “Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop,” idle speech is the playground of defilements of one’s own mind and those of others.

Right Action

Right Action is abstaining from those unwholesome actions that are expressed by the body. The Buddha, once again, has broken Right Action into three primary components: abstaining from the taking of life, abstaining from taking what is not freely given, and abstaining from sexual misconduct. The intentional taking of the life of a sentient being carries a karmic weight that is proportion with motive of the transgressor. Stealing, robbing, snatching, fraud, and deceitfulness are to be avoided as part of abstaining from taking what is not given freely. Sexual misconduct is viewed as sexual intercourse with other’s partners or those under the protection of relatives, or cheating on your own partner.

Right Livelihood

One earns their living from a righteous occupation, if they adhere to the factor of Right Livelihood. Wealth should be gained from means that are legal, peaceful, non-violent, honest, and cause no harm to other living beings. The Buddha was specific that five categories of occupations should be entirely avoided: weapons dealing, dealing in living beings (this includes raising animals for slaughter, slavery, and prostitution), butchery, dealing in poisons, and peddling intoxicants.

The final three factors of the Noble Eightfold Path compose the division of concentration, which is the training of the mind. Practicing these elements trains the mind to sustain concentration that leads to insight-wisdom.

Right Effort

The Buddha reiterated the need for diligent effort and unflagging perseverance when it comes to training the mind. The Buddha in following quote succinctly summarized Right Effort:

“I shall not give up my efforts until I have attained whatever is attainable by manly perseverance, energy, and endeavor”

The mental process of Right Effort is present in terms of four “great endeavors”:

1. Prevention of the arising of unaroused unwholesome states
2. Abandonment of unwholesome that have already arisen
3. Arouse wholesome states that not arisen
4. Maintain and prefect wholesome arisen states

Right Mindfulness

A 1000 Buddhas meditating

Mindfulness secures mind to present state of existence. The mind doesn’t swing from past, present, and future with all of the accompanying baggage of fears, regrets, hopes, and memories. Right Mindfulness cultivates a mental state where one experiences serenity and insight on the four objective spheres: body, sensations, mental states, and phenomena via contemplation. This contemplation is partly accomplished through specific meditation techniques that focus on each of objective spheres.

Right Concentration

Right Concentration is the wholesome one-pointedness of mind, which is a state called samadhi.  The result of Right Concentration is a tranquility of mind and unbroken attentiveness on the object in focus. Concentration is developed through two methods: the development of serenity and the development of insight. Before the practitioner can develop Right Concentration, they need to have developed pure moral discipline, severed ties to impediments, sought the counsel of a qualified teacher, and dwelled in space conducive to the practice.  Right Concentration is developed in stages, as are most of the factors in the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Noble Eightfold Path does not end with Right Concentration. Each factor of the Path synergizes the others, and the Noble Eightfold Path is transformed into a vehicle for exploration into ultimate nature of the truth. This process is the development of wisdom where defilements and ignorance peeled away in layers.

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White-breasted Nuthatch just hanging out

45 degrees in january…January! That’s how warm it has been in northwestern Montana lately. The birds were appropriately enjoying the sun. All 3 species of nuthatch were actively calling and feeding in the ponderosa pines and cottonwoods as Northern Flickers both called and drummed. Common Goldeneye and Hooded Merganser were all displaying as well. Everything must have thought that spring had come early…maybe it has. The female Greater Scaup continues to be in residence at Pond 6. She was surrounded by a host of Gadwalls and Ring-necked Ducks.

Reflections of a Mallard	Flight shot of a Northern Harrier female

eBird Checklist

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Cooperative Downy Woodpecker

I heard the Pileated Woodpecker vocalizing with its fast series of “wuk” notes. Went to that location, and he (I’m assuming a male here) was nowhere to be found. Then, I would hear the bird farther down, some 200 meters or so. This pattern repeat several times, and I decided that Pileateds are nothing more than malevolent ghosts…they do not exist. However, the entire was filled with some great winter birding. The temps were approaching 50 degrees and the sun was shining brightly. Where the ponderosa pines meet with the cottonwoods a sizable mixed flock of Pygmy Nuthatches, Red Crossbills, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Mountain Chickadees, Black-capped Chickadees, Hairy Woodpeckers, and a Downy Woodpecker are actively feeding. The whole entire lot was calling and seemingly rejoicing in the nice weather. What a day to be out, even if it was only for 2 hours. The overall species count is low, but man, what a show!

Typical Habitat at MacClay Flats	Daytime moon over Montana
Great day to be out fishing	Interesting patterns in the ice
Bitterroot River during a warm winter day

eBird checklist

Continue reading »]]> Spent yesterday afternoon at Lee Metcalf NWR, and as always it was a spectacular time to be there. I was able to spot the female Greater Scaup again, and again without an image. Along the Kenai trail, Northern Shrike and American Tree Sparrow were among the visitors from the north. The surprise of the day was a group of common raccoons that near foraging amongst the frozen and cattails of Pond 6. A pair of Hooded Merganser males were in full display (the warm weather must have trick into thinking it was spring). They were only missing a lady for all their efforts. Hundreds of Canada Geese flew overhead and they descended onto the ice as most seems to miss the open water.

Honker landing procedure engaged	Flock in synchronized landing
Northern Shrike perched and watching	Hunter calls it a day
Somber mood	Golden skies over the Bitterroot Mountains
Artsy way of looking at Lee Metcalf	Common Raccoon

eBird Checklist

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Golden light over the Bitterroots

Today, I read in an otherwise mundane news article that an old acquaintance of mine was killed in an avalanche near Cooke City. I have read many articles like this, but most of the time the names are not familiar, and I end up reading the news with very little care. The horrific details are all too soon forgotten. However, this time the name was one that I knew, and the piece took on some deeper meaning. We were not close friends, rather we were work colleagues that hung out a bit after work on occasion. Upon reading the article and seeing his name, I began to think about the fortunate fact that I am still here among the living. How amazing is it that I am able to experience the beauty of the Bitterroot Valley or hear the faint ship notes from a pair of American Tree Sparrows. There is so much to experience, and there is so much work that needs done. I am not talking about tasks at the old 9 to 5, but real work. The work that everyone needs to do within themselves, and the good deeds that we must engage in for the benefit of others.

It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act. There are two aspects to action. One is to overcome the distortions and afflictions of your own mind, that is, in terms of calming and eventually dispelling anger. This is action out of compassion. The other is more social, more public. When something needs to be done in the world to rectify the wrongs, if one is really concerned with benefitting others, one needs to be engaged, involved.
- H.H. Dalai Lama

Continue reading »]]> I was incredibly fortunate to spend the last morning of 2011 birding on the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge for the Christmas Bird Count. This section of the count was led by Bob Danley, who was incredibly generous with his time and laughter. We had a great time.

Dawn rises on the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge	It was great to see the rest of Refuge where you are not normally allowed access to
Pair of Tundra Swans passes overhead

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Lee Metcalf NWR

I needed some nature time today, so I went quickly down to the Lee Metcalf NWR for a little birding walk. I went along one of the trails that loops from the parking lot to the Bitterroot River. Once among the big ponderosa pines, Red-breasted, White-breasted, and Pygmy Natchatches along with 4 species of woodpecker and Black-capped Chickadee. Stopping by the pond near the headquarters, I observed the usual host of waterfowl, and, most surprisingly, a lone Virginia Rail did a few pig grunts from the ever-drying cattails.

Dec 19, 2011 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Protocol: Traveling

6.0 mile(s)

25 species

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Shimi Dawa chilling out

One of things that I am valuing the most is the ability to visit the Garden of a 1000 Buddhas more often, and yesterday we had the opportunity to swing on our way to Plains. As always we stopped by the Sangha house and the resident cat, Shimi Dawa. Her name is Tibetan for Moon Cat, and that moniker fits her. Shimi has a an amazing presence, and she knows that she owns the place. Well, in a way she does own the place as she was a resident long before the Garden was even started.

The central statue at the Garden is of Yum Chenmo (Prajnaparamita) is the representation of the Mother of all the Buddhas. The golden-skinned Yum Chenmo embodies the Supreme Wisdom of the Emptiness-Teaching. Usually we walked one or more circumambulations of the statue along the outside of the wall that represents the wheel of dharma. The 8 interior walls represent the spokes of the wheel of dharma, also known as the Eight-fold Path. The practice of adhering to the Eight-fold Path leds to the cassation of suffering and realization of the awakening. The eight elements of the Path are;

1. Right view
2. Right intention
3. Right speech
4. Right action
5. Right livelihood
6. Right effort
7. Right mindfulness
8. Right concentration

Mother of all the Buddhas in fanastic light	Mother of all the Buddhas gazing down
Stupa on the northeast side of Yum Chenmo	Snow Lions at the base of Yum Chenmo's throne

Face of Buddha

As we leave the Garden, we pass by a statue of one of the primordial Buddhas, just a final reminder of the simplicity of dharma practice.

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Finally, i got away from the business of everyday life and got a chance to going old with an old friend. That old friend is the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge near Stevensville, MT. It was incredible to be back at Lee Metcalf. Along the river, I enjoyed several Bald Eagles, and at the open water near the Headquarters, there were Northern Pintail, Common Goldeneye, Ring-necked Duck, and a displaying Hooded Merganser. He had his hood fully up and was vocalizing.

Red-tailed Hawk peering down	Now I know why they're called Pintails
Pair of Mallards	Bald Eagle over the Bitterroot River
Great to see winter Green-winged Teals	Can actually see the green wing
Pair of Common Goldeneye	Going in
Common Goldeneye drake pondering the edge	Displaying Hooded Merganser
Season's first Rough-legged Hawk image	Taking off, eh?

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Lone Snow Goose

Trio of Tundra Swans	Making a turn
Graceful landing	Onwards, always onwards

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Trey Anastasio and the Scorchio Quartet: Live from Princeton

Trey Anastasio: vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
Gregor Kitzis: violin
Maxim Moston: violin
Martha Mooke: viola
Leah Coloff: cello
Kris Saebo: bass

Tracks:
Summer Of ’89
Divided Sky
Greyhound Rising
Bar 17
Stash
Flock of Words
Strange Design
Wolfman’s Brother
Let Me Lie

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Silver Lake, MT

Today, Andrew Guttenberg and I made the trip from Bozeman to Silver Lake (near Georgetown Lake) for some scoters, which we did see a number of Surf Scoters and a couple of White-winged Scoters. Several Red-breasted Mergansers were also actively feeding on the lake. As we left the Silver Lake area, we spotted a small shorebird in a small pond at the east end of the lake. The bird turned out to be a Red Phalarope with a clean pale gray back, stout bill (for a phalarope), and a beefy-appearing body. What a find, we were stoked. At Georgetown Lake, we chanced upon a 3 Herring Gulls (2 first year and 1 winter adult) and a ton of American Coots and Western Grebes.

Red Phalarope	Red Phalarope
Clean pale gray back of the Red Phalarope

We continued to the Warm Springs WMA, we found several great species;

• 15+ Snow Geese
• 30+ Bonaparte’s Gulls
• A single Sabine’s Gull (finally found one this autumn)

The only target we dipped on Black Scoter. Thanks to Gary Swant for the great directions and advice.

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Kaufman Field Guide to Advanced Birding

More than 20 years ago, the birding world was buzzing with the release of the first edition of Kenn Kaufman’s Advanced Birding. Finally, there was a text dedicated to detailing the major identification issues of North American birding. At last, we had an accessible methodology for IDing those delightfully difficult Empidonax flycatchers. I devoured my first copy, and I have used that knowledge to this very day. But, time rolls on, and with it taxonomies change, technology refines, and identification pointers are revealed. Now, the Kaufman Field Guide to Advanced Birding comes onto the birding scene.

The first thing that I can say that enjoy the most that this text is Kaufman writes in a style that does not treat my like an idiot. By that, I mean many advance birding texts tends to get into a process-oriented methodology to identification, much like a Betty Crocker recipe. Kaufman’s writing almost seems like a set of suggestions from a birder who is a little older and whole lot wiser. I respect the advice and appreciate the information.

After several chapters of general bird identification tips and methodologies, we get into the meat of Advanced Birding – those groups of birds that give us birders fits. The first chapter that tugged at my attention was the winter loons. Soon, many loons (mostly Common) will descend on Ennis Lake, and among them is the occasional Pacific, and, rarely, a Red-throated. The use of the presence or absence of the zig-zag along the side of the neck. If it is present, it is a Common Loon, and if not, you got yourself a Pacific. But that loon has an unpatterned neck and a slightly upturned bill. Ding, ding, ding – there’s a Red-throated Loon. Now, we just have to find a Yellow-billed Loon in the Madison Valley.

Now for the nitpicking complaints. The images used with the text could stand to be bit larger, so that the points that they are intended to illustrate are more prominent. The only other issue I have is so minor, but I really wanted is some sort of table at the end of the appropriate chapter that summarizes the key items of identification.

I cannot recommend the Kaufman Field Guide to Advanced Birding enough to any birder that desires to increase their field identification proficiency. The job done by Kenn Kaufman is to be heartily commended and appreiciated.

Continue reading »]]> The National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act is quite possibly the most odorous piece of legislation that is currently in committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. One of its co-sponsors of this resolution is Montana’s own throughly unimpressive representative, Denny Rehberg. How can Mr. Rehberg co-sponsor a bill that could potentially hand over all the public lands on Montana’s northern tier to the Department of Homeland Security and while also suspending most of the important conservation and environmental laws of the last 100 years? The answer is that Mr. Rehberg simply does not care about his constituents. He is, in fact, the very model of the Washington insider that he rails against when he puts his cowboy boots and comes back to Montana to play good old boy. Read the text of H.R. 1505 for yourself, and you will be shocked. Please email, write, call and otherwise harass Mr. Rehberg or your own U.S. Representative in relation this piece of government by paranoia legislation. Below is my letter to Mr. Rehberg, which he will most likely promptly ignore. And remember that Mr. Rehberg is running in 2012 to be one of our Senators…insert scary Psycho music here.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Congressman Denny Rehberg

2448 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC, 20515
phone: (202) 225-3211
fax: (202) 225-5687

Dear Congressman Rehberg:

I just became aware of your co-sponsorship of H.R. 1505 – National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act, and I have to voice my vehement opposition. While the two sections of the resolution are relatively straightforward, its implications are draconian and ominous. In the following bullets, I highlight the most odorous aspects of H.R. 1505:

• Grants the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) completely unfettered jurisdiction to our public lands without any method of redress by either the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, or citizens through the judicial system. DHS could ban, hamper, or regulate all activities on public lands “within 100 miles of the international land and maritime borders of the United States.” DHS is granted unprecedented power and authority with the clause states that the Departments of Interior and Agricultural “shall not impede, prohibit, or restrict activities of the Secretary of Homeland Security.”
• It suspends 36 conservation and public land laws such as the Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Wilderness Act, and Clean Air Act. To erode all of these protections for our natural resources, health, and recreation with a simple two-section resolution is blatant on its face.

H.R. 1505 amounts to a massive power and land grab by DHS, shatters decades of conservation legislation, and eliminates citizen and inter-government oversight of DHS. I urge to re-consider your co-sponsorship of this resolution, and conduct your legislative duties in the best interests of the State of Montana and its citizens.

Sincerely,

Radd Icenoggle

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Mammoth Hot Springs at Dawn

With each longer night, the elk bugle a bit more intensely and the frost clings a tad harder to the withering blades of grass. Time to pack up the camera gear and head down to Yellowstone National Park for a little session.

The weather is great, but the wildlife tended to not cooperate. So, what is a boy to do? The answer is concentrate on the spectacular scenery. We visited Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin, Hayden Valley, and Boiling River. It was a great day.

Roaring Mountain vents its frustrations	Bison letting off some steam
Dawn bursting through the trees and steam	Brilliant Skies over Yellowstone
Rising above Norris Geyser Basin	Norris Geyser Basin HDR
Ancient Vents of Steam	Norris Geyser Basin HDR
Old Bull on the Yellowstone	Last dust of summer