We had ten days of relaxation and moderate effort at birding.
Over 130 species for the whole trip (email us for complete list).

Best find: Owen Sourwine Natural Area in Kalispell, Montana.
Local Audubon society has saved 442 acres of prime land with wetlands.
We only had about an hour one morning to go through it and it was great!

The Potholes area was most productive. Turnbull near Cheney, Wa was slim
but a few interesting species.
Yellow-headed blackbirds were the most apparent on the whole trip, and
Lazuli buntings.

Yellow bellied sapsucker at Sprague, Wa.

Didn't see our first Pintail until Nine Pipe near Ronan, Montana.

Saw Barrow's goldeneye with 2 offspring at Sourwine, and nesting Rufous
Hummer, and Calliope Hummer.

We had a big argument over Warbling Vireos and Tennessee Vireos at the
cabin, halfway between Helena and Great Falls, and ten miles back in the
hills. Warbling vireos are the correct answer, but the storm of the
previous week had blown in a lot of accidental species, and don't ya wish
the birds would sing their proper songs?!
It would make IDing flycatchers and other similar looking birds a lot
easier if they would sing when we need it!

Magnolia warbler was a nice site at the cabin. And the up-putting of the
hummer feeder at the
extremely quaint cabin brought us continous visits of Calliope Hummers.
Sometimes with territorial debates.
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Serious people stop reading now


Inexplicable birds of Montana:

Clap on, Clap off Rail -- We think we heard it, but can not absolutely
confirm a siting.

Elvis Warbler -- didn't see but definitely heard the females call: "hunka
hunka"
and the males: "brrrrng luv -- brrrrng luv"

Brown nosed cowpie bird -- a very complicated social structure and
annoying bird overall

Copacabana sparrow -- call is: Lola, Lola! and also: Manilow, manilow

there's more but i think i'm in trouble now.