Author Archives: Dottie Moon

Maclay Flat’s Owl Quartet

Missoula hosts a wide range of owl species, from the miniscule Northern Saw-whet to America’s largest, the three foot tall Great Gray. My favorite spot to go ‘owling ‘ is Maclay Flat, in which 4 species of these elusive raptors reside in the winter months. Amongst them is the Barred Owl. Their call, the popularContinue reading “Maclay Flat’s Owl Quartet”

The Caching of Gray Jays

  Gray Jays: the infamous “robbers” of food from campers and picnics. In late October, I enjoyed observing them gather fat from an elk carcass and caching it. Caching is when an animal hides food for later use, like a squirrel hiding a stash of nuts and seeds. The difference between the squirrel’s way of cachingContinue reading “The Caching of Gray Jays”

What’s in a Name?

Part Two : The Cooper’s Hawk In the What’s in a Name series, we dive into the entangled and problematic histories of naming birds after specific people. In November, I introduced readers to the American Ornithological Society’s decision to change the names of birds that were subjected to nomenclature. We learned about the Bonaparte’s GullContinue reading “What’s in a Name?”

Hurricane Helene Impacts Fall Bird Migration in the southern Atlantic Flyway

 As the southeastern U.S. recovers from the 5th Hurricane Helene in history, birds that were flying in the southerly end of the Atlantic Flyway are beginning to recover. Hurricane Helene began as a tropical storm in the Caribbean, and then gradually transformed into a Category 4 hurricane as it hit Florida. Members of the annualContinue reading “Hurricane Helene Impacts Fall Bird Migration in the southern Atlantic Flyway”

Hutsinpilar, Upland Killer

By Dottie Herring Our Subaru Outback glides into a pullover spot on Rock Creek Road and my family and I clamber out with enthusiasm. The sunscreen, water, and snacks are dropped in the spacious backpack and soon we are ready to go. The last thing to enter the backpack is the 22, for it isContinue reading “Hutsinpilar, Upland Killer”

Triumph of the Fish Hawk

The wind whipped through the small, cramped tent and rustled the camo fabric. I yawned. It was about eight in the morning and I didn’t usually get outside until ten or eleven. This day however, was different. With my feet firmly planted 15 feet above the Missoula College parking lot, I gazed through my camera’sContinue reading “Triumph of the Fish Hawk”