Native birds provide a symphony for our spring enjoyment
It’s a cool Saturday morning, and I am nestled in the cradle of a spring slumber. My window is open, and the fresh air is aromatherapy. I roll to my other side thinking how nice 10 more minutes in bed would be.
“It ain’t happening.” A persistent rat-tat-tat somewhat far off catches my ear. Then the realization seeps in: “They’re here.”
The drum corps of woodpeckers and it’s accompaniment of a marching band have begun their spring concerts.
The Kootenai, Flathead and Clark Fork river valleys and the higher elevations surrounding them are high-priced ticket seats for the concerts. The riparian and wetland areas at lower elevations and especially the burns located higher up are the settings for prime-time shows, and it’s time to tune in, folks.
It is a fantastic percussion section to take in. On bass drum, the well-known pileated keeps the beat as he hammers away. The larger the tree and the deeper the sound, the more virile the individual, or so the belief goes. He often attracts his mate from the large cottonwoods near the river bottoms.
On snare drums, we have the larger hairy and the smaller downy woodpeckers. I always remember them by the “H” for huge, and the “D” for dwarf.
The red-shafted flicker that nails my metal chimney flashing and my gutters pitches in on cymbols occasionally. Representing timpani drums, we often hear the yellow-bellied, red-naped, or Williamson’s sapsuckers. They drill away, often arranging horizontal rows of holes that taper down to a small pocket, therefore allowing sap to collect and drawing insects to feed upon.
An uncommon treat can be added by the kettle drumming of a northern three-toed or black-backed woodpecker. Maybe the rolling cow bells of a western screech owl, or chimes of a saw-whet or flammulated owl will grace our symphony.
A color guard is about to lead the band. Western and Mountain bluebirds, orange varied and wood thrush, ornate wood ducks and western tanagers are soon on the march.
Rows of Clark’s nutcrackers, gray and Steller’s jays form the ranks. It’s a celebration of bird life in our area, with raptors, waterfowl, tundra swans, sand hill cranes, and numerous passerines for us to gaze upon and listen to, my friends.
Birding is a small investment in gear, and a large investment in yourself. All you need is a bird field guide book, a pair of binoculars, a little gas, and a desire to get out, exercise and mellow out. If you’re a bit more serious, take a class with a field ornithologist and or attend a bird festival.
The music of spring brings us all out, and on that note the Montana Wilderness Association is sponsoring a “meet, greet, and keep the beat” out at Dave and Tammy’s Riverbend Restaurant on May 2 .
They will be having free appetizers, drink specials, and announcing the hiking schedule and events for our area. This includes a road tour and short hikes outing on May 17 entitled “Wings, Tails, Tracks and Trails” and news of many other area birding events and professionally led hikes, most of which are free.
Come out and enjoy the music and company of other outdoor enthusiasts. The Montana Wilderness Association invites all local musicians for the open-mic jam session led by Dave and friends.
Join some other folks who travel to the beat of a different drum.
You might just get hooked, I did.
(Brian Baxter is an outdoorsman, hiker and naturalist who writes a column for The Western News.)