Simple action in support of Earth Day🙂

This Pied-billed Grebe swam close enough for a nice photo. Usually heard (digital recording from xeno-canto xeno-canto.org/57686) before seen. Can submerge to various depths (submarine-like) by compressing feathers/air sacs.

First sign of 2026 blooming from Bonneville Shootingstar. This is a common wildflower in western Montana (fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetai...) blooming from early April into the summer (higher elevations). Typically associated with seasonally wet habitat of grassland/open forest.

A Red Fox has denned about 100 yards from our back door over the past couple of years. This morning an adult at burrow entrance. Easy telephoto shots. Hard to believe this animal can prosper within human development. BTW, this is not unusual (Montana Field Guide fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetai...).

April 22, 2026, EARTH DAY, is coming up. Want some cool activities for your kids in preparation. Check out the National Environmental Education Foundation K-12 webpage ( www.neefusa.org/what-we-do/k...). Have some family fun while learning, taking action 😊

Danilo Caccia, Italian Google Product Expert, collaborated with our OnEBoard podcast member Nina Trankova, testing the new feature in Google Meet: "real time" Speech Translation. Watch his YouTube video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUnE...) for colorful explanation. The future is here 😊👏 check it out.

I posted a YouTube short featuring (youtube.com/shorts/og8vt...) Red-tailed Hawk. Always good to know the most common birds thoroughly to progress your birding skills. Plus, photographing these birds is fun and doable for the Ansel Adams in you. Good Birding!

I'm attending No Kings's event, “NO KINGS Missoula” - sign up now to join me! www.mobilize.us/nokings/even...

Plitt's Rock Shield is pictured...4 years apart. Left image taken in March 2022, right image March 2026. Unintentional comparison, just a large specimen (> 20cm McCune & Geiser 2009) in both cases. Literature words - lichens grow slow. Here's a visual example of growth rate for this species 😜

Encountered first 2026 bloom of Nineleaf Biscuitroot on first day of spring...did you get out too? Left image of small early spring emerging plant. Right image is a late spring fully mature specimen, all gangly with scary looking, boney, finger-like leaves. Distribution: American West, sw Canada.

1st day of spring, whew!! Great weather and field trip action. Low Pussytoes, 1 of 3 new 2026 blooming #wildflowers discovered today. Extra sweet, found ~200 yards from back door on undeveloped foothill swatch. Only site I know of :-) though distributed throughout American West and sw Canada.

Our group, OnEBoard, used the new Google Meet near "real time" speech to speech translation feature. We engaged Danilo Caccia, Italian Google Product Expert, to assist in testing this product. Follow the link below for a demonstration and discussion.

Red-breasted Nuthatch is a mainstay of conifer forests here in w. MT. One unique behavior: it smears sticky conifer resin around the entrance of its nest hole; flies directly into cavity! Watch (3:07 mark) with Lesley the Bird Nerd (www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc4Y...)

Yep, there are a handful of cactus species in Montana. Pictured is Brittle Pricklypear, commonly found in grassland/steppe. Soil mostly sandy or gravelly. "Colonies many meters across can occur in very sandy soil" (Lesica 2012). Flowers rarely (July), usual spread by segments stuck to animals 😊

Wikipedia is celebrating its 25th birthday with a special mascot...consider supporting this comprehensive source of information 👍😊 wikimediafoundation.org/wikipedia25/...

Checked off 4th 2026 #wildflower species today. Yellow Fritillary is a Lily family member. Early spring blooms expected from corm. Corms edible; they "have a similar nutrient profile to a potato but have 50 percent more protein, six times as much calcium, and nearly 30 times more iron" (Wikipedia).

Spring is happening or nearly so when bluebirds are seen. As far as happiness...well Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluebir...) identifies "blue birds" in Chinese mythology, North American, European folklore. Multiple modern cultural references (song) starting 1934. ✅"Blue Sky" Allman Bros. (1972)

Cassin's Finch have shown up at our feeders (w. MT) in the last week. They are no different in behavior than other bird species attending our feeders, but they have got a punk/swag look with the feathered cowlick of top of their head (left photo) 😊

Went to my go-to spot to find the earliest 2026 Cous-root in flower the other day. Found just one plant and it was flowering. Does the "universe" also intersect you with what you are searching for? Call it what you will, but it is a grand feeling when success connects with you.

Lichen habitat/species overlap w. MT recreational lands used by dog walkers. What appears to be a minefield of dried dog poop (upper l. pic) is really Cowpie Lichen. This #lichen has a parasitic beginning usually on Cladonia lichen. Eventually envelopes host, becomes free living (Brodo et al 2001).

Bulbous Woodland Star pictured is the second #wildflower species blooming 2026. March 4 is 13 days earlier than March 17, 2017 early record. It can be overlooked walking through preferred grassland habitat because of small size. Peak flowering during April throughout the American West (INaturalist).

Found these #wildflowers on February 27, first of the year. Earliest date by only a couple of days; March 1 record from 2015 (w. MT). Look for early blooming plants in open grasslands away from shade in the American West. Persistent, fleshy leaves and waxy petals, may be reason for early blooming.

Good time of the year to look for Barrow's Goldeneye at your favorite wetland/lake as ice goes out. More likely found in American West and Northeast US, rare in interior. Distinct plumages (male left, female right) at reasonable viewing distances. Colors/patterns interesting, entertaining for me.

Arriving in March: Western Meadowlark. Usually detected by rich, flute-like song from elevated perch that carries over distances. Listen here: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wester.... Distribution: west of the Mississippi River. Habitat: open grasslands. State bird of six states, includes Montana.

Columbian Ground Squirrel sure is colorful exiting a 7 month underground hibernation. Saw first one of year today. Amazing they look this good; rely totally on body fat to make it through winter. Males first to emerge. Herbivores that forage early morning/late afternoon in radius around burrow.

Mild winter like w. MT? Start looking for Bulbous Woodland-star. This #wildflower perennial usually forms mats in grasslands moist in early spring. 3-lobed leaves kidney shaped, average .5 inch in size (left image). White/pink flowers 5-lobed, .3 inch petal (r. photo). Distribution: American West.

A Milbert's Tortoiseshell zoomed past me on my morning MT neighborhood walk today. Photo below from couple of years ago. February 28 sighting is the earliest date by two weeks from my records. The conditions: about 50F and full sunshine. Not even March and this is the 2nd #butterfly sp. for 2026.

A natural history publication (1807) by Robert John Thornton, M.D. highlighting the "Dissertation on the Sexes of Plants" of Carolus Linneaus. His book "New Illustration of the Sexual System of Linnaeus" dedicated to the Queen of the United Kingdom (archive.org/details/mobo...). more info: Alt text

Alpine Bog Laurel is a 12 inch tall evergreen shrub of lake, pond margins of high elevations in western Montana (Lesica 2014). Taxonomically placed in the Heath family. Easy to recognize with inflorescences of 2-10 bright pink flowers. Peak bloom in July.

Have yet to see Prairie Falcon for 2026. Usually all it takes is cruising gravel roads during winter in open habitat of meadows, pastures, native grasslands. Forgot to mention powerpoles as perch sites. In many cases these birds aren't skittish. Excellent photo opps possible :-) Just cool to find.

Was waiting at left turn light. One of the busiest intersections in Missoula, MT. A small falcon streaked in front from right to left chasing a pigeon. It perched near atop a 2 story motel after fun. Had binos in car. Noted a brown-backed "Richardson's" Merlin like photo below. Lesson: be ready :-)

Flowers of shrubs can be overlooked because of small size. Come May/June Bristly Black Currant will be in bloom in "moist to wet forests...often along streams" (Lesica 2012). Additionally, Lesica describes this species as: "most common species of wet sites in coniferous forest". Beautiful blooms.

Arrowhead Blue aptly named. The seven or so white arrowhead shapes on the brown background of the rear underwing are diagnostic. Compare with Silvery Blue of far right image. This #butterfly measures < 1.25" wingspan (Pyle 2002). Found on lupine sp. (host plant) also moist soil. Flight=peak in May.

Petalled Rocktripe Lichen is fairly common to find in western Montana on noncalcareous rock (McCune et al 2014). Concentrate your search on outcrops or talus slopes. Distribution: eastern and western North America and Europe ( www.inaturalist.org/observations...)

There are at least four macrolichen species on this fence post inside a mature stand of Ponderosa Pine. Can you identify any to genus? Even if you don't know identity, they are very cool by form and color. Take along a magnifying lens on your next nature walk...view a different world :-)

Pictured is President Theodore Roosevelt and U.S. Forest Service Chief Gifford Pinchot circa 1907. Roosevelt and Pinchot set aside great quantities of land for conservation during their Administration. Roosevelt also made the "square deal" (fair play/opportunity for all) a priority in his term.

32 days to the start of spring :-) Am looking forward to seeing Mormon Fritillary in the high elevations come late summer. Pictured taking nectar from Spotted Knapweed (noxious weed), one of the few #wildflowers still in bloom in late August.

Pictured is an adult male, sexed by stubby tails, Hedgerow Hairstreak (Pyle & LaBar 2018). This #butterfly has only a 1.25" wingspan. Prefers to take nectar from numerous, densely packed flowers. Pictured taking nectar from Spreading Dogbane. Distribution: American West. Flight peak = July

This #lichen is a feature of cliff faces of moist forest habitat at middle and low elevations in the Pacific Northwest (McCune & Geiser 2009). Crudely round and large, can approach diameter of 8 inches. ID via the all black rhizines (root-like structures) seen in right hand image.

You know you are high (elevation wise) if you find Lesser Salted Rocktripe Lichen. Abundant in subalpine/alpine elevations, circumpolar distribution (McCune & Geiser 2009). Cool looking, white crystalline-like ridges set against a gray thallus. Compare with U. hyperborea, dark brown in left image.

February 12, 1809 is the birthdate of Charles Darwin. He was of English descent and was curious of the world around him. As such, he became a naturalist, geologist and biologist. He eventually published groundbreaking "On the Origin of Species" (1859). Natural selection is foundation of evolution.

Consider doing the Great Backyard Bird Count starting tomorrow Friday, February 13 through Monday, February 16. All it takes is 15 minutes of your time on any of the days. This is a great way to get into "birding" shape for the upcoming wave of spring migrants. Read More: www.birdcount.org

Never to early to be thinking about spring/summer #wildflowers populated with nectaring #butterflies. This is a perennial that grows in loose patches (Lesica 2014) in open woodlands. Important hostplant/nectar source for Euphilotes butterflies. Many Dotted Blues only use certain buckwheat species.

McCune et al (2014) characterize this species as "probably the most abundant Umbilicaria in Montana." Substrate is noted as non-calcareous rock at low to high elevations. Brown, foliose thallus densely populated by small rounded bumps (rugose). Dark apothecia common.

Posting this brightly colored lichen for you folks in the eastern U.S. (on 2nd thought everybody suffering with Monday) under the thumb of snow and cold. Possible to see X. hasseana on poplars in northern third of eastern U.S. Only 38 days until Vernal Equinox (www.timeanddate.com/countdown/sp...)

Another species of rocktripe seen on what else but noncalcareous rock. Punctured Rocktripe identified by skull-like cracks/sutures throughout the brown thallus. The edges are especially perforated. Can reach a diameter of two inches. Worldwide distribution: www.inaturalist.org/observations...

Emery Rocktripe #Lichen is widespread through the American West (McCune & Geiser 2009). It is found on non-calcareous (lacking lime, chalkiness) rock. Reported in the literature as a food source for indigenous peoples. 33 species of Umbilicaria in North America.

Cato Institute (Libertarian) just released a study on immigrants contributions to economy. 'Ohh that's Rich' on YouTube (youtube.com/shorts/DW4ZO...) reviewed the findings and posted a synopsis as a Short. Data refutes negative beliefs about immigrants sucking up government welfare...watch :-)

Encountered Split-peg Lichen within 100 yards of Kootenai Creek trailhead on a rock about 16 inches in diameter (left image). 'Large' grouping worthy of note re: whitish/grayish green squamules numericallyabundant over rock and on some of the podetia. Had fun photographing 😊

#Birding trip aesthetics at Lee Metcalf NWR (Stevensville, MT) today. Stunning, have to pinch myself. Bitterroot Valley floor pretty much snow free during this extremely mild winter. NCRS SNOTEL Instrumentation record this basin have 75% of normal snowpack. Important for us and wildlife.