10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

Jennifer Ackerman brings a sense of curiosity and wonder to her material, whether she’s interviewing evolutionary ecologist Christopher Clark about the mechanics of an owl’s silent flight or looking for Northern Pygmy Owl nests in Montana with a team from the Owl Research Institute. They are also hunted.

Owls 209

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 209

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2014

My Dark-eyed Juncos are trilling in preparation to retreat to quieter breeding grounds, the Black-Capped Chickadees sing their two notes, and the Song Sparrows absolutely will not shut up. And yet, perhaps ironically, the biggest sign of spring in a Montana March is when the skies fill with white. The Varied Thrushes came back.

Geese 179

Geese Montana Breeding Pelicans 179

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 24, 2014

Though hardly common, Great Gray sightings are a yearly occurrence in Western Montana, and it is one of the twelve species of owl known to breed in the state. We arrived at Maclay Flat just in time to see three men unloading the sort of heavy-duty optics and camera equipment that signals serious birders on the hunt.

Owls 225

Owls Minnesota Montana 2014 225

10,000 Birds

JUNE 15, 2012

On the first day, before the sun was even properly up, I already had one of my target species under my belt: the storied and spectacular White Stork. My travelling companion, also from the University of Montana creative writing program, was not a nature girl at all, but she could relate to birds that played a role in stories.

Spain 171

Spain Europe Industry Rodents 171

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2013

My best bird of the year is based on the sighting rather than the species. My best bird of the year was without a doubt the Montana Baikal Teal , a bird that combined rarity, beauty, and the good grace to stick around long enough for me to actually see it. Montana’s Baikal Teal by suneko. Rock Warbler by Clare Morton.

2013 167

2013 Birds Costa Rica India 167