NatMuONTANAraliSpring/Summerst 2011 Garden Combat Pelicans on the Prairie Splashing Around with WEN

Summer Activities page 9

SPRING/SUMMER 2011 NATURALIST To promote and cultivate the appreciation, understanding and stewardship of nature through education inside Spring/Summer 2011 NatMuONTANAralist Features

4 Terrorists in the Garden by Sneed B. Collard III How to survive deer attacks on native planting

6 Slug Alert by Caroline Kurtz Consider these humble gastropods 4 6 8 A Moot Question by Robin Childers Starlings engage in strategic confusion

Departments

3 Tidings Special

Pull-Out 9 8 9 Get Outside Guide Section Seen in the field; summer happenings; poetry project; classes and more

13 Community Focus WEN makes a difference

14 Far Afield Pelicans on the prairie

16 Imprints 13 14 Summer Science Discovery Camps

19 Reflections Pond lily

Cover – Western painted turtle. Photo by Jim Streeter, taken during a paddle on the Clearwater Canoe Trail, Seeley Lake. “This one seemed to be trying to decide whether it needed to abandon its choice spot in the sun to dive into the river,” he says. To see more of Jim’s wildlife 16 photos, go to www.environmentalstockimages.com.

Inside Back Cover – Yellow pond lily (Nuphar spp.). Photo by Kevin Fredenberg, taken on a June morning at a pond just off the near Florence. “I was photographing some ducks when I was struck by [the lily’s] reflection and the setting.” For more of Kevin’s photos, go to www.fredenbergphotography.com.

No material appearing in Montana Naturalist may be reproduced in part or in whole without the written consent of the publisher. All contents © 2011 The Montana Natural History Center. 2 MONTANA NATURALIST SPRING/SUMMER 2011 tidings

Connecting People with Nature

120 Hickory Street Missoula, MT 59801 ince always, people have strived to (406) 327-0405 name things in nature – to identify, [email protected] Sclassify and thereby understand how www.MontanaNaturalist.org things are related and how they work. You might think we’d be finished by Executive Director Arnie Olsen now, but this process is ongoing as new information – about a , an animal Education Director Lisa Bickell – leads to re-classification and a different MNHC Photo understanding of how the world evolved and is changing. Assistant Education Director Brian Williams As Sneed Collard writes in his story about native gardening, getting to know the habits – and names – of individual species is the best way to learn them and teach them to others. Naturalist Alyssa McLean This is true for the littlest mollusks to taxonomically challenging water lilies. In this issue, we focus on seeking out things in nature that inspire and intrigue – from Community Programs Coordinator slime mold to starling swarms – letting observations guide us to a greater understanding Tina Hanke and appreciation of the diversity of living things. This spring and summer MNHC offers Volunteer Coordinator many ways to get started on building your own awareness of nature. Day camps for kids, Allison De Jong master naturalist classes, field trips and discovery days can help open your eyes and stimulate Field Notes Coordinator & curiosity about the variety of organisms we share our region and planet with. We hope you’ll Montana Naturalist Editor send us reports of your own discoveries as well! Welcome sunshine! Caroline Kurtz Office Managers Debra Jones Candace Romero Caroline Kurtz Editor Campus Corps Interns Katie Arledge Katy Morrison Summer Science Print Smart! Discovery Camp Instructors Katy Morrison Jane Reynolds Sarah DeNitto GATEWAYPRINTING.COM Katherine Ellison Jena Bullis Anna Zlonis Erika Foster Print Lindsay Fagrelius 1947 South Avenue West Summer Camp Intern Missoula, MT 59801 Jody Domsky 406.728.4810 Board of Directors Hank Fischer, President Promotional www.gatewayprinting.com Marilyn Marler, Vice President Products Marcia Kircher, Secretary Betty Oleson, Treasurer Anne Garde Get $10 Off Your Janice Givler Minette Glaser Next Online Order Jim Hamilton Document Use the promotional code Suzanne Miller Services below when you order from Rick Oncken our website.ebsite. Susan Roy Lance Schelvan A51943 Stephen Speckart Jamie Troiano Checks All Prices Based on Print-Ready CMYK Montana Naturalist Artwork. Input Code at Final Checkout & Forms Screen. Offer Expires 6/30/11 Art Director Eileen Chontos

3 SPRING/SUMMER 2011 MONTANA NATURALIST 4 MONTANA Terrorists in the Garden: N A T URA L IST SPRING/SUMMER 2011 IST Story andphotosbySneedB.CollardIII Story plant garden. in anative toinvest reason Kids, thebest protection. needs solid background) star inthe shooting (with root balsam- Arrowleaf

them. Urban I’ve deerwilleatalmosteverything. learnedthehard waythat supposedly “deer resistant” ,andIcantellyou rightnow—don’t believe Al Hoofa accountedforthegreatest casualties.I’ve lookedover listsof the nextfivehouse,Ilostdozens seasonsatmynew anddozens ofplants. Everything lookedgood. What couldpossiblygowrong? The answer: alot. that George W. Bush musthave feltafterthefirstdaysofIraq War. happily putthemintheground. 4Runner withnative plants—asmanyaswe couldfit—returned homeand to Helen Atthowe’s Biodesign Farms inStevensville. We loadedupmy’86 finished buildingouttheinfrastructure, my son andIeagerlydrove down space asouroldhouse.Once ourlandscapedesigner, Brian Lohans, neighborhood, Ifelteven more excited. Here, Ihadthree timesthegarden contentious hummingbirds. More visited,alongwithapairof thanadozen species ofbutterflies canvas ofconeflower, penstemon,blazingstarandothernative wildflowers. watered them. Within twoyears, mygarden explodedwithavibrant plants down attheFarmer’s Market, stuckthemintheground and about eightyears ago. It proved simpleandsatisfying.Iboughtnative I begannative plantgardening atmyoldhouseindowntown Missoula Native naivete something Imustdoalone.Something Imustdotosave mygarden. them “deer.” I seetheEnemy. IcallthemAl-Hoofa. The Bambi-ban. Others simplycall the perimeter, Isuddenlyfreeze. There, feetoutsidethewindow, onlyafew that tonight They willbeback. landscape. It’s dayssincethelastattack,butI’ve beenafew gotafeeling I At myoldhouse,Ilostmaybetwoorthree plants—total.During As we waitedfortheplantstogrow, Ihadthesamekindofoptimism When we moved houseintheRattlesnake toourless-urbannew I racetothefront door, myBorder collieatmyheels, butthisis My instinctsprove uncannilyaccurate.Performing onelastsweep of when They come.Every minutesIscanthesurrounding few Full alert. The timeofourgreatest vulnerability. This isthetime t’s anearlysummerevening andmyhouseisunderaCodeRed. deer alsoare malicious.Even iftheydon’t wanttoeat something, theythinknothingofyankingatender, freshly-installed plantoutby theroots and leaving ittodieaquick,desiccatingdeath. lessons from thefront lines. plant warriors,I’d liketoshare some and anannualcallforfresh plant garden terrorists. For you aspiringnative reinforcements—I have finally, in my measure ofprogress againstthelocal garden’s fifthseason,achieved some Despite themanysetbacks—

Deer illustration: istockphoto.com

Lessons fromaNativePlantWarrior Terrorists in the Garden: Lessons from a Native Plant Warrior

Rambo plants Pick a strategy Especially in an intense deer-browsing area, it’s nice to have some plants The take-home message here is that in a deer insurgent area, you’ve you know will survive and help establish a Green Zone. Deer will still got to pick a strategy. You can a) go with the toughest of the toughest, take a swipe at some of these, but overall, here are my best performers: using the Rambo lists above, or b) use an integrated approach of Rambo plants and plants that need protection. Shrubs I go with b, simply because it’s more interesting. Montana has so Silver buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea) many wonderful plants, it’s just not an option to leave them out of the Skunkbush sumac (Rhus trilobata) garden, deer notwithstanding. I enjoy many different species behind Curl-leaf mountain-mahogany fenced-in or “netted” areas around my house, including prairie smoke, (Cercocarpus ledifolius) purple coneflower, pasqueflower, various penstemons, thimbleberry, Golden currant (Ribes aureum) globemallow, monkeyflowers and many others. Big sagebrush (Artemesia tridentata) Lewis’ I’ve also recently resorted to chemical warfare. On a whim Rubber rabbitbrush monkeyflower last summer, I bought a bottle of Plantskydd™, an organic deer (Chrysothamnus nauseosus) repellent. I’m now a believer. You do need to apply it regularly grape (Mahonia repens) to your susceptible plants—and the spray bottle stinks (pun intended)—but I credit it with helping turn the tide in my I should also add my list of “Shrubs to battle against my neighborhood’s voracious ungulates. Which Deer Show No Mercy.” They include: The question remains: is the war worth it? For anyone Spiraea, honeysuckle, mock , serviceberry interested in our natural heritage, or who is simply tired and red ozier dogwood. These all needed to be yellow monkeyflower of seeing the same mind-numbing landscaping plants in caged to survive. I also implore you: stay away from yard after yard, native plant gardening offers myriad rewards. snowberry. It’s messy, few animals eat the berries Personally, I’ve found it the best way to learn our local species and and the aphids on it attract yellowjackets. teach them to my children. The colors and variety of flowers that emerge each year from my garden provide an endless perennials source of surprise and delight. Rosy pussytoes (Antennaria rosea) Living in the heart of wildlife habitat, I also feel Beebalm (Monarda fistulosa) good about returning some resources to Montana’s Chocolate coneflower () native animals. The deer find forage from my shrubs. Giant eveningstar (Mentzelia decapetala) Birds, bees and butterflies have started taking advantage Prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera) of the new flower resources. Hairy golden aster (Chyrsopsis villosa) In fact, I just went downstairs Woolly groundsel (Senecio canus) to check on something, and was Oregon sunshine delighted to find our first- Obviously, this is a pretty ever American Goldfinch short list, but I will say that certain feeding on grass seeds in my other species seem to soldier on Field Note: many of the front plots. after they’ve been protected for a plants that do well with deer tend I guess I’m glad I planted a couple of years and have achieved to be weedy and can themselves few grasses after all. Company or Battalion strength. become a problem. I pull hundreds These include mock orange, of beebalm seedlings every year Sneed B. Collard III has written narrow-leaved purple coneflower, and I absolutely wouldn’t let any more than sixty books for young people silver lupine, blanketflower, other mint species get established including The Prairie Builders— arrowleaf balsamroot, stonecrop, unless you want a monoculture Reconstructing America’s Lost blue penstemon, American mint garden. Ditto for yarrow and Grasslands and Science Warriors— harebell, goldenrod and blue flax. native grasses. I have a large The Battle Against Invasive Species. area dominated by June grass and Learn more about him and his books other grasses and, well, it was a at www.sneedbcollardiii.com. mistake. I now have to work hard to keep grasses from invading the 5 entire landscape. MONTANA NATURALIST Up close, slugs Slug Alert can be beautiful, possessing subtle Be on the lookout pearlescent for these colors and cute “charismatic waving “horns.” mini-fauna”

e’re going on a slug hunt! Not for exotic types – those gooey garden invaders you wish you didn’t find Wamong your marigolds. No, I’m determined to seek out our less-noticeable, yet intriguing, native slug species. Possibly charismatic, these fauna certainly are not mega. They don’t lend themselves to stunning portraiture like wolves and and elk do. The largest of them – the magnum mantleslug – might grow as long as three inches, fully extended, while most others are one or two inches at most, and the pygmy slug is barely fingernail sized. Of the nine native slug species known in Montana – there By Caroline Kurtz could be more, but who’s looking? – all are found west of the continental divide. The field slug, Derocerus laeve, is the only one also known to occur east of the Rocky Mountains. Slugs require sufficiently moist conditions to survive, as they lack the external protective shells their gastropod relatives, snails, have. While slug habitat can vary, it’s

almost always in forested sites and/or along Hebden. Marbled jumping slug and Russell mantleslug ©Bill Leonard, MTNHP. Silhouette slug photo: istockphoto © Tracy

Marbled Jumping-slug - Hemphillia danielsi Russell Mantleslug - Udosarx lyrata russelli Pygmy Slug - Kootenaia burkei 6 MONTANA NATURALIST SPRING/SUMMER 2011 creeks and streams, according to Paul The best chance to find slugs is in the Hendricks, zoologist with the Montana spring and fall, when Natural Heritage Program and author of a they’re out and about soon-to-be-published Guide to Land Snails eating and looking for Magnum Mantleslug - and Slugs of Montana. Montana slugs are a mate. Although Magnipelta mycophaga not that easy to spot, he says, they tend to slugs are look like little lumps of dirt or decaying hermaphroditic, vegetation. Very little is known about their containing both populations: how many there are, how long male and female Keeping an they live, where they go and what they do. reproductive organs, eye on slugs Slugs – like bacteria, fungi and some Montana species – as far as we insects – are decomposers, breaking down know – do not self-fertilize. Instead, The Montana Natural Heritage Program organic matter and recycling nutrients one slug needs to pair up with another is the state’s premier tracker of non- in field and forest. They munch away on individual to mutually fertilize eggs. game species information. While it is plants, leaves and rotting logs. Some also “It’s an interesting question,” says the largest repository of slug data in eat mushrooms. In fact, some slugs may Hendricks. “Why be hermaphroditic if Montana, that’s not saying a lot. For play an important role in the dispersal of you don’t self- fertilize? It could be related instance, there are only 35 recorded fungal spores. In turn, slugs form part of to the limited mobility of some terrestrial observations of magnum mantleslugs the diet of other animals, like snails, beetles slugs and snails; they have dispersal abilities since the 1950s. Since 2005, though, surveys have turned up three new native species. With more time and I’m curious, now that slugs are on my radar, resources, imagine how many more might be discovered. Though you’re highly about what exactly is going on on the forest floor. unlikely to find one of these slugs in your neighborhood or backyard, you might find and salamanders, and they have developed less than most plants. Many of the smaller some in a healthy urban natural area, creative ways to avoid these predators. species probably spend their lives within such as Greenough Park in Missoula. Take the taildroppers, for instance. a few meters area, so opportunities for If you think you’ve come across one, According to Hendricks, these slugs encountering another individual of the same you can contact the Natural Heritage can lose the ends of their tails (their species might be very limited. When you Program at www.mtnhp.gov. “foot” actually, as it’s called) as a defense do meet up with another of your kind, he mechanism, similar to the way lizards says, you can “make the most of it” without Slug slime can. Others produce a colored slime when regard to gender. Slugs and snails do have “eyes” on the “upset.” Some, like the marbled and the This spring, you might get lucky and tips of their optical tentacles, but they pale jumping slugs, “don’t exactly leap, run into a concentration of slugs. Hendricks mostly sense their world through taste but can twist and thrash around quite has found upwards of 30 magnum and smell. The obvious feature that vigorously,” he says. In nature, this action mantleslugs in an hour of looking, for snails and slugs share is the “feeding allows them to drop off a log or a plant and instance. This May and June, I’ll be out foot,” or gastropod. This foot also is immediately get away from a threat. More searching for these littlest of Montana’s what gets them places, by secreting a importantly, doing so breaks the slug’s wildlife, gently turning over pieces of wood special mucous that allows them to glide slime trail, which contains its scent, and a or rocks, looking under leaves. I’m curious, unharmed over anything, even a knife predator such as a carnivorous snail can no now that slugs are on my radar, about what blade. The slime also lays down a scent

Sheathed slug © Bryce A. Maxell, MTNHP; all other slug photos © Paul Hendricks, MTNHP. longer follow it. exactly is going on on the forest floor. trail for navigation and communication.

Pale Jumping-slug - Hemphillia camelus Smoky Taildropper - Prophysaon humile Sheathed Slug - Zacoleus idahoensis 7 SPRING/SUMMER 2011 MONTANA NATURALIST 8 predator approaches. a single,individualbird. Schools of fishdoasimilarthingwhen making itdifficultforthesharp-shinned hawktopickoutortrack confusion forthepredator by swarmingandalteringdirection quickly, create confusion ortodeceive. In the starlingexample,thebirds create referred toas “obfuscation.” unified turningandtwistingduringamoot,isstrategysometimes predators by creating confusion, asillustratedby thestarlings’ swiftand but alsotoprovide amethodforevading predators. Evading orescaping the presence ofpredators. Starling mootsseemboth to attractpredators, In fact,manyvideosofthisbehaviorthatIfoundontheInternet feature moots, attractbirds ofprey, includingourfriendthesharp-shinnedhawk. Information postedto Wikipedia saysthatthesestarlingswarms,called starlings swarmed? starlings surprisedme.It alsoraisedthequestion:washereason the resident sharp-shinnedhawk’s appearanceinthemiddleofthrong of from thepower line,thefence,trees, thegarden statuary. Still, our starlings, andIhadnumerous stillshotsofhimstalkingourbird feeders After all,Ihadtakenvideoofhimalmostimmediatelyafterfilmingthe camera’s smalldisplay. immediately“who” Iknew thebiggerbird was. outside theswarm,wasaslightlylargerbird, invisibletomeonthe grew suspicious.In themidstofstarlings,andsometimeshovering videos tothecomputer, by discovery. anew Iwasstruck several monthslaterwhenIuploadedmyaccumulatedphotosand maniacally? Ireally felttoofullofwondertobeembarrassed. Then, adult spinningcircles inthebackyard, headtiltedback,laughing consciously. Were anyofmyneighborswatchingthisforty-something grass. Asthebirds settledbackintothetrees, Ilookedaround self- evening skyandItrackedthemwithmylens,turningcircles inthe minuteslater,enough, afew thestarlingsagainexplodedinto on thevideofeature ofmydigitalcameraandwaited.Sure boasting abouttheriotousride. times thencamebacktwitteringtothetrees, asif contracted overhead. The cloudofbirds circled several into ablack,kidney-shapedballthatswelled and blown intotheairby asudden gustofwind,massing I’m talkingabout. They swarmed. they didthatthingstarlingsdo. You know what inaneighboringyard.spruces Then, whileIwatched, flock ofEuropean starlingschattered noisilyfrom several you never know whatyou mightseeinthebackyard). A L A MONTANA Obfuscation describesarangeofanimal behaviors designedto Turns outthisquestionmaybeofthechicken-or-the-eggvariety. Viewing thestarlingswarmoncomputer’s largescreen, I I laughedoutloud,utterlyamusedandamazed. Iturned The starlingsrose outofthetreetops asthough into the ate SeptemberI oneafternoonlast , my camera around my neck (because feeders,mycameraaround myneck(because N “Moot” Question A T By RobinChilders URA backyard L IST SPRING/SUMMER 2011 IST to refill the bird tromped

a goodreason forthisbehaviorrightinthemiddleoftheirmoot. swarming onaclearautumnevening, keepyour eyes peeled. You mayfind longer. No tellingwhichdirection he’ll go.) Andifyou noticestarlings avoid hittingasquirrel, think“Obfuscate.” (You mightalsoidlealittle whose momentuminthewrong direction allowed you toslipaway. left,beyondyou thegraspofyour feintedtotherightthendarted pursuer concentration andspeedtopursuitinthewrong direction. predator willturntoasinglelineofchase andcommititsentire weight, move direction atonce.Its inevery successrelies onthegamblethat well. Asquirrel, forexample.In avoiding achasingpredator, itseemsto walks inthemountains andoccasionalfitsofwriting. national professional organizations, butmaintainshersanity through frequent Naturalist program. She makes alivingasanassociationexecutive forseveral Robin ChildersisaFall 2010graduate ofMNHC’s Montana Master Some behavior of individual animals can be called obfuscation as Some behaviorofindividualanimalscanbecalledobfuscationas So, thenexttimeyou stopyour carinthemiddleofstreet to Humans canobfuscatethisway, too. You diditasakidplayingtag; . California. in Sacramento, photographed starling moot, enormous outside an hovers A crow

Photo: Courtesy © etgeek (flickr) Special Pull-Out Section: pull out and post these pages for handy reference. 9 IST L URA T

A N

Osprey By Audrey Osprey brownWhite and flying Diving, fishing, Digs into fish Wings

SPRING/SUMMER 2011 MONTANA

Discover Your Place Your It is blue like a cloud. It is like blue Jello – can go through it and You Dive into it. The river is a long fish With other fish inside it. The By Win The river is like a peace sign Flowing along to a Pacific Ocean. about the plants in learning more Interested to deepen your Want here? and animals that live and naturalist skills?understanding of nature is open for our 2011 fall Montana Registration MNHC naturalist led by class, Naturalist Master course runsThis six-week from Alyssa McLean. The class meets 13. October 6 through September 4:00-7:00 p.m., Thursdays from and Tuesdays on field trips on full-day Saturday and includes three The fee for the 8. 10, 24 and October September Please available. course is $395; 3 college credits call 327-0405 during business hours to register.

Spotty and noisy Spotty and watching Flying, singing, Its eggs are today! hatching Robin Feathered Friend By Harriet meadowlark Western

Downy Woodpecker By Simon Downy woodpecker White spots Flying, eating, sleeping A cushion inside its head protects it Woodpecker As fast as a motorcycle The Bitterroot River By Daisy The Bitterroot River is And slow as a turtle. It has lots of pretty rocks of Different shapes, sizes and colors The river is full of sugar sand, Sand that is smooth and Feels like sugar. It’s fun to swim in the river, But sometimes it’s hard to go in All the way.

guide

outside get

Worn blanket. Worn Like the hairs sticking off your legs. They live on trees by the river, Eating leaves. Needles that stick to the trees. They have thin skin like a Caterpillars have tiny hairs Caterpillars in the Clark Fork By Their small legs are like tiny Belted Kingfisher By Jack Belted Kingfisher Spiky hair and white neck Fishing, eating, flying Flash of yellow under the beak Fish

PoetryProject Flowing River Enjoy some of their poems about the area’s rivers and birds. bird calls, wrote and even made a short about them, nature film. Fork River. Students identified birds, made field sketches, learnedFork River. Recently they also began to study birds that live along the Clark all living things in the Clark Fork/Columbia River watershed.all living things in the Clark Fork/Columbia ways to keep the river clean and improve of life for the quality in Missoula have been working with the Clark Fork Coalition onin Missoula have been working with the Students in Kevin Cashman’s first-grade class at Sussex SchoolStudents in Kevin Cashman’s first-grade The flowing river is like a giant snake, By Piper The flowing river is a home for fish, The flowing river runs along a trail, Slithering through the forest floor. Birds, aquatic insects, beavers and water snakes. Leading to a secret hide-out. Bird illustration: © istockphoto; Bodhi Hill Bodhi istockphoto; © illustration: Bird get outside calendar SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY April 13 Evening Lecture Series, 7:00 p.m. Evening Adventure Underground: Exploring Montana Caves. Lecture Presented by Mike McEachern of the Northern April Series. Adventure Saturday Rocky Mountain Grotto chapter of the National Underground: Kids Activity. Speleological Society. $4 suggested donation; Exploring Montana miniNaturalists, The Dish on Fish, MNHC members free. MNHC Hours: Caves, 7:00 p.m. 10:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. April 14 miniNaturalists, 10:00 a.m. NEW Tuesday-Friday, noon - 5 p.m. 12 13 14 15 16 program for pre-schoolers. $1 members; $3 non-members. and Saturday noon - 4 p.m. Admission Fees: $2/adults, April 16 Saturday Kids Activity, 2:00 p.m. The Volunteer Dish on Fish. $1 members; $3 non-members. $1/children under 12 (maximum $6) Naturalist April 20 Free/children under 3 and Training, 4:00-5:00 Volunteer Naturalist Training, MNHC members. 4:00-5:00 p.m. May Field Trip Orientation. p.m. May Field Trip miniNaturalists, Learn how to teach kids about flora and Orientation. 10:00 a.m. fauna of western Montana during May 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Visiting Naturalist in the Schools field trips. Saturday Kids No prior teaching experience necessary. miniNaturalists, Activity. Incredible April 21 Insects, 2:00 p.m. miniNaturalists, 10:00 a.m. NEW 10:00 a.m. program for pre-schoolers. $1 members; Fort Missoula Saturday $3 non-members. Garden Discovery Day. April 28 miniNaturalists, 10:00 a.m. NEW Event, 5:30- Monitoring Milltown program for pre-schoolers. $1 members; 7:30 p.m. Spring Fisheries, 9:00 a.m.- $3 non-members. 26 27 Spruce-Up. 28 29 1:00 p.m. 30 April 28 Fort Missoula Garden Event, 5:30- Saturday 7:30 p.m. Spring Spruce-Up. Meet at the Fort Discovery Day. Missoula Native Plant Garden. Public welcome. First Sure Signs of Spring, April 30 Saturday Discovery Day, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 May 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Friday p.m. Monitoring Milltown Fisheries. Presented by Gallery Event, Native Plant biologist Rob Clark. $15 members; $20 non- miniNaturalists, 5:00-8:00 p.m. Workshop, members. Registration required. 10:00 a.m. Pollinators. 1:00-4:00 p.m. April 30 Saturday Kids Activity, 2:00 p.m. Incredible Insects. $1 members; MNHC Photos 3 4 5 6 7

$3 non-members. May 5 miniNaturalists, 10:00 a.m. NEW program for pre-schoolers. $1 members; Saturday $3 non-members. Discovery Day. May 6 First Friday Gallery Event, 5:00-8:00 p.m. miniNaturalists, Spring Mushroom Pollinators. Drawings by Nancy Seiler. 10:00 a.m. Walk. 1:00 p.m. May 7 Saturday Discovery Day, 9:00 a.m.- 8 9 12 13 14 2:00 p.m. Sure Signs of Spring. Hike with Field Master naturalist Hobie Hare. $20 MNHC members; Naturalist $25 non-members. Registration required. miniNaturalists, Weekend, 7:00 a.m.- May 7 Native Plant Workshop, 1:00-4:00 p.m. 10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Flowering Native Plant Gardening for Wildlife and More. Field Master Plants. Presented by David Schmetterling. $35 mem- Naturalist Saturday bers; $40 non-members. Registration required. Weekend Orientation, Kids Activity. May 12 miniNaturalists, 10:00 a.m. NEW 5:30-6:30 p.m. Flower Power! program for pre-schoolers. $1 members; 15 16 19 20 2:00 p.m. 21 $3 non-members. Field Master May 14 Saturday Discovery Day. Spring Naturalist miniNaturalists, Mushroom Walk. Presented by Larry Evans, Weekend, 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. $20 members; $25 non-members. 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Fort Missoula Registration required. Flowering Plants. Garden May 19 miniNaturalists, 10:00 a.m. NEW Event, 5:30- program for pre-schoolers. $1 members; 7:30 p.m. $3 non-members. 22 23 24 25 Topic TBA. 26 27 28 May 19 Field Master Naturalist Weekend Ninemile Family Fun Orientation, 5:30-6:30 p.m. These weekends Run, 8:00 a.m.-noon. are for people wishing to expand naturalist skills in one particular area. Open to Master June Saturday Naturalist graduates first, then to the general Discovery public (with permission of the instructor). Day. 8:00 a.m. - Classes assume a basic knowledge of the 4:00 p.m. Camas Root: Native Uses & topic and will delve into more detailed work in Harvesting. the field. $135. Registration required. 29 1 2 3 4

May 21-22 Field Master Naturalist Weekend, Field Master 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Flowering Plants. Presented Naturalist by Greg Peters, University of Montana bota- Weekend, 7:00 a.m.- nist and science instructor, and Brian Williams, Field Master 4:00 p.m. Birds. MNHC naturalist. Meet at MNHC, then go into Naturalist Saturday the field (transportation provided). See above Weekend Orientation, Kids Activity. for registration and cost. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Nature Journaling. 2:00 p.m. 10 5 MNHC Photo 8 9 10 11 Programs and events held at MNHC’s new home - 120 Hickory Street - unless otherwise noted. get outside calendar SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY June 13-17 Saturday May 21 Frogs, Snakes and Fish, Oh My! Discovery Day. Saturday Kids Activity, 2:00 p.m. Flower Field Master (Grades 1-3) 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Power! $1 members; $3 non-members. Fishing for Fun I Naturalist (Grades 1-3) Special Series I: Wild May 26 miniNaturalists, 10:00 a.m. NEW Weekend, 7:00 a.m.- Super Tracker miniNaturalists, and Native Medicinal program for pre-schoolers. $1 members; 4:00 p.m. Birds. (Grades 3-5) 10:00 a.m. Plants Excursion. $3 non-members. Survivor! (Grades 5-8) May 26 Fort Missoula Garden Event, 5:30-7:30 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 p.m. Topic TBA. Meet at the Fort Missoula June 20-24 Saturday Native Plant Garden. Public welcome. Summer Creepy Crawlies Discovery Day, (Grades K-1) Master June 4 Saturday Discovery Day, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Magnificent Mammals Naturalist, 7:00 p.m. Camas Root: Native Uses and Harvesting. (Grades 1-3) Special Series II: a.m.-3:00 p.m. No Presented by Tim Ryan, Salish-Kootenai Kid vs. Wild! Cultivated and Wild (Grades 3-5) weekend classes. Confederated Tribe. $35 members; Medicinal Plants in the June 22-28 $45 non-members. Registration required. Missoula June 9 Field Master Naturalist Weekend Valley. 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Orientation, 5:30-6:30 p.m. See May 19 entry June 27-July 1 for details. Jr. Survivor Camp I (Grades 1-3) miniNaturalists, June 11-12 Field Master Naturalist Weekend, Great American Rip Roarin’ Raptors 10:00 a.m. 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Birds. Presented by MNHC Backyard (Grades 3-5) July Fort Missoula naturalists Brian Williams and Charles Miller. Campout, Hooked on Fishing (Grades 5-8) Garden Meet at MNHC, then go into the field June 25-26 Event, 5:30- (transportation provided). 7:30 p.m. June 11 Saturday Kids Activity, 2:00 p.m. Nature Topic TBA. 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 Journaling. $1 members; $3 non-members.

July 5-8 June 16 miniNaturalists Outside, 10:00 a.m. Trail Blazers NEW pre-school program. Meet at the Fort (Grades K-1) No Camp Insects Galore Missoula Native Plant Garden. July 4th (Grades 1-3) June 18 Saturday Discovery Day, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 Things with Wings (Grades 1-3) p.m. Special Series I: Wild and Native Medicinal Kid vs. Wild II Plants Excursion. Presented by clinical herbal- (Grades 3-5) ist Britta Bloedorn. Cost $35 members; $40 3 4 5 9 non-members. (Sign up for both classes in July 11-15 advance and save $10. $50 members; $60 Jr. Survivor Camp II Saturday non-members.) Registration required. Discovery Day, (Grades 1-3) June 22-28 Summer Master Naturalist, 7:00 Carnivore Camp time and cost TBA. a.m.-3:00 p.m. Full. (Grades 1-3) Gems and Geology Go Fish June 25 Saturday Discovery Day, 9:00 a.m.-2:00 (Grades 3-5) Field Day. Earth Stewards p.m. Special Series II: Cultivated and Wild Medicinal (Grades 5-8) Plants in the Missoula Valley. Presented by clini- cal herbalist Britta Bloedorn. $25 members; 10 11 12 16 $30 non-members. (Sign up for both classes July 18-22 in advance and save $10. $50 members; $60 Water Skippers (Grades K-1) non-members.) Registration required. Who Pooped [Here]? MNHC Photos June 25-26 Great American Backyard Campout. (Grades 1-3) Space Camp Sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation Summer Science Discovery Camps page 16. details, See for Imprints (Grades 3-5) and Missoula Children & Nature. Children must be accompanied by an adult; activities are planned for ages 6 and up. Call 396-9562 for details. 17 18 21 22 23 July 25-29 June 30 miniNaturalists Outside, 10:00 a.m. Nature Art miniNaturalists, NEW pre-school program. Meet at the Fort (Grades 1-3) 10:00 a.m. Missoula Native Plant Garden. Crafty Critters (Grades 1-3) Fort Missoula June 30 Fort Missoula Garden Event, 5:30-7:30 Wild Wetlands Garden p.m. Topic TBA. Meet at the Fort Missoula (Grades 3-5) Event, 5:30- Native Plant Garden. Public welcome. 7:30 p.m. July 14 miniNaturalists Outside, 10:00 a.m. 24 25 Topic TBA. 28 29 30 NEW pre-school program. Meet at the Fort August 1-5 Missoula Native Plant Garden. Nature Art Look for these program July 16 Saturday Discovery Day, time and cost (Grades K-1) Naturally Spooky! symbols in Montana Naturalist TBA. Gems and Geology Field Day. Presented by (Grades 1-3) August geologist Wayne Farley. Registration required. Pondemonium! and on our website at www. (Grades 1-3) July 28 miniNaturalists Outside, 10:00 a.m. Big on Bugs MontanaNaturalist.org. NEW pre-school program. Meet at the Fort (Grades 3-5) Missoula Native Plant Garden. Adult Program 31 1 2 3 4 July 28 Fort Missoula Garden Event, 5:30-7:30 August 8-12 p.m. Topic TBA. Meet at the Fort Missoula Goin’ Buggy Native Plant Garden. Public welcome. (Grades 1-3) Youth Program Fishing for Fun II miniNaturalists, August 11 miniNaturalists Outside. 10:00 a.m. (Grades 1-3) 10:00 a.m. NEW pre-school program. Meet at the Fort Art and Nature Adventures Missoula Native Plant Garden. (Grades 3-5) Volunteer Opportunity Into the Wild August 25 Fort Missoula Garden Event, 5:30- (Grades 5-8) 7:30 p.m. Topic TBA. Meet at the Fort Missoula Native Plant Garden. Public welcome. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 11 Visit www.MontanaNaturalist.org for directions. To register or to learn more, call MNHC at 327-0405.

Owl photo: Robin Childers Robin photo: Owl CAB photo: Boone & Crockett Club Crockett & Boone photo: CAB Knight Ellen photos: mold slime and Cricket www.smokeybear.com

a form. MNHC for or stop by Wildlife & Parks. Pre- register by May 27; call (406) 626-5201 led by MNHC and Fish, the Mule and activities area, with Smokey , Buffyarea, with Smokey Bear, 2010 CAB Participants Ninemile Family Fun Run - June 4 8:00 a.m.-noon. The Ninemile Ranger District is hosting this event at the Grand Menard Picnic Summer Field CourseSummer Field for Educators July 14-22 Conservation Across Boundaries Montana, a partnership between the Boone & Crockett Club and the Montana Natural History offers Center, educators a chance to see how conservation geology, issues are tightly linked to the biology, history and culture Science of our landscape. teachers, or those working in concert with can experience and learn a science teacher, ecologyabout the unique habitats, wildlife and of different regions from a systems perspective. andThe course takes place both at MNHC Roosevelt the B&C Club’s spectacular Teddy FrontMemorial Ranch, on the Rocky Mountain northeast of Great Falls. Applications for CAB MT are due by May 16. For information on cost, available credit and application form, go to www.booneandcrockett.org Mormon crickets are large, well over over well large, crickets are Mormon A Mormon on cricket, photographed in Park National Yellowstone a trip to sluggish This one appeared late summer. to be layingand fat, and turned out its ovipositor, Note eggs in the ground. beneath its stinger, often mistaken for a abdomen. females generallytwo inches long, with throughoutThey live larger than males. in rangelands America North western sagebrushdominated by and forbs (woody (Information above obtained from naturalist naturalist obtained from above (Information websites.) and related Wikipedia reports, A great grey owl made a surprising Target line in the appearance on a power in late February. of Missoula Range area ghost, these grey called the great Sometimes hunt in the daytime, and this one owls seemed very tolerant of the small crowd are owls grey Great of curious passersby. as fluffy feathers, smaller than they appear, a body a long tail and large head obscure lighter than most other large owls. guide

IST SPRING/SUMMER 2011 L

URA T A

N Naturalist Notes Naturalist have kept us Master Naturalists past months, Montana During the unusual observations. some of their more abreast of plants), and can be significant agricultural pests, especially during swarm years.plants), and can be significant agricultural hopping by mostly get around for flight and they well Their wings do not work a shieldbacked cricket is actually their name, the Mormon or crawling. Despite a storyThe nickname comes from that the first not a truekatydid, cricket. California gulls eating famine by from was saved settlement in Mormon their wheat crops. had been destroying of the insect, which hordes No, not The Blob, but a slime This one, mold, species unknown. others, wasalong with numerous in under pine trees found growing in Area the Rattlesnake Recreation to six They ranged from the fall. and were inches across 12 or more This one was formless. relatively poked to see what was inside. Slime or fungi, molds not really molds are commonThe but something else. to the part of theirname refers they can appear as where life cycle foundThey are gelatinous “slime.” in any type of dead plant that live the world and feed on microorganisms all over several smaller than a few but some can cover centimeters, are material. Most can be all kinds of colors and shapes. They meters. square outside get

MONTANA

Special Pull-Out Section: pull out and post these pages for handy reference. 1212 community focus On a chilly spring Saturday, a half-dozen University volunteers are making a regular check of Rattlesnake Creek. Some are measuring the cross section of the stream to gauge its volume, others are sampling the amount of dissolved oxygen and other chemicals in the water. On a folding table, a couple of plastic tubs hold bits and pieces of plant Watershed matter kicked up into nets from the Education stream bed. WEN makes a difference By Caroline Kurtz

ears ago, I took a course at the University our school programs for as little cost as possible,” of Montana called Community Watershed says Fassnacht, WEN’s executive director. “We YEducation. The idea was to teach people have contracts now with some public agencies about the Clark Fork Watershed and it’s health, for water monitoring, but we’re always happy for so that we could go into local schools and give community support.” programs about it to fifth graders. But beyond that A major part of WEN’s mission is to nurture Heads bend close, hands spoon was the vision and the understanding that water is the next generation of watershed stewards, tiny aquatic invertebrates into ice- one of our most precious resources – both locally which they do by going into classrooms to give cube trays for identification. “Ooh, and globally – and that citizens need to know where background lessons and then running hands-on what’s this? I have no idea, but it’s their water comes from, how watersheds work, monitoring field trips. something,” says Alaina Strehlow, a why they are important, and how human activities Matthew “Moose” McNulty has been

Photos courtesy of Watershed Education Network Photos courtesy of Watershed wildlife biology student and Campus impact watershed health. Early on, organizers bringing students from C.S. Porter Middle School Corps volunteer leader. realized the best way to get this message out was on WEN programs for 10 years. “As a teacher,” he There are not many aquatic through active participation in stream monitoring. says, “I want to instill a strong sense of personal, organisms Strehlow can’t identify, The course I took was long-lasting connection to this wonderful “I try to get across as she carefully sorts big, fat part of the beginning of the place we call Missoula.” cranefly grubs from several types Watershed Education Network. to kids that they can “I try to get across to kids that they can do of tiny mayfly larvae. A - Originally, WEN was nurtured do real science... real science, not some artificially contrived text looking, carnivorous golden stonefly by two women – Deb that can be used to book experiment, but actual data collection, nymph goes next to a green Fassnacht and Wendy (Moore) inform the public that can be used to inform the public about the caddisfly larva. The number and Sturgis – who scrounged health of the Bitterroot River.” about the health of diversity of bugs found, including tirelessly for grants and worked Likewise, Teresa Toller, who teaches the Bitterroot River.” some that are very sensitive to poor to develop partnerships with 8th grade biology at Middle conditions, are strong measures of UM, MNHC and elsewhere. Slowly but surely they School, says that kids get many things of out their the overall health of the stream. forged a network of scientists, teachers, students experiences. “They learn about stewardship of a “I joined (WEN’s) Stream Team and community members. Now in its 15th year, natural resource, community service, environmental because it’s a wonderful way to WEN has introduced thousands of people to the impacts of human actions, the history of the Clark spend an afternoon – out on the unique properties of streams and rivers of western Fork River before settlement, and they get to have river, doing science and hanging Montana, all the while collecting important baseline role models assist them in the field.” out with good people,” she says. “I data. With the removal of the Milltown Dam, WEN projects leave a lasting impression, she think the most important thing for they have added a groundwater dimension to their says. “Former students always ask if I still do Pattee people to realize is that we have programs, conducting well-monitoring at certain Creek water quality testing in my classes. What very clean and healthy watersheds sites in association with surface water monitoring. more could a teacher ask for!” in Montana. But they are still Nowadays, WEN operates out of an office To learn more about WEN, become a volunteer with a vulnerable resource that we in the Swift Building, close to the Kim Williams school or other monitoring programs, or to learn how shouldn’t take for granted. That’s Trail along the Clark Fork River in Missoula. to do stream monitoring yourself, call 541-9387 or go what WEN is all about: taking A small army of volunteers, often led by to www.montanawatershed.org. WEN’s Mayfly Fling people to their backyard stream and AmeriCorps interns, plus a few staff carry out a fundraiser takes place May 1 from 4-8 p.m. at Ten teaching them about how healthy year-round schedule of stream-monitoring with Spoon Vineyard and Winery. Come enjoy music, food, it is and why. Then they come to schools and citizen scientists. “We try to provide raffle prizes and family activities. value it much more.” 13 SPRING/SUMMER 2011 MONTANA NATURALIST far afield By Whitney Bergum Photos by Eugene Beckes

Pelicans!

ummertime! The sun is bright and the River has never Slooked more refreshing. Hiking along a well-worn trail, I see two American white pelicans soaring to an unknown destination. Their grace and beauty are breathtaking. Farther down river, a few of the great white birds bob in the current. They float very near each other, heads dipping in and out of the cool green water, preening in the sun. Against their snow white feathers and coal black wing tips, their giant orange bills are a captivating sight; it’s obvious why they are so effective at fishing. One hears something, gets spooked and lifts its hefty body from the river, its powerful wing beats making it appear to be moving On land, white pelicans are ungainly, pterodactyl-like with their in slow motion. None of the others follow, and it drops back into the nine-foot wingspan, large heads and bills, and stubby tails. In the water a few feet in front of the rest of the flock. I watch them disappear air, they are graceful, powerful fliers. On water, they are buoyant around a bend. swimmers, looking from a distance like giant floating marshmallows. Unlike their cousins, the brown pelicans, year-round residents of A little later I find them again, lounging on rocks in the middle coastal North American beaches and harbors, white pelicans are of the river. They are a gorgeous sight and I realize how lucky I am to much shier. They mostly winter near warm coastal waters, but they happen upon them. I won’t be seeing them in a few months. breed only at remote inland lakes and rivers.

The Scene at Medicine Lake NWR

American white pelicans arrive here in Both adults incubate eggs and tend mid-April, lay and incubate eggs during the young. Because they nest on the late-April and May, and care for young from ground, it’s worth it to find a safe June through August. Young pelicans begin place and then commute for food. testing their wings in August and autumn Adults as far as 60 to 175 miles migration takes place from mid-September one way to bring back groceries for through mid-October. their young. Because pelicans can ride thermal The colony, one of the largest in North air currents up high, this travel isn’t Nesting sites on America, has been in existence since the as big an energy expense as it at first Medicine Lake 1930s and now supports about 4,000-5,000 might seem. Pelicans from Medicine breeding pairs. In general, white pelicans nest Lake forage on the Yellowstone River by White pelicans are excellent anglers on flat, open ground on islands or peninsulas, Glendive and Terry, and over into North and often go fishing in groups. Unlike where they are isolated from predators like Dakota on the Missouri River reservoirs. brown pelicans that dive bomb their prey, coyotes, foxes or other mammals. 14 MONTANA NATURALIST SPRING/SUMMER 2011 Between August and October One of the greatest causes each year, American white pelicans of pelican death is disease. Type make exceptional journeys from C avian botulism, a paralytic breeding colonies in Montana disease caused by the birds’ to various wintering grounds. ingesting certain bacteria, is Pelicans that nest at Canyon Ferry one of the deadliest. In 1996, Reservoir in Lewis and Clark type C avian botulism was County or at Arod Lakes in Teton rampant in the Salton Sea County, for example, fly along one and more than 700 American of two migration routes, choosing white pelicans died. Well over either the so-called Pacific 11,000 pelicans have died there flyway or the Intermountain from the bacteria since 1980. flyway. Pelicans that use the The West Nile virus, which is Intermountain route travel south transmitted by mosquitoes and through and down to the causes brain swelling in birds Salton Sea in southern California. and other animals, killed more Some keep going to the west coast than 9,000 pelicans at that site of Mexico. Others birds prefer to in 2002 and 2003. In addition, fly west along the Pacific flyway, some 5,000 birds reportedly which follows the coast from died from Newcastle disease, a Oregon down to Mexico. virus that causes lethargy and On the other hand, in the profuse diarrhea, followed by far northeast corner of the state, collapse of the infected bird. pelicans that spend the summer It’s curious to think that at Bowdoin and Medicine Lake the pelicans we see floating on National Wildlife Refuges use the White pelicans don’t breed until they are a few years old, so these the rivers and soaring through Central and flyways. seen in the Mission Valley in western Montana may be non-breeding the open skies of Montana have Both of these migration routes birds, or failed breeders that have moved to good fishing grounds seen more of our continent lead through the central United away from the colony. Possibly they are on en-route to or from than many people have. Every States, along the Mississippi breeding grounds. year, they spend extensive River to the south. Most of these time and energy traveling pelicans spend the winter near the Gulf of Mexico, along the and between wintering and breeding grounds, and every year they run the coasts, and into Mexico. One bird, banded at Medicine Lake gauntlet of injury, disease and death. Yet despite these risks, the birds NWR, even made it all the way to Nicaragua. still migrate and will continue to do so. For me, enjoying the sight These bi-annual journeys are long and exhausting. It is no mean of pelicans foraging for fish on a hot summer day, is to be reminded feat to fly 3,000 or more miles, and the pelicans face many hazards. of what has been and what is to come, and the endless, attuned They risk potentially fatal injuries from hail storms, gunshot wounds, movements of animals and the seasons. entanglements with and collisions with power lines or the poles Whitney Bergum will this May with a degree in Ecology and supporting them. Pelicans also risk exposure to harmful insecticides Organismal Biology and a minor in Anthropology. She likes to spend her used in agricultural fields along their flyway routes. Many die of free time outdoors, and aspires to one day work in wildlife rehabilitation. unknown causes. these swim in a line or arc through shallow Once hatched, juvenile white pelicans breeding colony, which was necessary to water, herding fish in front where they can spend two or three weeks in the nest stop population losses due to disturbances be scooped up by the pouchful. Pelicans before banding into more mobile gangs, to breeding pairs. Now, with these colonies can hold as much as three gallons of water called pods. If a predator comes into the on the upswing, conservationists must in their bills at a time; they filter it out the colony, the youngsters jump into big piles, consider activities away from the colony, sides while holding on to any fish trapped or crèches, each trying to hide underneath where foraging areas have become degraded inside. Although some fishermen have been the others for safety. Before they learn to or where pelicans have come into conflict concerned that white pelicans deplete fly, young pelicans can put on as much as with humans, particularly at aquaculture sport fisheries near their breeding grounds, 20 pounds, several more than the heaviest sites during the non-breeding season. observations of food remains show the adults weigh. But they slim down by the For more information about American white pelicans, birds’ eating primarily non-game species, time they are airworthy. and especially the colony at Medicine Lake NWR, see like carp, fathead minnow, suckers, Historically, pelican conservation the June 2006 issue of National Geographic Magazine, northern pike, goldeye, sturgeon and adult management at the refuge, as elsewhere or go online to http://ngm.nationalgeographic. and larval tiger salamanders. in the U.S., has focused on protecting the com/2006/06/pelican-grace/white-text.html. 15 SPRING/SUMMER 2011 MONTANA NATURALIST 16 MONTANA N A T URA News from the Montana L IST SPRING/SUMMER 2011 IST imprints Natural History Center observe ourdiscoveries! inside, we’llmakeaninsectariumto Outside, we’llusenetsandbugboxes; undergo andtheirpartinthefoodweb. life cycles,theamazingchangesthey awesome insects.We’ll talkabout their wiggly worms,squirmyslugsand Learn aboutcoolcrawlycritters,including June 20-24 Creepy Crawlies Grades K-1 of ouraquaticfriends! habitat inourclassroom toobservesome around inRattlesnakeCreek.We’ll makea animals thatlikewateryhomesbypoking riverside habitat.Learnaboutplants and through stories,creativeplayandvisits to Explore wondersofthewateryworld July 18-22 Water Skippers and adventurousspirit! natural areasbyfollowingyourcuriosity plants. Usingnaturalisttools,explore insects, watchforbirdsandpeekat the door!Searchforanimalsigns,find An adventurebeginswhenyouwalkout July 5-8 Trail Blazers S Financial assistance for camps is available, please inquire. AnnualMNHCmembershipis$50perfamily. MNHC members;$220/non-members.Half-day campsare $75/MNHCmembers;$120/non-members. surrounding naturalareas. Half-day campsmeetattheMissoula International School.Costforcampsis$175/ deposit perchild,campisreceived. Most campsbeginandendatMNHCincludefieldtripsto 4-5 p.m. from Half-day 9a.m.-1p.m. campsrun Registration isconfirmedwhena$50non-refundable grade categories this fall, allowing to plan activities that work instructors best for each level. Leaders-in-Training program. Camp themes and content are geared toward students who will be entering listed Nature DayCamps Fun with Outside! Let’s Go Camps run MondaysCamps run through Fridays, 9a.m.-4p.m., withfree before andafter-care from 8-9a.m.and nature andcrafts,scientific exploration. through fieldtrips,arts Teens cangainexperiencewithour through 8thgrade. kids enteringkindergarten These weeklong campsengagechildren inthestudyof ummer istoobrieftowasteamoment!Dive intodiscovery withourSummer ScienceDay Campsfor

Half-Day Camps!

Same programasFishing forFunII. and fishingpolestoreelinadventure! own tackleboxes,andusewaders,nets food webandaquatichabitats,create our local streamsandpondstoexplorethe and howtocatchthebigone!We’ll visit Learn aboutstreamecology, Montana fish June 13-17 Fishing for Fun I facts aboutaquatichabitats. chain connectionsanddiscoverotherfun observe aquaticcreatures,explorefood snakes andturtles,usenetstocollect reptiles! We’ll learnaboutMontana’s frogs, exploring thelivesofamphibiansand A weekofadventureanddiscovery June 13-17 Frogs, Snakes andFish, OhMy! Grades 1-3 discoveries andcreations. at theendofweektoshowoffour create worksofart.We’ll hostan artshow pencils, watercolors,clayandcollageto outside whileexperimentingwithcolored Nature isfullofcolor!Exploretheworld August 1-5 Nature Art

life around us. life aroundus. do andhowtheyadd tothediversityof who theyare,where theylive,what hand lensesandmicroscopestodiscover for incredibleinvertebrates,usingnets, grasshopper! We’ll spendtheweeklooking Crawl behindanant!Hopwitha July 5-8(NoCamp4th) Galore Insects Survivor CampII. mimic these!SameprogramasJr. survival andhowsomehumaninventions investigate someanimaladaptationsfor skills andbearawareness.We’ll also to useacompass,basicmapreading how tostaysafeandnotgetlost, the weeklearningaboutshelterbuilding, Want tolearnusefuloutdoorskills?Spend June 27-July1 Jr. CampI Survivor Montana’s largestmammal! and takeatriptotheBisonRangesee explore thehabitatsofyourfavoritecritters skins andskulls,readstories,playgames, from foreststoprairies.Examinestudy amaze youasexploredifferenthabitats Montana’s magnificentmammalswill June 20-24 Magnificent Mammals

MNHC Photo Things with Wings Fishing for Fun II Big on Bugs July 5-8 (No Camp July 4th) August 8-12 August 1-5 From ravens to raptors and hummingbirds to herons, Learn about stream ecology, Montana fish and how to Who dominates the sky? Who patrols the forest floor? we’ll investigate the bird world to learn about beaks catch the big one! We’ll visit local streams and ponds Insects make up the largest group of animals on the and feet, feathers and wings, nests and eggs, songs to explore the food web and aquatic habitats, make our earth! Learn about their basic structure, their amazing and food through exploration, stories, art and by using own tackle boxes, and use waders, nets and fishing adaptations and what they need to survive. We’ll use binoculars. poles to reel in adventure! Same program as Fishing nets, create insectariums and observe insects in their for Fun I. natural habitat. Jr. Survivor Camp II

July 11-15 Art and Nature Adventures

Want to learn useful outdoor skills? Spend the week Grades 3-5 August 8-12 Super Tracker learning about shelter building, how to stay safe and not Inspiration often comes from the natural world, so what June 13-17 get lost, how to use a compass, basic map reading skills better way to celebrate it than through art? Explore Learn how to identify animal tracks and signs, and bear awareness. We’ll also investigate some animal plants and animals outside using different techniques, investigate with tools used by professionals for studying adaptations for survival and how some human inventions including sketching, painting, printmaking, sculpture animals and learn basic skills for outdoor exploration. mimic these! Same program as Jr. Survivor Camp I. and found natural objects. We’ll host an art show at the Practice tracking skills in the field, create plaster tracks end of the week to display our creations! Carnivore Camp of your favorite Montana mammals, make a tracking

July 11-15 book and test your super tracker skills! Predators of all kinds make their living eating other Grades 5-8 Kid vs. Wild! I Survivor! creatures, while these have developed adaptations June 20-24 June 13-17 to stay alive! Learn about the relationship between Do you have what it takes to make it in the wild? Spend Learn techniques for basic outdoor survival, including predators and prey, study skulls, pick through owl the week learning some techniques for basic survival, how to start a fire without matches, how to construct a pellets, and discover some amazing adaptations that including fire and shelter building, orienteering, mapping, shelter that will keep you warm, how to filter your own predators and prey have to survive. first aid, Leave No Trace, bear awareness and even how water, make a fishing pole, predict weather, make your Who Pooped Here? to predict the weather! We’ll also meet our local search own string and perform basic first aid. We’ll also make July 18-22 and rescue team. Same program as Kid vs. Wild II. compasses, learn about bear awareness, and meet the Learn how to read signs that animals and insects leave search and rescue team and hear their tips for survival! Rip Roarin’ Raptors behind. Identify tracks and different animal homes, June 27-July 1 Hooked on Fishing and find out how to use clues left by animals to tell Raptors are an amazing group of birds with adaptations June 27-July 1 their stories. We’ll create our own plaster animal tracks, specifically for capturing prey. Study eagles, hawks, Already an avid angler? Never tried fishing but want tracking guides and special camp t-shirts! falcons, owls and osprey to learn about how they do to learn? Spend the week learning about fishing in Crafty Critters what they do, and where different raptors can be found. Montana, from stream ecology to stewardship. We’ll July 25-29 We’ll also study pellets to see what they eat, and use explore aquatic habitats with waders and nets, practice Use crayons, paint, sculpture and even elements from binoculars to observe them in the field. our fly casting technique, and learn some fish ID to help nature to create your own works of art. Explore different us understand more about local streams and ponds. Kid vs. Wild! II habitats, like forests and grasslands, and experiment July 5-8 (No Camp July 4th) Earth Stewards with different techniques, like drawing, watercolor and Do you have what it takes to make it in the wild? Spend July 11-15 printmaking, as we create nature-inspired work. We’ll host the week learning some techniques for basic survival, Interested in learning about how nature and technology an art show at the end of the week to display our creations!

Background illustration: © Ghen | Dreamstime.com including fire and shelter building, orienteering, mapping, can come together? This week we’ll learn about the Naturally Spooky! first aid, Leave No Trace, bear awareness and even how fields of Biomimicry and “green” design. See some August 1-5 to predict the weather! We’ll also meet our local search examples of great inventions, create a solar powered Spend a week learning about different plants and and rescue team! Same program as Kid vs. Wild I. motor boat, and use ideas from Biomimicry to come up animals in Montana that most people try to avoid. We’ll with your own invention using recycled materials. This Go Fish! learn about the natural habitats of “creepy” animals camp was developed in cooperation with The Biomimicry July 11-15 like bats, snakes and stink bugs – and figure out what Institute. Explore local ponds and rivers from top to bottom. they really eat, hear stories and discover the truth that Learn about stream ecology, Montana fish and practice Into the Wild makes them…not so scary! casting technique. We’ll explore the food web and August 8-12 Pondemonium! aquatic habitats, make our own tackle boxes, learn how Interested in a little adventure this summer? Come August 1-5 to fish with spinning rods, and use waders and nets to hike some fantastic trails, use naturalist tools like field Explore life in ponds and wetlands from waddling reel in adventure! guides, maps and compasses, hear adventure stories waterfowl to tiny tadpoles. Spend the week investigating about famous naturalists, learn how to set up a tent Space Camp ponds and wetlands nearby, and learning about the and a safe backcountry camp, and kayak on a nearby July 18-22 importance of wetlands and the animals that use them. lake. We’ll learn about plants and animals common to Join us as we launch a journey into the galaxy and We’ll create an indoor pond as a laboratory for learning! our region as we get out and explore. beyond! We’ll learn about stars, constellations, planets,

Goin’ Buggy black holes, phases of the moon, properties of energy August 8-12 and light, and amazing space missions. We’ll also try Teens! Leaders-in-Training Program The world of invertebrates is full of amazing creatures. building a using dry ice! All Summer Hunt for insects and other invertebrates using nets, Wild Wetlands Teens aged 14-17 may volunteer for a Leader-in- hand lenses and microscopes to learn more about what July 25-29 Training position and gain experience in child care and makes them unique. We’ll make our own bug nets to Get your feet wet exploring local wetlands. Use waders, teaching by helping summer camp instructors with keep, set traps to lure insects in and go on a special nets and hand lenses to observe the aquatic insects, programs. Contact MNHC at 327-0405 for applications trip to the University of Montana to see the electron reptiles, amphibians or fish we might find. Learn to or more information. microscope in action. identify a few wetland birds and discover why wetlands are important places for plants, animals and people!

17 SPRING/SUMMER 2011 MONTANA NATURALIST MAGPIE MARKET

Discover the of the Continent The Totally Out There Guide to glaCier national Park •$15.00 •64 pages •For ages 12 and up Mountain Press Include $4.00 Publishing CoMPany for shipping toll Free 1-800-234-5308 and handling. www.mountain-press.com

Clark Fork School Nature-based, community- focused education in the heart of the Rattlesnake.

Now enrolling for summer camp and 2011-12 school year: Preschool – 5th grade.

www.goodfoodstore.com | Missoula | 406.541.FOOD 2525 Rattlesnake Dr., Missoula • (406) 728-3395 • www.clarkforkschool.org

The Prince camp June 20–24 Science is Fun with performances on June 25 and 26* The Wizard of Oz camp July 11–15 with performances on July 16 and 17* Red Riding Hood camp July 25–29 with performances on July 30 and 31* Designed for kids entering grades 1-12. You select Try a performance day (Saturday or Sunday) when you register. All children will participate in an audition, be cast in a role, rehearse and perform in the show.

It!Interactive Science Exhibits Observation Bee Hive Science-Themed Gift Shop Science Equipment Loaner Program for Teachers Adult and Children’s Classes and Camps Family Fun for Every Season

www.explorationworks.org (406) 457-1800 - 995 Carousel Way (Alongside Hwy. 12) in Helena

MAGPIE MARKET

Issue: 11/26/09 Size: SmSq Color: BW reflections

Yellow pond lily (Nuphar spp.), also called spatterdock, is a native water lily that grows in lakes, ponds and slow-moving rivers. Its thick leaves are round or heart-shaped, and up to a foot wide. The leaves attach to long stalks, which extend through the water into bottom mud. Stalks, in turn, are attached to a type of underground stem with roots, called a rhizome. In the fall, leaves and flowers turn brown and quickly die, but the rhizomes endure to grow again in the spring. Yellow pond lilies provide great cover for wildlife, especially fish, aquatic insects, snakes, turtles, frogs, crayfish and salamanders. Frogs, insects and salamanders use the leaves and stalks to anchor their egg masses. Beavers and muskrats eat the rhizomes, and beavers also eat the leaves. Wood ducks, mallards and Canada geese eat the seeds, and dragonflies and bees find convenient resting places atop the floating “lily pads.” Photo: Kevin Fredenberg, www.fredenbergphotography.com

19 SPRING/SUMMER 2011 MONTANA NATURALIST Non-profit organization US POSTAGE PAID 120 Hickory Street permit 569 Missoula, MT 59801 Missoula, mt www.MontanaNaturalist.org

Montana Natural History Center is an equal opportunity service provider. Montana Natural History Center trips are permitted on the Lolo National Forest (Clause VII.B).

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I would like to pay with credit card (circle one): AMEX VISA Mastercard A Conference for K-8 Faculty, Staff and Administrators Account Number Exp. Date August 2-5, 2011, Missoula, MT Signature The 2011 ETC for rural teachers and administrators will focus on using technology tools in the classroom Sign me up for the monthly email newsletter. to build relationships with students, peers, Email address: mentors, the community and the world. I want to volunteer! Send me a volunteer application. See complete schedule, details, learn more about our Keynote Speaker, Wesley Fryer, and Register Today at: I would like more information on making a planned gift or gift of stock.

Make us your base camp for discovery with a visit to our website – www.MontanaNaturalist.org. Become a member on-line, explore our programs Blackfoot.com/etc and discover where the Montana Natural History Center can take you! Questions? Call 541-5020 or email Fill out and mail to: Montana Natural History Center, 120 Hickory Street, [email protected] Missoula, MT 59801 or Fax: 406.327.0421

Basic Membership Benefits Created by Annual subscription to Montana Naturalist Free visitor center admission In partnership with Discounts on all programs Invitations to special programs Access to the Ralph L. Allen Environmental Education Library Alter