Birding Areas found on the map

1 the more interesting breeding birds, and Cooper’s Stillwater River located just east of intersection with Lawrence Park Hawk have also nested in the past. At the south end of Willow Glen Drive. Or, paddle up river (it is very slow the park the swampy tangle supports Red-eyed Vireo in the summer) 2 miles from the county river access and Black-headed Grosbeak in the overstory, Northern located at the end of Leisure Lane (off Willow Glen This city park is located below the Buffalo Hill Golf Waterthrush and Yellow Warbler in the understory. Drive). Explore the islands that comprise the bulk of Course at the north end of Kalispell. Lawrence Park Listen for Blue Jay. the area, and the highest quality habitat. Trails are not includes a developed park, wetlands, mature trees maintained and the understory is dense. Bald Eagle Yellow-headed Blackbird Hooded Merganser Gray-crowned Rosy Finch White-tailed Ptarmigan Black-backed Woodpecker and a walking/biking trail through mixed riparian Seasons: Open year-round. © KC Glastetter © Kurt Lindsay © DickandPamWalker.com © Kurt Lindsay © Kurt Lindsay © DickandPamWalker.com habitats along the Stillwater River. Directions for hiking: From downtown Kalispell, take 2nd Street east towards Woodland Park. Continue Directions: From downtown Kalispell, follow about a mile on Conrad Drive. Turn right on Willow recorded in this area. In spring look for Red-eyed and Habitat sparrow species. The WPA is closed from March 1st st Highway 93 North (Main Street) across Highway 2; 2 Owen Sowerwine Natural Area Glen Drive and continue 0.9 miles south; left onto Warbling Vireos, Gray Catbird, Bullock’s Oriole, Black- • Agricultural area through July 1 to protect nesting birds. 1/4 mile bear right on Main Street where Highway Treasure Lane. Limited parking is located at the end headed Grosbeak, White-breasted Nuthatch, Least and • Riparian forests, creeks, sloughs, upland shrubs 93 veers left (follow public golf course signs). The of Treasure Lane; please do not block any driveways. Willow Flycatcher, Red-naped Sapsucker, Wild Turkey (hawthorn, rose and snowberry) and grasslands Seasons: Year-round. entrance to Lawrence Park is on the right, just before This gem is an outstanding 442 acres of undisturbed From Highway 93 heading north to Kalispell, access and Yellow Warbler. Look around the huge cottonwood • Notable pothole wetlands located on North Somers the road heads uphill to the golf course. riparian bottomland located along the eastern outskirts Willow Glen Drive at the Toyota dealership, about 3 snags for Pileated Woodpecker and Vaux’s Swift. Along and Farm Roads of Kalispell. ’s only state-designated Natural miles south of town. Treasure Lane is 1.7 miles north the river you will find Common Goldeneye, Common Habitat Area is managed by Flathead Audubon and Montana of the intersection. and Hooded Mergansers, Wood Duck, Osprey and Great Birds: Church Slough, about 5 miles from 4 Smith Lake • Birch, large cottonwoods, dense dogwood understory Audubon. Most of the Natural Area lies on the east side Blue Heron. On the south end of Owen Sowerwine you Highway 93 just east of the Ashley Creek bridge, is • Cattail wetlands along the backwater slough of the Stillwater River, accessible primarily by boat. Habitat can see a heronry across the river channel. one of the best places for migratory waterfowl in early • Thinned forest and dense riparian shrubs along the There is a network of maintained trails on the west side • Mature cottonwood gallery forests, dense understory spring. There are thousands of Tundra Swan, geese, A short drive west from Kalispell takes you to Smith bike trail of the Natural Area and the first 600 feet of the main • Riparian shrubs, backwater channels Seasons: Open year-round. and ducks in late March and early April. It is the most Lake Waterfowl Production Area—a complex of large, trail is ADA accessible. • Birch, spruce reliable place in the to find Greater shallow wetlands, peat marsh, agricultural lands, Birds: A variety of woodpeckers nest here, from • Forest openings Scaup and Eurasian Wigeon. The pothole wetlands willow and some dry coniferous forest. Downy to Pileated. Wood Duck are easily found. Black- To access by boat: Float about a mile support breeding Eared Grebe, Redhead, Ruddy Duck, chinned Hummingbird and Lazuli Bunting are among downstream from the Conrad Drive bridge over the Birds: Over 100 species of birds have been 3 Lower Valley (Road) Common Goldeneye, other ducks and small numbers of Directions: From the intersection of Highway 93 Black Tern. Sora, Virginia Rail and Wilson’s Phalarope and Highway 2 in Kalispell, head west on Highway 2 families can be seen in summer, followed by a wide for 9 miles. Turn left at the fishing access sign toward The area known as “Lower Valley” extends from variety of sandpipers (mid-August is best). Breeding Kila. Bear left across the Ashley Creek bridge and Kalispell to . A number of farm roads, Clay-colored Sparrow and Savannah Sparrow are continue to the public fishing access. Drive on gravel including Lower Valley Road, Farm Road, and N. abundant. Common breeding raptors include Red- roads around Smith Lake, past the Batavia Waterfowl Somers Road meander through farmlands and past tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle and Northern Harrier. Rough- Production Area back to Kalispell. pothole wetlands, oxbow sloughs, and riparian areas. legged and Red-tailed (including Harlan’s) Hawks, falcons and even the occasional Snowy Owl hunt the Habitat Directions: Lower Valley Road is accessible lower valley fields in winter. The Blasdel Waterfowl • Bull rush, cattails, and tall inpenetrable grasses from Highway 93 (along with Willow Glen Drive) at the Production Area (WPA) on North Somers Road is the • Upland grasslands, Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir Toyota dealership intersection south of Kalispell. Turn only sizeable piece of public land here, and offers stands, and some rocky cliffs along the Smith Lake Red Crossbill Black-headed Grosbeak Northern Pygmy Owl Red-necked Grebe Wilson’s Snipe east from Highway 93 and immediately southeast grassland, shrub and wetland birds such as Short- Road (back side of the lake)

© Kurt Lindsay © Kurt Lindsay © Kurt Lindsay © Kurt Lindsay © Kurt Lindsay extends south to Highway 82. eared Owl, Northern Harrier, Marsh Wren and several • Riparian shrubs such as willow, red-osier dogwood

Nearby Opportunities BIRDING GUIDE TO recent years. Check the Fish Creek Campground for Creek is west of Highway 83 another 1.6 miles south Glacier National Park such cedar specialties as Varied Thrush. Take the of the refuge. Follow signs to the Oxbow Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge Camas Loop to the North Fork, stopping at McGee Preserve off Porcupine Creek Road. Meadows for Common Snipe and LeConte’s Sparrow. No visit to the Flathead Valley is complete without a Watch for Boreal Chickadee in these areas as well. Habitat Located about 30 miles west of Kalispell, the nearly Flathead trip to Glacier National Park. Pick up a park map at In winter, near Apgar entrance, you can often see • Stands of cottonwood, dogwood and other shrubs 8,000-acre Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Northwest the entrance. Some of our most unique and rewarding American Dipper, Bald Eagle, Common Goldeneye, along the trails located near the loat is the newest local addition to the National Wildlife of birding opportunities are found in the park. Common Merganser, various woodpeckers and access Refuge system and is important to elk, waterbirds CONTRIBUTORS: MONTANA occasionally observe Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden- • Swampy tributary, dense shrubs, forest, and lake and grassland species. The refuge lies along the Valley Directions: Glacier National Park is located about crowned Kinglet, Trumpeter Swan, Common Redpoll, just east of the highway near the camping area bottom of a picturesque east-west valley composed Flathead Audubon Society 35 miles northeast of Kalispell off Highway 2 and about Chestnut-backed Chickadee and Northern Shrike. • Refuge observation tower overlooks vast wetlands of lakes, wetlands and grasslands that transition to FlatheadAudubon.org 26 miles northeast of Whitefish off Highway 40. Routes and marsh (seasonally flooded) conifer forests. The headquarters is located at the Glacier Country Regional Tourism from both Kalispell and Whitefish are well marked. Seasons: Glacier National Park is open year- • Porcupine Creek Road and the Swan River Oxbow western end and is open most weekdays between round, however the main roads are not plowed in Preserve trails intersect the Swan River mainstem, 7:30 am to 3:30 pm. GlacierMT.com Habitat winter except in and around Park Heaquarters and the with numerous backwater channels, wetlands, a Kalispell Convention & Visitors Bureau • Wet cedar and hemlock forests on the West side Apgar area to Lake McDonald Lodge. large oxbow lake, winding through mature coniferous Directions: From Kalispell, drive west DiscoverKalispell.com • Alpine and subalpine habitats and cottonwood forests approximately 20 miles along Highway 2 to Marion. Whitefish Convention & Visitors Bureau • Remnant prairies Turn north at Marion onto Pleasant Valley Road. Take • Aspen parkland dominates the East side Birds: At the Forest Service boat access look the right fork at 1.3 miles and continue on the blacktop ExploreWhitefish.com Swan Lake for Red-naped Sapsucker, Hammond’s Flycatcher, past Little Bitterroot Lake until reaching the graveled Birds: Along Going-to-the-Sun Road you can American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush and road. Continue on the gravel road for approximately often get close-up views of breeding Harlequin Duck Black-headed Grosbeak. In the swampy area across 13 miles over Haskill Pass dropping into Pleasant in McDonald Creek. Look for them in May and June A visit to Swan Lake always produces some birding the highway, you can find Vaux’s Swift, Rufous Valley. along the upper reaches from Avalanche Creek to rewards, especially in spring and summer. Start at the Hummingbird, and Warbling and Red-eyed Vireos. The Logan Creek along the roadside. American Dipper Forest Service boat ramp and swimming area Swan refuge viewing platform often yields views of Wilson’s Habitat are all along this reach. Logan Pass is the place for Lake National Wildlife Refuge. After that, head to Snipe, American Bittern, Black Tern and other marsh • Grassland, wet meadows and lake White-tailed Ptarmigan, one of our most sought-after Porcupine Creek Road, stopping at the Porcupine Creek residents. Less common recent visitors have included birds. Look along the boardwalk trail to Hidden Lake, bridge. Be sure to also visit The Nature Conservancy’s Bobolink, Loggerhead Shrike and Lark Sparrow. Watch Birds: This area supports Vesper and Savannah especially right after daybreak. The tundra here also Swan River Oxbow Preserve, populated with many for Vaux’s and Black Swifts overhead on overcast Sparrows, Mountain Bluebird and Long-billed Curlew supports Gray-crowned Rosy Finch and American Pipit. hiking trails. summer days. Round out your day’s list by traveling in summer. The wet meadows and Dahl Lake provide DIRECTIONS Check the surrounding low spruce for White-crowned down Pocupine Creek Road with the Fox Sparrow, habitat for migrant and breeding waterfowl and Sparrow and Hermit Thrush. The (rustic) Inside North Directions: Drive south from Bigfork about MacGillivray’s Warbler, Ruffed Grouse, Varied Thrush Sandhill Crane. Bald Eagle and Black Tern nest here, Northern hawk owl HABITAT Fork Road offers the best chances to find Spruce 30 miles along Highway 83 to the southeast end of and Chestnut-backed Chickadee. and thousands of duck, geese and swan can be seen Grouse, Great Gray Owl, Three-toed Woodpecker, Swan Lake—a mile before the town of Swan Lake. in spring. Photo © Kurt Linsday BIRDS LeConte’s Sparrow and a host of other forest and The Forest Service boat ramp access is located west Seasons: Best spring, summer, and early fall. SEASONS meadow species. Check the meadow edges, burned of the highway, the camping area is on east side. Seasons: Best spring, summer, and early fall. A Produced with Accommodations Tax Funds. Printed in the stands and small lakes for Common Loon and Red- Access Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge via Bog portion of the refuge valley is closed in the fall. USA for free distribution. Alternative accessible formats of necked Grebe. Black-backed Woodpecker and Northern Road, located another 2.2 miles south of the boat this document will be provided upon request. Unauthorized Hawk-Owl have nested in the burned areas here in ramp (marked with a “binoculars” sign). Porcupine reproduction or use is prohibited. Copyright © 2012 Old Pictured: Lazuli Bunting by Kurt Linsday Town Creative Communications, LLC. v051012-5000 Birding Areas found on the map

and Douglas hawthorn along Ashley Creek the south shore (better views exist at a large pull-out the nesting season. Watch also for American Redstart, off the highway above the lake). Head east 4 miles to Fox Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Willow Flycatcher, Whitefish on Highway 93. Calliope and Rufous Hummingbirds, Gray Catbird and Birds: Red-necked, Eared and Pied-billed Cedar Waxwing. Both Common Loon and Bald Eagle Grebes breed in numbers here, as do Black Tern. Habitat breed along the lakeshore. Late evenings along Logan Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron and • Grain fields, farm land, pastures Creek upstream of the lake might yield Great Horned, Bald Eagle loaf on pilings in the marsh, and thousands • Spring creeks, small shallow pothole wetlands Northern Saw-whet, Barred or even Great Gray Owl. Rough-legged Hawk Common Yellowthroat Western Tanager Mountain Bluebird Rufous Hummingbird of waterfowl occur during migration. Several pairs of • Patches of coniferous forest including low elevation © Kurt Lindsay © Kurt Lindsay © Kurt Lindsay © Kurt Lindsay © Dan Casey Sandhill Crane nest most years, and a wide variety of Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine stands Seasons: Accessible late spring through fall. other birds can be found reliably on a drive around the south and east end of the area, including Wood Duck, • Near Whitefish, the route passes by Spencer Lake, American Bittern (at dawn), Willow Flycatcher, and a nesting lake for Common Loon—usually there both Mountain and Western Bluebirds. During early from ice-out to early fall 7 Danny On Trail Inside North Fork Road fall migration the chokecherry and other shrub stands around the boat ramp can be remarkable for mixed Birds: These pothole wetlands offer great views Flathead River flocks of migrants: warblers, vireos, flycatchers, of migratory waterfowl during spring and fall, as well Named for a favorite local outdoor enthusiast and North Fork tanagers, sparrows and thrushes. It is not unusual as the best local diversity of shorebirds during fall naturalist from Whitefish, this trail starts from the GLACIER Lake to find more than 20 species using the same patch migration including Pectoral Sandpiper, Black-bellied base of the Whitefish Mountain Ski Resort and ends at BIRDING GUIDE TO McDonald of berries at this time of year. Recent rarities here and American Golden Plover, Stilt Sandpiper, and the Summit House on the top of Big Mountain. During NATIONAL include Yellow-breasted Chat and Alder Flycatcher. Long-billed Dowitchers. Raptors are abundant year- summer the resort offers chair and gondola rides up round (especially winter). Red-tailed Hawk (including or down the mountain for a fee. The trail gains about PARK Seasons: Best spring, summer, and fall. Harlan’s) and Rough-legged Hawk, Bald Eagle and 2,000 feet vertically, passing through some wonderful Flathead Prairie Falcon, and the sporatic Snowy Owl are found birding habitat. Plan at least 2–4 hours to hike up. Northwest WEST GLACIER here. On the ponds look for Eared and Horned Grebes, Wear good hiking shoes and take a lot of water. of MONTANA Barrow’s Goldeneye, and Cinnamon Teal in spring and 7 5 West Valley summer. Many species of ducks breed here. Sandhill Directions: From Whitefish, follow the signs Valley Big Mountain Road Crane also gather here in large numbers in the fall. to Whitefish Mountain Resort by driving north on Middle Fork Whitefish 2 Less common, but regular migrants include Snow Wisconsin Avenue across the railroad tracks for a Flathead River Lake The area known as “West Valley” lies between Kalispell and Ross’s Geese (in spring) and Bonaparte’s Gull. few miles, turning right on the Big Mountain Road, Star Meadow Road North Fork RoadNorth and Whitefish west of Highway 93 and offers a variety Savannah and Vesper Sparrow, Western Meadowlark continue for 4 miles ending at the Whitefish Mountain of habitats from lakes and wetlands to agricultural and Gray Partridge are common along the roadsides. Resort. Follow signs to the Danny On trailhead, located Farm to Market Road CORAM fields and conifer forests. This birding loop can start at Watch for flocks of American Pipit, Horned Lark, at the upper end of the village. From the village you 93 either Whitefish or Kalispell, with a return via Highway Lapland Longspur and Snow Bunting in winter. can also access the chair lift. Trail maps are available Tally WHITEFISH 93. On your return you can turn west into the county at the resort. 6 Lake sanitary landfill and observe a number of gull species Seasons: Year-round. that often concentrate there. The distance is about 20 Habitat 93 HUNGRY miles one way. • Mid elevation forests COLUMBIA • Open meadows Tally Lake Road (FS 913) HORSE FALLS 2 Martin Directions: From Highway 2 west of Kalispell, 6 Tally Lake Campground • Numerous intermittent streams Twin Bridges Rd Lodgepole Rd 40 head north for 3/4 mile on North Meridian Road Turn • Subalpine and exposed near-timberline habitats at 2 Whitefish City left on Three Mile Drive (which becomes Farm to Market the summit Stillwater River River Road) and continue about 4 miles north and west to This Forest Service Road heads to a popular large West Valley Drive, passing farm land and spring creek lake within the Tally Lake Ranger District northwest Birds: During late May and early June on habitats. Turn right (north) on West Valley Drive, go of Kalispell and southwest of Whitefish. It offers a the lower part of the trail you will hear Townsend’s north 3 miles to Clark Drive looking for raptors and pleasant drive through forested streamsides and Warbler. The trail is also an excellent place to see Kuhns Road 93 Hungry farmland species. Turn right onto Clark Drive, which mature mixed larch forest. The Tally Lake Road brings Orange-crowned, Yellow-rumped, and MacGillivray’s Horse soon turns to a gravel road. North of the road is a wetland you to a Forest Service campground (follow signs) Warblers, as well as Golden-crowned and Ruby- RoadFarm to Market Reservoir and pasture complex that holds migratory waterfowl with parking, swimming and walking trails through crowned Kinglets. Other common birds on the lower Fox Farm Rd 2 206 spring and fall, Sandhill Crane, shorebirds and nesting great streamside birding habitat. part of the trail are Swainson’s Thrush, Townsend’s Lost Creek grassland birds. Continue east on this gravel road up Solitaire, Cassin’s and Warbling Vireos. Most of the

River a hill and bear left (north) on West Spring Creek Road Directions: From Kalispell, go north on Highway flycatchers can be seen here, particularly Olive-sided Flathead and continue north past other nice wetlands/ponds to 93 to Reserve Drive, and continue west 4 miles to Flycatcher. About half way up the trail the habitat Church Drive

Church Drive (paved). Go left on Church Drive for 1/4 Farm to Market Road. Turn right on Farm to Market becomes wet subalpine forest and brushfields. Here Clark Drive mile along a large shrubby shelterbelt, and continue Road and proceed north 9 miles to the Tally Lake you will find Pacific Wren, Hermit Thrush and Varied Stillwater Road Lake north on Fox Farm Road where Church Drive turns left. Road (FS 913), turn left and go about 7 miles on the Thrush, as well as Fox and White-crowned Sparrows 5 Blain You will jog north and west, passing from farmlands to gravel road to the campground. From Whitefish, take Look from raptors from the summit house deck. W. Reserve Drive W. Spring Creek W. Spring patches of Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine, and crossing Highway 93 west 4 miles to Twin Bridges Road, turn W. Valley Dr. EVERGREEN a spring creek. After 2 miles, Fox Farm Road joins West left and go 2 miles west to Farm to Market Road. Turn Seasons: Best Memorial Day through late July. Ashley Valley Drive. Turn north to the intersection with the left (south) on Farm to Market Road, proceed 2 miles Lake 1 35 Three Mile Dr. 2 paved Spring Prairie Road continuing left (west) onto to the Tally Lake Road (FS 913) and turn right (west) Willow Glen Drive Kuhns Road passing the Kuhns Wildlife Management about 7 miles to the campground. CRESTON KALISPELL 2nd St E Area (WMA), which is open for foot traffic from May 2 2 15th to November 30th each year. Continue on Kuhns Habitat 93 93 Road for 2 miles to Farm to Market Road near milepost • Low elevation mature larch and Douglas fir forests Foy 12. Turn right (north) on Farm to Market Road passing • Streamside willow, alder, and cottonwood forests Lake Flathead forested state lands on the west (parking areas are • Lakeshore KILA River open for biking and hiking year round) and Kuhns WMA Lower Valley Road

on the right. After 1.7 miles, turn right (northeast) Birds: Beginning at Farm to Market Road, look Lower Valley Road onto Lodgepole Road, which becomes Twin Bridges for Northern Waterthrush and other will/alder species 35 Echo N. Somers Road Somers N. Road, bear right as it approaches Whitefish. Where you around milepost 3. Townsend’s Warbler reside in the 4 3 Lake Farm Road intersect with Highway 93 west of Whitefish, you will mature larch near milepost 4. At Tally Lake where To LOST TRAIL 93 Smith be at the west end of Spencer Lake (a loon-nesting Logan Creek enters the lake (north shore), you can NATIONAL WILDLIFE Lake lake) where you can pull over and walk along part of find Wilson’s, MacGillivray’s and Yellow Warbler during REFUGE 2 SOMERS 82 Swan Highway 83

93 BIGFORK

TO SWAN LAKE LAKESIDE Map is not printed to scale. Not all roads, trails or Flathead places are shown on this map. Please obey all area Lake 35 Harlequin Duck Spruce Grouse Red-naped Sapsucker Chestnut-backed Chickadee American Dipper closures and signage. Some roads are seasonal or weather dependent. Copyright © 2012 Old Town © Kurt Lindsay © Sue Janssen (new © Brandon Smith) © Kurt Lindsay © Paula Craft © Kurt Lindsay Creative Communications, LLC