A dream fulfilled: Pursuit of the northern pygmy-owl successful
Feb. 9—I've been searching for a northern pygmy-owl for the past few winters now, and honestly, I was starting to lose hope.
Permanent residents here in this corner of Northwest Montana, they move to lower elevations in the colder months to hunt for more plentiful small birds and mammals. People post sightings on the Montana Birding Facebook group and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's eBird website. Both are great resources, but if you're struggling to find one like I was, it can start to give the impression that they're as common as crows this time of year.
A good way to spot one, some say, is to search for a noisy group of songbirds creating a commotion, mobbing the owl in an effort to chase it off. I've certainly never witnessed it, but nonetheless, it's pretty brave behavior given that the pygmy's diet consists largely of those same songbirds. I once read online that the best way to find a northern pygmy-owl is to look for a group of people holding binoculars, spotting scopes and cameras who have already spotted one.
So a few weeks ago, a Friday in mid-January, I was in between morning and evening assignments and giving the Montana Birding page a quick doom-scroll for recent sightings. A photographer had written an inspirational post about never giving up, specifically not giving up the search. She had spotted a northern pygmy-owl on her drive home after a long day of hiking in search of one.
Early Saturday morning I had a dream. I was at the top of an indistinct hiking trail and there in front of me in the lower boughs of a tree was a northern pygmy-owl. I didn't have any camera gear with me, a sure sign that this was in fact not reality. I hustled back down the trail to my vehicle, grabbed my camera and lens and started back up. There was now a steady stream of water cascading down the trail causing me to lose my footing several times. I struggled my way back up to the pinnacle and shot several photos of the owl. Later on, when I went to look at the photos, I realized I had not adjusted any camera settings and all the resulting photos were not sharp. And then I woke up.
I had some time that day before a pair of Flathead boys' and girls' basketball games so I headed out to search. First location, no luck. I backtracked, turned down a road off Montana 206 and started to scan the treetops. I felt a sudden tinge of optimism. I didn't see anything but ... hmm, this feels ... right? I made another turn and the trees crowded in along the shoulder of the road. I drove a bit more and just as a wooded property transitioned to a large snow-covered field, I saw it. Just a tiny lump perched on the tippy top of a distant tree backdropped by the Swan Range.
I grabbed my camera, settings already pre-adjusted, and took a few photos along the shoulder of the road but I was too far away. I could hear the sounds of someone working a firewood processor on the wooded property, so I started walking toward the driveway when I saw a young man checking their mailbox.
I explained the situation, showing him a zoomed-in photo on the back of my camera and asking if it would be at all possible for me to walk along the border of their land to get closer to the owl. He ran to ask his father and his father thankfully obliged. I headed over to a little cattail-lined frozen marsh along the edge of the field and scanned the trees. I didn't see it. Where was it again, exactly? My perspective had changed. And then, there it was, in flight and landing on the top of a tree about 10 yards in front of me. I spent the next 30 minutes happily snapping away under a nearby tree as it occasionally offered me a stare while scanning the surroundings looking for prey.
As I was making photos and observing and smiling in the 10-degree weather, I felt this wave of gratitude hit me for the way it all unfolded. For this place. For this job. For people like the father who allowed me onto his property to photograph a bird, sight unseen. For my wife and family who forever encourage me.
And for never giving up.
And since that first sighting, I've seen three more.
A northern pygmy-owl takes flight along a wooded property near Columbia Falls on Saturday, Jan. 18. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
My second northern pygmy-owl sighting, along Highway 93 North near Olney on Wednesday, Jan. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
A third northern pygmy-owl sighting along Blackmer Lane near Columbia Falls on Tuesday, Jan. 28. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
A third northern pygmy-owl sighting along Blackmer Lane near Columbia Falls on Tuesday, Jan. 28. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
My first northern pygmy-owl sighting, on the border of a wooded property near Columbia Falls on Saturday, Jan. 18. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Look out for ‘Skittles of the bird world' in West Virginia this summer
MORGANTOWN, (WBOY) — Thousands of North America's most colorful birds are flying over West Virginia every day looking for love, but which ones should you keep an eye out for, and more importantly, where should you look for them? Chris Lituma, an ornithologist and associate professor of Wildlife and Fisheries Resources at WVU, told 12 News that West Virginia, in particular, attracts many different species of warblers thanks to the state's forests. According to the National Association of State Foresters, West Virginia is the third most forested state in the country, and those woods make for a perfect habitat for birds during breeding season. During his interview with 12 News, Lituma described warblers as being uniquely colorful. 'I say they're like the Skittles of the bird world. They are the colors of the rainbow on a collection of these different birds in North America,' Lituma said. 'They truly are, I think, our gem in North America.' Later, he singled out two of these particular birds that can be found in West Virginia, though he estimates around 30 different warbler species fly through the state or stay during the mating season. The golden-winged warbler (pictured below) has been a declining bird population in the eastern United States, though it can still be found in the Great Lakes area and in Canada, according to Lituma. Despite its lower numbers, the golden-winged warbler is still being observed in West Virginia, something Lituma said he was 'thrilled' to see. 'If I could express how unique that is these days in the East—it's hard for me to put it into words. You can't just go find those birds anywhere nowadays,' Lituma said. Another bird with ties to West Virginia is the cerulean warbler. Although populations for this bird are on the decline, the Cornell Lab estimates that around 26% of all cerulean warblers breed in West Virginia, a larger percentage than anywhere else in the world. Could the cerulean warbler replace the cardinal as West Virginia's state bird? Other colorful warbler species you might spot in West Virginia include the blackburnian warbler, bay-breasted warbler or the yellow-rumped warbler. But, while warblers are colorful, Lituma said that there are plenty of other types of migratory birds to be seen in West Virginia as well, such as different kinds of waterfowl and shorebirds along the Ohio, Monongalia and Potomac rivers. If you want to get out and hunt for warblers, there are several parks and habitats Lituma recommends, but just about any natural or state park will be a good place to start with: The Botanic Gardens and Core Arboretum in Morgantown Little Indian Creek Wildlife Management Area in Monongalia County Cookers Rock State Forest in Monongalia County The Cranberry Glades Botanical Area in Pocahontas County Dolly Sods Wilderness Area in Tucker County If you're new to birdwatching, there are several tools available for free on your smartphone, like eBird, which can make lists of birds you've seen before, or the Merlin app, which can help you identify nearby bird calls. If you've already been birdwatching and are maybe looking for something new, Lituma recommends making lists of birds you've seen and actively seeking out new ones so you can learn new calls and see new areas. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Yahoo
Drivers warned after rare find on 'iconic' Aussie roundabout: 'Take care'
Much like many native species across Australia, bush stone-curlew populations have plummeted in recent decades due to major threats including habitat loss and predation by introduced species such as foxes and cats. While their numbers remain strong in certain parts of Queensland, the birds have all but vanished from southeastern states like NSW and Victoria. But this week, a rare glimmer of hope emerged on NSW's Mid North Coast, with a mating pair, and their tiny chick, spotted at an "iconic roundabout" in Crescent Head. A community social media page flagged the extraordinary sighting, urging drivers throughout the region to "take care on" the roads. "We have endangered species living here too," the post warned. Speaking to Yahoo News, Birdlife Australia's Sean Dooley asked the public to report sightings to help with critical conservation efforts. Dooley told Yahoo News the species is "pretty scarce" in NSW nowadays. "Especially along the coast once you get south of about Ballina," he told Yahoo. "There's still a tiny population on the Central Coast, and an occasional individual will turn up in places like Jervis Bay or the Far South Coast. It's a similar scenario across the divide. "In the west of the state, they are still scattered in the north and along the Darling [River] but very thin on the ground elsewhere. They are gone from southern Victoria and southeastern SA. "People could report any sightings to Birdlife NSW, or even better, lodge their sightings in Birdata so that these records can be included in long-term monitoring assessments by BirdLife Australia. EBird is another place people can lodge sightings that will also be picked up by researchers." Dooley said tragically, the birds were "once across most of the country". "It's always been thought that being ground-dwelling birds, they took a hammering from foxes and cats, but it seems to be much worse where there's been extensive land clearing," he said. 🚘 Warning to Aussie drivers after tiny roadside find 🐦 Rare creature spotted outside Aussie workplace 🚊 Incredible discovery centimetres from train tracks "Many populations survived into the '50s, '60s and '70s, despite the foxes, so it is likely the accumulated impacts of historical land clearing and the continued land clearing today were the final death blow. The tendency to 'tidy up' the woody debris in woodland blocks makes it impossible for them to survive. "Bizarrely though, they seem to be thriving around Brisbane, including in the CBD." Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Yahoo
Hummingbird migration map: when will hummingbirds arrive in Wisconsin for spring?
It's officially spring, which means the arrival of hummingbirds in Wisconsin isn't far off. Hummingbirds typically start arriving in Wisconsin in the beginning of May, though a few outlier birds may arrive in mid to late April. Like most bird species, male hummingbirds will migrate first, with female birds following a few weeks later. After a few warmer months in Wisconsin, hummingbirds will start migrating south again from August through April. Here's the latest on hummingbird migration to Wisconsin, including where you can report bird sightings around the state. As of March 31, ruby-throated hummingbird sightings in the U.S. have been reported across much of the southern U.S., ranging from Texas to North Carolina, according to Hummingbird Central. A variety of hummingbirds have also been spotted on the West Coast, including dozens of Allen's Hummingbird sightings in Washington and Oregon. No birds have been reported in the Midwest yet. You can follow Hummingbird Central's live map throughout the spring and summer, as well as report your own sightings here. The best way to encourage hummingbirds to your yard is to plant plenty of food resources for them. You should ideally grow a variety of nectar-producing flowers, with feeders to supplement when blooms are in short supply, according to the UW-Madison Department of Horticulture. The department also recommends staggering bloom times to make sure hummingbirds have a food source for the entire season, as well as providing a source of water and trees or tall shrubs for nesting and perching. Make sure to avoid using pesticides that kill small insects that hummingbirds regularly eat. Here are some of the best Midwestern plants to grow for hummingbirds, according to UW-Madison. There are many other plants that will also attract the birds, so find a longer list here. Cuphea, especially "David Verity" cuphea plants Cardinals Coral honeysuckle Beebalm Texas or scarlet sage Blue anise sage More: What plant zone is Wisconsin in? A look at the best flowers to plant in every part of the state Amateur birders can report and track their daily bird sighting on the following sites: Wisconsin eBird: Allows you to report and track your daily sighting from your birding excursions. You can also see real-time bird sightings from other birders across the state. Wisconsin Society of Ornithology: Provides information to document rare birds and how to use eBird for seasonal reports. The Great Backyard Bird Count: A global project to record bird abundance and distribution. You can contribute by reporting your observations of Wisconsin birds. Report a rare bird: This information is used for species on Wisconsin's Natural Heritage Working List. Report a sick or dead bird by using the directory of wildlife rehabilitators or contacting your local DNR office. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Hummingbird migration map: when do hummingbirds migrate to Wisconsin?
