Many of us cannot identify a bird unless we see it. To help, Bitterroot Audubon Society is offering a Beginning Birding-by-Ear Workshop, consisting of an evening class and a monthly series of morning field trips. The evening workshop by Sherry Ritter will take place on March 9 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge's Visitor Center (4567 Wildfowl Ln, Stevensville). Sherry will lead the first four field trips March 17 (Stevensville), March 24 (Hamilton), April 14 (Stevensville), and April 21 (Hamilton) from 8:00-10:30 a.m. March and April field trips will allow us to focus on a few species without getting overwhelmed by all of the returning migrants. Additional field trips in May and June will build on the March and April ones; those dates will be announced in the May newsletter.

You must have attended either the 2017 or 2018 evening workshop in order to participate in field trips. The field trips are best suited for those who can identify common birds by sight, such as red-winged blackbirds, common ravens, northern flickers, black-capped chickadees, nuthatches, tree swallows, and downy woodpeckers. 

While there is no limit to the number who can attend the evening workshop, the field trips are limited to 8 participants each, so register early! Please register for only one field trip per month so that as many people as possible can go out with our experienced leader. To register, contact Micki Long at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and include your name, email address, and phone number.