Each spring heralds the return of our summer friends. Quiet forests become alive with sparrows, warblers, thrushes, and the like singing out their spring songs. It's also the arrival of the fantastically colored Harlequin Duck.
These hardy little ducks spend their winters along the coasts, feeding amongst the pounding waves of the ocean. They don't give themselves a break from the tumultuous waters when they head into mountain streams to breed as they prefer the cold, whitewater streams. Watching them navigate the waters with ease is a marvel.
Glacier National Park has a long-standing program to study these charismatic birds with funding from the Glacier National Park Conservancy. This includes population surveys, banding, and innovative eDNA studies.
I've participated in these efforts over the years and is something I look forward to. Looking for these birds is a scavenger hunt along the gorgeous McDonald Creek. Last week, right after a storm went through, we navigated our way up along the creek, counting the early arrivals. We counted five single males and a pair in our stretch of the river. I even got enough of a band ID on the female to find out she was born and banded in 2016!
This type of research enables the park to understand what is happening to these birds. Long term studies help with population trends. These also help inform management decisions. I love that I'm able to help the birds... and it's a lot of fun with great people in a pretty amazing environment.
I wrote up a blog about the day with more photos which you can read here.
the trail (and nature) awaits...
Jake and Kristen
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