If you are visiting Montana and wish to do some birding and exploring along the Missouri River, checkout a Montana Bed and Breakfast on the Missouri River at Hardy Creek (exit 247 off Interstate 15) half way between Great Falls and Helena .
River's Bend Lodge
As I am writing this blog looking out the lodge’s dining room window an osprey is
Osprey fishing on Missouri River at Hardy Creek,MT
devouring the results of its last fishing dive, on a sand bar in the river .
A pair of Canadian Honkers and their goslings (8 of them) are out for a swim. I never tire of watching the geese care for their young, the goose or gander in front, goslings in the middle, and the other parent bringing up the rear. The goslings are either in single file or pairs never have I seen them in clumps, between their parents. Most of the pairs have approximately 6 goslings this year. One pair that visits our yard daily only has only one gosling the parents are especially protective of this single offspring. One pair had twenty goslings with them two of the twenty were considerably smaller than the other eighteen.
I wonder if geese ever babysit another pairs’ goslings, do you know?
Have you ever seen a goose land in a tree? Geese land frequently on the rock cliffs across the river from our lodge usually in pairs.
In the last couple of weeks the pelicans have started to appear along this stretch of the river again. They fish in the shallow waters between the lodge and the rock cliffs and can be seen floating along with the current of the river most days or gathering together on a sand bar down stream.
The Bald Eagles are nesting I watched a couple building a nest in a tree along the river yesterday. Several have been flying around Tower Rock in Tower Rock State Park during the last couple of weeks. I have not spotted their nests yet but have seen them fishing. It is so exciting to watch them dive for fish and bring the fish out of the water in their talons to fly away. Last year I watched several of them catch fish that must have been too large for them to leave with. The eagle flapped its wings on the water until it was able to get to shore where it ate part of the fish before flying off with the rest in its talons.
Tags: bald eagles, Birding on Missouri River, Montana Bed and Breakfast, osprey
I’ve been wondering if the pelicans were going to come back in record numbers this year. Rilei and I better make it out soon to see the goslings. I think the river is beautiful this time of year. I’ve been impressed how green the canyon is only 45 miles away from Helena.
I’m very excited to be going see the new cabin July 4th thru the 11th. My family and I are very excited to float the river and fish.
Fixed those issues you requested tell John and Kim hello.