Migrating birds provide special spectacle

Driving across the north end of Flathead Lake along Highway 82 is never a letdown for scenery, but of late the prettiest 10 miles in the Valley have been especially amazing.

Tens of thousands of migrating waterfowl have made the North Shore and Lower Valley a scene to behold, with an abundance of birds seen in only a few places in the country.

Whether it's pterodactyl-sized hawks hovering next to the highway or a sheet of swans covering some quiet slough of the Flathead River, it's worth it to pull off and enjoy the sights and sounds. Just the incredible noise of the thousands of tundra swans on Church Slough is worth taking a quick side trip on the way to Kalispell.

Two weeks ago I stopped during a run along Somers Bay to watch a 10-minute game of cat and mouse as a bald eagle made dive after dive for a duckling that had been separated from its mother and siblings. Each time the huge bird would swoop down to the water, the tiny duck would dive in and re-emerge a few feet away to the apparent consternation of the eagle. I will confess to mumbling a narrative in my best David Attenborough impression as the fuzzy duck evaded the eagle's talons again and again.

Eventually, the big bird of prey gave up and the duck lived on to fight another day, but as I was jogging off I couldn't help but think that it's a pretty special place that we all call home.

So before it's over, take a drive out to the river or sit by the water and listen and watch as a great spectacle of nature unfolds before you.

You can almost smell the summer season

Brace yourself for house guests, Bigfork; the sun is shining in the Flathead.

Things are finally picking up around the Village as the weather (hopefully) turns a bit more fair. So go ahead and mark your calendars for a pair of well-loved events that will happen before April's showers are done.

The annual "Clean Our 'Fork" on April 25 is a great opportunity to contribute a little bit of community service as volunteers spruce up the Bigfork area before the tourist season descends upon us. And to reward yourself for a job well done, buy tickets to the next day's "Taste of Bigfork," the yearly celebration of Bigfork's fine culinary offerings.

For information on both and tickets for the best opportunity for delicious gluttony this spring, call the Bigfork Chamber of Commerce at 837-5888.

—Alex Strickland