Festival offers rare close-up of raptors

Is it really important to stand on a windy ridge watching golden eagles soaring in the sky? How many eagles would you have to spot to make the effort worthwhile? Whatever that number might be, you can find it in October at Bridger Mountain near Bozeman during its annual Bridger Raptor Festival.

Raptors include golden and bald eagles, hawks, falcons and vultures. There are 14 raptor migration sites in the U.S. where researchers, with volunteer help, keep track of the number of raptors as they soar using updrafts over the mountains. The birds are migrating south because their summer hunting grounds are becoming covered with snow as winter arrives.

Spotting a bird soaring overhead with a wingspan of over 6 feet can be an incredible experience. Seeing tens of them or perhaps 200 in a day is really over the top for those who make the effort to go.

The city of Bozeman and the nearby Bridger Bowl ski area host the festival each fall, offering activities for people of various ages. A tough hike leads to the ridge where the researchers, spotters and eagles are. However, just hiking part of the steep trail will yield some eagle and other raptor sightings.

Numerous booths at the ski lodge offer information relating to raptors. Free and for-sale posters feature photos of eagles, owls and hawks. Taxidermy specimens are on display. On the lodge’s second floor, volunteers lead children’s games. Face painting follows a raptor theme. During the weekend, raptor experts give workshops on topics such as identification of owls in Montana – 22 kinds of owls are found in the state. There are family activities, storytelling and more adult lectures.

Rescued live hawks and owls are displayed outside on the lodge’s deck.

For more active visitors and serious birders there are other hiking and birding opportunities in the area. Depending on the time and budget, a local guide can be a great way to find interesting places for hiking and birding. Terry McEneamy, who took early retirement as the staff ornithologist in Yellowstone National Park, provides guide service to birding hot spots in and out of Yellowstone National Park. (His site: www.ravenidiot.com).

For those who want to go birding on their own, several locations provide a good hike and birding. Some designated birding trails have been developed within city limits, and others extend into the foothills. The Sacajawea Audubon Society and Montana Audubon have produced a brochure, “Birding Hotspots of the Gallatin Valley,” featuring 11 areas with possible bird species to be found, habitat descriptions and directions for getting there.

The Raptor Festival, with its star performer, the golden eagle, is the primary reason to drive to Bozeman. But the other activities at the festival, the chance to visit the Museum of the Rockies, its planetarium and the proximity to Yellowstone National Park can make this a very interesting and a busy trip.