J Bar L Guest Ranch Bird Watching

Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience for Bird Enthusiasts

Band young Golden Eagles and Ferruginous Hawks while holding them in your lap. Participate in the trapping and radio tagging of an adult Northern Goshawk nest. Observe a nest of fledgling Great Gray Owls.

These are some of the activities bird enthusiasts can enjoy while visiting the J Bar L Ranch. We invite you to experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with Jack Kirkley, a local ornithologist and professor of biology at the University of Montana–Western.
 
Jack has lived in Dillon, Montana, since the summer of 1985. He has studied Northern Goshawk ecology for the past 12 years here in southwestern Montana and has more than 30 years’ experience in field research. As a member of the board of directors for Montana Audubon, Jack leads the Birds Beyond Borders program, which promotes responsible stewardship of the land. Recently, he completed his second fall season of research on migrant Swainson's Hawks in coastal Chiapas, Mexico, and was invited to present a scientific paper to the North American Ornithological Congress in Veracruz at the Neotropical Raptor Migration Symposium.  
 
Jack also leads tropical birding tours in places like Belize, Tikal, Costa Rica, western Mexico, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. His next international birding tour is scheduled for January 2007 in Panama.
 
Guided Birding Expedition:
  • Daily rate: $150 fee per person is a contribution plus mileage. No charge for children.
  • $100 to be contributed to Montana Audubon (tax deductible)
  • $50 to cover fuel costs
 
Guests should bring:
  • Food and beverages for the day
  • Binoculars
  • Sunscreen
  • Insect repellent
 
Guide will provide:
  • One or two tripod-mounted spotting scopes
  • Bird ID field guides
  • Bird Checklist for guests to fill out and keep as a personal record/souvenir for cataloging their bird observations in Montana.
 
For groups of four or more, two-way radios are used to share observations and coordinate movements while caravanning.
Call or email J Bar L today to book your Montana Birdwatching Adventure

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