Boardwalk - 7/22

The accessible boardwalk of the Trail of the Cedars beckons everyone to explore this shaded, cool section of the park. Green light, filtered through a canopy of leaves and needles, baths hikers as they stroll along Avalanche Creek. Moist air from the creek and a thick layer of organic material on the forest floor help to cool the air on even the hottest summer days. This is an inviting place to be. It is an inviting place for many species of wildlife as well. Squirrels and pine martens scurry among the treetops; the squirrels in search of cones and seeds and pine martens in search of squirrels. Large animals such as bear and deer find refuge in the habitat of the old growth. Pileated woodpeckers and barred owls hunt for food in the shadows of the tall trees. Wild animals are secretive, but the forest is full of unseen activity.

Harlequin Duck - 8/22

The Harlequin Duck is a rare and striking sea duck that uniquely breeds along rushing stream courses. Some of the Pacific Northwest population from Vancouver Island and vicinity migrate eastward in spring to inland nesting areas along clear, fast-flowing rivers and streams, such as those found in Glacier. Able to move swiftly and with great agility in the turbulent white water, adults and ducklings easily clamber over rocks while moving upstream in rapids or around waterfalls. They drive to pick aquatic insects from cobbles and gravel in creek beds or dabble at food items close to the surface of the water. In winter, after they return to the Pacific coast, they eat intertidal and subtidal marine invertebrates. For a sea duck, they are usually comfortable on land, resting and preening on rocks, logs, and beaches. Though robust in taking on turbulence, their most frequent call is a mouse-like squeak, hence a common name: "sea mice".

Harlequin Ducks are monogamous, do not always breed each year, and have only one clutch per season. The colorfully patterned males depart from the nesting areas by late June, leaving the brown females to deal with the timing and magnitude of spring runoff and raising the young. Very high or low water can reduce productivity. They are more likely to nest in areas that have clean water, hiding cover (overhanging shrub vegetation), log jams, undercut stream banks, woody debris, boulders, some riffles, and areas free from human disturbance.

To better understand this sea duck in the mountains, annual monitoring is conducted in Glacier to determine their survival in this landscape of uncertain floods of water and visitation and in a world now full of questions about the effects of global warming. Likely effects of global warming in Glacier include earlier timing of spring runoff with bigger pulses of water, and less water later in the season, resulting in some streams becoming ephemeral. Fossil records exist for the predecessor of this bird dating back more than 4 million years; its future, however, unfolds within our own "histrionics", our drama in relating to the earth.

Click the Camera Icon to see a video of some Harlequin Ducks. Click the Headphone Icon to listen to Harlequin Ducks.

Varied Thrush - 9/22

The Varied Thrush is known most by its haunting, simple, penetrating song. Few people see this elusive, robin-sized bird, but visitors to the area in spring and early summer will be wondering who is out in the forest with a whistle -- or, a flute! From high in an evergreen tree, the male sings a "song" comprised of a slow series of single, drawn-out notes at different pitches, each note lasting 1-2 seconds with a pause of 3-20 seconds between them. This singing bout lasts 10-15 minutes from one perch, to be repeated again from another perch.

Breeding from Alaska to California, the Varied Thrush is at the eastern edge of its range in Glacier. Nesting territories are established in dark, wet, mossy forests. They are more commonly found in mature and old-growth forests than in young forests, in large forested areas rather than small, and more likely in the interior of the forest than at the edge. During the breeding season, Varied Thrushes forage primarily on the ground for insects, later turning to fruits and berries.

Visitors to national parks make many memories: outstanding among them is sharing the season of the thrushes in Glacier. The Varied Thrush's ethereal notes echo in the darkness of the ancient forest, secretly sounding the persistence of generations, softly tuning the ambience of their audience.

Click the Headphone Icon to listen to a Varied Thrush.