15th Annual Bill's Bird Count at the Teller Wildlife Refuge
June 22 and 23, 2007
Join the
Teller Wildlife Refuge,
a private non-profit conservation organization in Corvallis, Montana for Bill's
Bird Count. Participate
in a special bird watching opportunity on the 880-acre main Teller
property. There are three walks scheduled, on three different areas of the
property. A maximum of 10 participants can sign up for each walk. The
registration fee is $20 per participant. Bring binoculars, a birding guide, and
suitable clothing/gear for walking.
Friday, June 22nd, at 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.-Bitterroot River
Trail from Woodside
Spend 3 evening hours walking along the Bitterroot River, through mixed
Cottonwood/Ponderosa Pine Forest, Ponds, and meadows. On this walk we're
likely to find waterfowl, shorebirds, osprey, and many species of
cavity-nesting birds and warblers.
Saturday, June 23, 6:00 a.m. to noon. The Teller Interior
Experience an early morning walk exploring the habitat of open fields,
creeks, ponds, and mixed riparian forest. On this walk we'll likely find
meadowlarks and savannah sparrows in the open fields, many swallows,
woodpeckers, warblers and wrens at the field/forest interface and usually
some teal along the waterways. This is a good spot for Bullock's Orioles.
Saturday, June 23, 1:00 p.m. to 5 PM. Teller Wetlands Walk
This walk features the habitat of Teller's restored wetlands and adjacent
upland areas. On this walk we'll likely find ducks and shorebirds in the
wetlands, with a chance to hear and perhaps see Sora and Marsh Wrens. We'll
observe a family of osprey using the nest platform.
As a sanctuary for study and wonder, the Teller Wildlife Refuge promotes its
conservation legacy by connecting people with the land for the benefit of
wildlife and their habitats.
The Teller . P.O. Box 548 . Corvallis, Montana . 59828 .
406.961.3507 .
www.tellerwildlife.org
If you are interested in participating in Bills Bird Count Contact Us for more information.
Teller Wildlife Refuge exists because of the foresight of Otto "Mose" Teller and Phil Tawney. The two first joined together in the early 1970's to work for the conservation of Montana's natural resources.
Teller, an avid sportsman, conservationist and summer resident of the Bitterroot Valley for over half a century, began buying properties along the Bitterroot River near Corvallis in 1985. With the help of wildlife conservationist and attorney Phil Tawney, Teller consolidated and placed the properties (1,200 acres) into conservation easements.
The easements assure that the land (much of which had been the original Slack and Chaffin family homesteads) will forever remain undeveloped. Teller remodeled and refurbished some of the homes and barns on the properties to serve as guest houses for visitors.
Otto passed away on December 1, 1998. Because of the generosity of Otto and his wife Anne, TWR continues to exist as the non-profit, tax-exempt organization incorporated by the Tellers in 1988. Today, a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors and a professional staff is charged with managing the property and facilities. TWR holds a unique status as the only privately managed wildlife refuge in the state of Montana.
TWR uses many tools to implement and expand our concept of land management. These tools include habitat enhancement projects, education and research programs in fish and wildlife ecology, native plant communities and stream studies, and the operation of a sustainable farming program. We also permit a variety of hunting and fishing activities to maintain healthy populations for all species on TWR.
Teller Wildlife Refuge has accomplished these activities through support from a variety of sources, locally, regionally, and nation-wide. These charitable donations and support come from corporate sponsorships, foundations grants, individual contributions, and the dedicated volunteers who help keep our programs running. All are vital to the continuation of the Teller mission.
In the 18 years of delivering our mission of conservation, education, and recreation, TWR has educated thousands of school children about the natural world and provided people of all ages with a 1,200 acre outdoor classroom. We will continue, as a sanctuary of study and wonder, to promote our conservation legacy by connecting people with the land for the benefit of wildlife and their habitats for years to come.
