Trail Monitor Stories: Kathy Koenig

Dec. 11

One of the great things about being a Trail Monitor is the vast opportunity it provides to get outdoors, enjoy the fresh air, scenery and glimpses of other birds and other wildlife, up to and including Mountain Bluebirds.

In this new and hopefully long-term feature, we’ve asked monitors to share some of their experiences and photographs from their year of trail work. Featured on this post are photos and narrative from MBTCS Treasurer Kathy Koenig:

It never ceases to amaze me how every time we go out on my trail, we always see something new. We have seen large varieties of birds, from the littlest warblers to Golden Eagles, and all sizes of mammals, from the wee mouse in a bluebird nest, to an elk and her calf and a bear!
I am always in awe of how each season brings its own flowers, from the crocuses and three-flowered avens in the spring to the cone flowers and purple prairie clover in the late summer and if you are lucky, you can find some wild strawberries and saskatoons.
This year was no exception when early in the season we spotted a pair of Hungarian partridge. Although not native to North America, they are still fun to see.
The highlight of my year was watching a family of tree swallows fledge. I have always wanted to see bluebirds fledge but have never been in the right place at the right time. I got lucky this year and watched as first one little tree swallow took its first “leap of faith” and then I watched while his sibling patiently waited for its’ parent to return to the nest and entice him out for his first solo flight.
I can hardly wait for next year to see what my “something new” will be!