Join our OnEBoard podcast tomorrow 4-20 at 12 pm (Mountain Time) for a EarthDay 2026 overview at this url: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

Bonneville Shootingstar (Primula conjugens) - Organic Meteor YouTube video by Bob Danley

YouTube video (youtube.com/shorts/ztcZI...) of a favorite spring wildflower: Bonneville Shootingstar. Colors and form are distinct and are an organic simile for meteors streaking across our atmosphere. Good reason for a walk in a wild area...what will you find?

Birdwatching aka birding is a fun, challenging, physical, spiritual, scientific way to address and connect to our "Our Power, Our Planet" #EarthDay 2026 theme. Check out this Google Slides presentation (generated by NotebookLM) (docs.google.com/presentation...) for a "what for" explanation.

Take action in support of #EarthDay 2026 messaging "Our Power Our Planet". Slidedeck visuals as catalyst: docs.google.com/presentation...

Grape Hyacinth Nectar Pollen Source for Bumble Bees YouTube video by Bob Danley

Have planted Grape Hyacinth in garden in support of native bumble bees. Have had lots of fun monitoring and photographing the activity: youtu.be/rH9_Vc4h4yA. Consider planting other ornamental or native wildflowers in support of pollinators for #EarthDay 🌍

Simple action in support of Earth Day🙂

Hell-diver is one of many common names for Pied-billed Grebe (Terres 1991). Most widespread grebe in North America. Only species of this genus. This bird measures thirteen inches in length. It appears chunky, rounded with head/curled next to body when swimming in wetland habitat. Mostly brown colored that is tinted tan on rear flanks and grayish on face/head. Bill is distinct: thick, stubby and gray colored with a dark ring around bill near tip. Doesn't possess a distinct tail outside of a few dark, short spiked feathers above a white rump.

This Pied-billed Grebe swam close enough for a nice photo. Usually heard (digital recording from xeno-canto xeno-canto.org/57686) before seen. Can submerge to various depths (submarine-like) by compressing feathers/air sacs.

Looks good Spare Change...that is one interesting cool flower head, yes? Did you search it out or did you accidentally bump into it?

This wildflower has a 2.5 to 12 inch tall flowering stem. At the apex is a loose umbel of 1-7 downward pointing flowers with magenta, reflexed sepals (Lesica 2022). Several purplish anthers with wrinkled yellow bases surround a single style. This species first described by Edward Lee Greene (August 20, 1843–November 10, 1915). "He was an American botanist known for his numerous publications including the two-part Landmarks of Botanical History and the describing of over 4,400 species of plants in the American West. By the end of his career Greene had named over 4,400 new species of plants, published 565 original papers, and amassed a library of over 4,000 volumes, some of which have no duplicates in North America" (Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Lee_Greene).

First sign of 2026 blooming from Bonneville Shootingstar. This is a common wildflower in western Montana (fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetai...) blooming from early April into the summer (higher elevations). Typically associated with seasonally wet habitat of grassland/open forest.

Red Fox weigh between ten and fifteen pounds. Length measures thirty-nine to forty-three inches (Montana Field Guide). Though somewhat dog-like in form, it is more slender (body and muzzle). It has a long, fluffy tail (not seen in photo) that is reddish-brown with a white tip (diagnostic field mark). Much of the body (includes legs) is similarly colored excepting white chest, front of neck and muzzle. Ears are sharply pointed and large (cover half of face). Biology: four to eight young will emerge from den during April given successful pregnancy.

A Red Fox has denned about 100 yards from our back door over the past couple of years. This morning an adult at burrow entrance. Easy telephoto shots. Hard to believe this animal can prosper within human development. BTW, this is not unusual (Montana Field Guide fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetai...).

Environmental Education Activities Environmental Education activities that promote learning in the outdoors and connection to nature for students in grades K-12.

April 22, 2026, EARTH DAY, is coming up. Want some cool activities for your kids in preparation. Check out the National Environmental Education Foundation K-12 webpage ( www.neefusa.org/what-we-do/k...). Have some family fun while learning, taking action 😊

I speak Italian, they hear English - Google Meet Speech Translation Test #googlemeet YouTube video by Danilo Caccia - Il Digitale Semplificato

Danilo Caccia, Italian Google Product Expert, collaborated with our OnEBoard podcast member Nina Trankova, testing the new feature in Google Meet: "real time" Speech Translation. Watch his YouTube video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUnE...) for colorful explanation. The future is here 😊👏 check it out.

Why worry if not guilty? So heck yeah!!

Red tailed Hawk - Collage of Looks YouTube video by Bob Danley

I posted a YouTube short featuring (youtube.com/shorts/og8vt...) Red-tailed Hawk. Always good to know the most common birds thoroughly to progress your birding skills. Plus, photographing these birds is fun and doable for the Ansel Adams in you. Good Birding!

Surprised by the behavior of the Grifter-in-Chief and the spineless GOP in supporting his criminal actions?

NO KINGS Missoula · No Kings **We have the power and are claiming it together. No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings.** What began in 2025 as a single day of defiance has become a sustained national resistance to tyranny, spreading fr...

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Two image composite of Plitt's Rock Shield. This is a macrolichen that grows on rock crust-like. McCune & Geiser (2009) found most specimens less than twenty centimeters (~8 inches) in size. Those pictured are larger than normal. The images are of the same specimens taken four years apart. Shape on the rock is crudely like a backwards "L". The central part of the lichen is light green and extensively covered by isidia (finger-shaped non-sexual reproductive structures). The margins of the lichen are whitish-green. The right image does capture the growth of this lichen, larger by maybe an inch or so. Find it growing on rock in both eastern and western U.S. and adjacent Canada (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?subview=map&taxon_id=60729).

Plitt's Rock Shield is pictured...4 years apart. Left image taken in March 2022, right image March 2026. Unintentional comparison, just a large specimen (> 20cm McCune & Geiser 2009) in both cases. Literature words - lichens grow slow. Here's a visual example of growth rate for this species 😜

Nineleaf Biscuitroot is a member of the Carrot/Parsley family, Apiaceae. Distinct in appearance, leaves are triternate (divided three times) (Lesica 2012). Leaf form is linear with each leaf reaching a max length of eight inches. GISS: gangly in form. Color of thick, stubby peduncle is grayish-green extending onto the leaves. The inflorescense is a flat umbel. Small yellow flowers are crowded together. Commonly found in grasslands, sagebrush steppe, open forest.

Encountered first 2026 bloom of Nineleaf Biscuitroot on first day of spring...did you get out too? Left image of small early spring emerging plant. Right image is a late spring fully mature specimen, all gangly with scary looking, boney, finger-like leaves. Distribution: American West, sw Canada.

Low Pussytoes is exactly that; mat forming ground hugger at most one inch tall (Lesica 2012). Has both basal and stem leaves that are mostly linear covered by white hairs. Has whitish unisexual disk flowers; separate plants have either male or female flowers.

1st day of spring, whew!! Great weather and field trip action. Low Pussytoes, 1 of 3 new 2026 blooming #wildflowers discovered today. Extra sweet, found ~200 yards from back door on undeveloped foothill swatch. Only site I know of :-) though distributed throughout American West and sw Canada.

Our group, OnEBoard, used the new Google Meet near "real time" speech to speech translation feature. We engaged Danilo Caccia, Italian Google Product Expert, to assist in testing this product. Follow the link below for a demonstration and discussion.

Red-breasted Nuthatch is a small (four and a half inches long [Sibley 2025]), short-necked bird with a "stubby" appearance, emphasized by its very short tail. The feathers of the chin, chest, belly and undertail coverts are a dirty orange color. The wings and mantle are a flat blue color. A black line extends from the base of the bill through the white face and eye to the base of the neck. The top of the head has a black cap from bill base including base of neck . Bill is black, about half the head width, with a chiseled point.

Red-breasted Nuthatch is a mainstay of conifer forests here in w. MT. One unique behavior: it smears sticky conifer resin around the entrance of its nest hole; flies directly into cavity! Watch (3:07 mark) with Lesley the Bird Nerd (www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc4Y...)

Brittle Pricklypear classified as a subshrub forming mats. Colored light to darker green with areas toned purplish. Segments are roundish in profile between one and two inches in size (Lesica 2012) and easily break off. Spines are three-quarters inch in length. Definitely need to survey grasses before sitting/kneeling to photography other wildflowers :-)

Yep, there are a handful of cactus species in Montana. Pictured is Brittle Pricklypear, commonly found in grassland/steppe. Soil mostly sandy or gravelly. "Colonies many meters across can occur in very sandy soil" (Lesica 2012). Flowers rarely (July), usual spread by segments stuck to animals 😊

Sequencially? Ridiculous...sign of incompetence

Ver cool find🙂

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Yellow Fritillary can reach a twelve inch height. It has two to four leaves narrowly oblong attached at middle of stem. Plant has a single yellow flower with yellow inch-long tepals (turn red with age) that hangs lantern-like. Distribution: American West. Habitat: grassland, steppe and open conifer forest. Reference: Manual of Vascular Plants of Montana by P. Lesica (2012).

Checked off 4th 2026 #wildflower species today. Yellow Fritillary is a Lily family member. Early spring blooms expected from corm. Corms edible; they "have a similar nutrient profile to a potato but have 50 percent more protein, six times as much calcium, and nearly 30 times more iron" (Wikipedia).

Western Bluebirds from this composite captured at base of Blue Mountain (Missoula, MT). Note the banded legs. Multiple nest boxes on nearby fence that I believe are monitored by the University of Montana. Image on left is female and male is on right. Both sexes are blue on head, mantle, wings and tail (muted on female). The chest and flanks are orange on both sexes, again muted on the female. Bill is stubby (< 1/2 head width) black, tubular and somewhat blunt. Overall length of the birds are about seven inches (Sibley 2025). May you find happiness in the not-too-distant future :-)

Spring is happening or nearly so when bluebirds are seen. As far as happiness...well Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluebir...) identifies "blue birds" in Chinese mythology, North American, European folklore. Multiple modern cultural references (song) starting 1934. ✅"Blue Sky" Allman Bros. (1972)

Cassin's Finch are similar to the other two finches of this genus. Three field marks I immediately look for are: raised head feathers, straight pointed bill and extent/tone of red on male birds. Brown (female) or red (male) head feathers on Cassin's are usually raised creating a pointed shape. The culmen of both male/female Cassin's is distinctly straight and pointed; Purple and House Finch have curved culmen appears blunt. Finally male Cassin's has dense red coloring on top of the head and chest. Nearby feathers are pinkish in tone. House Finch coloration is red with orange tone which covers the entire and chest. Purple Finch is almost entirely a raspberry red. Look for the whitish supercilium and eyering on female Cassin's; intermediate in distinctness between House (none) and Purple (most obvious). Brown streaking on female chest also a good mark for separating to species. House Finch "blurriest"/indistinct; Purple has darkest/largest streaking. Again, Cassin's is intermediate with sharp, narrow streaking. Reference: Sibley Birds West by D. Sibley (2025).

Cassin's Finch have shown up at our feeders (w. MT) in the last week. They are no different in behavior than other bird species attending our feeders, but they have got a punk/swag look with the feathered cowlick of top of their head (left photo) 😊

Made me laugh...thanks for the story :-)