October Center Updates

Greetings!

Happy Fall! Excitement is in the air at the Montana Audubon Center as a new season of outdoor adventures, hands-on learning, and community gatherings begins. We are thrilled to share what’s ahead!

Emily Chilcoat

Center Director

Thanks to all who attended!

This year's Evening Under the Big Sky was fantastic! It was filled with wonderful community spirit and strong support for environmental education. Special thanks to the Roberts Foundation and First Interstate Bank for sponsoring this year's event.

Program Spotlights

Homeschool Science Update

Great things are happening as we finalize our 2026–2027 Homeschool Science program! Our team is putting the final touches on this year's programming. Look out for a follow-up email in the coming weeks with our complete course catalog, registration steps, and schedule. We look forward to another fantastic season of discovery with your young scientists!

Fledgling and Flyers have landed!

Fledglings Preschool and Flyer's Kindergarten are back!

Keep in the know with their adventures all through the year with our Fledglings Friday Instagram and Facebook posts.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BmNgy43vJ/

Help Shape the Future of the Montana Audubon Center!

We're looking for dedicated Center Committee Members to drive the Center's mission through philanthropy, strategic insight, and community engagement.

Interested?

Fill out our Center Committee Application or contact Emily Chilcoat: 406-294-5099 / echilcoat@mtaudubon.org

Nature Nugget: Cassin's Finches

By Kristen Prinzing

Finches are widely seen frequenting back yards. Especially some with red coloration, who can easily be mistaken for one another. Adding confusion, however, are the not-red-at-all females and juveniles.

The male Cassin's Finch (Carpodacus cassinii) is easily spotted for its red crown and the dusky red gradient down its breast and back. But the house finch (Caropdacus mexicanus) and the purple finch (Carpodacus purpureus) are similarly colored!

Cassin’s finches aren’t as likely to be seen in urban areas as house finches are. House finches’ reddish coloration doesn’t extend as far down their breast or back. Slight size and beak differences also provide useful clues. And purple finches aren’t as likely to be found in our region.

Now when you see a little redheaded bird, you’ll know that all redheads aren’t the same!

Community Programs & Events

Nature Nuts:

Every Tuesday, at 10:00 am

Nature exploration comes naturally, especially for kids! Children aged 1 to 4 (accompanied by an adult) join our teacher-naturalists for guided outdoor play and nature-based learning in Billings and beyond.

Suggested donation $5/child | FREE for members

Advance registration is required - Register Here!

Bat-Stravaganza

Thursday, October 22nd, 6:00 pm- 7:s0 pm

Love bats? We do too! Join Montana FWP and Audubon as we transform the Norm Schoenthal Wet Lab into a bat-centric festival of fun for the whole family. Come dressed as your favorite bat to experience and learn about Montana's flying mammals. Entrance is pay-what-you-can, with all proceeds supporting future educational programming. We hope to see you there!

Cost: FREE

Holiday Wreath Workshop

Saturday, November 7th, 2:00 pm- 4:00 pm

Discover local conifers while gathering juniper boughs to create your own holiday wreath to take home. We'll provide all materials, but feel free to bring any additional decorative items or bows. You can work with friends or family, or choose to work independently.

Please dress appropriately for the weather, as we will be outside collecting boughs.

Cost: $35/wreath or $30/members

Purchase Your Ticket Here!

Get Involved,

Make a Difference!

Join us this fall as a volunteer and be part of something meaningful. We're looking for extra hands to help with:

Education Programs – We're looking for dedicated volunteers to assist with our Audubon Naturalist in the Schools program working with 4th grader in the classroom and during immersive field trips.

Demonstration Garden Care- Help us keep our native demo gardens free of invasive weeds and looking their best.

Fall See Collecting- Learn about and collect native plants found around the center as part of our native seed initiative. Over the winter seeds are packaged and either dispersed or used on the grounds.

For questions about volunteer email echilcoat@mtaudubon.org

Morning Bird Stroll:

Saturday, November 14th at 10:00 am

Enjoy a morning stroll by the river and learn a few birds along the way.

Suggested donation $5/child | FREE for members

Holiday Wreath Workshop

Saturday, November 21st, 2:00 pm- 4:00 pm

Please dress appropriately for the weather, as we will be outside collecting boughs.

Cost: $35/wreath or $30/members

Purchase Your Ticket Here!

Yellowstone Valley Audubon Society hosts a Public Program Series with a featured speaker from September through May on the 3rd Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Mayflower Congregational Church. Members, the general public, and visitors to the Billings area who are interested in birds, bird habitat, and conservation are invited to join us.

Unless otherwise noted, field trips are open to the public and depart at 8:00 a.m. by car from the Rocky Mountain College parking lot on Rimrock Road next to Billings Studio Theater. Make transportation and carpooling arrangements in advance, if possible.

Please DO NOT bring pets.

Passengers share gas costs with drivers.

Speakers:

Monday, October 19th at 7:00 pm, Mayflower Church- Implementing the Eagle Protection and Offset Program (EPOP) at NorthWestern Energy. Marco Restani, Speaker.

Field Trips:

Sunday, Nov 1st- Yellowtail Dam Afterbay. Meet at 8:00 am at Rocky/ BST parking lot. Ron Kuhler, trip leader.

Sunday, Nov 8th- Cooney Reservoir. Meet at Cooney Marshall Campground boat dock at 9:00 am, or for carpooling, at the Costco parking, NW corner at 8:00 am. Trip is weather permitting.

Don't forget to recycle your aluminum with YVAS and Support YVAS's Educational Fund. See website for details.

To learn more, visit yvaudubon.org

Join the Montana Audubon Center Community

and Power Nature Education by being a Center Member!

Your membership fuels our hands-on conservation programs, scholarships, and vital habitat restoration.

Invest today to get:

Early bird access to popular programs.
An exclusive invite to our Annual Member Party.
The satisfaction of preserving nature for the next generation.

Be a part of the impact! Become a member now!

With Your Support We Can Soar Even Farther Than Before!

Ways To Support

Our Work

Your support helps connect more youth to nature:

Donate: Every dollar supports outdoor education and conservation.

Become a Member: Sustain our mission year-round.

Gift Memberships: Give the gift of nature to someone you love.

Volunteer!

Spread the Word: Inspire others by sharing our mission online with #MontanaAudubonCenter.

Auction Items for our annual fundraiser Evening Under the Big Sky

Special Thanks to Our Supporting Foundations and Organizations!

Without them, we wouldn't be able to provide accessible environmental education programs and initiatives!

The Fortin Family Foundation

Phillips 66

Margret V. Ping Foundation

OP&WE Edwards Foundation

Billings Community Foundation

Bureau of Land Management Billings

Billings Junior Women's Club

Centennial Youth Foundation- FIB

Roberts Foundation

Yellowstone River Parks Association

Ignite Candle Company

Montana Native Plant Society

Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund

MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks- Community Pond Funds

First Interstate Bank

Support Our Work

406.294.5099

mtaudubon.org/center

@mtauduboncenter

@montanaauduboncenter