Seven Lazy P Deep Canyon Guest Ranch — Photo: courtesy the ranch

An outstanding natural history tour in late spring featuring breathtaking scenery, excellent birding and mammal viewing, and wildflowers in profusion.

This late spring tour will visit some of the best birding locations in the "Big Sky Country." Montana has long been synonymous with majestic mountains, breathtaking valleys, crystal clear lakes, and wide open spaces. Montana has more than 9,000 rivers, streams, spring creeks, lakes, and reservoirs. Because of its geographic location, summer days are long—up to 15 hours—and we will take every advantage of those long hours of daylight.

We will combine many of the aesthetic wonders of Montana with some of the most fantastic, off-the-beaten-path birding locations of western Montana. Some of the birds we will be looking for include Red-necked Grebe, Long-eared and Great Gray owls, Hammond's and Dusky flycatchers, Sprague's Pipit, Pine Grosbeak, and Chestnut-collared and McCown's longspurs. Mammal viewing possibilities are also excellent.

Focus is on birds, mammals, plants, and habitats; good to excellent accommodations and cuisine; several lengthy drives; cool to warm days with rain possible.