Outdoor news

Grizzly DNA

Kate Kendall, a U.S. Geological Survey research ecologist who has studied grizzly and black bears in Northwest Montana since 1997, will be the second speaker in the 10th annual John White Series at the Museum at Central School, in Kalispell. Her talk on Sunday, Jan. 29, at 2:30 p.m. will be about techniques that led to DNA profiles that reveal bear population density, distribution and genetic health. Tickets for historical society members are $20 for the series of four and $6 for any single event or $30 and $9 for the general public, available at the museum. For more information, call 756-8381.

Birds of prey

The Glacier Institute will offer an all-day wildlife course titled "Winter Birds of Prey" on Saturday, Jan. 28, led by Denny Olson, aka Critterman. Beginning with a short session at Flathead Valley Community College, the class will travel the Flathead's back roads searching for raptors, including bald and golden eagles, red-tailed and rough-legged hawks, and snowy, great-horned, long-eared, short-eared and pygmy owls. The course fee is $65. For more information, call 755-1211.

Bird watching

Flathead Audubon will host a free bird-watching trip to search for pygmy and snowy owls, raptors, wintering waterfowl and other winter birds of the Lower Flathead Valley on Saturday, Jan. 28, guided by wildlife biologist Bob Lee. Participants will meet at 8 a.m. at the Park ‘n' Ride at the intersection of U.S. 93 and Highway 82. For more information, call Lee at 837-4467 evenings or e-mail rml3@centurytel.net.