Independent Record

Bailee Robbins loves the colors of a wood duck, and that passion put her in first place for grades four through six in the Montana Junior Duck Stamp design contest.

"It took me about eight weeks to do it with colored pencils," said Robbins, 12, of Helena. "I love to draw."

The duck stamp contest coincides with a week of events in Helena to heighten awareness of birds from throughout the world, as well as a 45-day effort to better gauge migratory bird numbers in Montana.

Already, Robbins' artwork is on display downtown, as are junior duck stamp award-winning birds by Ryan Eakin, 13, and his sister Ashley Eakin, 7. In addition, colorful banners by fifth-grade students at Four Georgians Elementary School have been hung on light posts.

Ashley Eakin, who took third place in the kindergarten through third-grade category, said she also liked the colors on the king eider she drew. Her brother's honorable mention in the seventh- to ninth-grade level was for a green-winged teal.

The duck stamp design contest aims to teach children about wetland habitat and waterfowl conservation, then have the students transform that knowledge into art.

"All of the Montana kids who participated in this year's Junior Duck Stamp contest are incredibly talented," said Shannon Heath, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson. "It is fascinating to see how students choose to portray waterfowl in their artwork after learning about waterfowl conservation, habitat and biology."

Caitlin Sterchi, 18, of Whitefish took the Best of Show award for a watercolor of a family of Canada geese, and will advance to the national competition. The first-place overall national winner's artwork will grace the 2009 Junior Duck Stamp.

As part of an international migratory bird awareness week, Woodsy Owl and the Blue Goose will give two half-hour story-telling sessions about birds beginning at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday at the Lewis and Clark Library.

The fifth annual International Migratory Bird Day culminates on Saturday, beginning with guided bird hikes at 6:30 a.m. at the Regulating Reservoir, eight miles northeast of Helena on York Road. This year's them of "Celebrate Birds in Culture" will look at the special roles of birds in Native American cultures.

Later at the reservoir, people can participate in interactive games and activities, learn backyard habitat tips, and go on additional guided bird hikes. The Montana Raptor Center also plans to bring special "guests" to the event. Concessions will be available.

On Sunday, birds are at the forefront again as part of the 11th anniversary celebration of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center near Great Falls.

Birds of prey, including a red-tail hawk and a bald eagle, will be among the featured exhibits, along with a wide range of demonstrations and exhibits about living "Home on the Range" in Montana's early years.

C.J. Hall and his yearling red-tailed hawk, Isabeau, will show what it takes to become a master falconer. Hall is an apprentice falconer, and chose a red-tail for his first bird since they're fairly easy to train and are known for their speed, agility and keen eyesight.

Jeff Ewelt, director of the Beartooth Nature Center in Red Lodge, will bring three live birds of prey to the Center -- a mature bald eagle, a saw-whet owl and a great horned owl. Ewelt will give presentations at 1 and 3 p.m., using the birds in the indoor theater.

The weekend's events coincide with the kickoff to The Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory's 45-day effort to collect information on more than 60 songbirds and migratory bird species by sight and song. About five surveyors will try to visit more than 50,000 square miles on private and public lands in eastern Montana, south of the Missouri River. The work is being done in conjunction with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.

"With birds, we have an excellent understanding of the variety of species that inhabit eastern Montana, but we don't have a very good handle on numbers of birds over all. This survey is all about counting birds in the spring to help piece together population estimates," said Catherine Wightman, FWP's new bird coordinator. "We really need the assistance of eastern Montana's private landowners, so we're sending letters and making phone calls to explain the effort and to seek the cooperation and participation of local farmers and ranchers."

The eastern Montana survey is part of a larger survey area that includes parts of Wyoming, the Dakotas and Nebraska. The bird conservation region is one of 12 in the western U.S. that characterize similar bird communities and habitats.

For more information about International Migratory Bird Day, visit the official Web site at www.birdday.org.

Reporter Eve Byron: 447-4076 or eve.byron@helenair.com