FVCC Nature Journal

Fish like Dolly Varden and Arctic Grayling face challenges in the dark cold environments north of the Arctic Circle. Join Alaska fisheries scientist, Kevin Fraley, as he takes us on a tour of these unique fisheries of the far north.

The Northwest Montana Lookout Association is an organization dedicated to the restoration and preservation of historic fire lookouts. Come along on this episode of the Nature Journal for a fun tour and great views among the peaks with Board Member, Kjell Petersen.  Northwest Montana Lookout Association website: https://www.nwmt-ffla.org/ Find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northwestmontanalookouts

Some people say that there is a giant serpent-like creature living in Flathead Lake. Some say it resembles a giant sturgeon. Some long ago people believed in this legend, and sightings of the monster continue to this day. Come along on the Nature Journal as we explore the legend of the Flathead Monster.  You can find the map of the sightings referred to in this episode on the Flathead Lakers' website, here. 

Montana’s state parks help unlock the history of our great state. From Giant Springs to Lewis and Clark Caverns, from Bannock to Flathead Lake, these gems are here for you to visit. Join us today on the Nature Journal as we talk with FVCC Library Director Morgan Ray about these slices of Montana…

A huge “dinosaur fish” has remained virtually unchanged for 100 million years. The white sturgeon is North America’s largest freshwater fish. Join us on today’s podcast to learn about these unusual fish, and how to fish for them. 

Montana is home to 90 native and non-native fish species. Come along on today’s Nature Journal episode to learn all about some of our favorites. 

Join Morgan Ray and John Fraley as they get into some of the wildlife details in My Wilderness Life. Morgan and John talk about the oldest, purest, and largest westslope cutthroat in the U.S., which are found in the upper South Fork of the Flathead River deep in the Bob. They talk about bull trout spawning over the last 50 years in the Great Bear. Morgan serves as the host as she interviews John about these stories found in his new book. 

Join FVCC Library Director Morgan Ray and John Fraley as they cruise through some happy stories, sad stories and everything in between in some of Montana's Wilderness Areas. Morgan serves as the host as she interviews John about these stories found in his new book, My Wilderness Life, published last week by Farcountry Press in Helena. 

The American dipper, or water ouzel, is a small grayish bird common along rocky streams in Northwest Montana and beyond.  Come along on today’s Nature Journal Podcast to learn all about this bobbing and dipping little bird! 

The red fox is one of the most widespread mammals across North America. In recent years, this adaptable carnivore seems to be expanding its range to high elevations in Glacier National Park. Join us on our 50th episode of the Nature Journal to learn all about this member of the Canid (dog) family!

One of the things Montanans overwhelmingly favor is access to our precious open lands. We are lucky in Montana to have these landscapes close and accessible. Join lands expert Jim Williams on today’s podcast to learn all about efforts to keep our lands open to all. 

Counting mountain goats along the spine of our highest mountains from a helicopter sounds exhilarating and dangerous, and in fact it is. Come along on today’s Nature Journal and learn all about surveying these elusive critters! 

The mountain goat is a hoofed mammal native to North America.  They live in our highest mountains and thrive on cliffs, ice, and snow. Come along on our Nature Journal podcast to learn all about this unusual creature! 

The GNP Conservancy is one of those unique organizations that supports Glacier National Park. We all love Glacier, and the Conservancy provides funds and cares for the Park. Come along with Executive Director Doug Mitchell on today’s FVCC Nature Journal to learn all about it!

The chance to float the incredible Smith River is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You must apply in a lottery for a permit. Incredible canyon scenery, abundant wildlife, and great fishing make this the most unique float in Montana. Come along and experience a recent float on this amazing river.

The sucker family comprises 9 species in Montana. Suckers are hard to catch, but they are vital to the aquatic systems. Join us on this episode of the Nature Journal to learn all about this fish family. We will be joined by Kevin Fraley, the current state record holder for the largescale sucker. 

Found in the high country, Montana’s hoary marmot is actually a giant, 10-pound squirrel! It’s common around Logan Pass in Glacier National Park and other high elevation areas. Join us on this episode of the Nature Journal to learn more about this amazing rodent!

Montana’s ancient shovelnose and pallid sturgeons live on today in the Missouri River system.

Fisheries biologist, Sam Bourret describes his recent underwater video studies of bull trout in Wounded Buck Creek, a tributary of Hungry Horse Reservoir. 

Fisheries biologist Sam Bourret details his recent studies of pure and hybrid westslope cutthroat in tributaries of the North Fork of the Flathead River. 

Join host, John Fraley, in an exploration of fun aspects of the natural world: interesting bird and wildlife species, other fauna, and flora, much of which we can find on the FVCC Campus. The podcast features interviews with naturalists and wildlife professionals and students doing interesting projects, as well as funny and unusual aspects of nature and wildlife management. Listeners can learn about nature in their own backyard (or campus).

Come along on today’s podcast to learn all about these intelligent birds, and become an expert at distinguishing one from the other!

Join FWP game warden Ben Chappelow as he talks about patrolling the beautiful backcountry of the upper Flathead Drainage. Ben is known as the singing game warden and he played a short fiddle tune to intro this episode. 

The Columbian Ground Squirrel is very common in western Montana. Glacier Park is loaded with them in subalpine and alpine meadows. Join us on the Nature Journal today to learn all about this common animal that many people mis-identify!

Join Chris Peterson, editor of the Hungry Horse news, as we talk about all things Glacier National Park! You’ll learn about the Going to the Sun Road reservation system, what’s coming up this summer in GNP, hiking spots this spring, and tips on photography in the Park.

Across the high, alpine landscapes of western Montana one conifer stands out as unique. The alpine larch, a seldom seen glacial relic, has a fascinating story. Join us on the Nature Journal to learn about this unusual tree. 

The life of a state parks ranger can be exciting, offbeat, and challenging. Join Brian Schwartz of Montana FWP as he talks about funny and not so funny experiences in his decades of patrolling and managing these jewels of our public lands.

Forest bathing is an emerging practice that offers a meditative and mood-lifting experience. Join expert Ellen Horowitz as we explore this stress-relieving immersion in nature that can be done in any forest or area of the great outdoors.

The recovery of the bald eagle is one of the world’s greatest conservation success stories. Join Dr. Christina Relyea and John Fraley as they discuss the factors that almost led to the bald eagle’s extinction, and the steps that made its recovery possible.  Learn lots of amazing facts about this giant bird that sports a wingspan of over seven feet, and builds nests that weigh up to 4,000 pounds!

Join us on the nature journal and learn about Montana’s biggest minnow.  This non-native fish can weigh over 40 pounds, and it sports large grinding teeth in the lower part of its throat. In recent years, these fish have been a target of bow-fishing and fly-fishing tournaments.  Can you name this fish?

The giant water bug, at 4 inches in length, is the largest aquatic insect in Montana. This bug swims with a snorkel and flies through the air using its four wings. With its large piercing beak,  It can prey on other insects, fish, and even amphibians!

Invasive species like exotic weeds, non native fish and other critters pose a threat to our native species in Montana’s ecosystems.  In this episode, Christina Relyea talks about some of the more troublesome exotic species and how we might deal with them.

Coyotes are adaptable predators that have long captured the imagination of humans. They eat just about anything, and they use at least 11 yips, barks, and other sounds to communicate. Recently, they have become a safety problem in some urban areas.

The tailed frog is the oddest little frog in Montana.  It is water dependent, and lives mysteriously under rocks and logs in fast flowing streams. Few people have seen one.   Join us on the FVCC Nature Journal and learn about this very primitive amphibian!

In this episode of the FVCC Nature Journal, Natural Resources Professor Tim Eichner describes a number of technologic advances that help us measure aspects of our natural world.  Practical applications include a variety of satellite imagery, drone technology, fire mapping, satellite telemetry, and more!

The gray jay, also known as the Canada Jay, is a common bird of coniferous forests in Montana and across the west. This “camp robber” looks for handouts around camps in the high country. This bird is a “scatter hoarder”, caching a variety of food items in the summer for winter use. 

There are hundreds of geysers in Yellowstone Park and each one has a story.  Learn about the sources of geysers, how they are formed, and why they are so rare in the world.  Professor Adam Wenz has been fascinated with the geochemistry of geysers since childhood, and he leads us through a fascinating discussion of these amazing, world-famous features. 

The Northern Flying Squirrel is one of two native tree squirrels in Montana. This diminutive glider spends its life in trees mostly of the boreal coniferous forests of Montana, making it the poster squirrel for the common Christmas trees cut by Montanans for their homes. This squirrel can glide up to 270 feet or more and demonstrates surprising skills of aerial maneuvering. 

The woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) is an elusive member of the deer family that occasionally dips down from Canada and  is seen in northwest Montana.  The woodland caribou has a fascinating life style that involves deep dark forests and subsisting on tree lichens.  FVCC student Taylor Rose joins us and describes his efforts over the last two years to develop his great idea into a graduate project at the University of Idaho,  working on caribou habitat and status.

This episode includes lots of fun facts about wild turkeys, their biology, and behavior. Learn about turkey-related Thanksgiving traditions, and hear the story of a cat hitching a ride on the back of a wild turkey!

The snowshoe hare lives across the Montana landscape, especially in lodgepole and other conifer woodlands.  Its white color provides almost complete camouflage in winter, but it is still preyed upon heavily by lynx, coyote, raptors, marten and other critters. Tune in to this podcast and learn lots of fun facts about this elusive prey species. 

Join top fisheries Scientist Clint Muhlfeld and host John Fraley as they talk about the history and genetics of Montana's state fish in the waters of beautiful Glacier National Park!

Join us for a ride through the interesting world of bats! There are more than 1,200 species of bats worldwide, and 15 species in Montana. Some bats can fly 100 miles per hour; they are the only mammal capable of true flight. The smallest bat in Montana is the western small footed myotis, which weighs only 5 grams. Bats are valuable insectivores, but they also represent spookiness and fear for their association with Halloween.

In this episode, explore the variety of wilderness areas in Montana, focusing on the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex not far from campus. You’ll learn about how wilderness is designated and managed, and hear some fun stories about old-time and more recent wilderness visits! 

Porcupines have captured the attention of people for centuries. Their quills are used for decorations and are feared by other animals. In this episode, you will learn lots of fun facts, and join a discussion of factors behind the porky's near disappearance in western Montana. 

Tune in for a tour through the world of black bears and grizzly bears in Montana, including fun facts, stories, and management challenges. 

Deer and humans have had a long history together in our country. Deer have provided sustenance to people over time, and now are moving into suburban and urban areas creating challenges for the deer and for humans. In this episode we will peer into deer biology and behavior and talk about the continued value of our relationship with deer in Montana.

Join Dr. David Long and host John Fraley as they discuss fascinating chemical connections in the natural world around us. Dr. Long is a popular chemistry Professor here at FVCC known for his reflective and entertaining lectures. One of the things he describes in the show is a long ski across Yellowstone National Park and some surprising chemistry of thermal features.

In this episode of the nature journal, tune in and learn about the Pika, or rock rabbit, a small high-elevation critter found in the Jewel Basin high country and other mountainous areas. This territorial, 4-ounce animal cuts and cures alpine vegetation in hay piles under boulders to help them last through the winter.

Bull trout are the largest native trout in Montana, traveling one of the longest migration routes (up to 150 miles) of any inland trout. Join the discussion about the unique life history of this fish, which uses Flathead Lake, the river, and upstream tributaries to spawn. Biologists count bull trout nests each year to keep track of how they are doing. Bull trout are a federally threatened species and a species of special concern in Montana.

The weasel family in is amazingly diverse, including the wolverine, otter, marten, mink, and three species of weasels. Surprisingly, the least weasel has the strongest bite (pound for pound) of any mammal, and the short-tailed weasel is probably our most numerous carnivore. Join host John Fraley and producer Collin Burkhart for a lively discussion of fun facts and surprising quirks of weasels in Montana.

Montana waters support at least 90 species of fish with a diversity of species and habits. Learn about the largest fish in Montana (paddlefish, up to 142.5 pounds) and the smallest (a tiny sculpin, 0.05 pounds). Some Montana fish can live to be more than 100 years old! Come along on the trivia trail by tuning into this week’s FVCC Nature Journal.

In this segment, John Fraley recounts some scary and funny wildlife encounters from the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Glacier National Park. Species include grizzly bears, moose, pine marten, and even ruffed grouse!

Game Warden Ben Chappelow, known as the” Singing Game Warden,” joins host John Fraley to talk about humorous and interesting experiences he’s had while patrolling on horseback in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Ben shares a few song segments on his guitar along the way!

John Fraley welcomes award winning wildlife photographer Chris Peterson, editor of the Hungry Horse News. Chris relates some surprising encounters with wildlife, and some of his favorite photos and stories from his long career in Glacier National Park. Chris spends about 250 days each year in the woods. 

Fish Detective Sam Bourret joins the program again to talk about tracing the origin of the illegal introduction of walleye into Swan Lake. By analyzing the geochemistry of inner ear bones of the walleye, Sam identified the source lake and is hot on the trail of the perpetrators.

Fisheries biologist and “Fish Detective” Sam Bourret is on a search for a glacial relic, the pygmy whitefish, in lakes ranging from Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness. He has recently discovered the diminutive fish in Tally Lake, and in Big Salmon Lake deep in the Bob Marshall. This ancient, deep-water critter is an important link in the lakes’ food chain and an indicator of healthy water quality.

Jim Williams joins John Fraley to talk about the exciting interactions of mountain lions (called pumas in Chile and Argentina) and their prey in South America, particularly in the large national parks that have been established there. In South America, some of the same conflicts between ranchers and ranch hands (Gauchos), and their livestock are present. Jim traveled to Patagonia to advise the wildlife managers there on how to help humans coexist with lions. In Patagonia, mountain lions prey on a type of camel, an ostrich (Darwin's Rhea), hares, and even Penguins.

In this episode, cat expert Jim Williams joins John Fraley to discuss William's 2018 book, Path of the Puma, published by Patagonia Books. Jim explains key points of cat biology and ecology, and Jim's 4-year experience with mountain lions (pumas) on the Rocky Mountain Front in Montana. Jim is considered one of the top mountain lion experts in the world. Jim and John talk about human-cat interactions, and note that mountain lions move through the Stillwater River Corridor right through the FVCC campus. 

In this first episode of the FVCC Nature Journal, Host John Fraley and recent FVCC graduate Raser Powell talk about the fascinating web of life found at Red Tail Riffle on the Stillwater River on campus.  As an ecology student, Raser led a project to identify the critters in the river and surrounding area to build a trophic energy pyramid for the system, noting over 400 predator and prey relationships shared by the 46 members of the flora and fauna. Some of the key species in the food chain include showy damselflies, crayfish, stoneflies, and northern pike. Raser teamed with a math student and they identified more than 30,000 total pathways of energy through the system.