The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

This is the time to take a hike or stroll through your favorite part of the Bear Paw Mountains.

First, the creeks are running maybe as good as they might be running most of the year so get on out and enjoy them.

In the bird department there are blue birds around, lots of robins, chickadees singing their spring door bell song, and even loons coming and going on Beaver Creek Reservoir at the north end of Beaver Creek Park.

In the flower department look for pasque flowers or as we call them around here, crocuses. They are out as are buttercups and some yellow bells. No roosterheads yet that my sources have spotted but there are plenty of pussy willows. They still are in a good stage but if you are looking for pussy willows get them soon before they all turn yellow.

This is a good time to see various forms of wildlife out and about. You could see a bobcat or two, a mink along the creek, numerous beaver, especially around dusk and dawn, maybe a fox or two, and lots of coyotes. And if you stay overnight somewhere, you will hear the coyotes all night long these days.

We do need moisture badly and as I write these words, there is supposedly a big storm coming in. I hope we get three feet of snow because it will melt quickly and we are not going to have much green if we don’t get lots of wet and very soon.

Anyway, it is now officially spring and one of the best ways to celebrate it is to discover what you have missed all winter long and a very good place to do that is most anywhere in the beautiful Bear Paw Mountains.