Stillwater-Swan Wooded Valley

Designated critical habitat for Canada Lynx overlaps this ecosystem area. This means the lynx range and habitat needs overlap with the Stillwater-Swan Wooded Valley and federal agencies must consult under the Endangered Species Act on projects that may affect this habitat.

VIIRS satellite detected three thermal-anomaly hotspots on October 1, 2026 at 20:29 UTC with fire radiative power readings of 3.0, 4.9, and 8.4 megawatts near Stillwater-Swan Wooded Valley. These detections indicate active burning nearby during daylight hours, consistent with the ongoing regional wildfire activity affecting air quality across western Montana.

Mean daily high temperatures over the 30 days ending October 2 at Kalispell Glacier Airport were 67.4°F, running 2.6°F below normal. Cooler daytime conditions are typical for fall transition in this region but remain within expected variation for this time of year.

Flathead County drought improved from 100% abnormally dry or worse in the week of 2026-09-01 to 2.86% in the week of 2026-09-29, with no areas in drought categories D1 or higher as of early October. Fall precipitation and cooler weather have brought substantial relief from the September drought conditions.

Bobolink was seen at West Valley Ponds on 2026-09-25, near the peak of southward movement from breeding grounds. The main southward passage of Bobolinks occurs in August and early September. Bobolink is a Bird of Conservation Concern, reflecting its conservation status across North America.

American Avocet was seen at West Valley Ponds on 2026-09-30 during its southbound migration from breeding grounds. Fall migration for the species is protracted from July through October, so this sighting reflects the species in its characteristic seasonal passage through the region.