Trish O'Kane ― the author of the 2026 Griz Read selection, Birding to Change the World: A Memoir ― is a writer and a senior lecturer in environmental justice at the University of Vermont, where avians are her teaching assistants. A former human rights journalist in Central America and the Deep South, she has written for the New York Times, Time, and the San Francisco Chronicle. She lives in Burlington, Vermont, with her writer-husband, their dog, and three chickens.

The Missoula Christmas Bird Count (CBC) will take place on Saturday, December 19, 2026. All observers of nature are welcome, regardless of experience. You can participate by joining a group in the field or by being a feeder watcher. If you would like to take part in the count, contact Larry Weeks at birderweeks@gmail.com. Larry will provide different options for you to choose from.