Juvenile Mourning Dove in Morning Light in Southwestern Montana

Juvenile Mourning Dove in morning light – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Today the predicted south wind should clear some of the smoke out of the Salt Lake Valley and I hope that it does because not only has the air been unhealthy it is also quite ugly to look at.

When I can’t get out to photograph sometimes I look through my old files to see what I was photographing in years past, two years ago today I was up in southwestern Montana photographing birds in the Beaverhead County and these doves caught my eyes. The juvenile and out of focus adult Mourning Doves were perched on a lichen encrusted, slightly frosted fence rail near the road in the southern part of the Centennial Valley. As I recall the temps had dropped down pretty low overnight and the doves were probably warming up in the light of the rising sun.

I don’t believe I have ever shared an image of a juvenile Mourning Dove before on my blog or my photo galleries. The young dove’s feathers look slightly “scaly” and that is how I can tell them apart from the adults.

Red Rock Lakes NWR September sunset at the Lower Lake – Nikon D300, f10, 1/50, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18, natural light

Two years ago today I was also enjoying the big skies of Montana, clear air and great views of Montana’s sunrises and sunsets.

Smoky haze over the Great Salt Lake and Wasatch Mountains – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 320, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18, natural light

This is a photo from yesterday morning taken from the causeway that goes out to Antelope Island, I was facing southeast when I took the image. Believe it or not this was an improvement from the day before. When I took this image if there hadn’t been smoke there would have been sweet golden light over the Great Salt Lake in the Wasatch Mountains in the distance.

I really do hope the south wind clears the smoke out of the valley today, it will probably only be a temporary respite from the smoky haze but it sure would be nice to see the valley without it.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Mourning Dove photos plus facts and information about this species.