Foraging Solitary Sandpiper in Montana
On my recent trip to Idaho and Montana I was delighted to photograph a foraging Solitary Sandpiper in a farm pond in Beaverhead County, MT.
Greater Sage-Grouse – Another Species On The Edge
Greater Sage-Grouse should already be on the endangered species list but they aren't.
Uinta Ground Squirrel in Montana
Even though Uinta Ground Squirrels are called pests, vermin and varmints by some people I happen to like them a lot as photographic subjects.
Swainson’s Hawk in southwestern Montana
Last week while in Montana and Idaho I was able to photograph this Swainson's Hawk as it lifted off from a grassy slope heading up Monida Hill.
Posts from the Past – Raptors
Today I am focusing on older posts that have raptors in them starting with Prairie Falcons then Swainson's Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks and Bald Eagles
Posts from the Past – Some of My Favorite Locations
Today I am focusing on older posts that have some of my favorite locations in them starting with Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
Foraging Savannah Sparrow
Earlier this month while I was in Montana I spent time photographing some Savannah Sparrows at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.
Long-billed Curlews
On my trip last week to Montana I saw quite a few Long-billed Curlews.
Wigeon Pond, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana
The amazing birds and animals keep me going back to Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge but the scenery and wildness of the area does too.
Mountain Bluebird female – Hopping into Monday
Some times when I am photographing I capture my subjects in funny poses and I think I did exactly that with this Mountain Bluebird female.
Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk In Flight
This dark morph Swainson's Hawk was on a hillside that we came upon while leaving the Centennial Valley to head back to Utah.
On The Road – Montana morning June 29
Life is good
A Montana Mountain Home – I could live there
If I could pick a place to escape the craziness of modern life this place in the Centennial Valley of Montana would be at the top of my list.
Longing for Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
It is raining here in the valley this morning and snow is falling in the high country in the middle of June so I am sitting here dreaming of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.
Comforting and Changing Scenery – Centennial Valley, Montana
I know. We never know when things in our lives will change but I had come to depend of seeing that dear old barn on each journey through the Centennial Valley of Montana.
Bald Eagle lift off
While in southwestern Montana last week I did see several Bald Eagles and this adult was most obliging as it perched on a conifer in the light of the rising sun.
Male Short-eared Owl in evening light
The nicknames for Short-eared Owls are many and include Evening Owl, Mouse-hawk, Marsh Owl, Bog Owl and Flat-faced Owl but I just call them Shorties in the field.
Fracking does not belong in our National Wildlife Refuges
Oil and gas companies want to come in our National Wildlife refuges to explore for oil and natural gas, they want to exploit; not preserve and protect, the resources found within the boundaries of our National Wildlife System.
I didn’t have a rosy dawn but I can share one
Back to thinking about nature, birds, photography and the amazing, wild places that await me.
The Centennial Valley of Montana beckons to me
The Centennial Valley says "home" to me with the expansive views it offers of not only the valley but the Centennial Mountains and the Lower Lake and beyond. I find peace there.
Short-eared Owls photographed in fog and evening light
Both images are appealing to me because I enjoy the foggy softness of the female Short-eared Owl image and the warm, golden tones of the male Short-eared Owl photo.
An adult Swainson’s Hawk and its young in Montana
I can barely wait until spring when the Swainson's Hawks will migrate back from South America to fill the skies here with their beauty.
Scruffy sub-adult Swainson’s Hawk
Seriously, I wish I understood more about molting with many of the raptors including Swainson's Hawk and perhaps if I ever find some free time I will attempt to study molt patterns more closely.
Adult Red-tailed Hawk and Photoshop
I wouldn't license this Red-tailed Hawk image for print because it has been altered but I like the image without the wires.
Yellow-bellied Marmot raspberry
The Yellow-bellied Marmots are already in their burrows for the winter but with any luck I will see more this coming spring.
Red-tailed Hawks – Mates for Life
For several years now I have been observing and photographing a mated pair of Red-tailed Hawks in the Centennial Valley of southwestern Montana that have a favorite perch that I often see them on.
Red-tailed Hawk perched above Elk Lake, Montana
This past September I spotted an adult Red-tailed Hawk perched high on a rocky canyon wall as it looked out over the cold waters of Elk Lake in Beaverhead County, Montana.
Stained and Unstained Sandhill Cranes
A few days ago I saw quite a few Sandhill Cranes starting at just past the Visitors Center for Bear River National Wildlife Refuge, in one of the farmer's fields I saw 11 of them feeding in the freshly tilled soil.
White-crowned Sparrow on a rusty wire fence
In the Centennial Valley of Montana at this time of the year I see plenty of White-crowned Sparrows of the interior west sub-species and although most of them that I see are juveniles there are also adults hanging around foraging too.
Red-tailed Hawk on the red rocks of the Centennial Valley – Finally!
Since my first visit to the Centennial Valley of Montana on June 18, 2010 I have wanted to photograph a bird; preferably a raptor, on the reddish orange lichen covered rocks found throughout the valley. On this last trip that finally happened!