Wintry View of Bear River Migratory Bird RefugeWintry View of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge – cell phone photo

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is a winter wonderland right now and although it is very quiet it is still teeming with life. I can’t really express how much this refuge means to me in words so I try to do it with my images throughout the year. Each season has its own beauty on the refuge, each one is a visual delight.

Yesterday while on the auto tour route I couldn’t help but think of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and the hostile, flag-waving, extremist, constitutionally-challenged, home grown jihadists that are occupying and destroying a national treasure in eastern Oregon. I’ve seen the videos of them tearing out the fences and covering up the refuge signs with tarps. I couldn’t help but think of the damage they are doing.

It didn’t ruin my trip to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge but it sure did make me realize once again that we need to fight to keep public land public. We need to come together across party lines and vote out the politicians who are attempting to take over our public lands.

I hope that the siege of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is over soon and that all of the illegal occupiers are tried then sentenced to prison where they belong. Justice needs to be served.

Rough-legged Hawk on Road PatrolA Rough-legged Hawk on Road Patrol – Nikon D810, f9, 1/500, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

Yesterday a frost covered Rough-legged Hawk was perched on a one-way road sign on the north side of the auto tour loop, it was about 8°F and the hawk was sticky. For awhile the Rough-legged Hawk just looked around the marsh and I could see the sunlight sparkling on the bits of frost on its plumage. It was almost as if this hawk was pointing the way down the road.

I’m so glad we have refuges where sights like this can been seen, photographed and enjoyed by all.

Mia

Click here to view more of my Rough-legged Hawk photos plus facts and information about this species.