Montana

Trumpeter Swan Landing In The Centennial Valley Of Montana

By |2023-05-20T01:50:23-06:00May 20th, 2023|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Trumpeter Swans|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I came across this Trumpeter Swan photo taken in Montana in my archives a few days ago and wondered why I had never processed the file or shared it before.

World Water Day 2023

By |2024-02-02T05:37:24-07:00March 22nd, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Conservation, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, Glacier County, Glacier National Park, Juab County, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Sawgrass Lake Park, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today is World Water Day. The theme for World Water Day 2023 is: Accelerate Change. Every human being on this planet is roughly 60% water.

Colorful Twilight Sky

By |2021-09-12T05:45:49-06:00September 12th, 2021|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I don't have much to say today and all I really wanted to do was share this photo of a colorful twilight I took at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge about 6 years ago.

Was the Killing Of Bob The Sandhill Crane Really Necessary?

By |2024-02-05T05:12:53-07:00September 5th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Montana, Sandhill Cranes, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of the other things that made me upset with Bob the Sandhill Crane being killed is that this could have been prevented.

World Wetlands Day 2021

By |2024-03-13T04:38:39-06:00February 2nd, 2021|Categories: American Bitterns, American Coots, Bald Eagles, Barn Owls, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Black-crowned Night Herons, Blue-winged Teals, Brewer's Blackbirds, Centennial Valley, Cinnamon Teals, Common Checkered-Skippers, Common Mergansers, Conservation, Eight-spotted Skimmers, Environment, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Greater Scaups, Green-winged Teals, Halloween Pennants, Hooded Mergansers, Least Sandpipers, Lesser Scaups, Long-tailed Weasels, Marsh Wrens, Montana, Moose, Muskrats, Northern Harriers, Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, Pectoral Sandpipers, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-breasted Mergansers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Reddish Egrets, Redheads, Ruddy Ducks, Rusty Blackbirds, Sandhill Cranes, Scarlet Skimmers, Snowy Egrets, Spotted Sandpipers, Tricolored Herons, Trumpeter Swans, Tundra Swans, Utah, Variegated Meadowhawk, White-faced Ibises, Wildflowers, Wilson's Phalaropes, Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

February 2nd is World Wetlands Day to raise global awareness about the critical role of wetlands for people, wildlife and our planet.

National Squirrel Appreciation Day

By |2023-04-11T05:16:42-06:00January 21st, 2021|Categories: American Red Squirrels, Eastern Gray Squirrels, Florida, Glacier County, Juab County, Montana, Morgan County, Pinellas County, Richardson's Ground Squirrels, Rock Squirrels, Sawgrass Lake Park, Summit County, Uinta Ground Squirrels, Utah, Virginia, Wasatch Mountains, West Desert, White-tailed Antelope Squirrels|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

January 21st is National Squirrel Appreciation Day and it recognizes these creatures that some people consider pests while others find them fascinating.

All Storms Come To An End

By |2023-03-22T07:01:23-06:00November 12th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Juab County, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There are times when I feel as if I am riding out a storm due to circumstances or events that are out of my control I remind myself that all storms come to an end. 

In Every Sunset There Is A Promise And A Gift From Nature

By |2021-09-12T04:27:39-06:00August 23rd, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Throughout my life I have liked to think that every sunset has a promise and a gift from Nature in it. The promise that the sun will rise again in the morning.

Black-headed Grosbeak in the Wasatch Mountains

By |2022-05-27T13:42:59-06:00July 5th, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was happy that I decided to photograph the striking Black-headed Grosbeak instead of the Downy Woodpecker that was at least forty feet in front of me.

Female Brown-headed Cowbird In A Serviceberry

By |2022-03-14T17:28:44-06:00June 17th, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Morgan County, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Savannah Sparrows, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Three days ago one of the birds that the Song Sparrows chased off was an adult female Brown-headed Cowbird that landed on a serviceberry in front of me.

Female Mountain Bluebird With Prey

By |2021-03-27T17:11:07-06:00May 31st, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Mountain Bluebirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As I went through the images I took four years ago this photo of a female Mountain Bluebird perched on an old fence post with prey for her young in her bill stood out to me.

Wet Swainson’s Hawk In A Storm

By |2021-03-31T04:44:05-06:00May 19th, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Montana, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This adult male Swainson's Hawk was perched near his nest in a light rain and although he looked soaking wet that didn't appear to bother him much at all.

It Has Been Five Years…

By |2023-05-01T05:27:46-06:00May 2nd, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Milestone, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

That is one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven posts about birds, wildlife, flowers and the incredible scenery I see out in the field.

Swainson’s Hawk Chicks, Sub-adult And Adults

By |2021-03-09T04:18:29-07:00March 31st, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Idaho, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

These are the life stages of the Swainson's Hawks I see, observe and photograph here in Utah, Idaho and Montana.

My First Of Year Sandhill Crane Sightings

By |2022-07-14T06:23:54-06:00February 26th, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Sandhill Cranes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was delighted to hear the Sandhill Cranes calling yesterday. Their bugling calls touch me and remind me that I am every bit a part of nature as the cranes are.

Immature Swainson’s Hawk In Changing Light

By |2021-04-15T03:51:25-06:00September 9th, 2019|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This photo session with an immature Swainson's Hawk reinforced how as a bird photographer I need to not only be keenly aware of changing light it also showed how I may need to quickly change my settings to get the photos I want.

Poof: Utah’s Merlins Could Disappear

By |2024-02-15T03:54:23-07:00August 13th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Conservation, Environment, Merlins, Montana, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In my experience Merlins are already hard to find in the state of Utah but because of our climate crisis they could become even more difficult to locate or they might even disappear from the state altogether.

Fledgling Mountain Bluebird In Montana

By |2021-03-27T05:49:49-06:00April 12th, 2019|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Mountain Bluebirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I dug through my older files and found this photo of a fledgling Mountain Bluebird perched on a wire fence that I photographed in July of 2017 up in Montana's Centennial Valley.

Early Franklin’s Gull at Bear River MBR on March 6, 2018

By |2021-06-19T04:31:46-06:00March 6th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Davis County, Franklin's Gulls, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I had the Sandhill Crane and the Ring-billed Gulls in my view finder I heard a call and it only took a second for my brain to figure out that I was hearing a Franklin's Gull which surprised me because it was at the refuge much earlier than I have ever seen one there before.

Adult Sandhill Crane At The Edge Of A Summer Storm In Montana

By |2022-07-14T05:06:56-06:00February 4th, 2019|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Sandhill Cranes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was drawn to this photo because of the light on the Sandhill Crane and the grasses it was foraging in plus how that contrasts with the dark shadows on the mountains behind the bird.

My Photographic Journal Featured in the University of Montana’s Crown of the Continent and Greater Yellowstone Magazine

By |2023-12-03T02:53:45-07:00July 16th, 2018|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Mountains, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , |

I typically don't announce publication of my work on my website but I am so honored to have my work included in Crown of the Continent and Greater Yellowstone e-Magazine that I decided to share this with my family, friends and all of the people who view my site.

Young Wildlife – Moose, Marmot, Pronghorn, Red Fox and Wild Horses

By |2024-03-13T15:50:07-06:00May 2nd, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Idaho, Montana, Moose, Mustangs, Pronghorn, Red Foxes, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Targhee National Forest, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert, Wild Horses, Wildlife, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Spring is the season of birth and rebirth, the leaves of trees unfurl, the dormant grasses and forbs poke up through the ground, flower buds burst open and flowers in all the colors of the rainbow appear on the landscapes, birds nest and incubate and wild animals give birth to their young.

Photos Of Owls In Flight

By |2023-12-12T13:36:03-07:00April 3rd, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Barn Owls, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Burrowing Owls, Centennial Valley, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spend a lot of time in the field looking for, observing and photographing owls and obtaining photos of them in flight can often be frustrating when I have the opportunity but very fulfilling when I accomplish my goal.

Public Lands Under Fire – Just Think About It

By |2017-12-07T06:26:15-07:00December 7th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Daggett County, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Like to fish? Hunt? Watch wildlife? Recreate on public lands? Then think real hard at what the reduction of existing national monuments mean and the precedent that might be set.

Juvenile Vesper Sparrow in Southwest Montana

By |2023-03-07T07:09:10-07:00December 2nd, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Vesper Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have seen very few juvenile Vesper Sparrows and I have just a handful of images of them so when I spot one in good light I certainly want to do my best to photograph it.

First of Season Merlin – Odd Behavior and Possible Explanation

By |2024-02-15T04:00:03-07:00October 13th, 2017|Categories: American Pipits, Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Merlins, Montana, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spotted my first of the season Merlin yesterday morning out on the flats at Farmington Bay yesterday morning and it truly delighted me.

Blooming Gardner’s Yampah in Southwestern Montana

By |2017-09-25T05:53:47-06:00September 25th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Earlier this year in July I spent some time in the Centennial Valley of southwestern Montana where I photographed this Gardner's Yampah near Elk Lake.

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