Beaverhead County

Young Trumpeter Swan Glowing Brightly On Dark Waters In Montana

By |2024-02-19T13:34:17-07:00August 31st, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Trumpeter Swans|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of my fondest memories for photographing Trumpeter Swans happened on an evening of September of 2015 in southwestern Montana.

Time to be on the Lookout for Juvenile Swainson’s Hawks

By |2021-03-31T05:48:41-06:00August 15th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I saw my first juvenile Swainson's Hawk of the year last week and although it didn't give me any opportunities to take better images of it I was happy to see it perched on a power pole.

Up close with a Tree Swallow at Red Rock Lakes NWR

By |2024-03-25T06:51:36-06:00July 27th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Tree Swallows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

While stopped at a gate at Red Rock lakes NWR a Tree Swallow flew in and landed on a fence post so close that I wasn't sure I was going to be able to focus on it but I had to try.

Centennial Valley Savannah Sparrow

By |2022-03-14T17:39:50-06:00July 26th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Savannah Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Some of the birds I see often while at the Lower Lake of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana are Savannah Sparrows and I love to photograph them there.

Cassin’s Finch with His Head Tilted

By |2021-03-12T15:03:17-07:00July 21st, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Cassin's Finches, Centennial Valley, Montana|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

I didn't have the good fortune to photograph another Cassin's Finch on my trip so I am glad I took the time to take photos of this one looking around his home in the Centennial Valley of Montana.

Bank Swallow Over the Red Rock River

By |2021-04-14T12:46:20-06:00July 18th, 2017|Categories: Bank Swallows, Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

While I looked around four days ago I saw this Bank Swallow resting on a fence that hangs over the Red Rock River and could not resist photographing it with the blue water below and behind it.

Swainson’s Hawk with Damage to the Feathers of the Underwing Coverts

By |2021-03-31T14:28:50-06:00July 15th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I simply don't know what caused this kind of feather damage and I hope that someone can give me a better idea of what was going on with this Swainson's Hawk.

Mountain Bluebird On a Rustic Pine Fence – Life is Good

By |2021-03-27T17:34:33-06:00July 13th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Mountain Bluebirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Today's post is just a simple bird. A sky blue Mountain Bluebird perched on a rustic pine fence railing taken on a bright beautiful morning in the Centennial Valley of Montana.

Five Different Centennial Valley Red-tailed Hawks

By |2021-08-13T04:10:13-06:00July 11th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red-tailed Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Red-tailed Hawks were my most photographed species yesterday morning in the Centennial Valley of southwestern Montana and I had fun with them.

Short-eared Owl Surveying the Centennial Valley of Montana

By |2024-02-22T14:28:27-07:00July 9th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Short-eared Owls|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Short-eared Owl was perched on the post and slowly turned its head to look around as if it was surveying the beauty of the valley it had made its home in.

Male Cassin’s Finches Foraging in Beaverhead County, Montana

By |2021-03-12T14:55:15-07:00June 11th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Cassin's Finches, Centennial Valley, Montana|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two years ago today I was in Beaverhead County, Montana photographing Cassin's Finches foraging on the seeds of dandelions on a morning that had sunshine and plenty of fog.

Male Short-eared Owls On the Prowl in Idaho, Montana and Utah

By |2021-04-04T13:18:51-06:00April 3rd, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Idaho, Montana, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Short-eared Owls are nomadic so the places where I saw and photographed these male Short-eared Owls last year may or may not have owls this breeding season.

Spring Songs – Savannah Sparrows

By |2022-03-14T17:45:13-06:00March 20th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Savannah Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my last two trips up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I have heard Savannah Sparrows singing "sit sit sit sit suh-EEEEE say" from somewhere in the marshes.

I’m Itching To Hit The Road To Go Camping – Spring Wanderlust

By |2017-08-21T07:25:11-06:00March 3rd, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Burr Trail, Capitol Reef National Park, Clark County, Idaho, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

As the weather warms up I admit that I'm itching to hit the road to go camping, to get away from the city, the news and to immerse myself in natural surroundings.

Progress versus Growth

By |2017-01-30T07:46:40-07:00January 30th, 2017|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Coyotes, Daggett County, Davis County, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , |

There are some that say the state can better care for those lands. I'd call them fools but we humans are all distant cousins so I'll tame that down a bit and call them misled instead. Intentionally and deliberately misled.

Looking at 2016 in the Rear View Mirror or My Photographic Year in Review

By |2024-03-27T06:20:55-06:00December 31st, 2016|Categories: American Bitterns, American Pipits, Bald Eagles, Barn Owls, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Belted Kingfishers, Birds, Box Elder County, Burrowing Owls, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Davis County, Double-crested Cormorants, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Horned Owls, High Uintas, Hybrid Geese, Idaho, Leucistic, Montana, Peregrine Falcons, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Red-tailed Hawks, Salt Lake County, Short-eared Owls, Summit County, Targhee National Forest, Tooele County, Turkey Vultures, Utah, Wayne County, Western Bluebirds, Wilson's Phalaropes, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Wow, today is the last day of the year 2016. This is my photographic year in review from Utah, Idaho and Montana!

Sunrise ~ Sunset

By |2016-12-11T07:34:01-07:00December 11th, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Montana, Pinellas County, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , |

I feel worried for the future and I am filled with angst right now and I know I am not alone. However; I do know that even when times are difficult life is good. The sun rises after every sunset.

2000 Posts about Birds, Wildlife and Nature at On The Wing Photography

By |2016-12-07T12:05:24-07:00November 20th, 2016|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Coyotes, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Golden-silk Spiders, Great Blue Herons, Montana, Pinellas County, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today I am celebrating having published 2000 posts on birds, wildlife and nature at On The Wing Photography and sharing the stories behind the images along with the journeys I take to find my subjects.

Photographing Short-eared Owls – From Chicks to Adults

By |2021-03-04T04:28:33-07:00October 26th, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This year was exceptional for photographing Short-eared Owls in Utah, Idaho and Montana and being able to see them in all the stages of their growth.

Scenic Views of My Recent Trip to Montana and Idaho

By |2021-06-23T08:25:33-06:00September 20th, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Idaho, Montana, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I go on trips to Montana and Idaho it is primarily about finding and photographing birds but the places I visit are so beautiful that I feel I have to photograph the scenic views too.

Centennial Valley Prairie Falcon and a Short-eared Owl Barbed Wire Casualty

By |2021-08-10T15:51:53-06:00September 18th, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Idaho, Montana, Prairie Falcons, Short-eared Owls|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent some time in the Centennial Valley of Montana yesterday and the best bird of the morning was this adult Prairie Falcon photographed on a cattle chute with a white cloud in the background.

Perched Sub-adult Swainson’s Hawk in Low Light

By |2021-03-31T14:44:46-06:00September 10th, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been meaning to post images of this sub-adult Swainson's Hawk in low light for about a year now and I am finally getting around to it.

Immature Sharp-shinned Hawk in the Centennial Valley of Montana

By |2023-10-13T15:27:14-06:00August 31st, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Sharp-shinned Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Last year on September 8th I located an immature Sharp-shinned Hawk in the Centennial Valley of Montana early in the morning as it flew low to the ground looking for small birds to capture and consume.

Trumpeter Swans of Southwestern Montana

By |2024-02-19T13:54:21-07:00August 30th, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Trumpeter Swans|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of my favorite photo sessions of that trip last fall was an evening spent with the Trumpeter Swans of southwestern Montana in gorgeous evening light.

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