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.
1000 posts at On The Wing Photography and still going strong
Today I reached the 1000 posts mark for my blog here at On The Wing Photography. In those 1000 posts I've covered a lot of birds, animals and locations.
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.
Photographers Beware – Another Way Our Images are Being Stolen
These developers are scum and Google needs to step up to the plate and make sure the apps have legitimate licenses for the images in the apps or disallow the thieves from ever putting them on Google Play.
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!
I don’t know why I like this image
Perhaps sometimes we like what we like in an image without a reason that we can put a finger on.
I know why I love this scenic image of Red Rock Lakes NWR
I love the beautiful early morning light, the wildflowers blooming in the foreground, how the sunlight is kissing the tops of the grasses and mountain tops, the snow and the lovely, fluffy clouds.
An Eastern Kingbird in Southwestern Montana
Eastern Kingbirds; like their western counterpart, are fearless and will attack birds as large as Bald Eagles to defend their nests.
The Summer of Swainson’s is nearing an end
It won't be long before Swainson's Hawks start to migrate to South America and some may already have started their journey south.
Young Red-tailed Hawk
Last month while up in Montana I saw this young Red-tailed Hawk just standing in the road looking around and not acting the least bit concerned about the pickup or the two large lens that were pointed at it.
On the Wing Photography has landed in its new home!
Like this handsome Ferruginous Hawk that I photographed in the centennial Valley of Montana... On The Wing Photography has landed!
Greater Sage-Grouse Of Beaverhead County, Montana
I saw and photographed my first Greater Sage-Grouse this summer in Beaverhead County, Montana while traveling through the Centennial Valley. Yay! Lifer!
Juvenile Mountain Bluebird in Montana
Last month and this month I wrote about Mountain Bluebirds in several posts that included images of adult males and females, today I am posting one image of the many fledglings I saw last week.
Yellow Warbler – Small in the Frame
The Yellow Warbler in my image was singing along a creek lined with willows and although the bird is small in the frame I find this image appealing because of the simple lines, the bird's pose and the wonderful eye contact the bird gave me as it briefly looked towards me.
If only I could fly like this Red-tailed Hawk!
I readily admit that sometimes I daydream about being able to fly like a bird and quite often the bird I wish I were is a Red-tailed Hawk.
The Amazing Legacy of the Bluebird Man
I want to thank Neil Paprocki for sharing information about Al Larson and the upcoming film The Bluebird Man, I have learned a lot from the web site and through my interview with Neil and I am all for learning more about the wonderful natural world around me.