{"id":15225,"date":"2014-06-17T06:15:07","date_gmt":"2014-06-17T12:15:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=15225"},"modified":"2026-01-15T12:51:24","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T18:51:24","slug":"longing-for-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/06\/17\/longing-for-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge\/","title":{"rendered":"Longing for Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-166862 size-full\" title=\"Pair of Red-tailed Hawks looking out over the Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/red-tailed-hawk-mated-pair-mia-mcpherson-4297.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/red-tailed-hawk-mated-pair-mia-mcpherson-4297.jpg\" alt=\"Pair of Red-tailed Hawks looking out over the Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana\" width=\"640\" height=\"800\" data-id=\"15223\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27640%27%20height%3D%27800%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20640%20800%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27640%27%20height%3D%27800%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/red-tailed-hawk-mated-pair-mia-mcpherson-4297-200x250.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/red-tailed-hawk-mated-pair-mia-mcpherson-4297-400x500.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/red-tailed-hawk-mated-pair-mia-mcpherson-4297-600x750.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/red-tailed-hawk-mated-pair-mia-mcpherson-4297.jpg 640w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><span style=\"color: #808080;\">Pair of Red-tailed Hawks looking out over the Centennial Valley &#8211; Nikon D300, f9, 1\/250, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge holds a very dear spot in my heart because of the birds and animals but also because of the stunning beauty of the Centennial Valley and the Centennial Mountains.<\/p>\n<p>This pair of Red-tailed Hawks had a wonderful view of the sky, mountains, and the Centennial Valley when I photographed them in July of 2012.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-111471 size-full\" title=\"View of the Centennial Mountains from Wigeon Pond\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/red-rock-lakes-wigeon-pond-mia-mcpherson-7409.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/red-rock-lakes-wigeon-pond-mia-mcpherson-7409.jpg\" alt=\"View of the Centennial Mountains from Wigeon Pond, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana\" width=\"950\" height=\"529\" data-id=\"15224\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27950%27%20height%3D%27529%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20950%20529%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27950%27%20height%3D%27529%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/red-rock-lakes-wigeon-pond-mia-mcpherson-7409-200x111.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/red-rock-lakes-wigeon-pond-mia-mcpherson-7409-250x139.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/red-rock-lakes-wigeon-pond-mia-mcpherson-7409-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/red-rock-lakes-wigeon-pond-mia-mcpherson-7409-400x223.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/red-rock-lakes-wigeon-pond-mia-mcpherson-7409-600x334.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/red-rock-lakes-wigeon-pond-mia-mcpherson-7409-768x428.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/red-rock-lakes-wigeon-pond-mia-mcpherson-7409-800x445.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/red-rock-lakes-wigeon-pond-mia-mcpherson-7409.jpg 950w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 950px) 100vw, 950px\" \/><span style=\"color: #808080;\">View of the Centennial Mountains from Wigeon Pond &#8211; Nikon D200, handheld, f16, 1\/160, ISO 320, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The Upper and Lower Lakes, Elk Creek, Red Rock Creek and Wigeon Pond all have their beauty too. It is difficult to see in this small image that there are ducks and coots around the little grassy islands in the picture above.<\/p>\n<p>I feel a sense of wonder and peace whenever I am visiting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fws.gov\/refuge\/red-rock-lakes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge<\/span><\/a> and I also feel that way when I view my images of this great location. So today as the rain falls and the gray clouds float overhead I will be thinking of my next journey to Red Rock Lakes, in fact I am longing for it.<\/p>\n<p>Life<em> is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n<p>Mia<\/p>\n<p>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/red-tailed-hawk-images\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Red-tailed Hawk photos plus facts and information about this species. Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my photos of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":111471,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1513,27,223,12,608,449],"tags":[4051,4021,4471,2663,4170,4101,4033,4169,2237,5178,4094,2138,4069,4035,2139,1984,4209,4018,4050,3996,4095,4032],"class_list":["post-15225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beaverhead-county-montana","category-avian","category-centennial-valley","category-montana","category-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge","category-red-tailed-hawks","tag-adults","tag-bird-photography","tag-bird-watching","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-buteo-jamaicensis","tag-clouds","tag-hawk","tag-hawks","tag-hawks-of-montana","tag-lake","tag-marsh","tag-mates","tag-mountains","tag-nature-photography","tag-pair","tag-pond","tag-red-tailed-hawk","tag-sky","tag-snow","tag-water","tag-wetlands","tag-wildlife-photography"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/red-rock-lakes-wigeon-pond-mia-mcpherson-7409.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-3Xz","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7476,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/02\/08\/red-tailed-hawk-adults\/","url_meta":{"origin":15225,"position":0},"title":"Red-tailed Hawk Adults","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 8, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Just a few Red-tailed Hawk images that I have been meaning to process and share.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Antelope Island State Park&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pair of adult Red-tailed Hawks, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/red-tailed-hawk-adults-mia-mcpherson-4308.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/red-tailed-hawk-adults-mia-mcpherson-4308.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/red-tailed-hawk-adults-mia-mcpherson-4308.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/red-tailed-hawk-adults-mia-mcpherson-4308.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8349,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/05\/15\/swainsons-hawk-in-the-centennial-valley\/","url_meta":{"origin":15225,"position":1},"title":"Swainson&#8217;s Hawk in the Centennial Valley","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 15, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Swainson's Hawks are one of the three Buteos that I see with regularity on my visits to the Centennial Valley of Montana, Red-tailed and Ferruginous Hawks are the other two.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Beaverhead County&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Swainson\u2019s at moment of lift off from a post, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/swainsons-hawk-adult-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-1599.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/swainsons-hawk-adult-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-1599.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/swainsons-hawk-adult-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-1599.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/swainsons-hawk-adult-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-1599.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10206,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/11\/08\/red-tailed-hawks-mates-for-life\/","url_meta":{"origin":15225,"position":2},"title":"Red-tailed Hawks &#8211; Mates for Life","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 8, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Beaverhead County&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Red-tailed Hawks \u2013 Mates for Life, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/red-tailed-hawks-mated-pair-mia-mcpherson-4483.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/red-tailed-hawks-mated-pair-mia-mcpherson-4483.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/red-tailed-hawks-mated-pair-mia-mcpherson-4483.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8562,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/06\/10\/red-tailed-hawks-in-montana-soaking-up-the-morning-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":15225,"position":3},"title":"Red-tailed Hawks In Montana Soaking Up The Morning Light","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 10, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"I photographed this mated pair of Red-tailed Hawks last week in western Montana as they soaked up the warming rays of the morning sun.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Beaverhead County&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pair of Red-tails basking in morning light, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/red-tailed-hawk-pair-mia-mcpherson-adjusted-6504.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/red-tailed-hawk-pair-mia-mcpherson-adjusted-6504.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/red-tailed-hawk-pair-mia-mcpherson-adjusted-6504.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8104,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/04\/14\/i-have-montanas-birds-on-my-mind\/","url_meta":{"origin":15225,"position":4},"title":"I Have Montana&#8217;s Birds On My Mind","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 14, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This time of the year I start dreaming about the Centennial Valley of Montana and of the birds that call the valley home during the summer.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Beaverhead County&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Centennial Valley Red-tailed Hawk juvenile, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/red-tailed-hawk-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-8431.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/red-tailed-hawk-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-8431.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/red-tailed-hawk-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-8431.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/red-tailed-hawk-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-8431.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14392,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/02\/19\/the-centennial-valley-of-montana-beckons-to-me\/","url_meta":{"origin":15225,"position":5},"title":"The Centennial Valley of Montana beckons to me","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 19, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Beaverhead County&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Centennial Mountain rock face, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/centennial-mountains-mia-mcpherson-7337.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/centennial-mountains-mia-mcpherson-7337.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/centennial-mountains-mia-mcpherson-7337.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/centennial-mountains-mia-mcpherson-7337.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15225"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15225\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/111471"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}