{"id":4946,"date":"2012-05-07T03:55:44","date_gmt":"2012-05-07T09:55:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=4946"},"modified":"2026-04-23T06:00:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T11:00:16","slug":"montana-is-beckoning-to-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/05\/07\/montana-is-beckoning-to-me\/","title":{"rendered":"Montana Is Beckoning To Me&#8230;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Lately every where I go I see the word &#8220;Montana&#8221;, I see it on billboards,\u00a0license plates, TV commercials, written on the side of semi-tractor trailers and on the back of camping trailers. Seeing the word &#8220;Montana&#8221; so\u00a0often has gotten me anxious, antsy and itching to head north soon to see more of a state that beckons to me because I have fallen in love with it. I&#8217;m posting a smattering of images from my journeys in Montana.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-175223 size-full\" title=\"Snow on the 6th of June in Cut Bank, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/cutbank-june-6-snow-0591.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/cutbank-june-6-snow-0591.jpg\" alt=\"Snow on the 6th of June in Cut Bank, Montana\" width=\"850\" height=\"535\" data-id=\"11110\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27535%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20535%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27535%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/cutbank-june-6-snow-0591-200x126.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/cutbank-june-6-snow-0591-320x202.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/cutbank-june-6-snow-0591-400x252.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/cutbank-june-6-snow-0591-600x378.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/cutbank-june-6-snow-0591-768x483.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/cutbank-june-6-snow-0591.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Snow on the 6th of June in Cut Bank, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The first time I spent time in Montana other than driving through the state was in June of 2009, even though I have lived in other western states with wide open skies I realized then why Montana is called &#8220;Big Sky Country&#8221;.\u00a0 It delighted me to drive north from Idaho and see the wide open prairies with big fluffy clouds in the sky, to see the craggy cliffs along I-15, the lakes sparkling along the roads, mountains that still had snow up top and I am certain\u00a0that I mumbled ohhhs, ahhs and &#8220;this is just so beautiful&#8221; too many times to count.\u00a0 That was the\u00a0trip that Montana started\u00a0flowing in my veins.<\/p>\n<p>The morning I was to leave Montana on that first trip to head south I woke to snow coming down hard on the 6th of June. It snowed all the way south to just across the Idaho state line. I&#8217;ve been snowed on before in July but that was very high up in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado\u00a0but still\u00a0I was a touch surprised to see snow in June.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-146253 size-full\" title=\"Montana Great Horned Owl juvenile, Glacier County, Montana\u00a0\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-horned-owl-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-1566.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-horned-owl-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-1566.jpg\" alt=\"Montana Great Horned Owl juvenile, Glacier County, Montana\u00a0\" width=\"748\" height=\"800\" data-id=\"11111\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27748%27%20height%3D%27800%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20748%20800%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27748%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\/2025\/05\/great-horned-owl-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-1566-200x214.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-horned-owl-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-1566-400x428.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-horned-owl-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-1566-600x642.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-horned-owl-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-1566.jpg 748w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 748px) 100vw, 748px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Montana Great Horned Owl juvenile &#8211; Glacier County, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>I had a great time that first trip photographing juvenile Great Horned Owls in early morning light, they are so photogenic! I love those fluffy feathers by their rump,\u00a0those big lovely eyes and the little nubbins of ear tufts. \u00a0They don&#8217;t look as fierce as the adults do but one day they\u00a0will also be &#8220;Tigers of the Sky&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-148921 size-full\" title=\"Eastern Kingbird, Glacier County, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-montana-mia-mcpherson-7671.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-montana-mia-mcpherson-7671.jpg\" alt=\"Eastern Kingbird, Glacier County, Montana\" width=\"850\" height=\"607\" data-id=\"11113\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20607%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-montana-mia-mcpherson-7671-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-montana-mia-mcpherson-7671-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-montana-mia-mcpherson-7671-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-montana-mia-mcpherson-7671-600x428.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-montana-mia-mcpherson-7671-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-montana-mia-mcpherson-7671.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Eastern Kingbird, Glacier County, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>On and near the farm I was staying at both Western and Eastern Kingbirds can be found hawking for insects\u00a0from fence posts, old farm equipment and from barbed wire during the summer months.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-174769 size-full\" title=\"Glacier National Park, Montana, Glacier County\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/glacier-national-park-mia-mcpherson-0194.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/glacier-national-park-mia-mcpherson-0194.jpg\" alt=\"Glacier National Park, Montana, Glacier County\" width=\"850\" height=\"569\" data-id=\"11115\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27569%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20569%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27569%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/glacier-national-park-mia-mcpherson-0194-200x134.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/glacier-national-park-mia-mcpherson-0194-400x268.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/glacier-national-park-mia-mcpherson-0194-600x402.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/glacier-national-park-mia-mcpherson-0194-768x514.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/glacier-national-park-mia-mcpherson-0194.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Glacier National Park, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>I would be remiss if I didn&#8217;t post a few images from Glacier National Park which I believe is fantastic, stunning and incredibly amazing.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-174772 size-full\" title=\"Glacier National Park - St Mary Lake, Glacier County, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/glacier-national-park-panorama.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/glacier-national-park-panorama.jpg\" alt=\"Glacier National Park - St Mary Lake, Glacier County, Montana\" width=\"850\" height=\"431\" data-id=\"11117\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27431%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20431%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27431%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/glacier-national-park-panorama-200x101.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/glacier-national-park-panorama-400x203.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/glacier-national-park-panorama-600x304.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/glacier-national-park-panorama-768x389.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/glacier-national-park-panorama.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Glacier National Park &#8211; St Mary Lake<\/span><\/p>\n<p>It is a clich\u00e9 to say that a location is &#8220;The Crown Jewel&#8221; but I believe that it suits Glacier National Park well.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-133951 size-full\" title=\"The Madison River, Madison County, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/madison-river-momtana-mia-mcpherson-0659.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/madison-river-momtana-mia-mcpherson-0659.jpg\" alt=\"The Madison River, Madison County, Montana\" width=\"850\" height=\"411\" data-id=\"11119\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27411%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20411%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27411%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/madison-river-momtana-mia-mcpherson-0659-200x97.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/madison-river-momtana-mia-mcpherson-0659-250x121.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/madison-river-momtana-mia-mcpherson-0659-300x145.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/madison-river-momtana-mia-mcpherson-0659-400x193.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/madison-river-momtana-mia-mcpherson-0659-600x290.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/madison-river-momtana-mia-mcpherson-0659-768x371.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/madison-river-momtana-mia-mcpherson-0659-800x387.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/madison-river-momtana-mia-mcpherson-0659.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">The Madison River, Madison County, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>In Madison County there are many beautiful views of the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Madison_River\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Madison River<\/a><\/span>, this\u00a0view is from a bridge that crosses the river on the way to Cliff and Wade Lakes which are higher up in the Gravelly Range of the\u00a0\u00a0Beaverhead National Forest. The Madison River is classified as a Blue Ribbon Fishery and anglers come from all over the world to cast their flies for Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout and Mountain Whitefish. There are plenty of Ospreys and Bald Eagles in the area, I guess they know where the fishing is good too!<\/p>\n<p>Madison County is west of Yellowstone National Park.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-165864 size-full\" title=\"Red-tailed Hawk lifting off, just above Wade Lake, Madison County, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/red-tailed-hawk-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-2731.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/red-tailed-hawk-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-2731.jpg\" alt=\"Red-tailed Hawk lifting off, just above Wade Lake, Madison County, Montana\" width=\"850\" height=\"607\" data-id=\"11121\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20607%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/red-tailed-hawk-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-2731-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/red-tailed-hawk-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-2731-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/red-tailed-hawk-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-2731-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/red-tailed-hawk-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-2731-600x428.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/red-tailed-hawk-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-2731-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/red-tailed-hawk-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-2731.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Red-tailed Hawk lifting off, just above Wade Lake, Madison County, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>My words can not adequately describe Cliff and Wade Lakes. Cliff Lake, which is higher than Wade Lake, is nestled in between steep mountains covered Aspens, Firs and Pines. Near the campground the bottom of the lake has a sandy bottom and the water can be the most delicious shade of turquoise.<\/p>\n<p>Ospreys and Bald Eagles soar over the lake looking for fish below. The calls of both birds echo against the mountain walls.\u00a0 There are other raptors in the area including Red-tailed Hawks and during warmer months Turkey Vultures float on the thermals. It is said there is a Great Gray Owl in the area but I haven&#8217;t seen it yet.<\/p>\n<p>More birds include Northern Flickers, migrant warblers, Common Mergansers, White-crowned Sparrows, Great Blue Herons, Mountain Chickadees and a nemesis bird for me; Gray Jays who are also known as &#8220;Camp Robbers&#8221;, so far the only thing they have robbed from me is the opportunity to get some acceptable images of them! There are many more birds there too.<\/p>\n<p>Ah, just writing about Cliff Lake makes me smell the aroma of coffee brewing plus\u00a0the smoky scent of frying bacon and crisp mornings.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-171479 size-full\" title=\"Yellow-pine Chipmunk near Cliff Lake, Montana. Madison County\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/chipmunk-mia-mcpherson-montana-2838.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/chipmunk-mia-mcpherson-montana-2838.jpg\" alt=\"Yellow-pine Chipmunk near Cliff Lake, Montana. Madison County\" width=\"850\" height=\"579\" data-id=\"11123\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27579%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20579%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27579%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/chipmunk-mia-mcpherson-montana-2838-200x136.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/chipmunk-mia-mcpherson-montana-2838-400x272.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/chipmunk-mia-mcpherson-montana-2838-600x409.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/chipmunk-mia-mcpherson-montana-2838-768x523.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/chipmunk-mia-mcpherson-montana-2838.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Yellow-pine Chipmunk near Cliff Lake, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>One of the mammals I photographed at the campsite of Cliff Lake was this Yellow-pine Chipmunk who popped up out of its burrow just before the sun set behind the mountain bathing it in brilliant light. There are Moose near Cliff and Wade Lakes also.<\/p>\n<p>More great fishing can be found in Cliff and Wade Lakes, Wade Lake\u00a0holds the Montana State record for a Brown Trout at 29 pounds.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-170737 size-full\" title=\"Pronghorn doe on a ridge, Madison County, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pronghorn-doe-mia-mcpherson-3319.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pronghorn-doe-mia-mcpherson-3319.jpg\" alt=\"Pronghorn doe on a ridge, Madison County, Montana\" width=\"850\" height=\"607\" data-id=\"11125\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20607%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pronghorn-doe-mia-mcpherson-3319-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pronghorn-doe-mia-mcpherson-3319-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pronghorn-doe-mia-mcpherson-3319-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pronghorn-doe-mia-mcpherson-3319-600x428.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pronghorn-doe-mia-mcpherson-3319-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pronghorn-doe-mia-mcpherson-3319.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Pronghorn doe on a ridge, Madison County, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>In between the Gravelly Range and the Madison River after leaving Cliff and Wade Lakes there are smooth slopes and ridges covered with Sagebrush where cattle graze and Pronghorns roam.<\/p>\n<p>This lovely doe and several others were being closely watched by a buck in rut. The Madison Mountain Range definitely creates a dramatic background for this unique and wonderful creature.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-133952 size-full\" title=\"An old homestead in Madison County, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/old-homestead-montana-mia-mcpherson-0650.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/old-homestead-montana-mia-mcpherson-0650.jpg\" alt=\"An old homestead in Madison County, Montana\" width=\"850\" height=\"480\" data-id=\"11129\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27480%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20480%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27480%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/old-homestead-montana-mia-mcpherson-0650-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/old-homestead-montana-mia-mcpherson-0650-250x141.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/old-homestead-montana-mia-mcpherson-0650-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/old-homestead-montana-mia-mcpherson-0650-400x226.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/old-homestead-montana-mia-mcpherson-0650-600x339.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/old-homestead-montana-mia-mcpherson-0650-768x434.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/old-homestead-montana-mia-mcpherson-0650-800x452.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/old-homestead-montana-mia-mcpherson-0650.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">An old homestead in Madison County, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>When I saw this old homestead I simply had to stop and take\u00a0photos of it. The rocks for the building construction were probably collected nearby, I have no idea of when it was built but I&#8217;m guessing it was a long time ago. The homestead is on a grassy plain with very little to break the wind, it must have been very challenging to live there when the winds would blow hard or in depths of Montana&#8217;s frigid winters. I wish I knew more about the people who built and lived in that homestead, what they thought about the incredible area and if children&#8217;s laughter rang out across the valley. Were they happy in a place I felt was a paradise? I&#8217;ll never know but I like to muse about it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-11127 size-full\" title=\"Old Barn on the way to Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/old-barn-red-rock-lakes-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2343.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/old-barn-red-rock-lakes-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2343.jpg\" alt=\"Old Barn on the way to Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana\" width=\"850\" height=\"451\" data-id=\"11127\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27451%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20451%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27451%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/old-barn-red-rock-lakes-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2343-150x79.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/old-barn-red-rock-lakes-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2343-300x159.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/old-barn-red-rock-lakes-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2343-400x212.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/old-barn-red-rock-lakes-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2343.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Old Barn on the way to Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve spent a great deal of time on my journeys to Montana at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and I usually enter from the west by getting off of I-15 and heading east from Monida on a 30 mile gravel road. I&#8217;ve posted\u00a0a different \u00a0image of this ancient barn on another post I wrote about the refuge but I can&#8217;t seem to get enough views or images of it.\u00a0\u00a0Perhaps this barn represents a &#8220;Welcome&#8221; sign to me just by\u00a0knowing one of my favorite photographic\u00a0locations is only a few miles up the road.\u00a0I think of it as &#8220;my barn&#8221; now, not in a possessive sense but more\u00a0like I am saying &#8220;my friend&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-145053 size-full\" title=\"Male Mountain Bluebird on a nest box, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mountain-bluebird-male-mia-mcpherson-5628.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mountain-bluebird-male-mia-mcpherson-5628.jpg\" alt=\"Male Mountain Bluebird on a nest box, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana\" width=\"850\" height=\"607\" data-id=\"11132\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20607%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mountain-bluebird-male-mia-mcpherson-5628-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mountain-bluebird-male-mia-mcpherson-5628-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mountain-bluebird-male-mia-mcpherson-5628-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mountain-bluebird-male-mia-mcpherson-5628-600x428.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mountain-bluebird-male-mia-mcpherson-5628-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mountain-bluebird-male-mia-mcpherson-5628.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Male Mountain Bluebird on a nest box, Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>During the summer months; on the way to and within the refuge at Red Rock Lakes, Mountain Bluebirds flit about, fly up from the road, perch on fence posts\u00a0and nest in the boxes that wonderful people in the\u00a0 valley have provided for them. Their blues are wonderfully vibrant against a background of the gray greens of Sagebrush.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-143925 size-full\" title=\"Male Tree Swallow, Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-montana-mia-mcpherson-6115.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-montana-mia-mcpherson-6115.jpg\" alt=\"Male Tree Swallow, Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana\" width=\"850\" height=\"607\" data-id=\"11134\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20607%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-montana-mia-mcpherson-6115-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-montana-mia-mcpherson-6115-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-montana-mia-mcpherson-6115-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-montana-mia-mcpherson-6115-600x428.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-montana-mia-mcpherson-6115-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-montana-mia-mcpherson-6115.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Male Tree Swallow, Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Another species often seen along the roads to and in Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge are Tree Swallows, in fact they often compete with Mountain Bluebirds for the nest boxes. I have a fun series of images about that kind of competition. I love seeing all the different types of swallows on the refuge because they eat the mosquitoes and other bugs that&#8230; well&#8230; bug me.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-175018 size-full\" title=\"Rainbow and clearing storm at Red Rock Lakes NWR, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-clearing-storm-mia-mcpherson-2253.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-clearing-storm-mia-mcpherson-2253.jpg\" alt=\"Rainbow and clearing storm at Red Rock Lakes NWR, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana\" width=\"850\" height=\"582\" data-id=\"11136\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27582%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20582%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27582%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-clearing-storm-mia-mcpherson-2253-200x137.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-clearing-storm-mia-mcpherson-2253-400x274.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-clearing-storm-mia-mcpherson-2253-600x411.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-clearing-storm-mia-mcpherson-2253-768x526.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-clearing-storm-mia-mcpherson-2253.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Rainbow and clearing storm at Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The weather at Red Rock Lakes NWR is very changeable, it pays to bring clothes for cold and warm days all summer long. It can be bright and sunny and then huge storms will rush through the Centennial Valley while the cracks of thunder and lightning reverberate off of the Centennial Mountains and small white caps form on the lakes.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve heard it said that &#8220;mountains create their own weather&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-175021 size-full\" title=\"Morning mist over the Lower Lake at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-lower-lake-mist-mia-mcpherson-0011.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-lower-lake-mist-mia-mcpherson-0011.jpg\" alt=\"Morning mist over the Lower Lake at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana\" width=\"850\" height=\"326\" data-id=\"11137\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27326%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20326%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27326%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-lower-lake-mist-mia-mcpherson-0011-200x77.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-lower-lake-mist-mia-mcpherson-0011-400x153.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-lower-lake-mist-mia-mcpherson-0011-600x230.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-lower-lake-mist-mia-mcpherson-0011-768x295.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-lower-lake-mist-mia-mcpherson-0011.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Lake mist over the Lower Lake at Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Large bodies of water can create their own weather too. Mornings at the refuge can be misty to very foggy near the lakes. The image above shows the morning\u00a0mist rising from the Lower Lake.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-170740 size-full\" title=\"Pronghorn buck in a fog, Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pronghorn-fog-mia-mcpherson-8336.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pronghorn-fog-mia-mcpherson-8336.jpg\" alt=\"Pronghorn buck in a fog, Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana\" width=\"850\" height=\"607\" data-id=\"11140\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20607%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pronghorn-fog-mia-mcpherson-8336-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pronghorn-fog-mia-mcpherson-8336-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pronghorn-fog-mia-mcpherson-8336-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pronghorn-fog-mia-mcpherson-8336-600x428.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pronghorn-fog-mia-mcpherson-8336-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pronghorn-fog-mia-mcpherson-8336.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Pronghorn buck in a fog, Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The fog can be very dense at times making it difficult to see birds or animals approaching. This Pronghorn buck\u00a0along with several does and young wandered past in one of those dense fogs near the Lower Lake campground.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #888888;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-148866 size-full\" title=\"Female Short-eared Owl at Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-female-mia-mcpherson-8576.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-female-mia-mcpherson-8576.jpg\" alt=\"Female Short-eared Owl at Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana\" width=\"572\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27572%27%20height%3D%27800%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20572%20800%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27572%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\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-female-mia-mcpherson-8576-200x280.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-female-mia-mcpherson-8576-400x559.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-female-mia-mcpherson-8576.jpg 572w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 572px) 100vw, 572px\" \/>Female Short-eared Owl at Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Photographing this female Short-eared Owl at the edge of a fog was delightful, the fog behind the owl created a velvety, buttery smooth background.\u00a0 I have such fond &#8220;Montana&#8221; memories of the morning I photographed her.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-117622 size-full\" title=\"Calling Wilson's Snipe, Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/wilsons-snipe-montana-mia-mcpherson-5911.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/wilsons-snipe-montana-mia-mcpherson-5911.jpg\" alt=\"Calling Wilson's Snipe near Red Rock Creek at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana\" width=\"850\" height=\"607\" data-id=\"11144\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20607%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/wilsons-snipe-montana-mia-mcpherson-5911-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/wilsons-snipe-montana-mia-mcpherson-5911-250x179.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/wilsons-snipe-montana-mia-mcpherson-5911-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/wilsons-snipe-montana-mia-mcpherson-5911-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/wilsons-snipe-montana-mia-mcpherson-5911-600x428.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/wilsons-snipe-montana-mia-mcpherson-5911-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/wilsons-snipe-montana-mia-mcpherson-5911-800x571.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/wilsons-snipe-montana-mia-mcpherson-5911.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Calling Wilson&#8217;s Snipe, Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Along the Upper Lake&#8217;s eastern most section there are riparian habitats where many different species of warblers, ducks and shorebirds can be found along and in the streams. This Wilson&#8217;s Snipe was perched on a fencepost calling when we stopped to take some photos of it. I felt very lucky getting as many images of it as I did since in Florida about the only pictures I got were of the backside of the\u00a0birds as they flew away.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-11146 size-full\" title=\"Calling juvenile Swainson's Hawk, Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/swainsons-hawk-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9760.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/swainsons-hawk-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9760.jpg\" alt=\"Calling juvenile Swainson's Hawk, Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana\" width=\"850\" height=\"607\" data-id=\"11146\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20607%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/swainsons-hawk-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9760-150x107.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/swainsons-hawk-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9760-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/swainsons-hawk-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9760-400x285.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/swainsons-hawk-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9760.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Calling juvenile Swainson&#8217;s Hawk, Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>There are; of course, bright, sunny days in the Centennial Valley where the mornings start off cool but the sun soon warms everything up and my layered clothing gets shed slowly. It was a beautiful day when I photographed this juvenile Swainson&#8217;s Hawk calling to another hawk overhead. It was young enough that it approached us rather closely\u00a0 few times.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-158380 size-full\" title=\"Sunrise below the dam at Red Rock Lakes NWR, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-below-dam-mia-mcpherson-2903.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-below-dam-mia-mcpherson-2903.jpg\" alt=\"Sunrise below the dam at Red Rock Lakes NWR, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana\" width=\"850\" height=\"378\" data-id=\"11148\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27378%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20378%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27378%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-below-dam-mia-mcpherson-2903-200x89.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-below-dam-mia-mcpherson-2903-400x178.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-below-dam-mia-mcpherson-2903-600x267.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-below-dam-mia-mcpherson-2903-768x342.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-below-dam-mia-mcpherson-2903.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">Sunrise below the dam at Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Mornings can be golden at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and evenings just as glorious.<\/p>\n<p>Yes&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Montana<\/span><\/a> is beckoning to me. I can hear it calling.<\/p>\n<p>Life<em> is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n<p>Mia<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Seeing the word &#8220;Montana&#8221; so often has gotten me anxious, antsy and itching to head north soon to see more of a state that beckons to me because I have fallen in love with it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":146253,"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":[3,1513,4629,27,1514,1519,860,892,5291,209,1512,12,1369,183,608,449,130,206,2171,4795,1624],"tags":[4096,4114,4203,4170,4200,1517,1521,4797,4108,4380,4067,4071,4381,1518,228,185,4209,3971,4339,4034,4377,1523,1635,4796],"class_list":["post-4946","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-white-pelicans","category-beaverhead-county-montana","category-beaverhead-deerlodge-national-forest","category-avian","category-cliff-lake-montana","category-eastern-kingbirds","category-glacier-county","category-glacier-national-park","category-gravelly-range","category-great-horned-owls","category-madison-county-montana","category-montana","category-mountain-bluebirds","category-pronghorn","category-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge","category-red-tailed-hawks","category-short-eared-owls","category-swainson-hawks","category-tree-swallows","category-wilsons-snipes","category-yellow-pine-chipmunks","tag-antilocapra-americana","tag-asio-flammeus","tag-bubo-virginianus","tag-buteo-jamaicensis","tag-buteo-swainsoni","tag-cliff-lake-2","tag-eastern-kingbird","tag-gallinago-delicata","tag-great-horned-owl","tag-homestead","tag-immature","tag-juvenile","tag-madison-range","tag-madison-river-2","tag-mountain-bluebird","tag-pronghorn","tag-red-tailed-hawk","tag-short-eared-owl","tag-sialia-currucoides","tag-swainsons-hawk","tag-tachycineta-bicolor","tag-tree-swallow","tag-tyrannus-tyrannus","tag-wilsons-snipe"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-horned-owl-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-1566.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-1hM","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":28061,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/09\/01\/welcome-september\/","url_meta":{"origin":4946,"position":0},"title":"Welcome September&#8230;","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 1, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The first day of September signals to me that cooler weather is arriving so I took a look back at some of the images I have taken in September from 2008 on.","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":"Great Blue Heron and a large Carp at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/great-blue-heron-carp-mia-mcpherson-3099.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/great-blue-heron-carp-mia-mcpherson-3099.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/great-blue-heron-carp-mia-mcpherson-3099.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/great-blue-heron-carp-mia-mcpherson-3099.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8104,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/04\/14\/i-have-montanas-birds-on-my-mind\/","url_meta":{"origin":4946,"position":1},"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":44163,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/12\/31\/looking-at-2016-in-the-rear-view-mirror-or-my-photographic-year-in-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":4946,"position":2},"title":"Looking at 2016 in the Rear View Mirror or My Photographic Year in Review","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 31, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Wow, today is the last day of the year 2016. This is my photographic year in review from Utah, Idaho and Montana!","rel":"","context":"In &quot;American Barn Owls&quot;","block_context":{"text":"American Barn Owls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/owls\/barn-owls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Close up of leucistic Red-tailed Hawk in flight, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-tailed-hawk-leucistic-mia-mcpherson-3806.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-tailed-hawk-leucistic-mia-mcpherson-3806.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-tailed-hawk-leucistic-mia-mcpherson-3806.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-tailed-hawk-leucistic-mia-mcpherson-3806.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7286,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/01\/27\/immature-red-tailed-rough-legged-ferruginous-and-swainsons-hawks\/","url_meta":{"origin":4946,"position":3},"title":"Immature Red-tailed, Rough-legged, Ferruginous and Swainson&#8217;s Hawks","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 27, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Today I thought I would post images of the juvenile Buteos that I see most often in Utah and Montana, they are Red-tailed, Rough-legged, Ferruginous and Swainson's Hawks.","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":"Red-tailed Hawk juvenile and an intense stare, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-tailed-hawk-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-5148.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-tailed-hawk-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-5148.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-tailed-hawk-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-5148.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-tailed-hawk-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-5148.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":50418,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/12\/31\/my-year-of-bird-photography-in-2017\/","url_meta":{"origin":4946,"position":4},"title":"My Year of Bird Photography in 2017","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 31, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I love what I do, I love my subjects and it doesn't matter if I find them close to home or further away. I am blessed. 2017 has been wonderful and I am excited for what 2018 may bring.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;American Tree Sparrows&quot;","block_context":{"text":"American Tree Sparrows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/emberzine-sparrows-allies\/american-tree-sparrows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Green-tailed Towhee head tilt, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-head-tilt-mia-mcpherson-3855.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-head-tilt-mia-mcpherson-3855.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-head-tilt-mia-mcpherson-3855.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-head-tilt-mia-mcpherson-3855.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2484,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2011\/06\/12\/montana-short-eared-owls\/","url_meta":{"origin":4946,"position":5},"title":"Montana Short-eared Owls","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 12, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"I will soon be on the road back to Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in southern Montana, another one of my favorite locations on this planet.","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":"Male Short-eared Owl with prey for chicks, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-montana-mia-mcpherson-8924.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-montana-mia-mcpherson-8924.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-montana-mia-mcpherson-8924.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-montana-mia-mcpherson-8924.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\/4946","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=4946"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4946\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/146253"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}