Big Sky Spring

Another gorgeous day in Big Sky Country!  Clear blue, sunny skies with a light breeze.  Temperature at 7:00 is 78 degrees!  Ok, that's just a bit too warm for May, but after winter seemed to drag on forever, I'll take it!   Warm sunny days and cool nights that are perfect for sleeping comfortably.  If it stays like this from now until fall, I'd be so very happy!

Rain in the forecast the rest of the wekk....  

Picture Perfect

What a glorious spring day in Western Montana!  Got up at dark-thirty (4:00 to be exact), to head up to the Missions for some sunrise shots - which means driving up in the dark.  According to NOAA, sunrise was going to be at 6:18.  As I headed out onto the highway, there was a faint hint of daylight just starting to show over the mountains to the east.  

I arrived at Ninepipe Wildlife Refuge at around 6:15 and headed up onto the main levee to the west of the large lake.  It was quite cool near the water, and even the light breeze made it feel rather chilly - and I forgot to take my gloves...  But as any hard-core photographer would do, I braved frozen fingers and shot numerous photos of the pre and post-sunrise sky over the mountains.  I was not disappointed!  Sunrise however, did not arrive as "scheduled".  I noticed that the mountains to the south and southwest were bathed in sunlight.  Guess it took a little longer for the sun to climb the high, jagged peaks of the Missions.

As I shot photo after photo, it occurred to me that even though this was one of my favorite birding and photography haunts, I had not been up here for quite some time. I began to notice more and more birds, and turned my camera from the mountains to the water in order to try and capture some of them.  The Avocets were abundant near the levee this morning, and one in particular braved getting close to me for perhaps a better choice of delectible treats.  They're beautiful birds, about the size of a large robin, with long, stilt-like legs and long, upcurved beaks.  The reddish feathers on their head and necks make them look like they've been dipping their heads in rusty water. 

There were numerous goslings about on the shore, and parent geese guarded their young fiercly from their neighbors.  Grebes and ducks of many species, Great Blue Herons, Sandpipers, shorebirds that were to far away to identify, countless gulls that I can never identify, and numerous songbirds inhabited the area this morning.  I relish being able to spend time alone in such a peaceful place, with no other humans around and no noise but that from the birds.  By the way, have you ever noticed that a seagull colony - from a distance - sounds just like a playground full of screaming, chattering, laughing children?

Left Ninepipe at around 8:30 and headed up to the National Bison Range.  Even though I figured it was probably too late to see much in the way of critters, I was in the neighborhood so thought I'd stop by.  The road over Red Sleep Mountain is not open yet (damn), but the lower road has been extended quite some way, to afford a perfectly satisfying view of anything that might be wandering by.  The first critter I saw was a badger alongside the road approaching the Bison Range.  Thankfully it chose to head back into the grass and not in front of my car.  As I entered the range, a coyote ran across the road in ahead of me with a fat ground squirrel in its mouth, meaning there are pups somewhere in the vicinity.  It hurried along a fenceline and disappeared into a draw and out of sight.    

The Meadowlarks were everywhere this morning - some even calling from on the ground, which (I think) is very unusual.  After I don't know how long a time trying, I finally got one facing INTO the morning sun, showing off those gorgeous bright yellow breast feathers.

Western Bluebirds seemed to be perching on every fence post.  This beautiful male allowed my rig to approach close enough for a decent photo before flying off to join his mate at a nesting box.

Mourning Doves were numerous as well, and called from every pine tree along the creek.  These are one of my favorite birds -

I love their soulful calls.

  

As I drove along Mission Creek, I noticed what I first thought to be a moose crossing the creek, but as it exited the shadows I realized it was an elk.  He looked a bit scruffy from shedding his winter coat, and his antlers looked to be about six or eight inches long. Hard to believe that in a few short months his rack will weigh upwards of 50 pounds or more.

And what would a trip to the Bison Range be without bison?  This massive bull was grazing right alongside the road.  When I stopped to take his photo, he stood there chewing grass and checking me out, then began to walk toward by vehicle, and I made a hasty retreat further on down the road!

My last stop was the pond near the picnic area to try and photograph the turtles.  I was not disappointing, as there seems to be a few hundred of them inhabiting this small pond.  The large rock in the middle of the pond was covered with so many turtles that you couldn't even see the rock!  A few logs alongside the shore were also covered with turtles, who all slipped into the water as I walked past.  Those who could not manage a spot on the large rock or one of the logs, floated near the surface with only their tiny heads poking out of the water.  After hiding behind a pine tree and very slowly moving closer, these three cooperated for some nice photos, to my great satisfaction.

The weather could not have been better and the photo gods were with me.  It was a perfect day! 

Sprintime in the Rockies

Strange weather yesterday; sunshine, rain, snow and THUNDER.  Spring is making its best attempt to push its way in, but winter is stubbornly clinging.

Drove down to Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge yesterday afternoon when (I thought), the weather might be a bit more cooperative.  Silly me, I should know better!  As I was on my way there it was partly cloudy with lots of blue sky and intermittent sunshine.  By the time I arrived and was headed out to do some birding/photography, I was in the middle of a blizzard.  I’m guessing this pair of Osprey was thinking perhaps they should have stayed in Mexico another week or two…

I had planned on a walk through the pine forest, but as I headed out onto the trail, it began to get windy, snowy and the temperaure was about 35 degrees!  Since I was not dressed for winter weather, I opted to head back to the car and take a four-wheel tour around the refuge instead.

  

The Trumpeter Swans are back; I counted about 20 in the pond at the back of the refuge, which can be seen from the road driving in.  I pulled off the side of the road to attempt a few shots, but even at the great distance I was from the pond, they spooked and flew off to another location.  My only shot was the south end of a north bound swan!

Nearing the main pond I spotted a flock of about 40 or 50 Snow Geese; so distinctive with their black wingtips against white feathers.   Way off in the far reaches of the marsh I counted five Sandhill Cranes; four together and one by itself.  Much too far away to see very well with the binoculars, let alone the camera.   

    

Got photos of a couple of male Pheasants; one slowly making its way through the grass into shrubby cover, and the other boldly displaying himself on a log alongside the road.  As I approached him the sun came out and lit up the coppery red feathers on his breast, giving them a metallic sheen – beautiful! 

I was very surprised that there were no blackbirds to speak of.  Typically by now the reeds and cattails are full to the brim of both Yellow-headed and Red-winged Blackbirds; squealing and singing to attract females and mark their territories.  I only saw a single male, and he was not making a sound.

The ponds and pot holes were teeming with puddle ducks: Mallards, Green-winged Teals, Buffleheads, Hooded Mergansers, Northern Shovelers, Gadwalls, and more Coots than I could count, bobbing in the now choppy water.  I amazes me that they can stay in the icy cold water and not freeze... 

As I was headed out I noticed a Great Blue Heron strolling along the bank on the far side of the main pond.  I stopped to watch for a few minutes when it took wing and headed off.  Imagine my great surprise when it headed toward me and landed only 15 or 20 feet away!  Thankfully, vehicles make a great blind and I was fortunate enough to get numerous photos of it as it searched for a meal.  Unfortunately an amateur came zooming up in a very loud, muffler defective vehicle, screeched to a halt, jumped out of his car to snap a quick “Chevy Chase Vacation” photo, and scared the bird off.  Some people are just in too much of a hurry to do anything.  My only consolation is that his photo will probably be blurred…

Owls!

For the past month or so I’ve been hearing what sounded like three or four Great Horned Owls hooting all around my house at night.  Then about a month ago I began seeing a pair of them flying about in the early evening hours, which is unusual, I think.  I’ve never actually seen them before because they don’t start calling until it gets dark.  But these two have been especially active.  I’ve gotten a few photos of them from a distance, but hadn’t been able to tell where they were coming from or where they roosted.  But tonight while walking the dogs along a path near my house, I noticed not only some white spatters of bird dropping beneath a willow tree, but also some small, soft, gray lumps – owl pellets!

For anyone who doesn’t know, owls eat primarily mice, which they swallow whole.  Their gullet stores the indigestible fur and bones, which is regurgitated up as pellets.  I remember dissecting these pellets and reconstructing mouse skeletons in my 7^th grade science class.  The pellets are a tell-tale sign of owls occupying a tree.

Once I realized what they gray lumps were, I looked up to find a pair of Great Horned Owls staring back at me.  And… not far from the female was a good sized nest of sticks.  Between the nest, the droppings and the pellets - this has to be their roost!   I can see them from behind the shed near the house - I’ll have to keep an eye on them to see if I can tell whether or not they’re sitting on eggs.  They have become quiet in the past couple of days, which for most birds does indicate brooding, but not sure with owls.  Sure wish I could climb in the neighboring tree to get photos!   If only there were a way to do that without disturbing them...

I'm Sick of Winter!

Winter has been so much harder on me this year than in years past. The weather hasn’t been any worse; it’s just inflicted the worst case of “cabin fever” I think I’ve ever had!  The woods are silent, save for the occasional Chickadee.  The pine squirrels are all hibernating, and even the flickers have been quiet.

Fortunately, being able to get out and take some photos does help some. The early morning fog combined with cold temperatures create the most amazing hoar frost on everything. And the warming temps also create some magnificent icicles, streaming all the way from the eaves on the roof almost to the ground! Another great thing about being out in the snow is finding all of the tracks from late night and early morning critters that wander through. There are always plenty of deer and fox tracks, but also coyote, otter, raccoon, mink, bobcat and mountain lion are regular visitors to the creek, not to mention the numerous birds. Occasionally I’ll be lucky enough to find the tracks of a Great Blue Heron as it stood on the bank of the creek in search of a breakfast of fresh trout.

The days are becoming visibly longer! Sunrise is 51 minutes earlier than it was a month ago on December 27, and sunset is 35 later. This means it’s already getting light out when I leave for work, and it’s still light out when I get home. YAY!!

The Great Horned Owls have been hooting up a storm at night. They seem to have gotten a late start this year, because I usually begin hearing them in mid to late December. I’m hearing mostly females right now – only one male the other night, and none before or since. Do the females begin calling first? That’s a twist… One landed in the Blue Spruce behind the house the other evening and I managed to get a few photos of it before it flew off. The photos are a bit grainy, as I had to use a slow shutter speed due to the fading light, but you can definitely identify it as a GHO. It was very cool having it so close, and I’m hoping it’s planning on nesting in the spruce. Maybe I could even get some photos of the nestlings, although I hear they are notoriously protective of their young… It would be fun to have them fledge right in my yard, although between my dogs and the neighborhood cats it wouldn’t be the safest place in the world for them.

The temperatures are warming up a touch as well, at least for now. I’m pretty certain however, that this is just a “teaser” and that there will be more – and harsher - cold snaps before the temperatures begin to rise for good. Until then I’ll take advantage of the pleasant weather for as long as it lasts!