The Evolution Of A Nest Tree Over Three Summers
This lonely fir tree at the east end of Montana’s Centennial Valley has had some interesting history over the last several years.
Mountain Bluebird And Perch – Both Battered and Bruised
Conditions are tough in the Centennial Valley of Montana, for both the living and the long-dead.
I realize that this image isn’t likely to have universal appeal, partly because the bluebird is in pretty rough condition. But so is the fence post and there’s just something about that visual congruity that grabs me.
Cloning Background Elements – A Slippery Slope
Sooner or later every serious nature photographer must confront the question – How much image alteration during processing is ethically “too much”?
Double-Crested Cormorant Flying Among The Clouds
I’m not much of a fan of plain blue sky backgrounds for flight shots and on this morning I was resigned to such an outcome in any flight shots I might get because the sky was virtually cloudless. But just as I snapped the shutter this bird passed by one of the few small clouds to be found anywhere and there was even a tinge of pink provided by the color of the rising sun.
Southwest Montana Kestrels – A Status Update
American Kestrels have long been North America’s most abundant bird of prey but over recent decades their numbers have declined precipitously. For that reason I pay particular notice to kestrel numbers when I return to the same area year after year and because I spend so much time in southwest Montana that region is near the top of my “kestrel watching” areas.
Bathing Vesper Sparrow (this bird didn’t read “the book”)
Vesper Sparrows are “dust bathers”. They do it so often that they’re known for having puffs of dust fly off of them when they’re flushed and take off. In fact, Birds of North America Online says they’re “not observed to bathe in water”. This Vesper Sparrow didn’t read the book.
Adult Swainson’s Hawk In Flight
In contrast to my post yesterday of a juvenile Swainson’s Hawk, this bird is an adult. In fact it’s the parent of that juvenile. I seldom post the same species back to back but I thought the comparison might be interesting.
Swainson’s Hawk Face-plant Into Rabbitbrush
Sometimes raptors risk serious injury as they go after prey – especially to their eyes.
Forster’s Tern In Flight
The Forster’s Tern is the only tern that is almost entirely restricted to North America year around. They’re sometimes called “marsh terns” because they breed primarily in fresh, brackish and saltwater marshes, including here in northern Utah. Prior to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act Forster’s Terns were hunted for the millenary trade and because of their habit of hovering over other individuals that had been killed they were particularly vulnerable to being shot.
Montana Merlin
Earlier his month I had two encounters with a Merlin on consecutive early mornings at almost the same location in the Centennial Valley of Montana. These images were taken the first morning.