Why I Don’t Live In Cut Bank, Montana Any More
I had an almost idyllic childhood growing up on the family farm 17 miles northwest of Cut Bank, Montana. (2 images)
Tag: Cut Bank
Sharing Something Personal
Today’s post is more about people than it is about birds. Far more. But they’re my people and they’re important to me.
Coyotes, Glacier County, Montana And The Despicable “Wildlife Services”
Some Good News On My Finger Injury Plus A Dose Of Critter Cuteness
We’ll get to the critter in a minute. Normally any more news on my finger injury isn’t something I’d cover on my blog but the healing process has been so unexpectedly fast on such a significant injury and because I reported it here when it happened I decided to share evidence of why I’m so surprised and pleased with it.
Montana Beckons Me Once Again
Today I embark on another Montana camping trip but this one’s going to be a little (a lot!) different in a variety of ways.
Gray Partridge – Adult and Young Juvenile
It’s the time of year when I begin daydreaming about trips to Montana and many of the birds I photograph in that state, Gray Partridges among them.
Great Horned Owls In The Montana Wind
I’ve posted before about the Great Horned Owls on the family farm in nw Montana. That farm is near Cut Bank, Montana which is famous (infamous) for its howling winds. 1/1000, f/8, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in So many of my images of those farm owls show the effects of the wind on the owls. The wind was only moderate when I took this shot so about the only effect you can see from it is the leaning ear tufts (horns). Even at this wind speed you can hear it whistling through the granary cutouts where these birds like to perch When I’m shooting from a tripod instead of from my pickup it’s difficult to get sharp shots because of the effects of the wind on my long lens. 1/160, f/10, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in But when the wind really howls the birds seek refuge. This owl liked to hunker down deep in this Poplar tree as an escape. It was so deeply buried in the tree that I could only get fleeting glimpses of it when the wind would blow some of the branches and leaves in front of the bird to the side. At times the wind would blow the ear tufts almost flat on its head. This owl is leaning into the wind to keep from being blown off the perch. 1/500, f/8, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4…
Great Horned Owls On The Montana Family Farm
Note: When I first started blogging 19 months ago, I somewhat arbitrarily decided to post my photos at 720 pixels on the long side. It didn’t take me long to change my mind and begin posting significantly larger images for the much better quality that becomes apparent at that larger size. Since that time I’ve pretty much ignored those early posts, until yesterday when Ingrid Taylar brought my attention to this Great Horned Owl post and it reminded me just how small the images are. So, I’ve decided to repost a very few of those very early works, with some additions and changes which will include: larger images – 900 pixels on the long side additional images, in most cases techs included with the photos updated narrative I’m thinking there might be two or three of these reposts over the next several weeks. I hope you’ll bear with me… For many years now there has been at least one pair of nesting Great Horned Owls on the farm where I grew up near Cut Bank, Montana. They were never there when I was a kid but they’ve sure taken to it since. This farm still seems like home to me and I return to it at least once every year for a visit with family and of course to check up on the owls. It’s the perfect place for these birds as it’s isolated, there are many old barns and granaries for the owls to find sanctuary and the area is literally crawling with field mice, voles and the ubiquitous Richardson’s Ground Squirrel…
Just A Shot That I Like… # 27, Savannah Sparrow Wing Stretch
So very often when an avian subject gives the photographer a nice wing stretch the bird is either facing away or there’s no light on the face. So I always appreciate it when things work out with a shot like that. 1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc This Savannah Sparrow (along with several others of various species) would forage in the Montana pasture grass for a while and then return to the barbed wire to preen and occasionally stretch. I like the diaphanous qualities of the right wing that allow the viewer to see the fanned tail and stretched out foot and leg through the wing feathers. Ron
Horned Larks Blowin’ in the Wind
I have particularly fond memories of Horned Larks from growing up on our northwestern Montana family farm near Cut Bank, Montana. The fallow barley fields and adjacent short grass prairies abounded with them. But since I began photographing birds I’ve had very few opportunities with them here in Utah – until last week when had a grand time with multiple cooperative larks in the foothills of the Stansbury Mountains. And yes, the wind was blowing briskly – a perfect situation to remind me of those Montana larks! Singing in the wind The wind seemed to inspire the males to sing as they all seemed to be singing up a storm on this day, despite the early February date. Blown off the perch While it may look like this male is taking flight, in reality it was being blown off the perch by a sudden gust of wind. If it had been taking off, both wings would be extended. Wind- disheveled feathers In this photo, the wind updraft from the rock perch blew a perfect semicircle of his upper chest feathers into his black neck ring, making him look pretty silly. Very obvious “horns” This photo shows the “horns” (occipital feather tufts) that are characteristic of the species. The horns are found on both sexes but they are much less obvious in the female and rarely erected. This frontal view of the head shows the horns most distinctly when they are raised. Horns laying almost flat At times the horns are laid flat against the…
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Sharing Something Personal
Today’s post is more about people than it is about birds. Far more. But they’re my people and they’re important to me.
Coyotes, Glacier County, Montana And The Despicable “Wildlife Services”
Some Good News On My Finger Injury Plus A Dose Of Critter Cuteness
We’ll get to the critter in a minute. Normally any more news on my finger injury isn’t something I’d cover on my blog but the healing process has been so unexpectedly fast on such a significant injury and because I reported it here when it happened I decided to share evidence of why I’m so surprised and pleased with it.
Montana Beckons Me Once Again
Today I embark on another Montana camping trip but this one’s going to be a little (a lot!) different in a variety of ways.
Gray Partridge – Adult and Young Juvenile
It’s the time of year when I begin daydreaming about trips to Montana and many of the birds I photograph in that state, Gray Partridges among them.
Great Horned Owls In The Montana Wind
I’ve posted before about the Great Horned Owls on the family farm in nw Montana. That farm is near Cut Bank, Montana which is famous (infamous) for its howling winds. 1/1000, f/8, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in So many of my images of those farm owls show the effects of the wind on the owls. The wind was only moderate when I took this shot so about the only effect you can see from it is the leaning ear tufts (horns). Even at this wind speed you can hear it whistling through the granary cutouts where these birds like to perch When I’m shooting from a tripod instead of from my pickup it’s difficult to get sharp shots because of the effects of the wind on my long lens. 1/160, f/10, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in But when the wind really howls the birds seek refuge. This owl liked to hunker down deep in this Poplar tree as an escape. It was so deeply buried in the tree that I could only get fleeting glimpses of it when the wind would blow some of the branches and leaves in front of the bird to the side. At times the wind would blow the ear tufts almost flat on its head. This owl is leaning into the wind to keep from being blown off the perch. 1/500, f/8, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4…
Great Horned Owls On The Montana Family Farm
Note: When I first started blogging 19 months ago, I somewhat arbitrarily decided to post my photos at 720 pixels on the long side. It didn’t take me long to change my mind and begin posting significantly larger images for the much better quality that becomes apparent at that larger size. Since that time I’ve pretty much ignored those early posts, until yesterday when Ingrid Taylar brought my attention to this Great Horned Owl post and it reminded me just how small the images are. So, I’ve decided to repost a very few of those very early works, with some additions and changes which will include: larger images – 900 pixels on the long side additional images, in most cases techs included with the photos updated narrative I’m thinking there might be two or three of these reposts over the next several weeks. I hope you’ll bear with me… For many years now there has been at least one pair of nesting Great Horned Owls on the farm where I grew up near Cut Bank, Montana. They were never there when I was a kid but they’ve sure taken to it since. This farm still seems like home to me and I return to it at least once every year for a visit with family and of course to check up on the owls. It’s the perfect place for these birds as it’s isolated, there are many old barns and granaries for the owls to find sanctuary and the area is literally crawling with field mice, voles and the ubiquitous Richardson’s Ground Squirrel…
Just A Shot That I Like… # 27, Savannah Sparrow Wing Stretch
So very often when an avian subject gives the photographer a nice wing stretch the bird is either facing away or there’s no light on the face. So I always appreciate it when things work out with a shot like that. 1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc This Savannah Sparrow (along with several others of various species) would forage in the Montana pasture grass for a while and then return to the barbed wire to preen and occasionally stretch. I like the diaphanous qualities of the right wing that allow the viewer to see the fanned tail and stretched out foot and leg through the wing feathers. Ron
Horned Larks Blowin’ in the Wind
I have particularly fond memories of Horned Larks from growing up on our northwestern Montana family farm near Cut Bank, Montana. The fallow barley fields and adjacent short grass prairies abounded with them. But since I began photographing birds I’ve had very few opportunities with them here in Utah – until last week when had a grand time with multiple cooperative larks in the foothills of the Stansbury Mountains. And yes, the wind was blowing briskly – a perfect situation to remind me of those Montana larks! Singing in the wind The wind seemed to inspire the males to sing as they all seemed to be singing up a storm on this day, despite the early February date. Blown off the perch While it may look like this male is taking flight, in reality it was being blown off the perch by a sudden gust of wind. If it had been taking off, both wings would be extended. Wind- disheveled feathers In this photo, the wind updraft from the rock perch blew a perfect semicircle of his upper chest feathers into his black neck ring, making him look pretty silly. Very obvious “horns” This photo shows the “horns” (occipital feather tufts) that are characteristic of the species. The horns are found on both sexes but they are much less obvious in the female and rarely erected. This frontal view of the head shows the horns most distinctly when they are raised. Horns laying almost flat At times the horns are laid flat against the…