Snipe

On June 30, 2019 By Mike and Christy10 Comments

Thank goodness for fence poles.

A nice looking Wilson’s Snipe singing away on a fence post along a small county road in Southern Wyoming. Photographed while on the way to Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

Wabbit

On June 29, 2019June 29, 2019 By Mike and Christy9 Comments

Early summer is Rabbit time. Last weekend we saw plenty of healthy rabbits roaming the sagebrush and grasslands of the Arapahoe Wildlife Refuge as well as plenty of Hawks looking for an easy meal. Luckily for this guy he stayed on guard and was reluctant to stray too far from the cover of the sage.

Wildflower Monochromes

On June 28, 2019June 23, 2019 By Mike and Christy12 Comments

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A handful of beautiful wildflowers rendered in monochrome to start the weekend off on a simple note. Beautiful shapes and textures and every flower natures gift.

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Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

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Triteleia Grandiflora

On June 27, 2019June 28, 2019 By Mike and Christy8 Comments

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One of the more unusual wildflowers we see each summer is Triteleia Grandiflora.

The tall slender stalk with only one or two basal leaves spring up out of grassy areas and are capped with a cluster of delicate yet hardy and unusual looking purple-blue flowers.

A native to the pacific northwest east of the cascade mountains from Oregon into Montana, Wyoming, Utah and Idaho. We have see it growing in open Prairies and up into mountain foothills. Usually it seems that each plant is widely spaced from it’s neighbors or many times we see a single plant spring up far from others of its own species.

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It’s always fun to photograph these each spring and this years we have noticed greater numbers of Triteleia Grandiflora blooming than in the previous years.

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Morning Meal

On June 26, 2019June 25, 2019 By Mike and Christy10 Comments

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A male Yellow Rumped Warbler gleans a small meal from the aspen leaves as the sun just begins to shine in the forest.

Like Clouds

On June 25, 2019June 23, 2019 By Mike and Christy2 Comments

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A Beardstounge Floats like a cloud in a sky of grass.

Headwaters State Park, MT.

Wake up call

On June 24, 2019June 23, 2019 By Mike and Christy8 Comments

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Well before me, well before the sun the Robins wake and start the day with a song. Lying in bed I hear them sing then nod back off again until the sun peaks out.

A Robins song is not a bad wake up call at all.

Chestnut-Backed Chickadee

On June 23, 2019 By Mike and Christy9 Comments

Hearing the Chickadees calling in the trees above our heads we expected to look up and see either a black-capped or mountain chickadee as we had seen them earlier this day. However to our surprise we we greeted by this little Chestnut-Backed Chickadee looking down at us and hunting insects just above our heads.

The all about birds website starts their description of this bird by calling them handsome and I would have to whole heartedly agree with that.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chestnut-backed_Chickadee/id