Have visited Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge south of Missoula, Montana several times in past years. It has usually been in a drought. Not this year. Above you see snow still on the Bitterroot Mountains. The parking lot for a trail along the Bitterroot River was flooded and water was flowing over the main refuge road.
A bobolink.
Above, an eastern kingbird and a juvenile robin.
A muskrat in a marsh with clouds reflected on it.
Below, wild male turkey’s.
Love watching brown pelicans dive for fish.
Osprey hunting. One of a pair. Caracara were also in the area.
Tern with a small fish.
Ruby-crowned kinglet. Such big eyes for such a small bird.
Had a few more visits from the kingfisher. First, and probably last time, a kingfisher will sit still long enough for me take their picture.
Wild turkey’s fluffed up and on the fence.
Black-throated sparrow at Hueco Tanks State Park in El Paso.
Say’s phoebe at Balmorhea State Park.
Saw single pyrrhuloxia at both Hueco Tanks and Balmorhea.
Canyon towhee at the Caverns of Sonora RV Park. Still surprised at all the canyon towhee’s and Say’s phoebe’s I have seen this year.
The rv park has some helmeted guineafowl with a female turkey as their leader. They go wherever the turkey goes. In the bottom picture, the turkey has jumped up onto a fence, and the guineafowl aren’t sure what to do.
I drove through Idaho quickly because of severe weather warnings, including high winds and freezing temps. Ended up in the Salt Lake City, Utah area on the Friday of the Labor Day Weekend. It was in the high 90′s. Just stayed one night and then headed to the town of Torrey, Utah, near Capitol Reef National Park and the start (or end) of Utah’s Scenic Byway 12.
Picture above, near the town of Torrey.
View of Capitol Reef National Park from Highway 12. The weather started out nice in Torrey, but it quickly turned cloudy a little way down the road.
There are dense stands of aspen trees in the first part of route.
The highway wasn’t bad to drive. Drove in 3rd gear on the steep grades. There was only a short section where the right side of the road is eroding, and the left side is a mountainside, making the highway narrow.
Above, views near Escalante. I stayed one night at the State Park there.
Stopped for two different groups of female wild turkey’s crossing the highway.
Below, one of the rock tunnels near Red Canyon at the end (or start) of Highway 12. Next time I drive the route, want to make at least three stops to explore more, on the first, middle, and end sections.
Have been in Oregon, south of Eugene, for the past two weeks. Wanted to stay someplace I could get UPS deliveries directly and get some work done. Have been putting off organizing and backing up my photos for a long time. Found the frequent gentle rains here conducive to staying inside and working. While the weather in Tulelake was often cold and windy, as soon as I got back on the I-5 in Oregon things settled down. The temperatures have pretty much been in the 40′s at night and the 60′s during the day. It has never gotten down to freezing.
Above, two male turkey’s. They may be common in most of the U.S, but as a Southern California native, I love seeing them.
Riding my bike I came across these male turkey’s preening and flexing their feathers.
Two different osprey.
Catbird
Brown thrasher
There is a small harbor near the park where night herons nest during the day and egrets nest at night.
At the refuge, saw two bucks fighting over a female. Could not see them as much as hear their snorting and their antlers clicking.
Loggerhead shrike at the refuge. This is a small predator bird that kills by biting the back of its’ victims neck to sever the spinal cord. No wonder the birds eating my grapefruit are always on high alert, very aware of their surroundings.
Wild male turkey’s congregate in one pack and female’s in another near where I am camped.
Lots of osprey in the area.
Harris’ hawks, parent in top photo, young one in lower. I was afraid the young one might have a problem with his wing. He was sleeping on a picnic table in the picture. Have since seen him with two other hawks flying without difficulty.
Roseate spoonbill at the refuge.
I am currently in Austin, Texas for a few days. First time I haven’t had to use the furnace at night for a while.
From Bosque del Apache, I went to:
Pictures are all from South Llano River State Park.
Thin looking white-tailed deer. It was sad to see road kill deers about every 5 or 10 miles on I-10.
Black-crested titmouse
Lots of red cardinals.
Staying at the Escapee park in Sutherlin, Oregon for a week to get caught up on my mail and cleaning. Also, got a bike, so spending some time to get used to it. It’s been 25 years since I’ve ridden one.
All ears!
Before leaving for Sutherlin, drove through the Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. It has to be one of the most beautiful marshes I’ve seen. Just saw a few ducks. This is one of those times I would have gone back, but for the cost of gasoline.
Stayed at McKinney Falls State Park in Austin, Texas for a week to allow me to get my rv serviced and to stock up at Costco.
Was trying to get a picture of a bird and this kestrel flew down to get it. The bird I had been watching started screeching and I clapped to distract the kestrel, so it left the bird alone. Know that was probably a no-no, but it was my instinct.
After leaving Austin, spent one night at Choke Canyon State Park on the way to the Rio Grande area. There were signs saying don’t feed the wildlife, fine of $500, but these wild turkeys would come up to you when you raised your hand. Someone had to be feeding them.
