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imagewildlife.com
Photographer, naturalist - advocate for wildlife
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Found early patches of flowering Common Camas at Kicking Horse Waterfowl Production Area (Ronan, MT). A sight as catalyst beyond wildlife. "Make time for play, relaxation, and exploration, the essential ingredients of the creative insights that...set new projects in motion" (J.K. Glei ed. 2013).

submitted 9 hours ago • 0 comments

#Fungi finding tip: We're having some rain with warmer temps. While #birding I kept an eye to the ground and an ear to the trees. Was able to spy cup fungi (pictured, at a spot usually productive) due to the water inside the cup reflecting up...can be seen even with grasses over the top 😊

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Not terribly concerned about #RFK Jr. and family swimming in polluted waters...their choice. However, his undermining Measles vaccine application and efficacy is criminal...____ with peoples lives. Dude what is wrong with you?

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

#Birded the Mission Valley (w. MT) today...mostly at Ninepipe NWR. This refuge is 1700 acres of terminal moraine established on Trust lands of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Great aesthetics and birdlife. Checked off 7 year species: BNST, RBGU, CAGU, WEGR, EAGR, RNGR, FOTE No 🦤 😊

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

#Birding has secondary benefits of fresh air, exercise and beautiful vistas. Found several Rough-winged Swallows at steep bank of the Bitterroot River. Couple perched cooperatively on nearby fence. In the distance is Lolo Peak (9,095 feet). Hope you all had one heckuva of Mother's Day 😊

submitted 3 days ago • 1 comment

Encountered a family of Common Goldeneye on the Bitterroot River (Missoula, MT). Considered an uncommon breeder here, though abundant during winter. Montana Field Guide published literature indicating nine is the usual number of young exiting nesting cavities (nest box, old woodpecker excavation).

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

Found a dark morph Swainson's Hawk today. Remarkable birds, winter in northeast Argentina. Social in behavior, migrate in large flocks eating insects, small mammals, reptiles and birds along the way. Have adapted to ag land, forage hay/alfalfa fields (pictured).

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Wonderful name for a common #wildflower found over half of the U.S. Most unusual is the beauty of the fertilized wispy seed head, origin of common name. Prairie Smoke was first described by German–American botanist Frederick Traugott Pursh in his book Flora americae septentrionalis (1813).

submitted 6 days ago • 1 comment

Pictured is Woollypod Milkvetch, one of forty-seven Astragalus species in Montana. According to Schiemann (2005) this genus of wildflower has the largest number of species in the American West.

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

Surprised to record a Two-banded Checkered-skipper this early in May, usually a bit later for me. Pyle (2002) has the opposite experience: "One of the earliest emergers in spring...appears when little else is on the wing..." This is a small #butterfly with less that an inch wingspan.

submitted 9 days ago • 0 comments

Rufous Hummingbird showed up today on a cloudy, rainy, 50F degree conditions. Pretty incredible to have this tropical looking #bird provide so much color and animation when our landscape is just waking up to spring. Consider putting up feeders for close looks at this iridescent puff of feathers.

submitted 10 days ago • 0 comments

Found third Elfin #butterfly species of this spring. Several were on moist soil of gravel road bisecting montane coniferous forest of western Montana. Usually cooperative on approach allowing fairly close photographs. Real small flight window, find now (during May) or don't see at all!

submitted 10 days ago • 0 comments

Found some moist soil in/around gravel road potholes today and was rewarded with several Brown Elfin using substrate. These butterflies are small and appear all dark in flight and backlit. Adjust your view and a rainbow of iridescence appears. Name doesn't do it justice 😊

submitted 12 days ago • 1 comment

Little Larkspur gives me fits trying to get this #wildflower in focus and sharp, check out the flower structure. Secondly, processing the RAW image always seems to produce colors that aren't real i.e. spectrum of blue to purple. In the end, as pictured, I let go of my fears and put it out there 😊

submitted 12 days ago • 1 comment

Did not hear its' song "Poor jojo missed his bus" (old transliteration from many years ago) instead spied a pair of White-crowned Sparrow scampering in front of me on the Kenai Nature Trail (Lee Metcalf NWR). Fortunate to have one "pose" close by for photo op. Stunning, like most birds 😊

submitted 13 days ago • 0 comments

Caught an Osprey actively fishing. It kited overhead looking down. Quickly plunged into the still water emerging with a Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus). This fish was introduced into Montana circa 1910, now most widespread of the sunfish group in the state.

submitted 14 days ago • 0 comments

I found several Snowbank Orange Peel Fungus yesterday after some recent light rainfall. Small in size, but the bright orange catches the eye.

submitted 15 days ago • 2 comments

Arrowleaf Balsamroot is a real robust #wildflower. Towers over grassland habitat by up to 36 inches. Colors mountain foothill slopes yellow at great distances. In color psychology, yellow is generally associated with positive emotions like joy, happiness, optimism, and energy 😊

submitted 16 days ago • 0 comments

Rough-fruited Fairybells is one of 46 species of lily in Montana. Pretty robust in growth form even in shaded habitat. Though unpictured the fruit is indeed rough i.e. has wartlike surface.

submitted 17 days ago • 1 comment

Not much to appreciate when Western Pine Elfin darts by you. It looks dark and small (only 1.25 inch in size). Follow until it lands (tricky) and you will gasp in amazement at the colors and patterns. Makes all the time and effort searching for #butterfly worthwhile.

submitted 18 days ago • 0 comments