"Pronghorn in Montana" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Pronghorn in Montana" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Small group of Pronghorn Antelope on a ridge. The mist is from the Flathead River. This photo was taken in late October in the early morning at the National Bison Range, Moiese, Montana, USA.
They call this habitat Palouse Prairie grasslands. The native grasses are well adapted to the harsh, unsheltered environment of the open prairie which ranges from driving, icy blast of winter to the oppressive heat and searing wind of summer. They are well adapted to provide much needed nutrients to the animals that live in this habitat.
Canon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM
EOS 7D, 1/320/s, f/5.6, ISO: 320, 130mm

"Bringing dinner to the kids" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Bringing dinner to the kids" by amontanaview | RedBubble:
Red-naped Sapsucker – Sphyrapicus nuchalis in western Montana. Taken west of Victor, Montana, USA in early July. The chicks fledged (flew out of the nest) about a week later. The tree is a Quaking Aspen.

"Red-naped Sapsucker ready for take-off" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Red-naped Sapsucker ready for take-off" by amontanaview | RedBubble:



Featured in RedBubble group, Woodpeckers Worldwide.

"Freda, a Chesapeake hunting for bass" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Freda, a Chesapeake hunting for bass" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Featured again on RedBubble. This time in the group "For the love of dogs."
At the time of this photo Freda is a 1 1/2 year old female Chessy. In this photo, she is hunting for bass on the Flathead River in western Montana a few miles south of Buffalo Bridge. I am not sure if you would call this a “point” but maybe…
Shot with Canon 7D, 1/400s, f/7.1, ISO 800

"Sparring match - training to be the big buck" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Sparring match - training to be the big buck" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Two white-tailed (Odocoileus virginianus) bucks are practicing their skills.
The photo was taken at the National Bison Range (Moise, Montana, USA) near Mission Creek. They could care less that I was there with my camera. I even changed lenses. See the whole series of photos on my White-tailed Bucks Sparring album at SmugMug.
In early December, they are beginning their second rut of the season. Rut is the mating season of ruminant animals such as deer.
These young bucks were jousting back and forth by engaging one another’s antlers. As usual with young bucks and early in the rut, the match did not escalate into a full blown fight. They were just trying to figure out how tough they were and which one would dominate. I heard them grunt quietly once in awhile, but mostly I could hear the antlers “clank” or “rattle” as they touched or “clanked” their antlers together and wrestled. They engaged for a while, then backed off and pretended to ignore one another. Then they would come back together for another go at it. The whole series went on for about half and hour. Then they both meandered over a small ridge into the thick juniper cover
Canon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS, Canon EOS 7D, 1/400s, f/5.6, ISO: 250, 300mm, Manual setting
MCN :: C1XYE-Q7GLT-BPEXP

"Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Red-tailed hawk photo taken at the National Bison Range, Mission Creek, near Moise, Montana USA. MCN :: CAU4Y-VLMF4-B1MEW
Plumage is extremely variable, ranging from very light forms to very dark forms. The “typical” color phase is dark brown above and white below, with a band of dark speckling across the belly (belly band), and a rusty-red tail (paler underneath). Flying birds are white with brown barring underneath, dark brown edges around the wings, and dark brown shoulder patches.
The immature Red-tailed Hawks of all color phases and races look similar to the adults, except they have brown barred tails and more brown streaking over the rest of their bodies.
Canon EF500mm f/4L IS USM lens
Canon EOS 7D, 1/6400s, f/4.0, ISO: 320, 500mm, Manual setting

"Mule deer fawn" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Mule deer fawn" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Featured in the "Montana" group of RedBubble.
Taken in the Bitterroot Mountains west of Victor, Montana, USA. I saw this when I was hiking down a ridge. If I had taken three more steps, I could have stepped on it. It was so well camouflaged and still. At first I wasn’t sure it was alive, but an eyelid blinked. The doe must have been further in the woods because I didn’t see her. I quickly moved down the slope but captured a few photos on the way.
Canon EOS 7D, 1/250s, f/6.3, ISO: 200, 75 mm
Here is a photo of a mule deer doe I saw on the way up the ridge. Could be the mother, but I don’t know that for sure.

"Young bull moose in the Bitterroot River" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Young bull moose in the Bitterroot River" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Bull moose on the middle Bitterroot River in Montana (USA) just before sunrise.
Featured in my 2012 Montana Nature Calendar
I have often thought I should see a moose at my friend John’s river bank because there is a marsh near by. September 26, I was walking south on the bank taking photos when a kingfisher (bird) called from behind me. I love kingfishers so I turned around to try to get a photo. I was surprised to see this reasonably sized bull moose wading across the river on John’s property! I was afraid to get any closer so this photo isn’t bad considering the distance and low light. In full size, his eye is very visible. There is a little bit of a mist coming off the water and around his legs. Some might not think a moose is beautiful, but I do.
He grunted all the way across the river and off into the brush on the other side. I could hear him grunting with every step even when I couldn’t see him. I laughed quietly. It didn’t seem like he even knew I was there. After the fact, I wish I would have tried to get closer – probably a good decision that I didn’t. I don’t run very fast any more.

"got an itch" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"got an itch" by amontanaview | RedBubble:


Visit Montana all year long with your Montana Nature Calendar "Montana Nature Calendar" Calendars

"Virga over the Clark Fork River" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Virga over the Clark Fork River" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

This was taken April 9, 2011 west of Missoula, Montana USA on the Clark Fork River. The camera is looking north and east at Montana Snowbowl Ski Area and the Rattlesnake Wilderness Area. It was a gorgeous spring day and the fishing was good.

Virga is precipitation that falls from a cloud but evaporates before reaching the ground.

Canon EOS 7D, 1/500s, f/10.0, ISO:200, 39mm
SIGMA 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG Aspherical DF Macro SLD Autofocus Lens

This photo is featured in:

"Montana Nature Calendar" Calendars by amontanaview | RedBubble

"North Fork, Idaho steelhead hen" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"North Fork, Idaho steelhead hen" by amontanaview | RedBubble:
Late fall is a great time to fish for Steelhead in Idaho.
A beautiful female steelhead from North Fork River in Idaho. My first steelhead photo.
Cannon EOS 7D, 1/200s, f/7.1, ISO: 200

"Two-tailed Swallowtail Butterfly" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Two-tailed Swallowtail Butterfly" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata) on a ninebark shrub in the Bitterroot Mountains west of Victor, MT, USA. These visit my lilac bushes, too.
Canon EOS 7D, 1/640s, f/5.6, ISO:200, 300mm
Mallow Ninebark (Physocarpus, Rose Family)

"Gold Creek" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Gold Creek" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

What a great name for this place. This photo was taken up Gold Creek east and north of Missoula, Montana USA. The meadow is gold and I am pretty sure there are pots of gold at both ends of this rainbow. Gold Creek is to the left just yards from this meadow and the photo is looking north east. What a dynamic day in October 2011.
Canon EOS 7D 1/1000s, f/5.6, ISO:200 56mm. Taken with SIGMA 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG Aspherical DF Macro SLD Autofocus Lens.

"Montana Nature Calendar" Calendars by amontanaview | RedBubble

Visit Montana all year long with your Montana Nature Calendar "Montana Nature Calendar" Calendars by amontanaview | RedBubble:

"Vesper basking in lamp light" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Vesper basking in lamp light" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Vesper, my daughter's Maine Coon cat, is right at home on our Norwegian sweaters draped over a chair. As if he isn't warm enough, he snuggles in the luscious warm wool. It makes me want to take a nap...

I love the sepia tones (naturally from Vesper, the couch and evening lamplight) in contrast with the colorful Freesia flowers in the background.

Taken on a cold, fall evening west of Victor, Montana USA in our home. We had a roaring fire going in our wood stove as we were getting out winter clothes and doing the seasonal closet switch and cleaning. Of course Vesper was keeping a close eye on us and his favorite garments.

"Wheeee, I am a Chessie" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Wheeee, I am a Chessie" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

"Steller's Jay in winter" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Steller's Jay in winter" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

This photo and four more of mine are in the Montana calendar. See the link below.

Best selling NBC Montana weather calendar for 2012 is on sale

The 2012 Montana Weather Calendar, sponsored by NBC Montana stations, is filled with beautiful and weather-related Montana photographs along with fascinating weather information.Two weather calendars are available for 2012:Weekly 6" x 9" engagement calendar, weekly...

"Me or the trout..." by amontanaview | RedBubble

Freda is fishing with us on the Bitterroot River north of Florence, Montana USA. She is actually very polite to the trout that we catch and release, but you can see how interested she is in the fish.

"Me or the trout..." by amontanaview | RedBubble:

"Swallowtail Butterfly on Syringa " by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Swallowtail Butterfly on Syringa " by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Featured photo on RedBubble 10-8-2011 The Group - Homepage Click Here

"Red-naped Sapsucker ready for take-off" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Red-naped Sapsucker ready for take-off" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

"No more sunday drives for this one" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"No more sunday drives for this one" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

"Bison browsing in the afternoon" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Bison browsing in the afternoon" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

"Lunching on timothy grass at Mud Lake Flats" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Lunching on timothy grass at Mud Lake Flats" by amontanaview | RedBubble:
Taken on an early August trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness. We entered the Bob at Spotted Bear.