Exhibit Oct 1 - Nov 17, Photography through a naturalist's lens

A Montana View photography collage[/caption]Wednesday, October 3, 2012
4:30pm until 7:00pm
Montana Natural History Center, 120 Hickory St., Missoula, Montana, 59801

Note: Merle is installing art the last week of September. The show actually runs Oct 1 through mid Nov. The lobby/gallery is open Tues - Fri 12:00 - 5:00 pm, Sat 12:00 - 4:00 pm. Hope to see you all there! There will be a few "special opening dates," Oct 3 and Oct 10. More info to follow.

The Montana Natural History Center is pleased to announce the Gallery Opening for “Photography through a naturalist's lens," an exhibit by Merle Ann Loman, A Montana View.

See the photos online at Merle Ann Loman, A Montana View photography at Fine Art America.

Science, documentation and art can describe photography and the study of natural history. Merle Ann Loman is passionate about them both. So “naturally,” photography is how she captures visual art, the art of the moment, and acutely records her experiences with nature.

As a naturalist photographer, she strives to create photographs that are sharply focused, detailed, simple in composition, and that instill a connection between humans and nature. Her creations record ordinary everyday subjects with a sense of artistry. Her most basic goal is to capture nature through photography without altering it, and to provide documentation that promotes the appreciation, study and understanding of natural history through all seasons and over longer / extended periods of time.

Displaying over 50 photos in various sizes, the show features three western Montana areas through seasons: 1) National Bison Range near Moise, 2) Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge near Stevensville, 3) the Bitterroot in general including the photos from the river, valley and mountains. Information sheets will accompany each collection with species, date taken, and location noted.

"Young bull elk" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Young bull elk" by amontanaview | RedBubble:


Young bull elk. Taken south of Sweathouse Creek west of Victor, Montana USA in early April. He was with a small group of cow elk just hanging out. I wonder what he is thinking or looking at…
He is part of a large herd (about 100 elk) that roam this area. Sometimes they are all together, this time of year, they break into smaller groups. Soon the cows will be finding a quiet place to calve, then they will get together in larger “nursery” groups again.

Canon EOS 7D 1/1250s, f/4.0, ISO: 250, 500 mm
Canon EF500mm f/4L IS USM lens

"Looking over her shoulder, cow elk in the spring" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Looking over her shoulder, cow elk in the spring" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Taken in the early evening west of Victor, Montana USA near Sweathouse Creek in mid-March. This was a small group of elk, about 12 of them at the base of the Bitterroot Mountains. There were a few White-tailed deer mixed in with these elk cows, calves and a few spikes (young bull elk). The mature cows will be dropping their young in a few months. They are looking for nutritious feed and lots of it.

Canon EOS 7D, Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM,
1/400s, f/5.6, ISO: 320, 300mm, manual setting

"Heads up everyone" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Heads up everyone" by amontanaview | RedBubble:


Description:

A group of elk in January. Taken west of Victor, Montana USA at the base of the Bitterroot Mountains near Sweathouse Creek. There were a total of about thirty head in this group of cows, calves and a few spike bulls. Just a few miles south was another group, similar size and make up. In the fall when they gather together and our local herd becomes about 100 plus head. The big bulls are off in the higher country on their own this time of year.
See more photos in my SmugMug album Elk cows, calves and a few spike bulls
Canon EOS 7D, 1/500s, f/4.0, ISO: 200, 500mm, Manual setting
Canon EF500mm f/4L IS USM lens, handheld over my arm on tree (I didn't want to spook them by setting up the tripod)

"Adjusting the perch on a Cottonwood branch" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Adjusting the perch on a Cottonwood branch" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Bald Eagle in winter. He saw me taking photos and wanted a better look at me. Lucky me, I love it when I can get a little action in a photo.

Taken west of Victor, Montana USA in the Bitterroot Valley.
Canon EOS 7D, 1/4000s, f/4.0, ISO: 320 Manual setting, 500mm, cropped slightly
Lens - Canon EF500mm f/4L IS USM

"Elk in the Bitterroot Valley in January" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Elk in the Bitterroot Valley in January" by amontanaview | RedBubble:



Two cows and two calves were moving from a pasture into timber here. This photo has only one of the calves. The day was overcast and snowing lightly in early January 2012. To me, the interesting behavior was how the two cows stayed so close together as they milled around while I snapped the photos. When I left, they continued to calmly move up into the timber.
See more photos at Two elk cows and calves in January

"Young bull moose in the woods" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Young bull moose in the woods" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

This guy was having breakfast on our land near a natural pond and in a wetlands. I had to take the photo through the aspen and cottonwoods. Here is is looking up just as the sun filtered through. What a cute little (actually big) guy. He has velvet on his antlers. If you look closely, you can see flies zooming around his antlers and face.
Photo taken in mid-July west of Victor, Montana, USA.
Canon EOS 7D, 1/320s, f/8.0, ISO: 3200, 500mm

"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

"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

"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

"Montana Nature Calendar" Calendars by amontanaview | RedBubble

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

"Bison browsing in the afternoon" by amontanaview | RedBubble

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

Fall is in the air

Taking photos is what this blog is about. It is a bit of a slow time, flowers are going to seed, the elk and deer are higher in the mountains, birds are staging for migration to winter range. Here are a couple of photos that make me think of fall.

See more of my photos at Merle's RedBubble site.

About elk in western Montana

Small elk herd in December 2008 (Photo by Merle Ann Loman)

This is a photo journal of a particular group of elk in the Bitterroot Valley. The photos document movements in almost every month of the year and were collected over a period of 3 years. This group moves about on private and adjacent public land. It has been seen as one big group, or herd, of up to a few hundred, in smaller groups of around 50, and sometimes as individuals alone. The bigger bulls are the most elusive so these photos are of cows, calves and some young bulls.

• "See slideshow here"

The photo journal begins in November at the end of breeding and general hunting season. For the winter months the elk have stayed mostly on private land that is very near Forest Service land. They seem to know that these private landowners don’t allow hunting and they are relatively safe there. They adapt well and their simple needs of food, water, space, shelter and a degree of safety are met.

Lone elk in April (Photo by Merle Ann Loman)

Toward the end of March, the photos show them moving with the snow line up in elevation and towards Forest Service land. The newly exposed vegetation is tender and full of nutrition. The older bulls go first, then the younger bulls, cows and calves. The pregnant cows begin migrating towards higher elevations looking for thicker brush and timber. They need secure areas to give birth.

When ready to give birth, usually during mid-May through late-June, a cow will move to an area that elk seldom visit to avoid predators and protect her calf. The calf will weigh about 35 pounds and has no odor. In a couple of weeks the calf is stronger and they will reunite with other cows and calves – safety in numbers.

The bull elk shed their antlers in the winter and by May they begin growing again. In some of the photos you will see little "buttons" on their heads between their ears. In the beginning as the antlers grow, the bone will be covered by skin with numerous blood vessels (velvet). By fall the velvet dries and the bulls use rub trees to scrape it off. See a photo of a rub tree in the slideshow.

Elk nursery group with a few "button bulls" (Photo by Merle Ann Loman)

During the summer elk form nursery groups where the cows take turns “tending” the calves allowing the other cows graze and rest. Calves nurse up to nine months and by fall can weigh up to 225 pounds or more.

The hottest month in the Bitterroot is August. The elk stay at higher elevations deep in the timber and draws trying to stay cool. Their movements are often at night. In September the rut (mating) begins and the bulls gather their harems, or groups of cows. The quiet of the morning or evening will be pierce with the distinct bugle of a bull as he tries to impress his cows or warn other bulls to stay away. And the cycle begins again.

For more info:

Play audio (wav format) – hear the sound of a bull bugling.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation – Elk through the seasons

Kings Outdoor World – All about Antlers

Merle’s SmugMug photo site – Elk photos through the seasons

About mule deer in western Montana

Mule deer doe and fawn (Photo by Merle Ann Loman)

Mule Deer - Odocoileus hemionus

Mule deer in western Montana are an interesting lot. They differ from Montana's other native deer, the white-tailed deer, in their behavior and looks.

• "See slideshow on Examiner.com here"

They are much more curious and will turn to look at you. Then if alarmed, tuck in their tail and bound off, basically leaping with all four feet together. This is called stotting. They can cover a lot of ground very quickly that way. They range more widely than white-tailed deer, especially in elevational movement, roaming higher into the mountains.

Their coats are grayish in the winter and brown in the summer. They have white rumps, chin and throat, and their tails are short with a black tip. The ears; they are called mule deer for this reason. The ears are very large and prominent, resembling the ears of a mule. On the lower outside of the hind leg, there is a slit-like scent gland up to seven inches long.

Button buck (Photo by Merle Ann Loman)

Their antlers are unique; they fork, and then fork again with the short brow tines tipping forward if they are present at all. The antlers fall off in the winter and begin growing again in the spring. See the photo on the right and the slideshow for more photos of a "button buck" in the early stage of antler development.

Standing from 3 to 3.5 feet tall, mule deer are large deer. Mature bucks weigh about 250-275 pounds, some trophy bucks weigh even more. Mature does weigh from 160 to 180 pounds. They breed in late November and the fawns are born in late June. As with white-tailed deer, the fawns have white spots but their base coat is a dark chocolate brown. The fawns stay with their mother through the summer and are weaned in the fall before rut (breeding season) begins again.

Mule deer does, fawns, and young bucks are frequently seen as they move about the mountains and forage together in groups.

Wintertime (Photo by Merle Ann Loman)

Mature mule deer bucks are another story. During the rut, they will stay with a group of females tending and breeding them, but most of the year they travel alone or in small groups and are very elusive.

During hunting season, mule deer bucks quickly respond to the pressure of hunters in their area and move deep into timber, heavy brush and steep canyons. The big ones get big with good nutrition and because they are smart and crafty. Sometimes they even crawl to evade the aspiring trophy hunter or predator. They will come back out of the thickets again in late November when the does come into estrus, but that doesn't leave much time for the hunter to bag one.

It might take years of research and scouting, but finding that monster mule deer buck is a thrill of a lifetime - even if a photo is what you are after.

For more info:

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks – Field guide for mule deer
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks – Hunting guide
Mule Deer Foundation – Western Montana Chapter Spotlight
Kings Outdoor World – All About Antlers
Merle’s SmugMug photo site – see the mule deer photos in their original format

Ruffed Grouse

Ruffed Grouse - Bonasa umbellus

Ruffed Grouse (Photo by Merle Ann Loman)

Lewis called this bird, "the small brown pheasant" and he said it was "booted" or feathered to the foot. Actually, the feathers don't quite reach the foot. Click the link to the slideshow for photos that illustrate these points.

A very popular game bird, the Ruffed Grouse can actually benefit from fire and even logging. Ruffed grouse inhabit dense cover of mixed conifer and deciduous trees and shrubs and are often found along stream bottoms. The mosaic of vegetation that grows in under the burned tree canopy or more open, logged area is beneficial to the grouse providing them secure cover.

If you have been in the woods and heard a drumming sound in the spring, you may have heard a male Ruffed Grouse performing his mating ritual. To identify the Ruffed Grouse, look for the fan-shaped, banded tail and black ruff. No other grouse has these attributes.

The female builds a nest on the ground and usually hatches her eggs in June or sometimes early July. They will remain in the area and within a smaller home range and more densly covered habitat than the farther-ranging dusky or spruce grouse. Adult ruffed grouse may spend most of their lives in less than two square miles of habitat.

The young move from the area where they were brooded, especially when subject to moderate hunting pressure or heavy predation, but most importantly for food. The young grouse switch from a diet rich in insects, berries and greens to the foods that sustain them over the winter, including alder and aspen buds. During the early season, ruffed grouse usually feed on the ground, but once the snow flies, you will see them feeding among the branches of the trees. So if you are hunting for Ruffed Grouse in the fall, look for dense mixed woods with lots of alder or aspen.

For more info:

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks -- Ruffed Grouse
Discovering Lewis & Clark – Ruffed Grouse
Montana State University Extension Office – Ruffed Grouse
Merle's SmugMug photo site – Ruffed Grouse

Fall colors, fall fishing and more on the Bitterroot River in Montana

Reflections of the sky and fall leaves. Photo: Merle Ann Loman

Click Fall colors, fall fishing and more on the Bitterroot River in Montana for the article on Examiner.com

Fall is a great time to fish the Bitterroot River with the pleasant daytime temperatures cooling from hot summer days of August to the pleasant 70 degree range. The nights drop to 30 or 40 degrees and bring on the gorgeous colors of fall.

Seasonal changes from summer to fall also bring explosions of mayfly hatches such as trico, blue-winged olive, fall drake, and mahogany dun as well as the October caddis.You can expect to see surface feeding fish that will test the resolve of even the most accomplished anglers.

Erosion from spring run-off, or high water events, is a process where new habitat is created or perhaps eliminated. Logs that have been eroded from the banks and deposited somewhere along the channel form the classic Bitterroot holding water. They provide the necessary cover for daily survival and the shade to stay hidden in the heat of a summer day. The Bitterroot is home to a thriving beaver population which can aid in the creation of more new log buckets for the fish. In September, the leaves are on the trees and dropping on the water providing cover but the colors are changing from green to yellows, coppers, reds, and more.

A beautiful brown trout from the Bitterroot River. Photo: Merle Ann Loman

Many tributaries of the Bitterroot River headwaters originate in wilderness areas giving the main river a supply of pristine water up until late July. The West Fork, its main tributary has a dam which releases cold, clean water during the critical times of summer and early fall. The fisheries are a beneficiary of these enhanced flows as is the rancher who can grow his hay crop. Finding a balance between the needs of a fishery and human activities has been an ongoing contentious issue as demands for these cold water releases are increasing. Fortunately, the Bitterroot River fish have an in-stream flow reservation of water. The trout have been given a little consideration.

Deer crossing the Bitterroot. Photo: Merle Ann Loman

Despite increased recreational pressure which not only includes fishing but also boating, tubing, and swimming, the Bitterroot River seems to be thriving and still produces good numbers of westslope cutthroat, some brown and rainbow trout as well as the cuttbow, a hybrid between cutthroat and rainbow trout. Catch and release sections have been a big help as is the in-stream flow reservations. The Bitterroot River in Montana is a favorite fall fishing choice for beauty and a variety of fishing.

For more info:

Wapiti Waters Fly Fishing Montana - Bitterroot webpage

Wapiti Waters Fly Fishing Montana - Seasonal hatch information

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks - Bitterroot webpage

West Fly Entomology

Related Articles:

Fall colors are coming to the Bitterroot Valley in Montana

More photos:

Merle's SmugMug photo site: Bitterroot River in the fall

As fall comes to the Bitterroot, see colors in plant and animals - Sept 2009

September 21 is the first day of fall and though this month has been warmer than usual, the nights are cooling off. As a result, Mother Nature begins to paint her fall canvas. The angle of the sun and the clouds make the light dance across the valley, often creating rainbows.

The yellows, rusts and tans are seen in the fields, grasses, cottonwoods and aspen; the green is still there in evergreen trees and foliage near streams and wetter draws; and the reds are beginning to show in the ninebark, currants, and chokecherry leaves and fruit. There is even blue in the elderberry fruit.

Color is displayed in plants and in animals as you will see in the slideshow below. See the lush green ferns that provide cover for the white-tailed deer. Later the ferns will turn a copper color and do an even better job of hiding the deer. Various dragonflies perch on golden grasses and vibrant pine trees. Deciduous trees show a variety of colors as the leaves change and fruits ripen in presentation as food for critters such as Ruffed Grouse and bear looking to fatten up for hibernation.

Exotic species – not native to Montana - contribute, too. The pheasant hen’s feathers match the color of the drying fields. A turkey hen’s throat glows as a beam of sunlight lights it up.

This is September 2009 and its own unique year and weather pattern. Visits again as more photos and descriptions throughout this Montana fall are posted.

Take a virtual walk through the Bitterroot Valley through these slideshows and watch the colors change even more in October and November.

To see all the photos in a new window click Merle's SmugMug photos - Bitterroot Fall Sept 2009

References:
Montana Field Guide by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
Montana Plant Life.org