"Fox kit in the grass" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Fox kit in the grass" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Taken west of Missoula, Montana, USA near the Clark Fork River in early June.
The Red Fox – Vulpes vulpes is a year round resident of Montana. This was a very successful litter, possibly two litters. The kits, I counted about 16 in the area, were different sizes, but seemed playful and healthy. I saw two adults bring in gophers and squirrels while I was there.
See more of my Red Fox – Vulpes vulpes photos at this link
These are the first fox photos I have captured. Very fun!
See another photo of this fox litter
Canon EOS 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS USM with tripod
1/640s, f/4.0, ISO: 400, 500mm

"Short-eared Owl profile" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Short-eared Owl profile" by amontanaview | RedBubble:





Short-eared Owl – Asio flammeus. A bird of open grasslands, the Short-eared Owl is one of the most widely distributed owls in the world. But populations fluctuate greatly along with prey population cycles. It is listed as Potential Species of Concern in Montana.

This species hunts day and night; mainly at dawn and dusk in winter. It flies low over open ground, locating prey by ear and kills prey with a bite to the back of the skull; often swallowing prey whole. Nests are a scrape in ground lined with grasses.

Taken in a wetlands management area (protected) of the Mission Valley in western Montana, USA.
Click here to see another SEO image on my RedBubble


Canon EOS 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS USM lens
1/3200s, f/4.0, ISO: 200, 500mm, lens hand held (would have used a tripod but didn’t have time to set it up)

See more photos at Short-eared Owl – Asio flammeus on my SmugMug site
This was my first Short-eared Owl photo op. I was thrilled that it gave me this opportunity.

"Yellow-headed Blackbird" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Yellow-headed Blackbird" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Taken May 9 at Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge north of Stevensville, Montana, USA.

"Big wood in the Bitterroot River" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Big wood in the Bitterroot River" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Taken north of Victor, Montana USA in April. One of the features of this beautiful freestone river is the “big wood” that supplies features and cover for wild trout. This is a downed cottonwood tree. We were enjoying another relaxing day on the river and fly fishing.

"Fairyslipper - Calypso bulbosa" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Fairyslipper - Calypso bulbosa" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Beautiful and delicate flower that loves deep shade and cool, moist conditions. This is such a precious flower of the mountain west. The photo was taken just south of Sweathouse Creek in the Bitterroot Mountains of western Montana, USA. As you can see, the sun was peeking through the thick canopy of the forest.

"Glacier Lily - Erythronium grandiflorum" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Glacier Lily - Erythronium grandiflorum" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Taken near Sweathouse Creek in the Bitterroot Mountains of western Montana, USA. Spring flowers are prolific this year. Other names for this flower include dog tooth violet, avalanche lily, fawn lily, and snow lily.

Canon EOS 7D – SIGMA 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG Aspherical DF Macro SLD Autofocus Lens
1/640/s, f/7.1, ISO: 200, 56 mm

"Blue Clematis bud" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Blue Clematis bud" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Taken near Bear Creek in the Bitterroot Valley, Montana USA.
Clematis is a member of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). This species is a woody vine that blooms early in the spring. It is one of my favorite spring flowers. It grows in moist, shady areas that seem enchanted to me.

"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

"Birds of a feather eat together" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Birds of a feather eat together" by amontanaview | RedBubble:


Cinnamon Teal – Anas cyanoptera is a small dabbling duck, male and female are shown here. This photo was taken north Stevensville, Montana USA at the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge in early April. This duck is a summer/breeding resident of Montana preferring wetlands and ponds to the moving water of rivers.

"Great Blue "awk!" Heron" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Great Blue "awk!" Heron" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Taken north of Stevensville, Montana USA at Lee Metcalf NWR. Great Blue Heron on a log. It was alone and calling out…as you can see. Look close and the tongue is out. Hilarious. The log is sitting in water of a slow moving stream on the refuge. It is spring, early April, and I suspect it is looking for a mate (and food).

Canon EOS 7D, zachlazzari@gmail.com
1/500s, f/4.5, ISO 200 500mm. Camera was held over my arm – no time to set up the tripod.

Red-breasted nuthatch making a cavity in Cottonwood snag

Red-breasted nuthatch building a nesting cavity in a Cottonwood snag. West of Victor, MT near Bear Creek - 2012.03.27 this is the sixth day I have been watching this process. In the 2 minute video you get an idea how long it takes to excavate a cavity. They actually excavate up to 4 holes and choose one to raise their brood in. In the audio, you will hear a little bit of wind.

Red-breasted Nuthatch - nest cavity Click the link to the left to see online album of still photos on SmugMug - same nuthatch.

One of my favorite Bitterroot River slideshows

Jack, John Hickman, Freda and I fished the lower Bitterroot on Sunday. Quiet, beautiful day and the fishing was great, too.

"Blooming beauty - Clivia" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Blooming beauty - Clivia" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

Beautiful flower, taken near Victor, Montana USA.
Canon EOS 7D, 1/20s, f/7.1, ISO:400, 156 mm, manual, cropped
SIGMA 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG Aspherical DF Macro SLD Autofocus Lens

"Clivia" by amontanaview | RedBubble

"Clivia" by amontanaview | RedBubble:

In the Amaryllis family, native of southern Africa. Common names include Kaffir lily. It is very easy to grow. Mine flowers in late winter. When the flowers are done, beautiful red seed pods develop where the flowers were.

"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

"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.

"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

"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: