Geese and Mallards

North of Powell. December, 2012.

Rough-legged hawk

North of Powell. December, 2012.

Powell Valley--sunrise

November, 2012.

Sandhill Cranes

Gaining altitude over the Shoshone. October, 2012.

Along the Gros Ventre River

October, 2012.

Sunrise on the Grand Tetons

October, 2012

Great Blue Heron

Bighorn Lake. September, 2012.

Sunset and smoke from western fires

North of Powell. August, 2012.

Sunset over Polecat Bench

Smoke is from western fires creates the glow.  August 2012.

Ring-billed gull with crayfish

Deaver Reservoir. August, 2012.

Sandhill Crane

Near the North Tongue River. August, 2012.

Rufous hummingbird

Powell. August 2012.

Rufous Hummingbird

Powell. August, 2012

Pelicans on the Shoshone River

Plus one Heron.  July, 2012.

Western sunset

From Polecat Bench.  July, 2012.

Whitetail deer in an alfalfa field

North of Powell. June, 2012.

Fledgling great horned owl

East of Powell. June, 2012.

Fox

North of Cooke City, Mt.  June, 2012.

Western Meadowlark

North of Powell. June, 2012.

Barn Swallow

North of Powell.  June, 2012

Spring storm

East of Red Lodge, Montana.  June, 2012

Great Horned Owl

May, 2011.

Road rage

East Entrance to Yellowstone.  May, 2012.

Bighorns

Scuffling on the road at the East Entrance to Yellowstone.
May, 2012.

Northern shoveler

Running off a rival. North of Powell. April, 2012.

North Fork of the Shoshone

April, 2012.

After the storm

Polecat Bench. April, 2012.

Brewer's Blackbird

North of Powell. April, 2012.

Badger Basin

March, 2012

Young Rough-legged hawk

Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge in the Flathead Valley,
Montana. April, 2012.
(Note: this was initially misidentified as a Ferruginous Hawk.)

Wyoming Horned Lark

Because of the mild winter and warm spring, the Wyoming Horned Lark has made an earlier than usual return to the sage flats of Wyoming. A true rara avis, the Wyoming Horned Lark, (Hornophila alpestris) is a relatively rare subspecies of the more common Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris). Whereas the Horned Lark is common in open areas, feeds on seeds foraged from the ground, and is frequently found in flocks of hundreds, the Wyoming Horned Lark is relatively solitary, feeds on insects, and is extremely uncommon.

While it is impossible to know for sure, the speculation is that the Wyoming Horned Lark originated in Texas (where it still winters) and followed cattle herds being driven up to Wyoming in the late 1800’s, preying on insects stirred up by the large herds. Certainly, the Wyoming Horned Lark does not appear in either the bead work or pictographs of the Shoshone, Arapahoe, or Bannock, nor do they appear in any origin stories.

Like its better known cousin, the Wyoming Horned Lark has a pale brown plumage, with a striking black mask and prominent black breast band. A pale yellow throat highlights the mask and adds a refreshing touch of color to an otherwise drab bird. However, what distinguishes the Wyoming Horned Lark is the presence of horns used for hunting. Extremely light and needle sharp, the horns are used to impale flying insects.

Fortunately, the Wyoming Horned Lark population has been growing over the last decade as a result of increased oil and gas activity in the state.

Although Wyoming Game and Fish is reluctant to publicize their presence, look for them in the oil patch. Because the Wyoming Horned Lark likes to hunt from a perch, resting pumper units and utility poles provide excellent launching platforms. Service vehicles, as well as seismic testing, stir up insects and provide excellent hunting. Adults frequently return to a nest of hungry hatchlings with their horns festooned with grasshoppers like a shish kebab.

Sage Grouse

March, 2012

Immature Golden Eagle

North of Powell. March, 2012.

Setting moon, rising sun

Absaroka range. March, 2011.

Golden eagle

North of Powell. March, 2011.

Northern Bighorn Mountains

The watertower for the town of Cowley is visible on the left. The dot on the highest peak is a radar facility. Medicine Wheel is just to the left of it. The photo was taken from the eastern edge of Polecat Bench. February, 2012.

Golden eagle

North of Powell. February, 2012.

Truckin'

North of Powell. February, 2012.

Anti-crepuscular rays

Polecat Bench. January, 2012

The term for rays cast by the setting sun is crepuscular--associated with twilight. They are caused by light passing through holes in the clouds, and they are actually parallel. It's a trick of perspective which makes it appear they originate from a single point. This photo was taken at sunset; it faces mainly to the east. Since the rays appear to be opposite the setting sun, they are called anti-crepuscular rays.

Bald eagle

North of Powell. January, 2012.

Ice fishing on Deaver Reservoir

January 2012.

Kestrel

East of Powell. January, 2012.

Dinner at the fence post cafe

Polecat Bench. January, 2012.

Canada geese

Taking flight.

Coming in for a landing.
North of Powell. January, 2012.

Horse and starlings

North of Powell. December, 2011.