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Just behind that tree . . .

Just behind that tree . . .

Marty’s photo of the day #4788: In the summer, I move my office/writing room out to the front porch, which allows me to gaze out at the top level of the Essen Wildlife Refuge. I also have a motion-sensing camera that is roughly 100 yards straight out from the house. It doesn’t surprise me when […]

From the Essen Wildlife Refuge

From the Essen Wildlife Refuge

Marty’s photo of the day #4661: Yesterday, I didn’t post any photos from my “This Week at the Essen Wildlife Refuge” series that I often post on Sundays. That’s because at this time of year, the animal life in front of my motion-sensing cameras slows down substantially. Nevertheless, I’ve decided to share this recent, rather […]

Is she a fan?

Is she a fan?

Marty’s photos of the day #4480-4481: Deb’s and my house sits roughly in the middle of the 25-acre Essen Wildlife Refuge. A long gravel driveway comes in from the side, crosses in front of the house, and wraps around to our garage. A long raised porch runs across the front of our house, the porch […]

Aggressive momma ungulates

Aggressive momma ungulates

Marty’s photo of the day #4445: After 27 years of protecting our forested land as the Essen Wildlife Refuge, I really believe the animals have figured out that they are safer here than elsewhere. As proof, both the number of animals living around us and the variety of species are off-the-charts. Consequently, this summer’s theme […]

Listen to your mother!

Listen to your mother!

Marty’s photo of the day #4441: One of the treasures of Montana’s Bitterroot Valley is the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. It’s my go-to spot whenever I want to enjoy a few hours of great photography opportunities. This morning I got up at 5:00 a.m., took a quick shower, and timed my drive to get […]

Coming in close

Coming in close

Marty’s photos of the day #4433-#4435: Here are three photos of this past week’s wildlife action, captured by the upper-level motion-sensing camera at the Essen Wildlife Refuge. Photos I’m not posting include a black bear, a fox, and the mystery animal that I’ve been trying to positively identify for the past few months (likely a […]

Photography blues

Photography blues

Marty’s photo of the day #4323: I bought a new Canon R50 camera and three lenses to go with it. I’m eager to fully test my new equipment, but the changeover from winter to spring in Montana is the worst time of the year for photography. The lighting is poor, the wildlife numbers are down, […]

Stashed fawn

Stashed fawn

Marty’s photo of the day #4013: It’s baby animal time on the Essen Wildlife Refuge. Yesterday morning, a doe ran right up to my dog, Nellie, and me, trying to distract us, and then last night, my wife, Deb happened to step outside just in time to see likely the same deer stash her fawn. […]

Flowers of waves

Flowers of waves

Marty’s photo of the day #4010: All the rain this year has made for spectacular waves of wildflowers at the Essen Wildlife Refuge, surrounding Deb’s and my house. A few weeks ago, the white flowers of the serviceberry bushes were everywhere; then they were replaced by the yellow flowers of arrowleaf balsamroots; now they are […]

The curious deer

The curious deer

Marty’s photo of the day #3630: Every morning before work, I take my dog, Nellie, to a clearing in the woods by my house, and we attempt to play Frisbee. Yesterday, we had a very curious (and I think very pregnant) doe hanging around. First, I had to talk the deer out of Deb’s garden, […]

Bigfoot finally got out of the way

Bigfoot finally got out of the way

Marty’s photo of the day #3604: It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything from my front yard motion-sensing camera. Pictures over the winter have been pretty run-of-the-mill—just the usual bigfoot, D.B. Cooper, and naked Mitch McConnell shots. Finally, though, I got the deer portrait I had been aiming for!

Nellie and the killer deer

Nellie and the killer deer

Marty’s photo of the day #3519: Deb’s and my house looks down a tree-filled hill with multiple benches. Every winter, when the snow gets deep, one or more deer take to sleeping on the closest bench to our house. Yesterday was the first day that happened since our dog, Nellie, joined our family. Consequently, Nellie […]