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Dragonfly From the Pond

Dragonfly From the Pond

Marty’s photo of the day #4471: The dragonflies have had a prosperous summer, eating mosquitos at the seasonal pond on the lower level of the Essen Wildlife Refuge. Last night, this dragonfly flew to the upper level, where my outside office is, and said, “Please, I can’t eat anymore. I must rest!” This is a […]

A Pretty Fox

A Pretty Fox

Marty’s photo of the day #4441: Here’s another motion-sensing camera shot from last week on the Essen Wildlife Refuge. This fox lives on the lower level of the refuge, frequently passing by the camera near the seasonal pond.

Pull it or enjoy it?

Pull it or enjoy it?

Marty’s photo of the day #4793: Flowers have been in bloom all over the Essen Wildlife Refuge these past two weeks. Despite living here since 1996, neither Deb nor I had thought to identify this flower until she did it a few days ago. It’s a yellow salsify, which, unfortunately, is a flower introduced from […]

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 […]

The instant pond

The instant pond

Marty’s photo of the day #4779: At the Essen Wildlife Refuge (i.e. the 25 protected-for-wildlife acres where my wife and I live) we have an upper and lower level. The lower level is lush forest with a seasonal pond. Since we moved to Montana, in 1996, that pond has filled itself every spring and emptied […]

Read the signs!

Read the signs!

Marty’s photo of the day #4759: Two days ago, I checked the motion-sensing cameras that we have hidden among the trees in the Essen Wildlife Refuge. This creepy guy showed up in a spot where he almost had to walk right past one of our many No Trespassing signs. If someone makes arrangements ahead of […]

The wild in wildlife

The wild in wildlife

Marty’s photo of the day #4758: The “wild” in wildlife is pretty much a guarantee that whatever it is will refuse to be predictable. My wife’s college roommates and their husbands came to visit from Minnesota this past week, and most had heard about all the wildlife we have at the Essen Wildlife Refuge. But, […]

Western skink

Western skink

Marty’s photo of the day #4744: Our dog, Nellie, gets the credit for this photo. Last night, we were out for a walk in the Essen Wildlife Refuge, when she insisted something to play with was under a log. I thought she’d found a mouse, but it turned out to be a western skink. When […]

The Essen Wildlife Refuge

The Essen Wildlife Refuge

Marty’s photo of the day #4721: I captured this somewhat grainy image with one of my motion-sensing cameras. For 28 years, my wife and I have protected our 25 acres as the Essen Wildlife Refuge. In the grand scale of Montana, our acreage is hardly anything. Nevertheless, people like us are sometimes castigated as greedy […]

The disappearing moose

The disappearing moose

Marty’s photo of the day #4704: This is another photo of our spring moose, Martha. She has been hanging out in the Essen Wildlife Refuge for a few weeks now. Unless I’m traveling, not a day goes by that I don’t walk at least part of the 25 forested acres Deb and I protect for […]