Marty’s photo of the day #4249: Winter is back! I was so tired of the upper-thirties melty-rainy shit. Yesterday, five glorious inches of snow arrived, and this morning it was a proper five degrees below zero. I shot this photo from my writing room window, a little before sunrise this morning. Dropping below are the […]
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Tag: Essen Wildlife Refuge
Even sweet Nellie can be naughty
Marty’s photo of the day #4243: Sometimes even sweet Nellie can be a bad girl. Because we live on 25 acres of protected mountain forest (affectionately called the Essen Wildlife Refuge), we have mountain lions, wolves, coyotes, porcupines, skunks, and other animals around that Nellie shouldn’t mess with. And the only safe way for her […]
Adventures in cold-weather photography
Marty’s photos of the day #4212-2013: Yesterday was a balmy 10 to 15 degrees below zero here at the Essen Wildlife Refuge. The clouds had moved out, and the sun was at the perfect angle to catch the snow glistening on all the trees with a tall mountain peak in the background. I’ve fallen in […]
Pure doggie joy
It has been a beautiful 10 degrees below zero day here at the Essen Wildlife Refuge. The clouds moved out, and the sun was at the perfect angle to catch the snow glistening on all the trees with a tall mountain peak in the background. I’ve fallen in love with my Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 large-chip […]
Wild turkeys vs Trumpers
Marty’s photo of the day #4187: Wild turkeys aren’t native to Montana, but they certainly do well here. The same goes for the wild peacocks that frequent the Essen Wildlife Refuge. While sometimes I fret about how humans have moved so many animals out of their natural range, I know it could be worse. Instead […]
Canada lynx
Marty’s photo of the day #4183: I seldom do “cheat shots,” but when a friend offered to bring her semi-wild Canada lynx (used for education in the schools) over to the Essen Wildlife Refuge for a photo session, I couldn’t resist. And by semi-wild, I mean the lynx only threaten to rip my leg off […]
For those waiting for spring
Marty’s photo of the day #4182: I mostly enjoy winter—the colder the better—but I know many people can’t wait for spring. With that in mind, I dedicate today’s photo—from last spring on the Essen Wildlife Refuge—to all those counting the days until spring comes around again.
Loving the cold weather
Marty’s photo of the day #4180: Nellie and I love the cold weather (anything below 20 degrees Fahrenheit), and we are disappointed that the temps are predicted to rise above freezing later this week. Cold weather means packed snow on the gravel roads for my early morning bike rides (instead of ice after a freeze-thaw), […]
Praying Mantis in Montana
Marty’s photo of the day #4167: This is the first praying mantis I’ve seen in Montana. I photographed it a few weeks ago in the Essen Wildlife Refuge. Praying mantises join the wild turkeys and peacocks as introduced species in the refuge. Not introduced by me, of course!
Bear cub cuteness
Marty’s photo of the day #4150: Here’s some cuteness to start your week—a black bear cub, visiting the Essen Wildlife Refuge.
Another moose vistitor
Marty’s photo of the day #4078: Here’s another moose visitor to the Essen Wildlife Refuge, 25 acres Deb and I protect around our house at the edge of the mountains in Montana.
Last week on the Essen Wildlife Refuge
Marty’s photos of the day #4060-4064: Deer, elk, and wild turkeys galore! Here are just a few of the photos taken last week by the motion-sensing camera I have set up at the pond below our house, on the Essen Wildlife Refuge.
A good year for moose
Marty’s photo of the day #4035: It’s another good year for moose on the Essen Wildlife Refuge—lots of tracks, several moose out of effective camera range, and others documented in a somewhat blurry way by my motion-sensing camera. Since I don’t yet have a post-worthy moose photo from this year, here’s one of a moose […]
The deer and the slow dog
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
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 […]
Peacocks in Montana
Marty’s photo of the day #3988: Peacocks are not native to Montana, but they sure do well here. For fifteen or more years, Deb and I have enjoyed catching glimpses of the elusive peacocks that live in the Essen Wildlife Refuge that surrounds our house. And each year we collect the feathers they leave behind.
The first toad of spring
Marty’s photo of the day #3983: This shot is from yesterday. My first toad spotting of the spring. She was so small—and look at those nails on her “hand.” (Photographed on the Essen Wildlife Refuge in Montana)
Not so exotic
Marty’s photo of the day #3982: If you follow my posts, you know that I often post pictures of exotic animals I have photographed all over the world. Today is dedicated to one of the least exotic animals I’ve photographed. But she’s soooooo cute! (Photographed on the Essen Wildlife Refuge in Montana)
Mother’s Day Moose
Marty’s photo of the day #3974: Happy Mother’s Day! (Photographed on the Essen Wildlife Refuge, in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana)