Imagesbyjteee

This weekends rains have brought a couple of our favorite backyard birds to the feeders.

Last week Debi and I ventured down to Yellowstone before the summer invasion. Didn't have a great day, but did see a couple of grizzly bears and a brown phase black bear, along with all the other regulars. The Harlequin Ducks were very uncooperative when we were at the rapids as all were sleeping and all but this guy were facing away from us. The Grizzly was too far and in a very unphotographic friendly spot, so this is the best I could do.

On the way back from Arizona I stopped off in Eastern Montana to photograph my favorite bird of all time, Wood Ducks. Some might think that sitting in a blind for 3 hours to capture these guys is a bit too much (so probably most might) but watching the light change on the birds and the water makes this so fun. A few of the several hundred that I took.

So I'm sitting in a KOA in northern New Mexico on my way back to Montana with my two traveling companions DeeDee and Rocky (Debi surprisingly had a Yoga retreat in Santa Fe and will fly home). Imagine that!! Anyway, had some time so processed a few hummers. Love those little guys.

Debi and I are on a roundabout way home to Montana, via our first stop Portal, Arizona. Happens to be on the bird migration route so is lots of fun to spend some time out with our feathered friends. These were three of the highlights for me so far.

The Gambrel's Quail have started to hatch and we have had several clutches around the house. Fun to watch.

Our resident Great Horned Owl finally left the nest long enough to give us our first reveal of the nestling. Appears to be about 10 days old.

Debi found this guy down our driveway today. We rarely ever see these Desert Tortoises, but this one was coming to visit.

A couple of our backyard birds.

This Mockingbird brought his melody to the yard this morning.