We finished 2024 with 420 bird species, probably our last "Big Year" since we won't be traveling far away from home anymore. We were very blessed in this last year making our home here in Livingston, Montana.
Over easy!
We took a ride south to Paradise Valley to Corwin Springs near the "Big Slide", a natural rock formation.
A gathering place for the Bighorn Sheep in the foothills of the Gallatin Range.
We spent several hours observing and photopgraphing.
385 plus photos, (but you don't have to suffer through them all).
Rams were wandering all over, checking out the competition and the ewes.
Also grazing on the grass at lower elevations
Rams challenging each other
We could see and hear heads butting!
Two Rams came right down within inches of our car..
We were hoping he wouldn't butt his reflection.
Full curl on this ram.
About a mile south a large herd of elk were also grazing.
There were over 100 in this herd
Across the road, a herd of Pronghorn Antelope.
Great place for wildlife watching.
A differnt day we went to Chico Hot Springs and found a feeder past the resort area.
Colorful Steller's Jay enjoyed bountiful food.
Great coloring with white "eyebrows"
A flock of Clark's Nutcrackers came in for peanuts.
And suet.
Mountain Chickadees were active at the feeders.
Four Cassin's Finches came in
White-breasted Nuthatch
Townsend's Solitaire
Within a half mile of our home, there are over 180 White-tailed and Mule Deer grazing daily.
Our first light snowfall in the valley.
Eurasian-collared Doves crowd the feeders.
We bought a rubber pan for drinking water - easy to pop ice out of.
We have our regular Black-billed Magpies waiting each morning.
There are at least three "Red-shalfted" Flickers coming for homemade suet.
Heavier snowfall, winter is coming
Yesterday and today the snow really arrived, about 10 inches and counting!
Buried Bronco.
Wishing you all God's blessing in 2025!
❤️ Love & Prayers 🙏
Ty & Ida Baumann
