Fawns, Birds, Bears & the Osprey Story

 

It's been one year that we have been living here in Livingston, and our neighborhood deer population has been growing.  It's so much fun to see all the fawns, until they eat our sunflowers.

Are you following me?

Oh, Deer me!

Twins

Which way should we go?

Black-headed Grosbeak checks out our feeders

Looking Good!

A second male Grosbeak comes in

Checking out the menu

A murder of Crows mobbing a Great Horned Owl.

What a racket! but the owl was hard to find.

Golden Eagle on Upper Cottonwood Creek Road

You are close ernough, I'm out of here!

Nice to see Golden Eagles on most outings.

Spotted Towhee on Swingley Road

Western Tanager - tree ornament

Dusky Flycatcher hawking for insects on Tom Miner Road.

The calling made it easy to identify.

Sandhill Cranes nesting at 6,000+ elevation

Our first encounter with Grizzley Bears, Sow with two of the three young

Boar Grizzly headed west fast

Look closely, Grizzley sow #2 in forground with 2 cubs, and sow #3 with three cubs behind

Total for the morning was 15  Grizzley Bears

View from the top of Tom Miner Road heading down to the Yellowstone River in Paradise Valley.

An outstanding morning!

Osprey pair return to Sacajawea Park in Livingston, adding branches to last year's nest.

Pair getting ready for egg laying

Osprey are known for decorating nest, pair of lost sweat pants on left.

Picked up at nearby high school athletic field.

Final nest inspection before incubating.

Lo and behold!  there's  junior,

American White Pelican flies by over the Yellowstone River 

The male Osprey is quick to intercept and chase the Pelican out of his territory.

Young Osprey is growing fast - it apprears to be an only child this year.

Testing and stretching wings - getting ready to fledge the nest.

Still calling to be fed.

Male on patrol!

Osprey's view of the Yellowstone River fishing area.

While photographing the Osprey we meet many people walking the dike, and answer lots of questions about the local birds.

We thank God everyday that we are able to enjoy His creation.

❤️ Love & Prayers 🙏🏽

Ty & Ida Baumann

 

Day Trips - Searching for Wildlife

 

Mountain Bluebirds busily feeding young on Divide Creek Road

Milkweed in bloom

Red-tailed Hawks are more visible since young have fledged

Adult joining young as they test their wings

Savannah Sparrows are in all directions around Livingston.

Vesper Sparrow, one of the most common Sparrows observed

Yellow Warbler female protecting her territory

American Goldfinches enjoy Dandilions and Goat's Beard seeds

Sharp-shinned Hawk being harrassed by Magpies, Robins and Collared-Doves, visible from our home

White-tailed Deer getting an irrigation shower

White-tailed Buck in velvet nearly hidden in the Canola field

High jumper leads the herd in our neighborhood

Time of year for fawns..

Triplets?

or a babysitter?  Ty counted seven fawns in that yard at one time.

Dancing Red-shafted Flickers

Nuptial behavior for a second brood?

Mule Deer with twins, blending into the rocks

Keeping up with Mom

Cliffs along Mill Creek Road, rises to over 6,000 feet.

Dusky Grouse hen lays flat protecting chicks

MacGillivray's Warbler, singing but seldom seen

Beautiful gurgling stream, perfect habitat for...

American Dippers,  this one is checking under water for insects and fish.

They are amazing in that they can walk underwater in strong currents.

Butterflies are attracted to wet, sandy areas along the stream:

Silvery Blues

Weidemeyer's Admiral

Field Crescents

Western Tiger Swallowtail & Anise Swallowtail

Lazuli Buntings are always fun to hear and see.

Giant Red Indian Paintbrush in full bloom

A trip back to the Cottonwood Reservoir, we are greeted by a flock of American White Pelicans.

They begin their day of herding fish into the shallows

Then it's bottoms up as the school of fish is encircled and eaten.

Dark Morph Swainson's Hawk

Raptors utilize utility poles readily when tree perches are in short supply.

Light Morph Swainson's Hawk

Bald Eaglets area a few days away from flight.

Adult Bald Eagle still bringing in food for two hungry juveniles.

The few trees that are here are dominated by nesting raptors.

Juvenile Bald Eagle on his own.

The Willow Creek Ranch covers thousands of acres of grassland.

Herds of Pronghorn Antelope abound, note four young with the does.

Three male Pronghorns ran toward us and checked us out.

Mule Deer fawn defies gravity in it's haste to get to the dairy bar.

Twins arrive at the "Dairy Bar"

Gray Catbird in small stream area.

Pinyon Jay flock of a half dozen were feeding in canyon area.

A family of Upland Sandpipers respond to the "Wolf Whistle" of the adult.

They flew actively around us.

A surprise visit of a Long-tailed Weasel hunting for ground squirrels was our "find" of the day.

The "Ghost" male Northern Harrier was also hunting rodents.

Better duck, little ground squirrel, back into your hole, there is danger all around!

Every area, there are wonders to behold in God's creation,

We just need to look!

❤️ Love & Prayers 🙏🏽

Ty & Ida Baumann