We spent six days in mid/late July with e-friends in southeastern Montana. We were very lucky with wildlife, seeing mule and white-tailed deer, pronghorn antelope, and elk on their ranch. But we also saw some other exciting wildlife during a drive over the amazingly scenic Beartooth Mountain Pass. We spend five hours going 63 miles--there was that much to see.

Here is a brownish black bear that was most cooperative. What fun to see him amongst the beautiful wildflowers too.

This little cutie is a golden mantled ground squirrel. I wouldn't mind so much if they were the ones raiding my bird feeders all the time.

This more robust guy is a yellow-bellied marmot. He was a life mammal for me--very exciting.

The beautiful scenic shots don't seem suited to the blog format somehow.

F is for Footprints & Fields of toadFlax Flowers

Ah, the signs of nature all in one spot. Raccoon, deer, and great blue heron were all here.

I thought this was a particularly nice raccoon track.

Toad flax is a pretty, little early spring wild flower which is only effective in fields of them together. You can see that they are related to snapdragons by the blossom form. One is sort of plain.

But a bunch full is wonderful to see.

The red is sour grass (chicken feed) and the yellow is wild mustard.

These were all still at Donnelly and Bear Island WMAs.

Any comments or questions are welcome at:

bwkrucke@gmail.com

Thanks.