We saw quite a few Pronghorns in grain fields today. We saw around 6 on the way out, 1 near the bird pond and over a dozen on the way home. They were all pretty far away, but still great to see them in the wild.
Today we went to Broadview Pond. We did get some great views of Ruddy Ducks & Grebes. The female Ruddy Duck was chasing the male. She ruffled up and put her head down and chased after him with her mouth open. He continued to swim away from her. Hmmmmm.
Ruddy Duck - female
Ruddy Duck - male
Eared Grebe
Red-winged Blackbird - female
Yellow-headed Blackbird - male
Yellow-headed Blackbird - female
Yellow-headed Blackbird - female
Eared Grebe
We encountered a pretty Garter Snake at the pond. Pretty orange stripe down the back and long and slender.
Plains Garter Snake
Pied-billed Grebe
male Ruddy Duck & Pied-billed Grebe
From there we went in search of an area where it’s a waterfowl production area. (they close the road to the pond so they can breed and be protected.) It is open in season for hunting.
We saw a Prairie Rattlesnake on the road right next to the car. (on Greg’s side right below the door) Greg did get a photo of it slithering away. They are also known as Western Rattlesnakes. They are the only venomous snake in Montana.
Horned Lark feeding her baby - blurry pic, but cute....
Horned Lark
Prairie Rattlesnake - he was a healthy sized one
wild sunflowers lined both sides of the road
Pronghorn - very far away
female Red-winged Blackbird
female Red-winged Blackbird
female Red-winged Blackbird
Sandhill Cranes in flight
Ibis in flight
Great Blue Heron in flight
Those are all ducks & white pelicans are in the middle - We have never seen so many ducks in one place. Just an awesome sight.
Savannah Sparrow
American Coots
Northern Shoveler
Northern Shoveler
Northern Shovelers
Vesper Sparrow
these blue dragonflies were everywhere
Yellow-headed Blackbirds in the reeds
Pronghorns on the drive to lunch
views of Billings from Rimrock
It was lunch time and I was having some side effects from my antibiotics. Not a good thing out in the middle of nowhere. We had never eaten in a Red Robin (there are none in Florida) We have always seen commercials for them and thought we’d give it a try. It wasn’t bad food, nor was it anything we would return to have again.
Weighing our options for the rest of the afternoon, (straight home due to my issues) or to the Audubon Center. I thought I’d be OK, so we went to the Audubon place. (turned out it wasn’t a good decision on my part) We did walk around a pond and a few of the trails before I made a dash for the port-a-john and deemed that it was definitely time for “Home James”.
Mallard Duck
Mallards
American Goldfinch
ranch from the top of the hill
Greg checking out the duck blind
Milkweed
Tomorrow, we are headed to Chief Plenty Coups State Park.
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