Osprey nest comes crumbling down

11/9/09-

I got the word from my Wife that something was wrong with the Osprey nest.

We pass the nest daily several times a day and we would often coment on whether there was activity near the nest or not.

This time of year the weather changes rather quickly as we are talking mid October before the Osprey actually left the area to fly south for the winter.

Last Year the Birds high tailed it out of this area in mid September so I was very suprised they hung around so long.

As my Wife and I approached the area where the nest use to be we also noticed that there was a lot of tree damage as a storm wreaked havic on our area the night before.

My first thought was maybe the high winds blew the nest off of the tree it sat upon but we have seen this nest withstand brutal winds before so something didn't sit right with this whole scene.

On this day we walked around the pond that sat below the Nest. Many times I would watch as the Osprey would glide across the pond ever so effortlessly and return to the nest to feed or just observe me observing them.

I learned so much from them and their behavior that I consider it a blessing to be able to photograph their lives usually everyday for 5 months.

The sun was settling in for a chilly October eve and it was time for us to get our photos and get back before darkeness fall upon us.

You don't want to wander out in the backwoods at night regardless of how well you know the area as you may encounter something you don't want to encounter.

It was fast approaching 6:00 p.m. as we returned home and it really didn't sink in until I returned to the area the next day with more light to work with that I got a great look at what took place and what brought down the Osprey nest.

The Osprey nest would still be standing today if it wasn't for a force of nature that brought the nest crashing down.

It wasn't high winds-it wasn't man nor was it a inner pest.

Nope it was a family of Beavers & we had been watching this very family for most of the summer silently swim up and down the back waters of the Flathead river.

After looking at the damage of not just the Osprey nest but of the area -it became quite clear that this family desemated the area bringing down tree after tree.

Last year we had spoken with the owner of this property and at that time he was very upset that a family of Beavers were destroying the trees so badly that he was going to have to try and eliminate the problem.

I didn't see any signs of the family around winter time last year but it was obvious that they were leaving their mark.

A month ago you could look up the backwater towards the North and see that the area was brisking with trees and tree life.

The Birds would soar from tree to tree and the Osprey were hanging out if not in the nest then in nearby trees munching on fish.

It was a great site to see but we had no Idea that a few Beaver would cause a chain reaction sending one tree slamming into another and with great force smashing into the tree that harboured the nest causing it to snapped half way up the tree and send it and the nest to the forest floor below.

if you were to look over the Osprey area and the pond you would see nothing but trees everywhere lining the pond as these creatures are eating at such a fast rate that any tree along the backwater and not just on the pond side but on the branch of the Flathead river is in danger.

The Osprey are survivors and I am sure they will relocate but the question is:

will they return to this area after all of the Devestation that has taken place by these wood chewing critters?

It is interesting to note that it only took a matter of a few weeks to bring such destruction to the area.

During the summer months the Beaver would bounce from one side of the backwater to the other and what is so amazing is how quickly they are able to bring a area that has so much wildlife and reduce the surrounding to rubish.

I guess we need to let Mother Nature do her thing.......

have fox will travel and the Osprey too

Going into the month of September means that Fall is right around the corner and we have had a wild and crazy ride for the past few months with everything we have seen and done.
I am truly a blessed fellow as I wander around the wilds of Northwest Montana being able to observe and take in all that God has given me and continues to do so.
Back in March I started spending a couple of hours a week observing The Osprey-a nice lil couple who longed to have kids and just kick back and enjoy life.

I watched them bring fish back for breakfast,lunch & dinner.

My schedule got to the point where I would get up early and head out to capture the couple flying,eating, screaming and yes even pooping. (with all that fish it has to go somewhere).

Last year the couple tried but failed at having kids but this year they were blessed with 3 real noisy youngens (well at least one of them just had to let everything living on the planet know that it had a voice and was going to be heard-everyday-every minute of every day except sundown and even on rainy days which I observed as well that this chic had a mission).We watched the babies learn how to eat,how to sound off when danger was near and how to fly.

It was pretty exciting watching the babies grow up and take the step of learning how to fly-I was so excited to see them fly over head that I found myself being giddy like I was their parent or something.

It was way kool tho-very kool but the day came September 9th as I headed out to see the babies no longer hanging out above me as they would do as they got older-the dead tree across from their nest became my temporary home for a few hours almost everyday and as they got use to me they would land on this tree and look down at me always wondering why I hid behind the big machine that seemed to always suck my face to it and never let go.

On this day two of the three babies-one eating a fish and the other just passing gave me the impression that they were heading out-that after today we would see them no more....and I was right as their nest sits vacant except for some scavengers every now and then looking for food and I would say the amount of food they put away at each feeding would leave a big mess.

I run into their messes still to this day as it blankets the floor in some spots so becareful where you step.

August was very busy for us as we traveled not just in and around our region but we spent alot of time up in Glacier park watching,hiking and enjoying all that God has made.

Glacier is only 32 miles from where we live so needless to say there never is a dull moment when we are out shooting.

Many Glaciers presented us with bear & big horn sheep as well as scenic wonders as did the west side of the Park & with everything going on it was tough at times to take it all in & I must say this is one place you can never get tired of.

Hidden meadows and hidden lake gave us great photo ops for scenic beauty as well as those wonderful lil marmots that seemed to always be moving...just a moving like they had a chore list of a kazillion things to do but it wasn't getting done.

Hidden lake which is at Logans pass is a 3 mile round trip hike that is worth the visit and you should go early when it is open but do be adviced that if you plan on a visit to Logan Pass go in the summer and before 10:00 a.m. because you will not find any parking and all of the world has gone to logan pass on the day you visit.

Big horn sheep can be seen everywhere if you look and in some cases you really don't need to-they will find you as well as those wonderful lil marmots.

Our adventures took us out into the burns of Northwest Montana and with those trips we were able to capture the Eagles soaring high above or hanging out in the trees.

Deer can bee seen at anytime and we were able to capture some enduring moments with a mom and her young.

Our adventures even kept us busy in our own neck of the woods as we spotted a red tail fox early in August chasing two fawns and quickly disappearing into the thick of the brush.

I knew the fox would be back-it was just a matter of time and just last week I was hanging at the Osprey post just looking over the lil pond that brings refreshment to so many of the animals here and as I was just slowly panning across the pond I noticed out of the corner of my eye what I thought was a mountain lion...now not sure about you but when a mountain lion is present you want to be very aware and make yourself very big but as I looked over to a fallen tree there sat our lil red tail fox getting ready to pounce on a small mouse or something as my view was not that great but I was able to finally say-I got you!!! and as quickly as he appeared it was as quickly as he was gone as that seems to be the case when shooting(photographing) wildlife-don't spend forever on a shot-as time is not on your side.

It has been a few great months as we even were able to capture something I learned about in Oklahoma and that is the art of photographing lightning now do not run out and grab a camera & then think your going to take a picture of a thunderstorm because it just doesn't work that way-you have to research and research again because along with lightning comes the possibilities of being struck by it so nothng is worth losing your life....nothing.

ok it has been a great few months-next blog we take our adventures to the east side of Glacier for another trip to many glaciers for a great time hanging with mother nature and quality time with the Mrs.

until our next blog-keep yer nose clean and give someone a smile-they may need it.

no pain-no gain right?

Sometimes you have to endure to get the right shot or least that is my thinking.

I have found that being involved with Photography has it's many rewards not just from the finished product but also from the journey as it is kinda like writing a song-you start with a idea or a riff and being I am a pro guitarist I usually start with the idea but then you slowly bring in elements that you like and a bit of this and that and wella!! you have a song and photography is no different depending on what format you shoot and depending on whether you shoot indoors or outdoors and depending on whether you are a photo rebel or just a casual shooter-I happen to be a rebel with the camera and there have been many times especially in the past few months where this has been tested-todays blog is about one of those tests but from a different angle-the angle of "is this photo shoot worth all of this strife?"

Tuesday eve-6/30-09

I have metioned many times before about my hangout-the Pond, a part of the Flathead river that branches off in what is called the backwaters-channels or branches that vear away from the main river for a ways and then reconnect downstream.

The Pond is home to wildlife such as river otter,beavers,deer,skunk and even bear from time to time not to mention(even tho I have only been told but never seen one) mountain lion and a variety of bird life including my favorite photo op friends the Osprey (even tho the Bald Eagle is on the list they seem to elude me for now).

It was about 7:15 p.m. and I decided to hike the backwater in hopes of capturing (photograph) the two huge Beavers that are tearing up the trees around here as one of the beavers are easily 3 feet long if not longer and probably weighs a good 100 pounds or more as my wife and I spotted them the day before cruising around the backwater but as I approached what I call the Eagle lookout I noticed that some folks were down on beach several hundred feet upstream and that the possiblilties of seeing the beaver let alone photographing it was not very good so I proceeded to hike to the Pond from the east side and then south-only about a 10 minute trip through the backwoods.

As I got to the Pond I decided to hike along the shoreline and head north (I could of taken the road but then I miss the chance of photographing something if given the chance).

The night before I did capture this crane who decided he was bunking down for the night but my destination for today was to hike just past the fallen tree in the picture where I could shoot the Osprey and their young.

The hike through this terrain is pretty thick with all sorts of trees,brush,bugs,spiders and just about anything you could imagine that can slow you down because your up and over and under and in some cases pulling off spider webs from your face but all for the photo...all for the photo...

It took me about 15 minutes to travel about 2 blocks and with camera gear in tow-1 photo bag and one backpack in impossible terrain-hard on the body or as one person could put it..a recipe for disaster.

I reached the fallen tree as the trunk was actually above ground about two feet meaning I would have to step up on the trunk and balance my way to a section of the fallen tree in order to scale a small water way that was in front of me if I wanted to continue the journey-but to continue I had to jump over the water way about 2 feet out and then fall another 2 feet or so and lean forward so I wouldn't fall backwards which would mean camera gear and myself would be swimmimg if I timed this wrong.

I took a deep breath as many thoughts ran through my mind as I am a clutz when it comes to stuff like this and in most cases SOMETHING will go wrong!

I made the leap rather proud of myself that I was now sailing through the air and woohoo!! I passed the water way and was looking good for a landing and I felt my feet touch ground and from the momentum I leaned forward as my body adjusted from the fall and with all of my weight forward I proceeded to push forward but then it happened-out of nowhere I felt something piercing my right nostril and moving up towards the bridge of my nose at a rather fast pace.

I tried to get my footing as my balance was now off kilter and then it hit me like a ton of bricks-SNAP!! went the branch and I stood there for what seemed like a minute and now realized that I just jumped on top or into a dead tree that had it's branches pointed up and one branch was now implanted nearly 2 inches into my right nostril and to make matters worse it had snapped off.

There was not much of a branch to grab onto but It had to be done but as I qucikly grabbed for what little was hanging out of my nose it occured to me that if I pull out this 2 inch branch from my nose that if it ripped something on the way up (in our family big noses run in the family...hmmm wonder if Mom has a nose story like this) that the blood will flow....I had to take the chance but my brain now did a quick scan of the chances of me carrying a kleenex which are great because of my severe allergies but now the warning was sounding in my nose...err ummm head-you didn't bring any tissue this time...

Great!!! I thought but I did have my cell phone so that I could call home if need be but time was running out-I couldn't leave the broken branch and I had to take the chance that I could remove it so I quickly grabbed the end of the branch and yanked the 2 inch long tree from my nose....... I waited for the blood to flow.....ummm I was still waiting but nothing.

Could I have escaped a nasty nose bleed?

could I have been so fortunate to be spared sneezing tree leaves and bark?

I hurried my way to the Osprey lookout or up in this case and called my wife who proceeded to laugh at my pain...maybe it was the story but I am sure it was the thought that here her husband is walking around the backwoods of northwest montana with a tree hanging out of his nose....what a picture that would of been.

After shaking off the dust or in my case the leaves and bark of dispare I did get some great photos of Momma Osprey and her young or one of them as lil Osprey danced around the nest as mom watch from a nearby tree.

Moral of the story-always bring tissue with you as you never know when you will be removing mother nature from your nostrills.

Beyond Avalanche-and back

5/29/09

If you have never been to northwest Montana the one thing that will strike you is it's beauty especially in the springtime.

The Rockies still frosted with snow and the greening of everything that the melt off and the rain comes in contact with-it is quite stunning-with that said we decided to hit the trails and do our annual hike up into Avalanche country where nature wakes from her deep sleep & starts the dance of life.

Last year at this time we had a very heavy snow pack up in the Mountains with a 115 % increase of snow-a record snowfall well into april and as we headed into Avalanche country in May the heat wave was on which resulted in a lot of snow melt and flooding.

We encountered water everywhere on our journey to Avalanche lake and beyond as the hike became somewhat dangerous-downed trees everywhere on the trail-mini rivers flowing everywhere and when we got to our destination-it was iced/snowed over with a river running underneath the Avalanche chute that came from a raging waterfall that was about 100-200 feet tall.

May 29th-2009-we set out at 6.a.m.-made sure we had all of the gear we needed for the hike-

Cameras-check

tripods-check

filters and lenses-check

film and digital media-check

Backpacks-check
Gps-check

Food and water-check

My wife and I double checked it all-it all looked like a go so off we went-my stepson and I racing off into the Mountains for a early morning hike to Avalanche lake and beyond.

The weather was very nice but cool this time of morn-as we hit the local store for snackage up at the lake-this is bear territory and mountain lion so we best make sure we take only what we will eat without making a scene or a scent of things-yes we brought bear spray.

After getting the goods we arrive around 7.00 a.m. at Avalanche campgrounds.

Loaded up the backpacks and made sure we have everything including the walking sticks-never know when you may need one to perform martial arts on a wayward animal needing assistance.

As we headed up the trail we did notice that there was not a lot of people in the park-usually this time of year it is rather hard to find parking but it was still early-we did pass a wayward deer just standing on the side of the trail minding his own business-without even a look he ate the brush....what concentration.

The plan of the trip was to photograph wildlife and mountain scenes just to get a good idea of Avalanche lake-a two mile hike into the rockies.

The lake itself is very popular with not just the locals around here but folks travel from all over the world just to hike to a remote lake surrounded by snowcapped mountains with huge waterfalls and breath taking scenery.

As our journey was going very well a strange feeling came over me-a feeling of something not right-a feeling of I NEED TO GO THROUGH THE LIST OF THINGS ONCE AGAIN.

This was not good as it dawned on me like a baseball being tossed at 110 mph and hitting me square between the eyes that something was very wrong-I stopped and looked around-I am sure my face expressed every emotion under the sun as I was taken back 8 hours earlier in my mind to witness myself putting the battery for the digital camera on the battery charger-sweet I thought......quickly I was launched into present day and stupidity raced through my mindset-I FORGOT THE BATTERY!!!!

I looked down and shook my head in utter disbelief-I had planned this trip with all digital gear for a while and now was looking at the hopes of shooting this whole trip digitally sliding down the very mountain we were standing on...but not all was lost-for I learned early on....always have a backup plan so my trusty old slr would be used for a amazing time.

as we arrived at the lake around 8-ish the sun had yet to show her face on the east side of the mountains and we were only the 2nd people to arrive.

The trail was a bit roughed up from the winter as broken and downed trees covered a section here and there.

I broke out the slr and grabbed the 18mm-55mm lens and got another jolt-the digital lens would not fit the older model camera-I was now without a normal lens to shoot the lake and surrounding areas as my other lenses were to large for the format.

If I wanted to get photographs I would have to use the zooms.....arggggg!!

This was probably good news because it shorten the amount of time we were actually by the lake which was now being lit by the rising sun on the east side.

As the sun light moved slowy across the lake you could see bugs (nats)scattered on the water and everywhere you would look in the sunlight would be a kazillion bugs-they were everywhere.

We headed west towards the other end of the lake and as we walked along the lake the bugs were so thick that you couldn't open your mouth without eating a few hundred....blec!

We had reached the end of the trail but it mean't for us that we kept on going up into the mountain and west towards the snow pack and the avalanche chute.

I fired up the Gps and started recording our journey so we could find the trail back as we were about to hike about a mile beyond into the hilly side of the mountain and into the avalanche chute area.

The trip now took a turn more dangerous as we hiked up and over fallen trees,through thick brush and around racing creeks swollen with snow melt.

As we arrived to the chute the sun was now heating the area and you could see the birds ever so happy and singing.

Mountain goats populate the mountain cliffs but on this day we didn't see a single one.

The roar of the waterfalls nearby filled the air-it was quite magical.

We arrived at the chute-and I figured there was probably about 5 to ten feet of snow over the river that was created by a waterfall that was about 200 feet above us.

The Chute as we could tell had no ice and the snow appeared very soft-not worth risking our lives this year testing the snowpack.

Last year this very waterfall was iced over as the river run underneath the ice.

It is one of those-DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME ERRRR... UMM ANYTIME!!

Some time went by as we had a deadline so as we rested before we headed back towards home- my stepson Ray said in a cautious low tone....ummm hey? whats that?

as I looked where he was pointing it appeared that a Marmot decided to check us out.

Now never seeing one and especially not sure what this animal was watching us just 10 feet away as he slowly rose above the rock he was hiding behind I said ummmmm looks like a beaver but it didn't have the tail.

(now we didn't have any idea what this thing was until my wife asked a ranger in Kalispell the next day)all I knew was is that this creature was pretty good size like a mid size dog but didn't seemed frightened by us but kept to his business of gathering brush and stuff for his breakfast and at this point the trusty old slr was getting used again.

After spending about 3 hours up in avalanche country it was time to hike back-now we didn't see anyone really to speak of hiking to the lake but we knew that would change as we approached noon.

One boyscout pack passed us about a mile into it and then another and before we knew it people with accents of every kind were asking us "how much longer to go?"

Even one couple who spoke with a thick accent asked us if it was worth the hike as it is a rather brutal hike if your not ready for it"I said it is breath taking" but that comment sent the couple into a confused game of whats that mean.....so I responded with amazing and they both smiled from ear to ear and we went about our business and they went the other direction whispering amazing...amazing....

After passing another 50 people or so we found the car and headed back home but took with us a wonderful time up in Avalanche country and continued our quest for awesome photography as well as a journey and to look forward to our next journey up here and hopefully remember the Batteries next time!!

footnote:we did have our gps which came in handy because our last trip took us into Many Glaciers on the east side of the mountains and I was able to locate our position and record our travels which I will use later for geotagging.

We have a big trip into Canada later in the month and while up in Avalanche was able to locate our next destination.....gotta love technology......now if someone could just remind me about those stinking batteries...(thumps self in the head)

started off bad-but ended pretty kool

5/17/09 Started off bad-but ended pretty kool

we began our day rather early as we were headed for Many Glaciers on the east side of Glacier National Park.

The trip is about 150 miles and you never know what you may encounter on the way as we travel through the heart of the mountains.

Two days prior we had a great time up on the west side of Glacier and even tho it rained the day couldn't of been sweeter...well ok we could of got some moose photos or other wildlife and maybe a fresh burger.

We arrived to fill up the gas tank about 7:15 a.m. and I needed my morning fix of soda-a strange brew of sugars and caramel and whatever else they need to make the heart have a jolt and it is just heaven-now you can see my love for this yummy stuff at the band site...just watch the video and you will see what I mean(spoiler alert-you have to read the t-shirt)www.nathancreek.org

I grabbed the normal size cup for the soda and as I filled the cup I was just getting ready to tell my wife about something I am sure was important and proceeded to put the now filled cup of chilled soda up on the counter but some how the world at that moment decided to slow down and create what I call the "aloe ver you paradox" and wella-I was covered in soda and not just a tad but all down the front of me....life seemed to come to a end as I looked down and realized that everyone in the store was now affixed to my paradox.

Of course I did what any person would do-wow!!! I cried-not sure what just happened but don't buy this pop!!!

I quickly started to clean up the pop which was now making a nice mess all over the floor and the clerk just grinned and said-don't worry....I will get a mop.

Needless to say the trip had begun and I was hoping that this day would get better soon.

My wonderful wife joked for the rest of the day "if we run into bear they will be happy because you have sweeten their food....somehow when life gets you down there is always that one person who has to kick you and all in the name of love.

We were finally on the road-the sun was just coming up over the mountains and the skies were blue least on the west side of Glacier and our first stop would be Goat lick.

Goat lick is a scenic area that is very hilly as in ravines and rocky mountains give way to the waters rolling through the forests.

A canyon if you will has been cut over the many years with the river running in the center but the unusual site here as kool as it is with the river cutting through the rocky landscape are the Goats.

The cliffs are imbedded with salt and literally hundreds of Goats will line the walls of the canyon just trying to get to the salt.

Now every time we have been here the Goats have been elsewhere probably trying to get information about the clown who spilled pop all down the front of him...

Today we would not see any but last year I did hike a ways up this creek that is across from the area and that in itself was a dangerous hike as I took photographs of the springtime run off of water racing past me and falling over the cliffs with about a 200 foot drop if not more...needless to say...never put yourself in a dangerous situation....you may may not live to tell about it.

After spending some time at Goat lick we headed east to East Glacier and it was just 2 weeks ago that this part of Montana had received up to 4 feet of snow-that's a bunch and on this day you could see that the snow was still pretty deep in spots as it covered the hills and mountains.

The roads to East Glacier are rather twisty turvy but the view is awesome.

Along the way we spotted a hawk just lounging in the burned out trees (forest fire) and this is a great area for owls as well so if in the area-keep yer eyes open and make sure the designated driver is either awake with lots of coffee or at least a cup of cold soda down the front side.

Many Glaciers is huge as far as photo ops as well as just a wonderful place to see and that is a understatement.

Along the way we needed to refuel at St. Marys and that was interesting in itself being that most of the shops, gas stations and places to eat do not open for business till mid June but we did stop at what looked like a nice place even tho the shops were closed-St. Marys is a great place but on this day our potty break probably got wind (no pun intended) that some clown in Columbia Falls dumped soda down his front side so the local folks had to try and top the event-and they did....

My Stepson and I decided to take advantage of the stop and use Mr. Potty but when we opened up the restroom door we were welcomed with....GAG!!! O.M.G....what is that?!!!!

All of the plumbing was disconnected I guess to prevent the pipes freezing over the Winter and needless to say anyone who used the bathroom over the past Winter were welcomed with a stench that would make your Mothers hair stand on end and everyone in your family line-it was that bad....we raced out of there like there was no tomorrow but we did get gas...from the pump silly...from the pump.

Many Glaciers welcomed us with open arms as we rolled into Swift Current-now I have heard of this place from a photographers point of view as all of the Magazines from around Northwest Montana use photographs from all over these parts of the Glaciers park area.

Glacier National park is known for it,s beauty in so many ways-today we were blessed to run into just a few of the attractions here.

After parking we checked out the local maps at the Swift Current Inn-all around the Inn are trails but towering high above this lil section of Paradise are the Glaciers that just engulf everything.

Bring your camera and bring cold weather clothes and also do remember that your in the wilds-this is Bear country and you do not want to wander to far with out a partner and listen to the laws of the land-being a hero out here will get you dead fast because it is you against Mother Nature.

Big horn Sheep surround the hills and Mountains as Snow Blankets the terrain.

Grizzly Bears are prominent here and if your looking to just catch a glimpse then I suggest getting here bright and early as this region is thick with Bear as well as Moose and Elk.

We headed for Ptarmigan falls but the snow was getting rather deep so we did our photo shoot from a rocky ledge overlooking Swift Current lake with Grinnell Glacier line behind us and the mountains of Apikuni in front of us.

My Wife and Son walked behind me for a while as I pulled out several lenses to capture some of the scenic sights.

Crokus flowers were just coming into bloom and they stretched out along the hills but towering over them were the Big Horn Sheep of the region.

You could see for miles as the white dots polluted the landscape and of course these were the sheep just out vegging on -veggies.

To capture the Sheep you will need some big lenses and if your using a compact camera you may want to lean on someone for support-no the Sheep will not offend you-the support is to brace yourself so that you can capture the Sheep without moving the camera.

A few of the folks we spoke with had mentioned that Grizzlies were reported in the area early this morn.

Meanwhile the weather was rather nice-the sun was out but a thin overcast covered the sky and this seemed to add a bit of a chill to the day.

After spending a nice time with the Big Horn Sheep and getting nice shots with the scenery we decided to get lunch.
We had driven down to a picnic spot where there was still chunks of snow laying around and the wind seemed to come up some-with that said we broke out the fried chicken,potato salad and chips but somehow The news travels fast around these parts and before I knew it I was wearing my potato salad and chicken-what a lovely way to bring in the noon hour...

After some of us enjoyed our lunch we headed for the lake and this is basically the run off of all of the snow up in the mountains.

Lake Sheburne is a huge reservoir that is engulfed by the Mountains and it alone is a sight to see.

We had traveled to a marshy area along the lake as Moose and Bear scat lined the shoreline.

Even tho we didn't encounter Moose this trip we knew that there was probably more Moose in this area then there were tourist.

We were running out of time and it was time to hit the road and head back to the our neck of the woods-My hope was to get some great shots of the area as well as possibly gather some great photographs of the local wildlife.

As we headed down out of Glacier my wife had commented on how there seemed to be a stoppage up ahead-now that is code for....WILDLIFE AHEAD!!
Before I knew it we were watching a Grizzly bear makes it's way along the rough terrain and walking in the direction we were headed.

Now let me point this out for everyone-do not go and get in the face of any wild animal!

It amazes me what I have seen the short time I have been in Northwest Montana and people just don't think.

What you encounter is not something you see in a pet store or at a zoo-these are wild animals and they are not the least bit interested in anything you might have to say-they will injure you or kill you if you do not stop and think.

Leave the wild to the wild!!!

with this said we came upon a truck and a car that had stopped-the driver of the truck had his vehicle in reverse and slowly staying up with a Grizzly bear who was on a hunt for food.

At one point the fellow of the truck got out and was walking to the front of his truck to see where the bear had gone.

We were in a good vantage point as I had equipped my camera with a high power zoom and as I shot towards the bear who was probably about 2 years old-I was having a tough time shooting through the trees and brush.

As the bear disappeared briefly a car pulled up behind us and the passenger rolled down her window and with a french accent said"what do you see?"

There is a bear in the trees over yonder and with that said the bear was pretty much gone but a fellow with a video camera showed up out of no where .

He walked about 20 feet from his car looking intently into the wooded area as if to get the footage of all footage.

Time had rolled quickly towards us and then gone in a heartbeat-we headed for our home but was left with some great memories and also got what we came for....a great time in Gods Country

photo shoot-Glacier national park part 1

Photo Shoot-Glacier National Park prt.1-The West side 5/15/09

We visit Glacier a lot and for many reasons.

The Beauty of Glacier is just breath taking and to explain what it has to offer would take a very long time but many people consider this place Gods country and for good reason.

Summer brings the tourists,the bikers and those who love a challenge to hike it,s many trails and hope to see a huge variety of wildlife if just for a second.

I have done a lot of Photography here and it is on my list of favs to visit and to see the ever changing landscapes and spend some quality time with my guide-my wife who by the way is probably the most awesome guide ever.

On this day we headed up to the west side of Glacier to take in the sites and see what was going on at Avalanche.

The road is closed at Avalanche Creek due to the road crew working up ahead on Going to the sun road removing snow from the roads and usually the road going up to Logan pass is open around mid june depending on how severe the conditions are up there.

Before we stopped at Avalanche we stopped by Macdonald lodge which is shut down for the season and with good reason.The snow here gets to be very deep and when we were here last May the snow was about 10 feet high in sections and it was spring time.

The Lodge sits on the lake and the view is stunning as you can see the mountains all around.

The only people here are the workers spraying off the Lodge and fixing everythng that needs fixing from the cold Winter but they are visited by the birds that make nests up in the corners of the Lodge and the Gophers that don't make nests in the Lodge but rather wander the nooks and crannies of the area looking for hand outs and an ocasional photographer looking to capture the right shot-hmmm not sure where that cracker came from but this gopher was just tickled to munch away and my wife smiling from ear to ear as if I had just missed something...I did check to see if I still had my wallet.

With photo gear in tow my wife and I headed to walk of the cedars-a very popular spot where the cedar trees wind through the forest and if you get here on a sunny day the sun backlights the trees and creates a magical sight.Today we encounter overcast skies and rain but that didn,t stop us from the hike.
After spending a lil time at the Lodge we headed for Moose Pond-named for the moose that frequent this area.

Today the moose are no where to be found but as we were hiking around the marshy area we did stumble upon proof that Moose and Bear had been in the area which we already knew from visiting this spot often.

Avalanche campground and surrounding areas has many things to offer-hiking,camping,site seeing and great photo ops and being we are no stranger to all of the above-I decided to head past the road block and see what lay on the other side.

My wonderful guide likes to relax and take in a good book while I wander the wilds in search of Photos-now I have never ever seen anyone ever sell any photos out here in the wild but when I do..I will post it here...The Rain was more of a sprinkle at this point and as I hiked along the road I would scan the mountains and hills looking for anything that moved and every now and then I would pass a couple biking and/or racing away from what might be Bear!!

Today tho it was just them taking in a nice rainy day in the mountains.

I had hiked about a mile up the road and a group of folks had let me know that there were a few ducks in the waters ahead which I thought was funny because my wife and I were talking about such things earlier on our hike and how it would be neat if she ran across a harliquin duck and low and behold!! I spotted one and thought-wow...what kind of power does this woman have?

It was interesting watching the two ducks as they would coast along the raging river and then dive into the waters and swim along the bottom looking for fish and then pop back up a few feet down stream.

Of course I had to move rather quickly as wildlife never sits for a photo op and with the rain coming down- I was trying not to get the camera gear wet as it made for what I am sure was a site to see.

Photographing Wildlife is very rewarding as well as rather tiring-a lot of trial and error takes place and with todays digital media what may look like a great picture on your lcd screen can turn out to be nothing but a blur so you really have to have it all together and know some stuff to get great shots.

If I am out hiking I could spend hours just watching and waiting and in most cases I hike at a rather fast pace-not because I don't want to encounter the wilds but because in most cases you have to hike a long distance if you want to get shots that most folks won't ever get a chance to photograph and plus it means a workout is in store and that requires a lot of energy.

You have to take in to account that most freelance Photgraphers carry a lot of gear and we also have a lot of gear to carry-tripods,cameras,gps systems just to name a few and the weight from the camera bag alone can be 20 to 30 pounds not including the variety of lens in the backpack...sheeesh I am tired already.

As I stood there shooting I noticed something out of the corner of my left eye-I thought for a moment...this would not be good if it was a bear because I was only about 25 feet from whatever it was...

I looked up and with a sigh of relief looked over at a deer just standing there wondering what the heck I was doing...

Maybe it thought I was going to jump off the ledge because all of this camera gear was a bit to much.The Deer then moved on to only dissapear into the forest as

I packed up the gear and headed back to my wife who by now was probably wondering if I would ever return but I did and the trip produced a lot of nice photographs as well as more memories for my wife and I.

Glacier National Park is a treasure in northwest Montana and no wonder over a million people will travel here over the next few months just to take in it's beauty.

It is interesting that my backyard is shared with so many but I couldn't ask for a better guide or a better backyard.......hmmm whats this...another cracker?

next blog-Many Glaciers-bear and all!!