Their targer was the large, 2×4′ platform feeder stuffed with seed. Not really the shot I was after. I wanted them on the smaller branches, so I had to wait, and wait! Needed the platform feeder to fill up, so then the queue would start perching on the small, nearby branches. It happened a couple of times, and each time, the photos just came to life! While the males are a gorgeous rose color, oh man, of those ladies!

Their majestic pose, their eyes locked on ya staring down the lens barrel, it’s so addictive! Having been fortunate to enjoy this moment many times in the past, like in January at Sax-Zim, I seek it as often as possible. So we’ve been out looking for our local Great Gray Owls with little success. It’s the usual story, “Should have been here …” That’s probably one of the greatest rewards of photographing critters, getting out on their terms, looking for them in their world. When they share it, it touches the soul, leaving a permanent attachment. So far this winter, though, when it comes to our local Great Grays, no sign … yet.

Statistically, it shouldn’t be the case. But each winter, we have a flock of flickers at our feeders. I’m not talking a half dozen or even a dozen, right now out our windows, Sharon & I count 27! They are so much fun to watch and even more so to photograph. They are incredibly vocal, that’s until either the Coops or Gos appear in the canopy, and especially when the Pileated lands on the feeder. Then it’s silent, until they are gone. With all of them around, some checking out old cavities, some making new, in and out of the owl boxes, we expect to have them nest on the property. But so far, not a one. In fact, once winter lets go of the land, they vacate the property. They come and go with the snow.

The Pine Grosbeak is a gorgeous, large bird that visits the Bitterroot very infrequently in the winter. I’ve photographed them in Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and this one in Minnesota. When I heard they’d been seen recently in feeders up the road, I got real excited. The current weather seems to be pushing them to me. I’ve been glued to the feeders looking for that spectacular red to appear. I’m patiently waiting.

They’ve put on crazy amounts of fat, their coats are thick and luscious, I’m ready for winter and so are the Bison! Snow and cold has been promised here in the west, we were to wake up to 1-3″ of fresh white but the rain gauge says less than 0.01 fell overnight. The game camera at our water feature captures a parade of critters coming in for the free water. The cycle so many take for granted is a fragile one and our wildlife can’t run to the store and by a bottle of water (whose plastic bottle goes into a landfill). Some regions are flooding which typically don’t receive much moisture, other locals that are normally wringing wet, can barely scrape up a drop. Winter is an important part of our world, its moisture a key to life. And so we wait.