These photos were taken over the past few weeks of the birds that drop by the house from time to time. I am not a birder, beyond looking out my window.
I live on the east shore of Flathead Lake in NW Montana, a little bit south of Bigfork.
The lake drops 10 feet in water elevation over the winter in anticipation of spring run-off from the larger Flathead drainage. Because of that, this fledged bald eagle is having dinner on the lakebed. When the lake is at full pool, that BFR will be overtopped with 2 inches of water.
Just a pic to provide space and distance. Let's get closer.
Apparently, it was more than he could handle at one perching. Though he didn't use a go-box.
These two showed up a few days later. I shudda used the tri-pod on such a cold day. This was the best of the blurred ones. They are about 100-125 feet away.
Yesterday morning an osprey decided to stop by for brunch. This guy is about 50 feet from and 12 feet above me in a big, old, dead Ponderosa Pine.
I stepped out onto the deck to take these. I guess I wasn't quiet enough for him and he kinda got his back up and flew off seconds after this pic.
That evening a couple of ducks decided to bed down on a different BFR. It'll be under about 18 inches of water at full pool. A perfect prop catcher. I need to wade out and place a buoy before the water gets any higher.
And then there was this morning, at the ungodly hour of 8:15 am MDT, I hear this crashing, banging sound outside like I've not heard here before. I get out of bed and go to the door and this fucker is very gingerly trying to walk up the roof over the slippery P. pine needles on the roof. I got this pic after he made it up there.
Then he stood there and honked...and honked...and honked. Fucker.