I suspect that the next several months will be predominately white, and I thought I’d post these few photos that were taken just before that starts. (Of course, I still reserve the right to post a few later that I saved from the warmer seasons too.)
Grouse, all fluffed up for insulation.
Not-so-wild turkey making itself at home on the deck railing.
Pond and reflections, just before it all froze for the winter.
Moss covered rock island in the Clark Fork River.
Montana Outdoors 
That 2nd image is stunning – what a great capture!
LikeLike
Comment by Stacey Dawn — November 21, 2010 @ 11:43 pm
Thanks Stacey! That’s one of a family of seven that comes by every day or so for a little cracked corn that we put out to help them a little during the winter.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — November 22, 2010 @ 12:28 am
Love your wild turkey shot. Normally, they’re a pretty skittish bird. I’m surprised she got that close to the house! Of course, the cracked corn doesn’t hurt either. š
LikeLike
Comment by Robin — November 22, 2010 @ 7:03 am
We have been trying for 20 years to get a good wild turkey population restored to this are, and we’ve just about done it. Most folks help them with food during the hardest part of the winter and the birds tolerate us to a great extent. This family of 7 has visited off and on since the little ones hatches this summer.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — November 22, 2010 @ 8:33 pm
All are stunning captures!
LikeLike
Comment by Barbara — November 22, 2010 @ 11:42 am
Thanks Barbara!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — November 22, 2010 @ 8:33 pm
Never seen a grouse, I wonder if they are here?
And, I thought our turkeys were bold!
LikeLike
Comment by sandy — November 22, 2010 @ 3:58 pm
The Cornell website shows that they should be in your area. This one is a Ruffed Grouse, a medium sized grouse that lives mostly in brushy areas along streams in the lower elevations. Locals call them “Brush Pheasants”.
These turkeys tolerate me now, but they will turn wilder along toward spring.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — November 22, 2010 @ 8:40 pm
What a delight each of these photos are! I love the grouse and I haven’t seen grouse in a good while. The turkey is so neat sitting like it owns the perch. LOL Beautiful scene at Clark Fork River (all my favorite colors too). š
LikeLike
Comment by Anna — November 22, 2010 @ 4:12 pm
Thanks Anna! The grouse looked like a big fluffy soccer ball that morning.
It has been snowing for nearly two days now and we have about 8 inches with more coming down tonight. The temperatures for the next three days are supposed to be hanging around zero and the wind is blowing. It’s one of those wonderful old Montana winters!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — November 22, 2010 @ 8:44 pm
Is that Thanksgiving dinner sitting there on your porch rail? š
LikeLike
Comment by kcjewel — November 22, 2010 @ 10:11 pm
No, but he’s tempting me! This is one of eight chicks that hatched this spring. Their mother has brought them to visit ever since they were about the size of baseballs. Kind of like family now.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — November 22, 2010 @ 10:41 pm
Hi Montucky, I like that picture of the Grouse. I don’t think I have ever seen one myself. Have a wonderful evening tonight and day tomorrow!
LikeLike
Comment by wildlifewatcher — November 23, 2010 @ 5:14 pm
Hi, wildlifewatcher! I know you would really enjoy seeing grouse. We have several different species of them here and they are all nice to see.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — November 23, 2010 @ 9:26 pm
Glad you are enjoying the snow, you’re in the right place. That turkey is pretty cute, nice that you help them out.
LikeLike
Comment by Candace — November 23, 2010 @ 8:41 pm
We now have about 10 inches of the white stuff. Very cold now though.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — November 23, 2010 @ 9:27 pm
That grouse is cuteness itself! And that turkey… is that gonna be your thanksgiving dinner? Or did it get lucky?
LikeLike
Comment by Val Erde — November 24, 2010 @ 4:15 pm
That is one of the lucky turkeys: we feed them! It is part of a family of seven that drop by often. Early this morning 6 were grouped together in the feeding area, the 7th was about 4 feet from the door looking at the house.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — November 24, 2010 @ 7:07 pm
fun fall photos!
I may take to saying that I am “all fluffed up for insulation”!!
LikeLike
Comment by silken — November 25, 2010 @ 5:21 pm
Sometimes I wish we could do that!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — November 25, 2010 @ 7:46 pm
Wow, I love these and especially Pond and reflections photo. I find it very magical.
LikeLike
Comment by sartenada — November 26, 2010 @ 8:03 am
I visit that pond many times. It is close to the river and is spring fed. It’s used by the beavers and last summer it was the home of a very large frog that I was never able to photograph.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — November 26, 2010 @ 3:11 pm
Beautiful photo of the turkey. Today I saw a family of wild turkeys in the middle of the medium size city I work it. I see them all the time in the corn fields, but this was the first time I’ve seen them in the city. They were in outside a retirement community–made me wonder if someone was feeding them…
LikeLike
Comment by kateri — November 26, 2010 @ 8:58 pm
Someone was probably feeding them. Most of the folks here who live outside of town put food out for them in winter. It has been a big help in allowing them to increase in numbers. They were native here, but had all but disappeared until about 25 years ago when they were reintroduced and now there is a healthy population of them.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — November 27, 2010 @ 9:42 am