January 31, 2017 - Sharptail Grouse, grey day.

January 30, 2017 - Denali, Alaska.  Happy Birthday B, (a bit late), and thanks for the beautiful painting.  It was a nice day on the tundra.

January 29, 2017 - A winter day; Bridger's studio and the back gate.

January 28, 2017 - The deer trail above the house along Doubledare Hill.

January 27, 2017 - Sometimes, this time of year, I wish I was near here.

January 26, 2017 - The front gate earlier this winter.

January 25, 2017 - The last daylight visit from the bobcat was about ten days ago.

January 24, 2017 - Crossing Wolf Creek; the deer were travelling "east - west", and a bobcat "north - south".

January 23, 2017 - Vapor trail at dawn (with yucca and an early eagle).

January 22, 2017 - Bald Eagles above Beckton Hill.

January 21, 2017 - Deer trails and a Ponderosa Pine in the woods out back.

January 20, 2017 - Afternoon light.

January 19, 2017 - Tracks and part of the elk herd in the morning sun on the hills east of Teller Mesa.

January 18, 2017 - The bobcat returned a third time a few days ago.  I never tire of watching this lithe, beautiful animal.

January 17, 2017 - A small band of elk on the bench above Little Tongue River and below a setting moon.

January 16, 2017 - American Goldfinches and Whitetails in the yard.

January 15, 2017 - The Wolf Mountains from Sheep Creek Hill.  Sunny morning, -2F.

January 14, 2017 - Whitetail.

January 13, 2017 - The bobcat visited a second time the day after his first visit.  He didn't stay long; but from my point of view it looked like he was having a somewhat lazy day.

January 12, 2017 - Yesterday was a snow day.  The high temperature was +4F, and the wind chill whistled at -15F all day.  I wonder what it is like in Siberia?

January 11, 2017 - Whitetails in the yard.

January 10, 2017 - Today is my 500th blog entry; which translates as my 500th day of retirement.  The photo is sunrise from Hiking House.

January 9, 2017 - So that was about the end of the bobcat's first visit.  He did come back, but I will leave that until later to avoid bobcat overdose.

 

This, of course, is a magpie pinwheel.

January 8, 2017 - Before he left the bobcat took refuge out of the cold wind up against the house.  He sat under the window just three feet away.  I suspect he couldn't see me through the glass because of the reflection.  What a morning!

January 7, 2017 - There was also a short encounter between the bobcat and a deer.  The meeting appeared to be one of reserved mutual fear and respect.  This is as close as they got, then the deer trotted off a ways stamping and snorting for a short minute.  After that they both went about their own businesses in peace.  On this morning the wind chill was about -20F.

January 6, 2017 - We had a rare bird hunter in the yard Wednesday morning; a three-quarter grown bobcat.  He was lithe, agile, graceful, stealthy and beautiful; only the fourth bobcat I have ever seen.  The small wildcat was intently stalking the birds around the feeder, but to no avail.  In the last photo he appears to be growling mad, but he was only yawning.  It was a wonderful experience to watch him hunt, and a rare opportunity to make some photographs.  He was here about an hour.  More bobcat tomorrow.