Home on the Range: A February look at 2012

How on earth is it the middle of February already?! I was going through photos from last year, and thought I'd pull together a few favorites that I hadn't already posted ... which, given my posting habits last year, is pretty much everything!

This January photo doesn't really look all that exciting, but it was one of my favorite discoveries of the year -- a little oasis in the midst of desert, at the southernmost tip of Nevada. It was made even more special by the petroglyphs on the rock face overlooking the spring. Quite a few of the springs right around in here are marked by petroglyphs, but it was nice finding these for myself.

Here was another January gem, in the Highland Range in southern Nevada. Glorious, brightly-colored cliffs, with a spectacular Golden Eagle eyrie.

An April pic of the recently-restored stream in one of my homes away from home - the Apcar stream on Warm Springs Natural Area, northeast of Vegas (this stream is heavenly to wade around in, particularly on cold mornings!). I was doing area searches here, mapping bird territories.

Pot o' Gold!

Here's a Bendire's Thrasher I photographed in May. I had a pair on another area search in southern Nevada -- it was one of the highlights of my year. I had barely seen a Bendire's Thrasher before, so getting to really know them was both thrilling and fascinating.

And another bird pic from one of my area searches - a Vermilion Flycatcher male feeding his nestlings. I had such fun watching these guys in 2012 - all told, I had 6 territories I was closely observing, and I learned a lot.

For years I got to work on Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge up in Oregon, and this year I was contracted to head up there again for a few days to help out the folks who are repeating one of the studies I worked on while I was there. Here are a few photos of my favorite place in the world!

These gorgeous fellows were on the Sheldon, Hart Mountain's sister Refuge.

And more Great Basin photos from northern Nevada

I visited Washington State in late August/early September, and near Mt Baker with Dad, I had this view:

Then on to visit Marla, rescuing cute dogs, watching the moon rise over the scablands,

Heading back south, I passed through the same area I posted about last year, with the enormous outbreak of pine white butterflies - didn't see any this time round, but I did catch this pic of the ponderosa pines looking a tad defoliated - thisyear, they should look a bit better!