Sunset - Choteau Mountain View RV Campground - Choteau Montana

Another great sunset looking at the Rocky Mountain Front tonight!

Snowgeese and Swans - Freezeout Lake Montana

Snowgeese have arrived at Freezeout Lake between Fairfield and Choteau Montana.  So we took a drive to see how it was coming.  We did notice a lot of ice still on the water.  We drove by at a time of day were they like to hit the nearby fields for lunch, but we still managed to see this group of Snowgeese while driving the loop road.

Caught this group of Swans flying overhead while driving the loop Road.

more Swans

We saw a group of Swans and a few Canadian Geese feeding on the goodies under the water in Pond 1 at Freezeout Lake.

Things that entertained us at Russell Gates Campground - Ovando Montana

Deer at campsite (one on right is a Buck, already lost his horns)

Deer accross the river.

below: video of birds riding the current on the Blackfoot River.

below:  raft passed by while fishing

below fisherman looking for a good spot to fly fish.

 

Russell Gates Memorial Campground - Ovando, Montana

I called the Fishing Access manager to see if the campground was open, and it was, so we decided to spend a couple nights camping along the Blackfoot River.  

We could see the campground from the highway before getting to the entrance and saw alot of bare ground, with snow in the shaded areas.  We pulled in, and got to plow thru a snowdrift that others had broken through previously.  

Found the perfect spot along the river.

We travelled all winter with both Bailey and Gator's ashes, so we decided to leave them here.

Boomer had a blast running in and eating snow.

above:  Our special spot.

50.000 Silver Dollar - Haugan, Montana

 We traveled yesterday stopping for a moment at the off leash dog area.  They blocked off where we normally park, and we ended up on a dead end and had to disconnect the car to get the RV turned around.

Boomer had a good time visiting all the puppies at the park, and we decided it was early enough to continue to Montana.  We had to go over 2 passes to get here, be we ended up behind the 50,000 Silver Dollar Gift Store at the RV parking area.  

This morning we were greeted by some Wild Turkey's which seemed like a good book end to our winter adventure, since the Wild Turkeys invaded our park in Reed point, Montana right before heading out.

Buck - Potholes State Park, WA

 Saw this beautiful buck out the window of our RV! 

 Boom did start talking and that's when the buck looked at us. 

    There were about 6 or so that came round.  

It was so much fun watching them from the RV blind.

So handsome!

Bald Eagle - Potholes State Park, WA

 I keep trying to get a shot of the Bald Eeagle that flies over our campsite.

Redwinged Black Bird - Potholes State Park, WA

 We have had tons of these Redwinged Black Birds serenading us daily while in our RV.  

The cats are especially enjoying all the birds here.

Quail - Potholes State Park, WA

 We think there is a nest of Quail in the space in front of our RV. 

They seem to like to come out at sunset entertaining us and the cats

Owl near Potholes State Park, WA

We were driving around looking for the sand cranes (which we never found) and noticed this owl sitting on a nest in a tree along the road.

There was a 2nd owl in flight behind the tree when I took this shot.

 

Snow Geese at Potholes Lake, Washington state

 We took Boom for a drive and took a trail out to the water.   Kim made a new friend named 'Seagull.'   They had a good conversation while I went back to the car and got the camera.   While she was waiting for me, she saw something on the other side of Moses Lake.  She called for me to hurry.

There, in the distance, was a flock of Snow Geese, thousands of them, all together on the lake rising up like a living cloud. 

 That got us going!   We got in the car and made tracks towards them.  We arrived at a Sand Dune area for off-road vehicles, and up above our heads, hundreds of Snow Geese were flying in unison. 

 It's amazing to watch them in their V and line formations.  Occasionally they come together and there is a bit of a melee before they line up again.  We were so fortunate to see them!   They have a distinctive cry and it made me remember all the times we've seen them at FreezeOut Lake.  What an incredible experience!

Potholes State Park Washington

 Boomer likes it here too.  Once a night he lets out a spectacular howl and we thank him for keeping us safe.   (Note:  this can be unnerving when you are woken up from a dead sleep!)  He also let out coyote howls when we were surrounded by two back in Nevada.   Whenever he sees a coyote he lets out a bellow similar to them.   I'm not sure if it's because he's part hound or if he learned this mournful cry on the streets of Fairfield, MT.

below: Boomers view from RV

We explored the park, and we found a trail through the desert brush that led to a nearby hiking trail. 

 It follows the water and there is a rapid that pours into one of the bodies of water. 

 

sunrise: Potholes State Park WA

We pulled in dead tired from our drive and found a beautiful spot by one of the 'Potholes'  These are depressions in the earth caused by an ice age flood, that created areas of water and little islands everywhere.   When I got back from paying, Kim had followed a little path down to the water and there were fish jumping!  I came just in time to see the concentric rings everywhere.  

A bird chorus of red wing blackbirds sang in the trees.   That is a morning ritual which they adhere very closely to at the rising of the sun.  The first morning we saw a breathtaking sunrise out our back window.

 

Marymoor Park, Redmond, WA

 Our time in the Puget Sound area has come to an end.  Had a chance to catch up with alot of old friends and see the kids.

Boomer got to go to several off leash dog parks visiting Marymoor Park the most frequent. 

 It was fun watching him evolve into the greet and play routine he developed.

He was facinated by the labs taking flying leaps into the water to play fetch.

Herons: Marymoor Park, Redmond WA

When we arrived at Marymoor park, we saw the Herons nesting in one of the trees along the trail.

They are magnificent when they take off and fly.  We saw one landing with a branch in its beak, all set to create a new nest.

Right along the river that flows through the park, you can see them fishing by the shore.

These magnificent birds have found their homes here.   We wish we could have been here to see the little ones in the nests with their beaks raised waiting for food.   That will come later.   This time we enjoyed watching them cling to branches and sit in the nests they created. 

 All the while dogs and people frolicked below.   We are so glad we got to see them!