I have a list below of memes I am joining for this week, and to save time I am doing one post for all. They are all fun memes to participate in...I hope you can join in with the fun and check out some of the participating posts. Special thanks to all the wonderful host and their memes, I hope you have some time to check them out.
My post is on Bear Lake Refuge but in the latest news the Oregon Malheur Wildlife Refuge (Malheur was established in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt) was taken over or held hostage by some local ranchers. I did not follow the whole ordeal, but I heard it ended in a gun battle with the government. I am glad the take over has ended, just a shame one person died. I feel these wildlife refuges and the national parks are for all Americans not just for a select few. Malheur has 320 bird species and is a mecca for birdwatchers. I hope Malheur will soon be safe for the bird watchers to return.
Going back in time with this post is a throwback visit to the Bear Lake Wildlife Refuge located in Utah. On the way to Yellowstone National Park we stopped at this wildlife refuge. The view of Bear Lake, the lake borders Utah and Idaho. I am posting only a few photos I took from that visit, only so I can document our stop there. To check out more of my wildlife refuge visits just click on the NWR label on my side bar.
This wildlife refuge was where I saw my lifer the White-faced Ibis. There are 160 bird species seen at Bear Lake Wildlife Refuge.
Some of the refuge birds seen where the Black-necked Stilt, Tree Swallows, Mountain Bluebird, White-faced Ibis, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Western Meadowlark.
The water color is so pretty, a gorgeous blue. I think often of all my visits to various wildlife refuges to see the birds and animals. These wildlife refuges were created to protect and manage wildlife habitat for the waterfowl and migratory birds. Have you visited one of our nation's National Wildlife Refuge system? If not I hope you find a wildlife refuge close by where you live and check it out. You can find one near you on the link above, just click on your state.
January has just flown by, wishing everyone a happy month of February!
Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your visits and nice comments. Have a happy day and new week ahead!
As always thanks to the wonderful group of hosts listed below.
Thanks to Judith our host of Mosaic Monday
Thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes
Thanks to the hosting team of Our World Tuesday!
106 comments:
Que maravilha de lugar! Sensacionais tuas fotos! Desejo um lindo e feliz FEVEREIRO! bjs, chica
Eileen...You do such a beautiful job of highlighting the wildlife reserves. I have only been to two on more than one occasion...the one at Rock Hall and one at Sandbridge Beach VA. There are some in WV that Buddy and I have visited, too....Cranberry Meadows for one. Your single picture and your collages are beautiful. Eileen, since you use blogspot, please check out the post I just put up. I am so confused. Maybe you will have some answers to contribute.
http://climbingthedigitalmountain.blogspot.com/2016/01/mysteriously-losing-followers-daily-on.html Many thanks, genie
What a pretty spot with the lake and rolling hills off in the distance. Love the photos of the birds ... the yellow-headed blackbird has such bold colouring! These nature reserves are wonderful for the wildlife. I'm glad the stand-off is over now too.
Wendy
This was on our To-Do list and we didn't get to it. Darn Looks like a beautiful spot-quite remote--I'm sure not much for people. That's right up our alley!
Hope you had a nice weekend
Wonderful photos ! I hope all goes well for the bird watchers and the birds ! Thanks for sharing , have a good day !
So lovely area in Oregon, open and with lots of amazing aspects to see! Have a great start in february, too!
We have a NWR here--it is one of my favorite spots! Lots to see! Congrats on the White-faced Ibis! Really cute! And that Yellow-faced Blackbird! Wow! The Black-necked Stilt looks a lot like the American Avocet I finally saw last summer! Thanks for sharing!
What a gorgeous shade of blue in the water.
Hari OM
So light, so bright... beautiful... YAM xx
what a pretty view! love the ibis, too!
That is a beautiful Ibis.
Oh Eileen I could write a book in this comment. We are so disheartened about the time it has taken to get those people out of our Wildlife Refuge (in our home state, albeit miles from where we live in Oregon) and we've followed it all closely in our home paper (online). We have spent many wonderful times at Malheur ... we love it. There's a beautiful bird festival every February in Burns and I am guessing they might cancel it this year, because the town is still in an uproar taking sides, it is awful! (And there are still four people occupying OUR refuge headquarters.) Anyway, thank you for writing about it and of course we agree with you completely obviously. (The festival is where we watched sage grouse dancing/mating -- that is the main purpose of it.)
We've also been to Bear Lake a couple of times by the way; isn't it great? Your pictures are fabulous.
You really got some great shots. I had never heard of the White-faced Ibis before. What a beautiful bird!
What a lovely place, Eileen!
What treasures! I was in Point Reyes yesterday but took no photos...just exploring my new county
What a beautiful place to spend time. So much to see, and you've captured what you've seen perfectly!
What a pretty place! And looks like you found lots of birds. Here in Oregon we are sick and tired of the Malheur occupation! I'm glad it appears to be finally coming to an end. Those hooligans were disrupting the entire nearby town.
Hello,
What a wonderful landscape!
Yout pictures are magnificent!
I love all those birds!
Have a noce day
Hello Eileen!!
Such a beautiful place!Great images of the lake and the preety bird too!
Have a happy month and a lovely week!
Dimi...
Hi Eileen,
marvelous photos of a sunny day, the yard and the birds. So beautiful !
Have agreat new week, Eileen.
Best regards, Synnöve
How wonderful these places are and what a lovely, pristine Nature you can still find there !
May your week be blessed with gladness and serenity, darling sweetest Eileen,
thinking of you with so much love and gratitude
Dany
Beautiful views of the lake. Have a wonderful week, Eileen!
Excelente trabalho e bela fotografia.
Um abraço e boa semana.
320 bird species! Sounds wonderful... and almost incredible. :)
Lovely photos also today, Eileen, the place looks very beautiful and calming.
Happy Mosaic Monday, have a great new week and month!
Beautiful wildlife and impressive sceneries. Enjoy your week Eileen!
So pretty, Eileen. What a nice sight on a winter's day.
Amazing pics. Greetings.
Have a nice week ahead.
the photos of bear lake are so beautiful. a place i would love to visit. we have many wildlife refuge here, with 4 very large ones under 10 miles from us. i have spent many happy hours in all of them in the past. but now with leg issues have not been in a long time.
What an interesting bird, that White-Faced Ibis!
such a clear crisp day. gorgeous with all those clouds & blue skies. happy day! love the shots. happy week for you Eileen. take care.
thank you for always stopping by, it warms my heart & makes me feel extra special. our bloggy friendship means the world to me. ( :
What a LANDSCAPE.
Beautiful pics from the refuge . . .
How beautiful :-)
The view across the expanse of blue water is breathtaking! Your mosaic is very pretty too!
Enjoy your week!
What beautiful colors on the Ibis! We have seen so many unusual sights this week while hiking. I need to get some posts ready! Enjoy your day sweet friend. Hugs, Diane
I've been there, and had no idea all those birds were there too.
Such beautiful views.
ooooh so beautiful, gorgeous birds, lovely colors in the ibis!!!
That bright clear blue is amazing indeed!
Fantastic Eileen, love the birds, the scenery, the pretty blue sky. Have a great week :)
Wonderful scenery...love all the blues!
Happy Monday!
Ruby
This place looks wonderful! What a beautiful view. And you got to meet some happy birds :) Your shots are fabulous. It makes me happy to know that you have such wildlife refuge systems.
Happy new week to you, Eileen!
Lots of hugs,
Beate
Another great place to photograph birds! The water sure is a beautiful blue.
Gorgeous shots! And I like the new look of your blog...
From your pics this looks like a gorgeous place to visit. Pretty birds and the water is such an awesome blue.
Have a great day!
You have some great photos there Eileen. It's wonderful to see such clear blue skies.I hope all goes well for the bird watchers and bird alike and you're right that such places belong to everyone, not just the few.
That White-faced Ibis is rather a stunner.
Enjoy your week ahead.
Beautiful photos Eileen. I especially like the ones overlooking the water. Have a great week. xx
Superb captures as always, Eileen!! I love the White-faced Ibis, too!! What a beauty!! Hope you have a great new week!! Enjoy!
What a wonderful place to visit...
Amanda xx
What beautiful places to visit. I do not understand why it was taken over. Is it something to do with the gun laws in the US?
Stunning views! I would have loved to have been behind the lens!
Wow, very nice. I really love that first photo !
The white faced ibis like the rice fields around here so I sometimes encounter great flocks
That is a beautiful place, such wide-open vistas.
What a beautiful spot with so many stunning birds, Eileen! Lucky you to visit there.
Gorgeous nature photography and beautiful place ~ hope it is settled now and safe for bird watchers ~
Happy Week to you ~ ^_^
Hi Eileen
I was sad about the Oregon Malheur Wildlife Refuge take over. I really did not understand the point behind that--these refuges are for all people to enjoy and help bird and wildlife species endure.
The Bear Lake Wildlife refuge in Utah is really beautiful! As you said the water is so very blue. I have to check your link to see what bird refuges are near where I live. I'm not the best at photographing birds--by the time I see them they have flown away--lol
Have a wonderful week!
Eileen, you and hubby go so many places...stunning places!...:)JP
Hi Eileen, Great pictures. That White-faced Ibis is a grand one. Very similar in looks to the Glossy but has a different face. Have a great day tomorrow!
Lovely to see blue skies and green grass!!
What lovely views! And did I tell you I really like the new look to your blog?? :)
That Ibis is just gorgeous!
Beautiful photos, Eileen! The mountain range reminds me of so many back on the island, peaks puncturing that dreamy, blue sky!
Hope you have a wonderful week!
Happy February,
Poppy
I have never been to a Wildlife Refuge but I think it would be a great experience. I like to learn about this particular refuge since it is very different from what you expect form Utah (at least, from Southern Utah).
Gorgeous views, Eileen. Love the collages as well.
Gorgeous lake! I've been to a few refuges. They are more common near the coast. Here in the Shenandoah we have parks and national forests everywhere you look.
Wow! The scenes captured so well. The birds are so well framed even between the weeds.
I like the new look of your blog. :)
I have been stuck indoors for two weeks - too many other things to do (like going back to work!) I need to get to a place like this!
Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
So wonderful landscape! The White-faced Ibis is a beautiful bird. Have a nice and happy week!
Such a beautiful place and so exciting to see your lifer - the Ibis! I have seen the yellow-headed blackbird near Salt Lake City - such beautiful birds. Wildlife refuges are so important in this over-crowded world. We have several here in WA state. Hope you have a good week, Eileen! x Karen
Wonderful shots, wonderful landscape !
Greetings from Germany
and ♥ly thank you for your faithful visits and in my blogs.
I am always very happy
Jutta
What a beautiful place to visit and to take photos. Eileen!
Gorgeous scenes Eileen!!
Hi Eileen, Bear Lake Wildlife Refuge is a beautiful place. The refuge birds are all new to me and you always have amazing birds photos to share. Have a beautiful day!
beatutiful place, so serene.
What a beautiful area!!! And of course, the birds are a big plus.
Beautiful scenes, love the clear sky.
Great clicks...!
Hello!
Wonderful photos, and the birds are so beautiful!
Enjoy your day :)
What a beautiful place! Great selection of birds too.
I haven't visited any of the NWRs in the US! (But then it is 40 years since i visited the US!)
Of course, the park should be for all and not for the chosen few. Beautiful birds and the wonderful blue color of the water. Regards.
Love you bird photos! Great views of the Lake, too
Have a wonderful week!
Lea
What an unusual Ibis, Eileen. I had not heard of a White-faced one before. I particularly want to see the Glossy Ibis, which can sometimes be seen in the UK these days.
Simply amazing.
The variety of birds you feature here is amazing. BTW, what is your fave bird, if you have any?
Worth a Thousand Words
Happy Feb to you, too. Both the sky and the water made for some great landscape shots! These protected spaces are so important for us to have - places where wildlife can still roam and fly with protection.
Beautiful pictures Eileen! Gr. John
Good night Eileen, are so beautiful your photos! Wonderful places uou have visited. I love the nature. Thank you for your visit and comment! I would like you could see the photos of the Moorish Castle in the same location, which I published here: http://ailime-ecos.blogspot.pt/. Hugs and good week.
Great photos - you saw some wonderful birds!
I found the fighting over that refuge rather disappointing myself. We have a wetland marsh wildlife refuge north of us but I haven't been there for years. Time to take another trip and see what birds I can capture with my camera.
Your wildlife refuge system is a great system both for the wildlife, and for those who are interested in seeing it. This one looks like a lovely place to visit too.
These are beautiful! I love seeing all these great places through your lens.
You did well with photographing so many birds, Eileen. We visited the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge near us finally and it turned out my camera battery was dead so I didn't get any really good photos. I like the White-faced Ibis, you captured the green iridescence on the wings.
Your blog has a new look Eileen. I like it! I am thinking that my husband would be liking Bear Lake Wildlife Refuge. Have a great week Eileen. I hope you are beating the snow away from your door and staying warm.
Excelente trabalho.
Um abraço e boa semana.
What a beautiful spot!!!! You have wonderful travels!
I always enjoy my visits to your blog, looking at the lovely photo's and learning about different places and their wildlife.
I have to agree the blue of the water in some of your shots is just lovely to look at,
I do hope your week is going well - they simply go so quickly.
All the best Jan
What a beautiful place. Great shots!
I don't know how I missed this--I am sure that I have been here before now...I love the view in that first shot. And the the ibis fascinates me. I would love to see one in person.
I agree, you do a wonderful job of highlighting the nature preserves and I must go and see the one that isn't too far away from me..Michelle
A lovely view out over the water Eileen. I really like the yellow headed bird in the right centre photo. With so many species of birds & realise I know very few names of them. I should get myself one of those Bird Field Guide books.
Barrier islands are magical. Your camera work captures it well
Hi Eileen and while I have not watched much of this either, I had known of it and found it all quite awful. Like you, I hope that those lands that belong to the people, not just the ranchers, can get back to a peaceful time of birding and other recreation opportunities for many years to come~
That is on beautiful looking area! REALLY nice photos...
Very nice images, Eileen! Our refuges are wonderful places to spend time and need all the support we can provide.
A beautiful place... and wonderful shots! I loved them all! With so many details...
An amazing post! Another one!... :-))
All the best, Eileen!
Ana
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