Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge (2)

The 2062 acre (834 ha) Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge is about 25 miles (40 km) south of our home in western Montana. We drive past the refuge several times a month, often stopping with binoculars and spotting scope to look for trumpeter swans, ducks, gulls, herons, and many other birds. Migrations with the change of seasons bring more opportunities to spend time in the refuge. It's a lovely area, with the Mission Mountains to the east and the Salish Range to the west.

The photos in this gallery are of the refuge's birds and landscape, or of the surrounding areas—pictures made from within the refuge.

Click an image below to see a larger version. Mouse over the larger picture to see navigation controls for the previous or next picture, or use your keyboard's right and left arrow keys. To visit the Galleries page, click the link in the table of contents at left.

Late day sun lights budding cottonwoods in western Montana's Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge.

September sun rises over the mountains east of the Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge in western Montana.

Nesting trees in Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge near Charlo, MT. Most of the nests in these trees are of cormorants and great blue herons. This is a panorama combining five vertical frames.

Western Montana's Mission Mountains and the hills to the south, shortly after sunrise. This photo was made in the Ninepipe NWR.