Wildlife in the rain

For the last two days, rain has dominated the weather.  It is tough getting good pictures in the over-cast sky when the clouds are crying.  It almost makes me cry when I am trying to get some good pictures.

But across the desert and marshes I traveled.  First to the Sage Grouse lek where only the males showed up - females are nesting and males are staying available for a female that might lose its nest.

As I headed across the desert looking for new Sharp-tailed grouse leks, I found pockets of blooming Buttercups.

I also saw nine herds of elk moving from their wintering grounds to the areas for them to calve.  Many will return to Yellowstone Park about 80 miles away.

As my raptor nest study will begin next week, I started by trying to locate nests.  Three Swainson's Hawk nests were found.  But they have not started sitting on them.

Then today on the way home from Church, I watched the male Yellow-headed Blackbirds, staking out their territory and inviting the females to come to visit them.  There was a little flirting going on, but all the females have not yet returned.  Give them another week. 

Even the rain could not totally dampen the beauties in the Wilds of Idaho.