Looking East at the Highwood Mountains just before sunrise, as seen from Benton Lake.
Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located about 10 miles north of Great Falls, MT. The refuge is administrated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuge is open year round for visitation, unless the roads become impassable due to snow or excessive moisture. There is also a small visitor center at the refuge’s main office building that’s worth checking out. There is an observation blind available on a first come first serve basis and some boardwalks that extend out into the marsh. There is also a “grouse house” available during the spring to watch the sharp-tailed grouse on their lek. Reservations for the grouse house are given out with a lottery system. Since the refuge is kind of in my back yard, I visit it often. As with most places, wildlife viewing is best early in the morning or later in the afternoon. You can almost always view waterfall in the area from spring through fall. During the Spring migration is one of the best times to view large numbers of swans, ducks, shore birds and geese in the area. After ice up during the winter the waterfowl will move on. But you will still find grouse, pheasants, song birds, birds of prey, coyotes, deer, prong horn antelope and other wildlife year round. There have even been bears and moose (rarely however) sighted on the refuge.There are also good views of the Highwood Mountains to the East as well as the Rocky Mountain Front to the West. If you want more information about the refuge please check out the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s web page. They have not done as good a job maintaining the site the last couple of years however.
Two male Sharp-tailed Grouse square off while dancing on a lek.
A male Ringed-necked Pheasant crouching in the snow.
A male Sharp-tailed grouse dancing.
A muskrat cruising in the channel.
Canada Geese flying in formation.
Tundra Swans silhouetted against a sunset.
Swans and ducks on the water right before sunset.
Tundra Swans catching the last rays of the day.
A Tundra Swan coming in for a landing just before sunset.
Swans, Canadian geese and Northern Pintail ducks in the fog.
The sun just breaking over the Highwood Mountains on a cold winter morning.
Red-winged Black Bird on a cattail.
White-tail deer are a common sight around the lake.
A Great Horned Owl looking at me through the branches.
Coyotes are a common site around Benton Lake as well.
A hawk flying over the marsh and frozen lake just after sunrise.
A Yellow-headed Black Bird perched on a cattail.
A male sharp-tailed grouse.
A male sharp-tailed grouse standing tall.