accumulates on the back deck below a double-chambered bat house. Some lucky gardener friend of mine is going to receive more than five pounds (2.3 kg) of premium organic free range bat guano in the near future.
Bats need friends! Provide free housing and they will eat insects and produce nitrogen-rich guano.
in a sub-alpine meadow near Butte, Montana where I spent the night on Homestake Pass. The air and sky were clear, the stars were brilliant, and it got wonderfully chilly.
Prairie dogs (genus Cynomys).
on the window sill, happily munching away on several strawberry slices I had placed out, hoping for its discovery. There are now two of these amusing creatures darting about and providing endless entertainment.
White-tailed antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus).
of this tiny squirrel is very amusing to watch as it stretches out on a cooler rock surface in an effort to reduce its body heat. This spread-eagle posture is sometimes referred to as “splooting.”
White-tailed antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus).
during the first 100 degree day of the year.
Desert cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii).
at the feeding stations. Super tiny and super cute.
White-tailed antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus).
Close up of the not-a-chipmunk the following day.
The diagnostic white tail.
for a grassy breakfast.
Desert cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii).
in the front yard early this evening. Nature red in tooth and claw.
Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) enjoying dove tartare.
are occupying the rock gardens this spring, scooting and darting about and keeping the ants under control.
Northern whiptail lizard (Cnemidophorus tigris septentrionalis).
stretched out across the singletrack today, miles apart from one another. Admittedly it was a pretty lovely day to catch some rays.
Bullsnake (Pituophis catenifer sayi).
for this greedy varmint to enter the trap, having set it only 15 minutes earlier. The lure of the peanut butter was too great for the first deportee of 2026.
Rock squirrel (Otospermophilus variegatus).
UPDATE the following day! Two more volunteers for deportation.
from the birdbath this afternoon.
Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus).
feasting on roadkill, encountered during the last leg of my afternoon ride along Castleton Road. Cute little one despite the bloody face and pretty chill with my presence nearby.
American black bear cub (Ursus americanus).
from a sandstone slab as the sun sets.
Striped whipsnake (Masticophis taeniatus).
by a young buck in the back yard.
Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus).
for a hiding, but somewhat curious, badger.
American badger (Taxidea taxus).
standing proudly above the Fish Lake trail this morning, gazing calmly toward the horizon and the future. This could be the logo for an insurance company.
Young male mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in velvet.
early this morning when this unusually reddish rattler became annoyed and clearly announced its presence as I rolled by on the singletrack.
Hopi rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis nuntius), a subspecies of the prairie rattlesnake.
UPDATE: From Chris, a local BLM biologist: “Hopi rattlesnake makes sense for the color and smaller size. The taxonomy has changed recently so the subspecies is no longer recognized and is instead considered a dwarf variant of the prairie rattler.“
has invaded our high desert community this spring, the most I have ever seen in 22 years. A local litter has just begun to venture out and they have all discovered the ground feeding stations. Super cute but destructive varmints, especially around the house.
Juvenile rock squirrel (Otospermophilus variegatus).
can be found in the form of guano pellets and insect parts, dropped when insectivorous bats take a short break from their nocturnal foraging activities. If you ate half your body weight in insects every night you’d need to take a break and evacuate your bowels, too.
Bat guano is an excellent fertilizer and wars have been fought over this precious resource. Sweep these nuggets of concentrated nitrogen up and toss them in your garden.