Every October like clockwork, I somehow end up in the Blackfoot Valley located in western Montana just on the southern edge of the Scapegoat Wilderness.

I realized this yesterday as memories brought back all the early October days I’ve spent here photographing fall colors and the migrating wildlife.

This year like others, is just plain awesome. Colors are turning, nights are damn cold, and the wildlife has begun to ready for winter with some stopping over on their annual migration.

Thousands of Red-winged blackbirds are feeding in the fields right now readying for a return to warmer climates south, creating massive flocks that rise up out of the fields.

In between looking for grizzlies and photographing fall colors, I would stop and photograph them as they made their way around the valley. If you look real hard in the flocks you can also see a yellow-headed blackbird or two playing “Where’s Waldo” in the flock.

Canon 5D MarkIII, 500mm f4L IS, 1.4xtc, ISO 800 F11 1/500