After breakfast at the hotel, we packed our car and drove northeast to Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
We stopped along the way any time something caught our eye.
Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge
We started at the visitor center for trail maps and also to view birds and mammals commonly seen in the refuge. There were clouded sulphur butterflies among the flowers outside the center.
Benton Lake
2019 Price: Free
Benton Lake includes the Prairie Marsh Wildlife Drive, a drivable loop road through meadows and around Benton Lake in the refuge. We arrived on a cloudy day, so it was not ideal for photographing waterfowl; however, the reflection of the clouds in the water was beautiful.
Near the start of the drive, we spied a short-eared owl sitting on a fence. It flew away just as we parked the car to get a closer shot.
At the first corner of the lake there were several ducks including mallards, lesser scaups, and northern shovelers.
Just at the last turn of the loop, there is a wooden boardwalk to walk out into the marsh area, amongst the cattails.
In the wetland outside the loop, we spotted geese, yellow-headed blackbirds, black-necked stilts, and a couple glossy ibises.
Fifty feet past the wetland, we caught sight of a ferruginous hawk sitting in a tree. It was patient enough to sit still for some closer photos.
From Benton Lake, we drove to Great Falls, Montana and checked into our hotel.
Wingate by Wyndham Great Falls
2019 Price: $117 for one night
That night we ate at Bar-S Lounge and Supper Club.
I’ve never encountered a lot of the waterfowl you shared from Benton Lake. A yellow-headed blackbird? Never knew! Thanks for sharing!