We stopped to stretch our legs at the Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge on the banks of the Bitterroot River near Stevensville, Montana. A deer popped his head up to see what we were looking at. The area was named after Senator Lee Metcalf, a lifelong conservationalist.

Interesting factoid: "Today, there are about 20 active Osprey nests here. Usually, an Osprey builds its nest in the top of a dead tree. Canada geese in this area also occupy these nests, hence the description, 'tree-nesting geese."'

This nesting phenomena was noted by Lewis and Clark along the Missouri River and only occurs in a few areas in the west. The geese move into the nests prior to the ospreys' return in early April. With mock aerial attacks, ospreys make a valiant effort to force the squatters off. Usually, the geese sit tight until the goslings have hatched and jumped from the nest. Meanwhile, some ospreys abandon their harassment efforts and build new nests, while others impatiently wait for the geese to depart."