Your Outdoor Photos: May 2021

The Inland Northwest is full of flora, fauna, waters, scenery and active people out to savor it all. Please visit this gallery regularly to share photos of your wild experiences, learning moments, hot discoveries, favorite trips. Help us build a visual tour of what's so great about the outdoors in this region through all four seasons. This photo gallery will be an inspiration to some people. To others it will be a reminder of why we love to live here – and get outside as much as possible.

NOTE: Before photos show up in the reader photo gallery, they must be approved by an editor. If yours does not show up immediately, fear not. The only likely delay is that an editor has not had a chance to approve new photo submissions yet. Thanks for participating!

Upload your photo

Section:Reader Photo

Wed., May 5, 2021

Photos in This Album

A male valley quail seemingly instructs his two latest offspring on the dangers of living in a world of hawks, cats and...........humans! Taken in Spokane Valley, August 14th, 2021

Photographer: Bill Stickler
Heron feeding on the banks of the Spokane River below the Bowl and Pitcher taken 8/9/21

Photographer: Dave Remmel
Ducks on the Spokane River below Bowl & Pitcher taken 8/2/21 while kayaking

Photographer: Dave Remmel
I spotted this Osprey on June 22 returning from an early morning trip down to Peaceful Valley. She brought the broom to her nest near Kendall Yards.

Photographer: Rich Zywiak
This little lady was cruising a rose bush in the Rose Garden of Manito Park 6/16/2021. Another fun shot with my macro lens for iPhone.

Photographer: Gwenyth O’Bleness
Manito Park 6/16/2021 playing with my macro lens for iPhone in the Perennial Garden. Bees don’t appreciate a lens being 1”-2”’s away from the , for the record. 😂

Photographer: Gwenyth O’Bleness
A white tailed deer meandering through Kendall Yards at sunrise.

Photographer: Rich Zywiak
Goldeneye duckling enjoying the morsels of life on Hauser Lake. Photographed at sunrise from my kayak.

Photographer: Angela Marie
Little Pollinators visiting our Lewis's Mock Orange in the Garland District of Spokane. The bush is covered with them darting about. Taken 31 May 2021.

Photographer: Tom Bauer
On a recent trip to Antelope Island in Utah I found this Long-billed Curlew. the bill is extremely long . They like relatively dry grasslands very fun to watch. Taken on Antelope island near Layton Utah May 2021.

Photographer: Buck Domitrovich Cheney W.A.
Still glistening from the early morning rain this little guy was taking a turn around the pond in Manito Park in the last week of May

Photographer: Melaine Williams
I took this photo on May 14th at Yellowstone National Park. We were standing on a bridge admiring the view when this Osprey came out of the trees and dropped down to the river.

Photographer: Terry Sanborn
Snake in the Rocks May 12, 2021 Four Lakes, WA The weather is turning warmer, and the garter snakes are emerging. This lovely lady is almost two feet long, and resides in and around a rock wall at our home.

Photographer: Gary Miller
Beautiful songbird the Black-headed Grosbeak on a branch in a much needed rain as see near Marshall in late may.

Photographer: Melaine Williams
Pelicans enjoying the warm sun on Hog Canyon Lake, May 13, 2021

Photographer: Carrie Dugovic
A lovely Canada Goose family outing on the Little Spokane River. Colbert, WA 5/14/2021

Photographer: Carrie Dugovic
Wilson's Phalarope taken at Hauser Lake. This guy migrates from the Andes mountains in South America !

Photographer: Michael forster
California Quail at my ground feeder. His family is gone on their own for this summer.

Photographer: michael forster
A Black-Capped Chickadee is drinking water from a drip system in a blooming peach tree in my orchard on 05/16/2021.

Photographer: Audrey Sanborn
This turtle was braver than most and let me get a closeup of him. He was in the Spokane River along the Centennial Trail near the Maringo trailhead.

Photographer: Melaine Williams
Turtles in the Spokane River near the Maringo trailhead in mid May.

Photographer: Melaine Williams
Fading Arrowleaf Balsamroot in the morning sun at Dishman Hills Natural Area on May 16, 2021.

Photographer: Lisa Giegel
I stopped at the corner of Riverside Park and Seven Mile Road to chat with these beautiful horses while mountain biking in Riverside State Park last weekend. May 2021

Photographer: Lisa Giegel
An American Robin sitting on the grapevines in my yard in the Garland district in Spokane. Taken 16 May 2021.

Photographer: Tom Bauer
Resting and balancing on a small rock, this Trumpeter Swan calls to nearby swans at Turnbull NWR on May 12, 2021.

Photographer: Carlene Hardt
This is another photo of a California Quail in my yard in the Garland district of Spokane. I like how you can see how the breast feathers form that amazing pattern and overlap the leading edge of the wings. Also I like the pattern on the rump and under the tail. Hope he finds a mate and has a family.

Photographer: Tom Bauer
My daughter's cat Oreo playing hide and seek with my camera..she is such a striking cat!

Photographer: Michael forster
Not sure who was more surprised, the Nashville Warbler or me. A new species for my bird list! What a delight! A cool fact is that this little pretty bird will actually use porcupine quills for nest material. As a photographer friend so wisely says, "You don't know unless you go" So much to experience in the natural world.

Photographer: Angela Marie
Reflections in Newman Lake on May 10, 2021.

Photographer: Lisa Giegel
A tiny Calypso Orchid, also known as Fairy Slipper, can be tricky to spot, but this sunlight one was ready to be seen. Photo taken on May 10, 2021. MacKenzie Conservation Area.

Photographer: Lisa Giegel
Got sprinkled on a little with a surprise spring rain shower as I was walking along the north end of Hauser Lake in early May

Photographer: Melaine Williams
A California Quail singing out his territory in the Garland neighborhood in Spokane. Taken 10 May 2021. Normally quail don't stay in one place for longer than about ten seconds. I am having some yard work done and he stopped and took a dust bath. Then hopped up on the grapevine above the post and sang for about 5 to 6 minutes. Also notice the little grapes starting to grow. This is full frame 14MG with a little color tweaking. If your camera has gyro stabilization turn it off and get a good tripod. Even hand held at high speed produces much sharper images.

Photographer: Tom Bauer
The American Goldfinch is a frequent visitor to my Nyger feeder...they can't seem to get enough of this food source!

Photographer: Michael forster
A Waterskipper and a photo bombing young Crawdad, I think, in the stream along the Columbia Plateau trail near Fish Lake at the beginning of May.

Photographer: Melaine Williams
A Butterfly rests on the side of the stream along the Columbia Plateau trail near Fish Lake in the 1st week of May.

Photographer: Melaine Williams
Priest Lake far off in the distance from Molybdenite Mountain, WA

Photographer: Mike Brede
Splash Down! This was a successful dive for the Osprey as he worked hard to bring his heavy catch out of the water. Every bit of the hunt from the circling in the sky to the dramatic dive and lift from the water is thrilling to watch. Morning on Lake Fernan.

Photographer: Angela Marie
The wildflower commonly known as Chocolate Lily. It is so beautiful when lit by the sun. This was taken on the Iller Creek Conservation Area east side trail on May 4, 2021.

Photographer: Lisa Giegel
The underside of the wildflower commonly known as Chocolate Lily. They are currently blooming on the Iller Creek Conservation Area east side trail. May 4, 2021

Photographer: Lisa Giegel
Magpie near his nest site..very alert bird! Hauser lake

Photographer: Michael forster
A Cinnamon teal one of the most stunning in our region mostly found on shallow ponds near marshy vegetation. This beauty was on the west planes in a very small pond. 4 25 2021

Photographer: Buck Domitrovich Cheney W.A.
A Heron parades with his treasure, a turtle he just caught in Queen Lucas Lake at the end of the Fish Lake Trail. He was fun to watch working hard to get it open. At the end of April

Photographer: Melaine Williams
Spring is in the air as the first baby Canadian Geese take to the water in the Slavin Conservation area at the end of April.

Photographer: Melaine Williams
Loons. They just call to you in way no other does. Their yodels, hoots, wails, and tremelos hit the human core when heard across the lake. Briefly stopping by Hauser we are lucky to catch a glimpse of this magical bird. Since they have dense bones instead of air-filled like other birds, the Loon can dive up to 250 feet! I noticed they especially like to do this as soon as a camera comes around :)

Photographer: Angela Marie
I celebrated Earth Day with an outing at Iller Creek Conservation Area.

Photographer: Lisa Giegel
A beautiful spring afternoon at the Iller Creek Conservation Area on April 23, 2021.

Photographer: Lisa Giegel
A view from the Iller Creek trails on April 23, 2021. The bright blue sky was filled with interesting clouds that day.

Photographer: Lisa Giegel