Your Outdoor Photos: December 2023

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!

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Section:Reader Photo

Thu., Dec. 7, 2023

Photos in This Album

Eagles gathering on the beach near Higgins Point, Lake Coeur d' Alene. 1/2/24

Photographer: Mark Hendrickson
Geese landing with a foggy morning view, Pend Oreille River, 12-29

Photographer: Nia Patton
The view from Eagle Peak at Dishman Hills Natural Resources Conservation Area on Tuesday, January 2, 2024.

Photographer: Lisa Giegel
Just trying to get through winter on the Turnbull wildlife refuge. Taken January 2 2024

Photographer: Buck Domitrovich Cheney W.A.
A group of Canadian geese on a foggy morning in Veradale.

Photographer: Anna Erickson
Veradale neighbors' emu bird posing for a picture.

Photographer: Anna Erickson
Great Blue Heron at Manito Park Pond on New Year's Eve, 2023.

Photographer: Jeannette Murphy
Goldeneye duck picking it up to catch up, 12-28-23, Pend Oreille River

Photographer: Nia Patton
Riverside State Park December sunset

Photographer: Patti Livingstone
Riverside State Park December sunset

Photographer: Patti Livingstone
Eagle soaring through the clouds on a dark and rainy day. Dec 22 at Lake CDA

Photographer: Mark Stoeser
A close crop of an immature eagle devouring a kokanee. Note the nictitating membrane as well! Early December.

Photographer: Mark Stoeser
A snowy pastel sunset with bison at Antelope Island, Utah. December 6

Photographer: Mark Stoeser
Immature bald eagle takeoff in the snow. Early December at Lake CDA.

Photographer: Mark Stoeser
Bald eagle in the rain on a dark and cloudy day. Dec 22 at Lake CDA

Photographer: Mark Stoeser
Bald Eagle flying by at Higgins Point, Lake Coeur d' Alene. 12/23/23

Photographer: Mark Hendrickson
There were about fifty Eagles gathered early in the morning at Wolf Lodge Bay 12/23/23. I was only able to get part of them in the shot with my telephoto lense.

Photographer: Mark Hendrickson
Canada Geese in the first morning light, Pend Oreille River, 12-25-23

Photographer: Nia Patton
Mount Spokane December 24, 2023

Photographer: William McCammon
The seasonal waterfalls are flowing hard along the Columbia Plateau trail near Cheney at the end of December. Normally they would have icicles and snow surrounding them this time of year.

Photographer: Melaine Williams
And she’s hooked. This is how country girls are made.

Photographer: Richie Holschen
The moment a little girl who loves horses actually meets her first horse This is my daughter Bethy at Kimi Kirkland’s farm this week.

Photographer: Richie Holschen
Yellow Shafted Northern flicker woodpecker.

Photographer: Mary Jo Stauner
Resident squirrel having some lunch in a nearby ornamental pear tree

Photographer: Mary Jo Stauner
Duck hunters and labs returning after an early morning outing, Pend Oreille River, 12-15-23

Photographer: Nia Patton
30.7% waxing moon

Photographer: Mary Jo Stauner
Bald eagle launch from water, Kettle River, Ferry County, Washington State, December 10th, 2022.

Photographer: John Foster Fanning
Bald eagle sated after catching and consuming a white fish in the Kettle River, Ferry County, Washington State, December 10th, 2022.

Photographer: John Foster Fanning
Ghost town of Old Bodie, Toroda Creek Road, Okanogan County, Washington, Okanogan Highlands, December 10th, 2023.

Photographer: John Foster Fanning
North Cascades crossing; Hwy 20, Liberty Bell group, November 18th, 2023 less than two weeks before the North Cross Highway closed for the season.

Photographer: John Foster Fanning
12% crescent moon

Photographer: Mary Jo Stauner
Fun to watch a Mountain Goat on the hillside with a tree full of Eagles in the foreground. Beyond Higgins Point, Lake Coeur d' Alene. First time I have seen a Mountain goat when looking for eagles. 12/13/23

Photographer: Mark Hendrickson
Quail taking a look from a higher perch in the new snow, Usk, WA, 12-1-23

Photographer: Nia Patton
Two Bald Eagles surveying the Pend Oreille River, 12-10

Photographer: Nia Patton
Birds of a feather gathering at the local feeder, Priest River, ID, 12-10

Photographer: Nia Patton
A surprise guest beyond Higgins Point, Lake Coeur d' Alene this past weekend--a Mountain Goat normally observed 50 miles further north along Lake Pend d Orielle around Bayview...

Photographer: Jerry R O L W E S (Respectfully, it's an oddly spelled German name frequently :-)
Red Shafted Northern Flicker woodpecker

Photographer: Mary Jo Stauner
A pair of Eurasian Collared Doves.

Photographer: Mary Jo Stauner
Juvenile eagle snacking on catch from CDA lake on 12/8/2023. Previous catch is dangling on branch below.

Photographer: Les Merriman
Song Sparrow

Photographer: Mary Jo Stauner
Dark Eyed Junco

Photographer: Mary Jo Stauner
This recent photo of ducks in the mist was taken on the Spokane River near the confluence of the Little Spokane River. I accidentally uploaded this photo under March 2022. I meant to add it here for December 2023.

Photographer: Bruce Blaser
Bald Eagle picking up lunch at Higgins Point. Lake Coeur d' Alene 12/8/23

Photographer: Mark Hendrickson
Mature eagles overseeing juvenile eagle close by on another perch. Higgins point CDA lake 12/8/2023

Photographer: Les Merriman
The eagle has landed with fresh Kokanee in talon and old catch hanging in branch below. CDA Lake 12/8/2023

Photographer: Les Merriman
Juvenile eagle close to landing. Notice water droplets coming from wings

Photographer: Les Merriman
Juvenile eagle landing on perch with fresh catch in talon

Photographer: Les Merriman