Your Outdoor Photos: April 2022

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., April 6, 2022

Photos in This Album

A pair of blooming orchids in the Gaiser Conservatory in Manito Park. Taken 29 April 2022. The orchids are really in their glory right now and admission is free.

Photographer: Tom Bauer
A colorful blooming succulent in the Gaiser Conservatory in Manito Park. Taken 29 April 2022.

Photographer: Tom Bauer
Flowers in the Gaiser Conservatory in Manito Park. Taken 29 April 2022.

Photographer: Tom Bauer
Morel mushrooms. Photo taken in Riverside State Park on April 26.

Photographer: Rich Leon
Welcome back little one! Calliope hummingbird, April 24, 2022, Colbert

Photographer: Carrie Dugovic
Mr. Wood duck stopping by for breakfast. Colbert, April 19, 2022

Photographer: Carrie Dugovic
"A Moose and Her Goose" taken at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge on Sunday, April 24, 2022 at 6:15pm, Sonya1with 400mm, f 11, 1/200 sec, 500 ISO

Photographer: Gen Heywood
Shooting Stars at Dishman Hills Natural Resources Conservation Area last weekend. It’s a great time to get out for spring wildflower viewing.

Photographer: Lisa Giegel
Songbird migration has begun! The Yellow-rumped Warbler is a tricky bird to photograph. They are so small and constantly moving in the branches. The Yellow-rumped Warbler tends to forage high in the trees with quick flutters to catch insects. Early morning near Hauser Lake.

Photographer: Angela Marie
It's that time! First gosling sighting of 2022. Geese mate for life and return to the place of their birth to mate. They spend their lives defending their families and often will remember their "children" their whole life. They will mourn the death of their mate, children, and/or eggs. Goslings spend 2-3 months on the ground before they can fly and are excellent weed eaters. Early morning in Hauser.

Photographer: Angela Marie
This is a picture of the waning Moon taken about 5:30AM on April 24, 2022. The arrow points to a feature known as Straight Wall. Wikipedia says it is a fault about 110 km long by 240 to 300 m tall. Normally seen around an eight day moon as a dark shadow. Getting a picture of it in the morning is more difficult because when it is dark the Moon is low in the sky and the resolution is poor because you are looking through a lot of atmosphere. As the Moon rises higher the sky gets brighter and the contrast gets worse. This was taken with a Nikon P1000 on a tripod with a remote shutter release. Zoom in near the arrow head to see the illuminated slope.

Photographer: Tom Bauer
A juvenile Osprey inspects his foot along the Columbia Plateau Trail in Turnbull Wildlife preserve in late April.

Photographer: Melaine Williams
Seeing the splashes of the yellow Arrowleaf Balsamroot, even in the early morning snow of April, gives hope that spring will win over winter soon. Growing up in Wisconsin I never knew there was a spring "sunflower". Deer, elk, and sheep dine on it and traditionally humans have too along with utilizing its medicinal properties. The best part.....smelling Balsamroot up close smells like chocolate! Saltese Uplands Conservation Area.

Photographer: Angela Marie
Arrowleaf balsamroot against a spring sky at Beacon Hill last Sunday.

Photographer: Lisa Giegel
View from Steptoe Butte on April 15 after a spring snow.

Photographer: Lisa Giegel
Dramatic skies over the Palouse last Friday following our snow event.

Photographer: Lisa Giegel
The pileated woodpecker was peeking out of a hole he had been drilling near the Spokane River, Riverside State Park. The pileated woodpecker was used as the model for the famous Woody Woodpecker character, known for its maniacal laugh and ruffled red crest. Taken April 15, 2022.

Photographer: Cindy Miller
The recent April snowfall didn't stop this pileated woodpecker from searching out a meal in log stumps, near Riverside State Park and the Spokane River. April 15, 2022

Photographer: Cindy Miller
Mandarin duck in San Diego

Photographer: MICHAEL MCCRACKEN
Mandarin duck taken last week at the catamaran resort in San Diego.

Photographer: MICHAEL MCCRACKEN
Wood Ducks are stunningly beautiful with the best sense of smell and the largest eyes of any duck species in North America. They like to nest in tree cavities over the water preferably so their ducklings have a soft landing when they jump out of the nest and head to the water. They will find sites up to a mile away or use a nesting box if needed. The superpower of the ducklings is the ability to leap from impressive heights of up to 300 feet without injury. Near Hauser Lake.

Photographer: Angela Marie
Wood Ducks are stunningly beautiful with the best sense of smell and the largest eyes of any duck species in North America. They like to nest in tree cavities over the water preferably so their ducklings have a soft landing when they jump out of the nest and head to the water. They will find sites up to a mile away or use a nesting box if needed. The superpower of the ducklings is the ability to leap from impressive heights of up to 300 feet without injury. Near Hauser Lake.

Photographer: Angela Marie
Glacier Lilies and cloudy skies on a moody mid April day at Dishman Hills Natural Resources Conservation Area.

Photographer: Lisa Giegel
A chipmunk on the Iller Creek trails. April 12, 2021

Photographer: Lisa Giegel
The Spokane River from Trail 100 at Riverside State Park in early April.

Photographer: Lisa Giegel
Urban herd. This large herd of deer are regular visitors to the retirement community in Cheney. Danka is not thrilled that they use her potty place for bedding down. Taken in April.

Photographer: Melaine Williams
American Gold Finch's on my feeders today april 5th

Photographer: Michael forster
I found this Yellow-headed Blackbird at the Saltese Flats Wetland Area on 4/6/22

Photographer: Terry Sanborn
Every ones favorite place to enjoy..Bowl & Pitcher

Photographer: Michael forster
Every ones favorite place to enjoy..Bowl & Pitcher

Photographer: Michael forster
Turkey Pecking Order April 6, 2022 Four Lakes A rafter of ten to twelve turkeys frequent our neighborhood every spring, and these four Toms were trying to establish a pecking order of dominance.

Photographer: Gary Miller
Turkey Testosterone April 6, 2022 Four Lakes A rafter of 10 to 12 turkeys move into our neighborhood every spring, and these four Toms were feeling their testosterone to establish dominance.

Photographer: Gary Miller
This male Anna's Hummingbird is one of the hummingbirds that visited our feeders all through the winter and is still frequenting our feeders in our yard in Veradale on April 5th when the photo was taken.

Photographer: Marlene Jay Cashen
The Mountain Bluebird represents the coming of spring and is thought to be a source of happiness in the Navajo culture. The males often scout out nesting locations while the female makes the final decision. They are also the only species of bluebird to hover to catch food. Early morning at Saltese Flats, LIberty Lake.

Photographer: Angela Marie
This Black-capped Chickadee was photographed in our back yard in the Spokane Valley on April 1st.

Photographer: Terry Sanborn
Going vertical. A porcupine climbing a pine tree to get some sleep. They are nocturnal and are often seen sleeping high up in trees during the day at Turnbull. Taken at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge April 1

Photographer: Rich Zywiak
Taken at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge on April 1. A porcupine auditioning for ‘Thriller’. Actually, it was shaking off a morning rain.

Photographer: Rich Zywiak
I was delighted to see the Trumpter swans are back at Turnbull NWR! Its distinguishing red "lipstick" marking is clearly seen. Taken at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge in Cheney, WA on 3/30/22

Photographer: Carlene Hardt
One of our backyard friends watching the house in hopes we might toss out some peanuts.

Photographer: Larry Sunderland
A Lewis Woodpecker SW Spokane county, looking at me looking at him through the kitchen window.

Photographer: Mike LaScuola
American Goldfinch changing into his spring regalia. The early spring molt of the male Goldfinch is one of the most vivid displays of spring colors. The bright yellow colors are from carotenoid pigments of this bird's strict vegetarian diet. Early morning in Hauser.

Photographer: Angela Marie