Fire Rainbow - Circumhorizontal arcFire Rainbow – Circumhorizontal arc or a Fog Bow?

I love to be at my shooting location before the sunrises and yesterday as normal I was there before the sun peeked over the Wasatch Mountain Range and even though there was heavy fog in the valley there was blue sky straight above me. I happened to look up towards where I thought the sun would rise over the mountains and saw what looks to be a fire in the sky. This might be what is called a “Fire Rainbow” (Circumhorizontal arc) or some phenomena caused by me looking up through the fog but whatever it was it was beautiful.

Farmington Bay WMA in a heavy fogFarmington Bay WMA in a heavy fog

This is what it looked like for quite some time yesterday morning at Farmington Bay Wildlife Management Area, there was plenty of thick, heavy fog. By the time I took this image the sun had risen over the Wasatch Mountains and I wasn’t seeing anymore “Fire in the Sky”. Just the fog.

Perched female American KestrelPerched female American Kestrel – Nikon D300, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 400, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited

The fog generally dissipates slowly after the sun rises and burns it off and fortunately it did yesterday so I could photograph this little female American Kestrel (here) who is the same kestrel I photographed a few days ago in low light, foggy conditions as the snow fell and she dined on an American Pipit.

It was delightful to photograph the female kestrel in much better light but once again there was an air boat revving its engine not too far away. Boy they are loud. The duck hunters are almost as persistent about being out early in the morning to scoot out into the marshes as I am to be on location bright and early. Okay, maybe it is a tie.

The American Kestrel had just finished devouring a small bird of some sort, I really couldn’t tell what it was because there were only a few small feathers left by the time I spotted the tiny falcon and when we stopped to photographer her.

Female American Kestrel lifting offAmerican Kestrel lifting off – Nikon D300, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 400, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited

The female American Kestrel sure was beautiful in the soft morning light with hoar frost covered vegetation in the background.

Yesterday I had sparrows, fog, a few distant Bald eagles, frost, snow-covered mountains, the marsh, this American Kestrel and a fire in the sky.

Yeah, I love what I do.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my American Kestrel photos plus facts and information about this species. Click here to see more of my landscape photos of Farmington Bay WMA.