Orioles, Meadowlarks and Blackbirds

Male Great-tailed Grackle Looking At… Something

By |2024-03-18T04:41:11-06:00March 18th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Great-tailed Grackles, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I took this photo of a male Great-tailed Grackle, I wondered what the grackle was looking at so intently. The grackle even seemed disturbed by what it could see.

Male Red-winged Blackbird Singing In A Marsh

By |2024-03-01T04:26:29-07:00March 1st, 2024|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-winged Blackbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One week ago, my ears were delighted to hear this male Red-winged Blackbird singing and calling on the marsh at Farmington Bay WMA. His display was mesmerizing.

Urban Red-winged Blackbird Male Singing

By |2024-02-23T04:29:49-07:00February 23rd, 2024|Categories: Birds, Red-winged Blackbirds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I dug way back into my files this morning to share this urban Red-winged Blackbird male singing. The date was February 23, 2014, the location was my local pond.

Comments Off on Urban Red-winged Blackbird Male Singing

Male Great-tailed Grackle On A February Morning

By |2024-03-17T16:57:41-06:00February 12th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Great-tailed Grackles, San Juan County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This male Great-tailed Grackle caught my eye two days ago at one of my local ponds because he was displaying on a red-roofed cupola against a bright blue sky.

Western Meadowlarks At Farmington Bay WMA

By |2024-01-30T04:25:56-07:00January 30th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah, Western Meadowlarks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Much like the Great Blue Herons I shared yesterday, the Western Meadowlarks I found at Farmington Bay WMA two days ago were also behaving as if it were spring.

Western Meadowlark And A Windy Morning At Bear River MBR

By |2023-12-14T04:31:13-07:00December 14th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Video, Western Meadowlarks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I didn't photograph many birds at Bear River MBR yesterday because it was windy. I did take photos of this handsome Western Meadowlark at the refuge though.

My Uncommon Common Grackle Sighting Anniversary

By |2023-11-30T16:16:18-07:00November 30th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Common Grackles, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today is the third anniversary of my uncommon Common Grackle sighting in Utah. I found the grackle perched in a Russian Olive tree next to Glover Pond.

Male Red-winged Blackbird And A Saltcedar

By |2023-11-05T04:25:00-07:00November 5th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Red-winged Blackbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I saw this male Red-winged Blackbird perched in a Saltcedar on my last trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and felt I had to stop to photograph him.

Western Meadowlark Amusement

By |2023-11-02T03:28:19-06:00November 2nd, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Meadowlarks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Photographing this Western Meadowlark on Monday on my way back to I-15 from Bear River MBR was so much fun for me that it probably ought to be illegal.

Male Great-tailed Grackle On A Weathervane

By |2023-10-23T04:30:05-06:00October 23rd, 2023|Categories: Birds, Great-tailed Grackles, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today, I'm sharing a photo of a male Great-tailed Grackle perched on a weathervane. I took this photo while walking down at one of my local ponds last week.

Kamas Valley Western Meadowlark With A Grasshopper

By |2023-08-21T04:48:49-06:00August 21st, 2023|Categories: Birds, Kamas Valley, Summit County, Utah, Western Meadowlarks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The first bird I photographed last week from the side of the road in the Kamas Valley was this scruffy Western Meadowlark with a grasshopper.

Urban Male Yellow-headed Blackbird Displaying

By |2023-05-24T03:14:50-06:00May 24th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last month, I was thrilled to photograph this displaying male Yellow-headed Blackbird in an urban park near my home in Salt Lake County, Utah.

Female Great-tailed Grackle Iris Variation

By |2023-04-23T04:45:59-06:00April 23rd, 2023|Categories: Birds, Great-tailed Grackles, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I photographed Common Loons at my local park this month I also took some female Great-tailed Grackle images and today I am sharing two of them.

Leucistic American Coot Photos

By |2023-08-07T03:23:19-06:00April 13th, 2023|Categories: American Coots, Birds, Great-tailed Grackles, Leucistic, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Over the past four months I wanted closer, better photos of the leucistic American Coot that I found on January 2nd. My patience and persistence paid off.

Mix Of Urban Birds Close To Home

By |2023-04-10T03:34:45-06:00April 10th, 2023|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Double-crested Cormorants, Red-winged Blackbirds, Redheads, Salt Lake County, Savannah Sparrows, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This mix of urban birds were taken over a two day period close to home. Birds, no matter where they are, bring me joy, happiness, and even laughter.

Great-tailed Grackle Photos After a Spring Snowstorm

By |2023-04-09T02:37:52-06:00April 9th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Great-tailed Grackles, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Taking Great-tailed Grackle photos after our recent spring snowstorm was fun. I had never seen photos of this species in the snow before I took these.

Snow Weary And Needing A Bird Fix

By |2023-03-31T04:26:28-06:00March 31st, 2023|Categories: American Avocets, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Marsh Wrens, Red-winged Blackbirds, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

More fresh snow on the ground this morning. I am snow weary. What I need is a bird, nature, gone exploring in the wild fix with no real or clear return time.

Late Winter Female Brewer’s Blackbird

By |2023-03-21T05:44:19-06:00March 21st, 2023|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I photographed this Female Brewer's Blackbird a few days ago she was the focus of attention for four nearby males that were displaying on the frosty grass.

Male Brewer’s Blackbird Portraits

By |2023-03-17T03:01:12-06:00March 17th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I took these two male Brewer's Blackbird portraits yesterday at my local pond. In one the blackbird was displaying, in the other he just looked funny to me.

Singing Red-winged Blackbird Male

By |2023-03-04T04:07:05-07:00March 4th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Bird ID, Box Elder County, Red-winged Blackbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

After my long and photo heavy Tundra Swan post yesterday I am keeping my post today simple. I'm sharing a single photo of a singing Red-winged Blackbird male.

Male Red-winged Blackbird Foraging In Grasses

By |2023-03-03T19:22:28-07:00February 23rd, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-winged Blackbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

After a very busy day yesterday, I decided to share a simple photo this morning of a male Red-winged Blackbird foraging in grasses at Farmington Bay WMA.

Comments Off on Male Red-winged Blackbird Foraging In Grasses

Coming Soon: Great-tailed Grackle Breeding Season

By |2023-02-21T03:48:56-07:00February 21st, 2023|Categories: Birds, Great-tailed Grackles, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On two of my most recent walks I have seen Great-tailed Grackles. Seeing them reminded me that Great-tailed Grackle breeding season is coming soon.

Male Red-winged Blackbird In January

By |2023-01-15T05:40:36-07:00January 15th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-winged Blackbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I was at Farmington Bay WMA three days ago I stopped to photograph a male Red-winged Blackbird that I spotted on an old dead branch.

Old Bullock’s Oriole Nest In Autumn

By |2022-11-18T04:20:19-07:00November 14th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Bullock's Orioles, Jordan River Parkway Trail, Morgan County, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Now that many of the leaves have fallen off the trees along the Jordan River I have been finding quite a few Bullock's Oriole nests on my walks along the trail.

Go to Top