Brewer’s Blackbirds

Brewer’s Blackbird males have yellow eyes, glossy black plumage with iridescent metallic blues, purples and greens. Females are brown with dark eyes.

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.

Male Brewer’s Blackbird On A Sign

By |2022-10-01T03:40:48-06:00October 1st, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Brewer's Blackbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While traveling the auto tour loop at Bear River MBR yesterday morning, I was thrilled to see an adult male Brewer's Blackbird on an interpretive sign.

Male Brewer’s Blackbird After Bathing In A Creek

By |2022-06-18T11:43:07-06:00June 18th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A few days ago I spotted a male Brewer's Blackbird bathing in the cool, shallow water of an alpine creek and moved towards him to take a few photos.

Changes At Farmington Bay WMA And Glover Pond

By |2023-03-17T07:01:20-06:00October 8th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Conservation, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Every year when I make my first trip to Farmington Bay WMA in the fall I dread the changes that inevitably happen.

World Wetlands Day 2021

By |2024-03-13T04:38:39-06:00February 2nd, 2021|Categories: American Bitterns, American Coots, Bald Eagles, Barn Owls, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Black-crowned Night Herons, Blue-winged Teals, Brewer's Blackbirds, Centennial Valley, Cinnamon Teals, Common Checkered-Skippers, Common Mergansers, Conservation, Eight-spotted Skimmers, Environment, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Greater Scaups, Green-winged Teals, Halloween Pennants, Hooded Mergansers, Least Sandpipers, Lesser Scaups, Long-tailed Weasels, Marsh Wrens, Montana, Moose, Muskrats, Northern Harriers, Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, Pectoral Sandpipers, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-breasted Mergansers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Reddish Egrets, Redheads, Ruddy Ducks, Rusty Blackbirds, Sandhill Cranes, Scarlet Skimmers, Snowy Egrets, Spotted Sandpipers, Tricolored Herons, Trumpeter Swans, Tundra Swans, Utah, Variegated Meadowhawk, White-faced Ibises, Wildflowers, Wilson's Phalaropes, Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

February 2nd is World Wetlands Day to raise global awareness about the critical role of wetlands for people, wildlife and our planet.

Brewer’s Blackbird Males Are Colorful In The Right Light

By |2022-06-18T07:24:31-06:00November 1st, 2020|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In the right light Brewer's Blackbird males are very colorful because their feathers glow with blue, green, and purple iridescence.

Male Brewer’s Blackbird And Thoughts On Changes

By |2021-05-10T07:07:38-06:00September 19th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

I look at this seasonal change as a personal challenge to grow, to adapt and to meet my bird photography goals. I'm looking forward to the challenges and changes ahead.

Male Brewer’s Blackbird Close Up

By |2022-06-18T07:25:32-06:00October 12th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I was able to take close up images of a male Brewer's Blackbird in the kind of light that showed all of its beautiful iridescent colors with the silky blue water of a pond in the background.

2018 Year In Review For On The Wing Photography

By |2023-11-17T07:39:25-07:00December 31st, 2018|Categories: Baltimore Orioles, Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, California Gulls, Cedar Waxwings, Northern Mockingbirds, Peregrine Falcons, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Say's Phoebes, Tundra Swans, Wild Turkeys, Yellow Warblers, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

All in all, as 2018 comes to a close I realize how fortunate I am to see all the birds that I do throughout the year as a bird photographer, to be able to do what I love and to love my feathered subjects too.

Male Brewer’s Blackbird On A Fence Post With Fall Colors

By |2021-05-10T07:14:57-06:00November 1st, 2018|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago I had a male Brewer's Blackbird in my viewfinder near Glover Pond in Davis County, I photographed him as he perched on a fence post with fall colors in the background.

Feathers & Fur – Short-eared Owl, Shaking Brewer’s Blackbird and a Curious Long-tailed Weasel

By |2023-10-02T18:26:37-06:00October 25th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Long-tailed Weasels, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

So it wasn't a great morning but it wasn't all that bad either because I was able to focus on a Short-eared Owl, Brewer's Blackbirds and one curious Long-tailed Weasel.

Autumn Male Brewer’s Blackbird shaking after preening

By |2021-05-10T07:20:47-06:00October 18th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A male Brewer's Blackbird had been preening on a fence post when he started to shake his feathers and that action sure showed his iridescent plumage off nicely.

Male Brewer’s Blackbird Bathing and Splashing Water

By |2022-06-18T06:52:18-06:00October 13th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Brewer's Blackbird seemed to be really throwing himself into his bath as he splashed around, dipping his head into the water then shaking his entire body as his head rose above the water.

Female Brewer’s Blackbird With Light Colored Eyes?

By |2021-05-10T07:24:00-06:00November 12th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Within the flock of blackbirds there was a female Brewer's Blackbird that drew my attention to her because she had light colored eyes and stood out from the other females that were nearby.

Autumn Brewer’s Blackbirds

By |2022-06-18T06:50:44-06:00October 23rd, 2017|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I always have fun photographing Brewer's Blackbirds even though they are a challenge to expose properly, it is precisely that challenge that keeps me on my toes.

Fluffed up Male Brewer’s Blackbird at Farmington Bay

By |2021-05-10T07:28:52-06:00February 12th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Davis County, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

This Brewer's Blackbird male was with several other males on some weathered wooden pallets next to the road when he shook and fluffed up his feathers.

Male Brewer’s Blackbird on an Autumn Day

By |2021-05-10T07:34:53-06:00October 23rd, 2016|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Brewer's Blackbirds are year round residents in northern Utah and in the autumn they form large flocks that move through open field looking for seeds and fallen grain.

Gutsy Brewer’s Blackbird at a Red-tailed Hawk Nest

By |2022-06-18T07:28:23-06:00October 12th, 2015|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Montana, Nesting Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

This past summer I found a Red-tailed Hawk nest right next to a road in Montana that had three chicks in it that I felt I could photograph without stressing the hawks.

Brewer’s Blackbird – A Common Bird in Steep Decline

By |2022-06-18T07:29:03-06:00April 13th, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Brewer's Blackbirds are a target species of the “Bye bye Blackbird” USDA Wildlife Services Program, a program that uses DRC-1339, an avicide.

Preening Brewer’s Blackbird

By |2021-05-10T07:43:35-06:00October 31st, 2014|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have been seeing plenty of blackbirds lately at Farmington Bay WMA and a few days ago I photographed this preening Brewer's Blackbird on a fence post.

One year ago today – Brewer’s Blackbird

By |2021-05-10T07:48:39-06:00October 18th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Brewer's Blackbirds, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

One year ago today it was slow on Antelope Island, not many birds were close enough to photograph but on the way home I spotted this female Brewer's Blackbird on some rocks near one of the bridges on the causeway to the island.

Brewer’s Blackbirds Displaying and Nesting

By |2022-06-18T07:29:58-06:00May 13th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

While out on Antelope Island State Park on Friday I spotted a male Brewer's Blackbird on top of a bush, the light was just great for viewing and photographing the iridescent teals, blues, greens and purples that can show up on these "black" birds.

Brewer’s Blackbirds

By |2021-05-10T07:53:58-06:00March 16th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Brewer's Blackbirds may not be the most well known of the Blackbird family; I am fairly certain that the Red-winged Blackbirds have that claim to fame, but they are beautiful and interesting subjects to photograph.

Wild and Wonderful – Antelope Island State Park – The Birds

By |2024-03-05T11:36:58-07:00January 25th, 2012|Categories: American Kestrels, American White Pelicans, Antelope Island State Park, Barn Owls, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Brewer's Blackbirds, Burrowing Owls, California Gulls, Chukars, Common Ravens, Davis County, Great Horned Owls, Green-winged Teals, Horned Larks, Killdeer, Long-billed Curlews, Northern Harriers, Northern Shovelers, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons, Rough-legged Hawks, Sage Thrashers, Utah, Western Meadowlarks, Willets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This is the third post in my series about Wild and Wonderful Antelope Island State Park, I've saved the best (and longest) for last. The Birds! Okay, maybe they aren't the best thing about Antelope Island State Park, but I am a bird photographer and they are what I am most passionate about!

Bye bye Blackbirds? The USDA is killing birds with DRC-1339

By |2022-06-18T07:31:59-06:00January 30th, 2011|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Davis County, European Starlings, Florida, Great-tailed Grackles, Pinellas County, Red-winged Blackbirds, Salt Lake County, Utah, Wildlife Ethics & Etiquette, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Recently the USDA accepted responsibility for a smaller die off in South Dakota which brought to light a little known program called "Bye bye Blackbird" which uses DRC-1339, a poison that is also called an avicide.

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