Jays, Crows and Allies

Black-billed Magpie With Nesting Materials

By |2024-02-20T10:36:59-07:00February 20th, 2024|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was my first full spring in Utah, nearly 14 years ago, when my keen eyes were used to find my first Black-billed Magpie nest on Antelope Island State Park.

American Crow Nictitating Membrane Images

By |2024-01-22T05:22:03-07:00January 22nd, 2024|Categories: American Crows, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning, I'm sharing three portraits of an American Crow, two of which include the very pale, nearly icy-blue nictitating membrane that these crows have.

Common Raven – My First Of Year Bird 2024

By |2024-01-02T03:42:26-07:00January 2nd, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Ravens, Scenics, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My first bird of the year for 2024 was a Common Raven I found yesterday morning on my way out to the auto tour loop of Bear River MBR.

Another Scrub-Jay Name Change in 2024

By |2023-12-05T04:38:31-07:00December 5th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Ophir Canyon, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Lately, I've been wondering what the new name for the Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay species, that I photograph here in Utah, will be when it is changed in 2024.

Common Raven Pair At Bear River MBR

By |2023-11-12T04:28:00-07:00November 12th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Ravens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On at least my last three trips up to Bear River MBR, I have found a Common Raven pair in the same general area of the north side of the auto tour route.

Young And Adult Blue Jay Photos From Arkansas

By |2023-09-08T02:38:49-06:00August 1st, 2023|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Blue Jays, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning, I am sharing young and adult Blue Jay photos that I took from my dear friend Steve Creek's deck while I was staying with him in Arkansas.

Murder Of American Crows Calling

By |2023-08-31T05:55:25-06:00February 11th, 2023|Categories: American Crows, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah, Video|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

To my delight, I heard and saw hundreds of American Crows at Farmington Bay WMA on my visit there early yesterday morning. The crows were great company. 

Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay With Different Backgrounds

By |2023-01-12T14:31:38-07:00January 12th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I'm sharing two photos of the same Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay perched in the West Desert on the same juniper with two different backgrounds.

My Birding By Ear Affliction

By |2023-07-27T03:41:28-06:00January 7th, 2023|Categories: American Crows, Barred Owls, Birds, Blue Jays, Florida, Hillsborough County, Lettuce Lake Regional Park, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My birding by ear affliction isn't that I can't hear birds; it is that I can't not hear them. Even when I am on the phone with my friends.

My 2022 Year In Review

By |2023-11-10T04:24:07-07:00December 31st, 2022|Categories: American Kestrels, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Box Elder County, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Golden Eagles, Great Horned Owls, Horned Grebes, Morgan County, Ring-billed Gulls, Rock Wrens, Ruffed Grouse, Tundra Swans, Utah, Warbling Vireos, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On this last day of the year it is time for my annual 2022 Year in Review post. In some ways 2022 has been great for me and in others not so good.

Birds On Ice In Northern Utah

By |2022-12-14T04:20:48-07:00December 14th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Canada Geese, Common Ravens, Ring-billed Gulls, Salt Lake County, Trumpeter Swans, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I'm sharing photos of five bird species that I find on ice during the coldest months of the year in marsh and urban locations.

Young Black-billed Magpie In A Serviceberry

By |2022-07-13T04:54:59-06:00July 13th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last Friday I found this Black-billed Magpie perched in a serviceberry shrub high in the mountains and stopped to take photos of the young bird.

Bear River MBR Common Raven Photos

By |2022-01-15T05:23:15-07:00January 15th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Ravens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Earlier this week as I drove slowly around the auto tour route at Bear River MBR I was able to take a short series of Common Raven photos as they played on the ice.

Immature Black-billed Magpie Portrait At Sunrise

By |2021-11-09T05:52:48-07:00November 9th, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was looking through my archives yesterday when I came across this immature Black-billed Magpie portrait taken at sunrise on Antelope Island State Park.

How I Found My First Of Season Rough-legged Hawks

By |2021-11-06T06:02:36-06:00November 6th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Common Ravens, Rough-legged Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was a very memorable first of year sighting of these Rough-legged Hawks. The kind where you sit there wondering if you really saw what you saw.

How I Found A Flock Of Clark’s Nutcrackers Yesterday

By |2022-04-26T09:48:15-06:00October 2nd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Clark's Nutcrackers, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My eyes and my birding instincts didn't lead me astray because there was a Clark's Nutcracker perched at the top of the fir.

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