Black-billed Magpies

Pica hudsonia

Black-billed Magpies have bold black and white plumage with a very long tail, some areas of their plumage has blue, purple and green iridescence that can be seen in the right light.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Black-billed Magpie Fledgling Perched In A Serviceberry

By |2024-03-02T03:42:25-07:00July 18th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I liked this image of one of the fledgling Black-billed Magpies I photographed because of the serviceberry perch, the great eye contact I had with the young bird and its pose.

Mating Bald Eagles At East Canyon Reservoir Plus A Black-billed Magpie

By |2021-03-12T08:01:23-07:00March 17th, 2020|Categories: Bald Eagles, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, East Canyon State Park, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I took eighty-four images of the Bald Eagle pair mating on the frozen reservoir and the entire time the magpie stood on the ice close to them.

Ten Years Of Photographing Nesting Black-billed Magpies At The Same Nest

By |2023-04-26T02:52:22-06:00February 28th, 2020|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I am more than thrilled to once again observe and photograph nesting Black-billed Magpies using the same greasewood where I first photographed them almost ten years ago.

Black-billed Magpie Portrait In Whiteout Conditions

By |2021-03-25T06:34:18-06:00January 27th, 2020|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I seem to be on a high key bird photo kick this month so I thought I would add one more of a Black-billed Magpie I photographed in a winter whiteout just a few days shy of four years ago.

Immature Black-billed Magpies Flocking In The Wasatch Mountains

By |2024-03-02T03:29:25-07:00August 9th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was delighted to photograph the few immature Black-billed Magpies that were close to me and to observe those who were further away foraging and chasing each other around in a field dotted with wildflowers, grasses and sage.

Resting Black-billed Magpie Close Up On Antelope Island

By |2021-03-25T06:31:43-06:00March 25th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

So far this year the only photo I've taken of the nest building magpies that I have liked is this close up of a resting Black-billed Magpie who was taking a break from looking for nesting materials.

Some of the Birds That People Love to Hate

By |2024-02-14T06:28:20-07:00March 11th, 2018|Categories: American Crows, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Common Ravens, Double-crested Cormorants, European Starlings, Fish Crows, Florida, House Sparrows, Laughing Gulls, Mallards|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Okay, that is enough for now, there are more birds that people love to hate but I can only deal with so much of it before I feel the need to get out and photograph all the birds I see, even those that other people despise.

Black-billed Magpie On The Wing – Sideways

By |2021-03-25T07:21:15-06:00March 5th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This Black-billed Magpie had been perched on the top of a leafless greasewood when it lifted off from it and flew almost directly towards me with its body and wings turned sideways in flight.

Black-billed Magpie Juvenile Perched on a Sign on Antelope Island

By |2022-12-05T06:21:57-07:00July 28th, 2017|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , |

There was a tribe of juvenile Black-billed Magpies on Antelope Island State Park yesterday down near White Rock Bay that were wandering around in the area near the Buffalo Point trailhead

Black-billed Magpie on the Rocks of Antelope Island

By |2024-01-18T14:24:05-07:00March 7th, 2017|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I found a Black-billed Magpie on the rocks close to the road below Frary Peak I was happy to photograph it there.

An Immature Black-billed Magpie in Flight

By |2021-11-09T05:12:55-07:00March 10th, 2016|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed this immature Black-billed Magpie in flight last September on Antelope Island State Park as it flew over a rabbitbrush that was just about to bloom.

Coyote and Black-billed Magpies Scavenging to Survive

By |2023-12-29T07:48:09-07:00December 29th, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Coyotes, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One year ago today I found, pointed out and photographed a Coyote and Black-billed Magpies scavenging a deer carcass to survive on Antelope Island State Park.

Partially Leucistic Black-billed Magpie

By |2023-01-03T02:38:35-07:00March 20th, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Leucistic, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week I photographed some Black-billed Magpies on Antelope Island State Park and one of them was partially leucistic

Raising my glass to 2015!

By |2024-03-03T07:06:51-07:00January 1st, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Beaverhead County, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Davis County, House Wrens, Idaho, Montana, Moose, Swainson's Hawks, Targhee National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Raising the glass attached to my camera that is! I'm excited about the photographic opportunities that will present themselves in 2015.

Bison, Starlings, Magpies, Coyotes and a Mule Deer carcass

By |2024-02-08T15:44:36-07:00December 30th, 2014|Categories: American Bison, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Coyotes, Davis County, European Starlings, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday was another interesting day on Antelope Island seeing snow-covered Bison, snowy weather, birds and spotting Coyotes at a Mule Deer carcass.

Immature Black-billed Magpie

By |2021-11-10T04:22:04-07:00August 2nd, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Right now on Antelope Island State Park teenaged birds are molting into their adult plumage including young Black-billed Magpies.

Iridescent colors of a Black-billed Magpie

By |2024-03-18T17:26:41-06:00March 6th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday this Black-billed Magpie turned in flight while I was photographing it which allowed me a great dorsal view that showed the iridescent colors well.

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