Murmuration Of European Starlings On The Wing
I wasn't the only person who noticed the huge murmuration of European Starlings at my local pond yesterday morning; other people stopped and admired them too.
I wasn't the only person who noticed the huge murmuration of European Starlings at my local pond yesterday morning; other people stopped and admired them too.
Last Monday, when I photographed this American Pipit at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in frosted grasses, I had several thoughts whirling around in my mind.
Last Monday I took my first autumn American Pipit photos of 2023 while I was on the auto tour loop at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I was so happy.
These Brown Thrasher photos were taken during three of the days I photographed from my friend Steve Creek's deck while I was visiting him in Arkansas.
Three days ago, I took this photo of a European Starling perched on top of a crabapple tree with a brilliant blue winter sky in the background at a city park.
This morning my subject is a European Starling in snow. I know some people hate these birds. I know some photographers won't raise their lens for them. I do.
It has been almost exactly one year since I have taken high quality images of American Pipits. I have a fondness for these birds and I have missed them.
Towards the end of last month I found a Sage Thrasher high in the mountains in riparian habitat which surprised me. A lot.
Yesterday morning while photographing a male Yellow Warbler I caught some movement with my peripheral vison and saw a young Gray Catbird very close to me.
While I was up in the Wasatch Mountains two days ago I photographed an adult Gray Catbird on a stump that is stuck close to a creek bank.
This morning I wanted to share some photos of the birds and blooms that I took images of one morning last week while I was high in the Wasatch Mountains.
March 13th is an anniversary of sorts for me. The date is the earliest that I have seen and photographed a Sage Thrasher in northern Utah.
I've been seeing and hearing American Pipits since the end of September but this was the first time this fall I was able to get close to them.
I've been hearing American Pipits since around the end of September but so far this year I haven't been able to photograph even one of these birds.
Sage Thrashers are only in Utah for their breeding season and by now all their chicks have fledged and are feeding on their own.
Bird activity in the Wasatch Mountains has gotten slow but I was able to find and photograph an adult Gray Catbird with food for its young two days ago.
Yesterday morning I spent part of my time in the Wasatch Mountains focused on a Gray Catbird searching for ripe honeysuckle berries.
The month of May is nearly upon us and for me that means it is time to start looking and listening for my first of year Gray Catbird.
Two days ago I was able to take photos of a male European Starling on three different perches just a few seconds apart in northern Utah.
The second bird I photographed yesterday morning on Antelope Island State Park was an adult Sage Thrasher in gorgeous early morning light.
Sage Thrashers return to northern Utah in March and it is now time for me to start listening for their songs and melodies.
The first bird I saw in 2021 was a European Starling perched on a power line on the road to my local grocery store about 8:15 am yesterday morning.
This is my 2020 photographic year in review. I'm selecting some of my favorite photos from 2020 and a few that just make me happy to see them.
I have a backlog of raptor images I took earlier this week but I wanted to share one of a species that some people hate or many bird photographers prefer to ignore, the European Starling.
Last year by this date I had taken hundreds of photos of American Pipits. So far this autumn I have taken Nada. Zip. Zero. Zilch.
Eleven days ago I photographed an adult Sage Thrasher regurgitating the seed of a sumac berry that was so close I could barely fit the thrasher in the frame.
I was busy photographing six species of sparrows when I noticed this adult Sage Thrasher pop up in a sumac bush that was close enough for me to take portraits of it.
When I saw a Gray Catbird fledgling inch its way up a stick two days ago and then exhibit begging behavior by raising its wings and opening its bill I locked on to it.
I hoped the Sage Thrasher would come closer so that I could photograph it and just about the time the Short-eared Owl lifted off the thrasher popped up on a nearby metal post.
I don’t think it was a “King of the castle” kind of behavior going on but what do I know, I am not a bird!