Thrushes and Allies

Family: Turdidae

Thrushes and their allies are elegant songsters, they are usually long-legged with short, blunt tipped bills. They feed on insects, worms, snails and fruits. Some thrushes are brightly colored like bluebirds and Varied Thrushes and some are dull in coloration such as Townsend’s Solitaires and Gray-cheeked Thrushes. They can be found in many different habitats.

2023 – That’s A Wrap

By |2024-01-08T04:03:30-07:00December 31st, 2023|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Indigo Buntings|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm breaking from my own tradition this year and simply calling 2023 a wrap. Typically, I share photos from each month of the year and write about my journeys.

My Solitaire Common Name Change Recommendation

By |2023-11-20T05:02:29-07:00November 20th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Tooele County, Townsend's Solitaires, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In 2024, the common name for Townsend's Solitaire will change, along with many other bird names. My recommendation would be to rename it the Juniper Solitaire.

Fishing Line Is A Dangerous Nesting Material

By |2023-04-21T04:22:20-06:00April 19th, 2023|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Fishing Line Dangers, Nesting Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

All across the country it is nesting season for many North American birds. For some nesting birds it is also a very dangerous time because of fishing line.

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.

West Desert Western Bluebird Memory

By |2023-02-24T05:05:07-07:00February 24th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert, Western Bluebirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I am sharing a Western Bluebird memory from seven years ago. That day I found small flock of these colorful bluebirds in the West Desert.

Frosty American Robin Photos

By |2023-02-08T05:08:40-07:00February 8th, 2023|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent a little bit of time yesterday taking American Robin photos on frosty grass. The robins were feasting on ripe crabapples that have fallen to the ground.

American Robin Photos – Borbs In Snow

By |2023-01-28T04:10:08-07:00January 28th, 2023|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I am sharing four American Robin photos taken three days ago close to home. Each one of the robins looks like a borb in the snow.

Winter American Robin In A Crabapple

By |2023-01-26T04:01:38-07:00January 26th, 2023|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

After an overnight snowfall I drove to a grove of crabapples. I photographed this winter American Robin perched in one of the fruit bearing trees in low light.

Desert Townsend’s Solitaire

By |2022-10-21T10:28:26-06:00October 21st, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Townsend's Solitaires, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was thrilled to find and take pictures of a Townsend's Solitaire perched on the bare branches of a sumac on my journey yesterday morning to far northern Utah.

West Desert Mountain Bluebird

By |2022-05-13T05:05:53-06:00May 13th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Mountain Bluebirds, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It is always lovely to have a male Mountain Bluebird like this one I found in the West Desert in my viewfinder because they rival the color of the sky overhead.

Low Light Male Mountain Bluebird

By |2022-04-22T05:44:49-06:00April 22nd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Mountain Bluebirds, Scenics, Summit County, Trees, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago while I was high in the Wasatch Mountains this adult male Mountain Bluebird landed close enough for me to take photos of him.

Male Mountain Bluebird, Shadows And A Big Stick

By |2022-04-19T05:06:57-06:00April 19th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Mountain Bluebirds, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent some time wandering in the West Desert yesterday morning and the only decent bird photos that I took were of this male Mountain Bluebird.

Spring American Robin Photos

By |2023-01-28T06:32:29-07:00April 5th, 2022|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I spent a few minutes taking American Robin photos as they foraged for crabapples at an urban park close to home in Salt Lake City.

Singing Townsend’s Solitaire Surrounded By Tiny Bugs

By |2021-11-13T05:37:09-07:00November 13th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Tooele County, Townsend's Solitaires, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I was thrilled to listen to and photograph a singing Townsend's Solitaire as it perched on a juniper surrounded by tiny flying bugs.

Autumn Townsend’s Solitaire Plus Snow In The 10 Day Forecast

By |2021-10-04T05:20:05-06:00October 4th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Townsend's Solitaires, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I found quite a few birds yesterday in far northern Utah and of all the photos I took this autumn Townsend's Solitaire was my favorite.

Juvenile American Robin Foraging On Its Own

By |2024-03-10T13:20:13-06:00July 3rd, 2021|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed my first of year juvenile American Robin two days ago as it foraged on its own high in a Wasatch Mountain canyon near a creek.

Adult American Robin Portrait – Photos Can Transport Us To Another Place And Time

By |2024-03-10T13:06:34-06:00June 27th, 2021|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of the birds I photographed on the June morning was this American Robin that was so close to me that I opted to take portraits of it.

Male Mountain Bluebird Perched On Mullein

By |2021-06-18T05:50:56-06:00June 18th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Mountain Bluebirds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I haven't had many bluebirds in my viewfinder this spring so when this adult male Mountain Bluebird perched on mullein showed up last week I was happy to photograph it.

Mountain Bluebird On The Aquarius Plateau

By |2024-03-15T06:58:52-06:00March 27th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Dixie National Forest, Mountain Bluebirds, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I thought this male Mountain Bluebird photographed on the Aquarius Plateau in Wayne County, Utah positively glowed in the early morning light.

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