breeding plumage

Drake Common Goldeneyes In Winter

By |2024-02-27T04:35:30-07:00February 27th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Goldeneyes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I took this photo of two drake Common Goldeneyes at Bear River MBR almost two years ago, I was laughing as I hit my shutter button. I couldn't help myself.

Pied-billed Grebe – Breeding And Nonbreeding Plumage Comparison

By |2024-02-18T05:05:26-07:00February 18th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Pied-billed Grebes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week, I took a photo of a Pied-billed Grebe in breeding plumage at my local pond. Today, I decided to do a comparison with one in nonbreeding plumage.

Pied-billed Grebe – From A Distance And Up Close

By |2024-01-28T05:08:16-07:00January 28th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Pied-billed Grebes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I was out enjoying some sunshine yesterday morning, I photographed an adult Pied-billed Grebe from a distance and up close at one of my local ponds.

Drake Ruddy Duck In Early Breeding Plumage

By |2024-01-20T03:52:38-07:00January 19th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Ruddy Ducks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been paying a lot of attention to a drake Ruddy Duck at my local pond because he has gone into breeding plumage earlier than is normal for this species.

California Gull – A Misnamed Gull Species

By |2024-01-13T11:41:19-07:00January 13th, 2024|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, California Gulls, Davis County, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As I photographed a winter California Gull at my local pond two days ago, I thought about how these gulls are a misnamed species for the umpteenth time.

Fun Drake Mallard At Bear River MBR

By |2024-01-13T03:19:59-07:00January 4th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Mallards, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On New Year's Day morning, I had fun photographing a drake Mallard from the auto tour loop of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge as he lifted off from the marsh.

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.

Fall Redhead Drake Photos

By |2023-11-23T04:00:29-07:00November 23rd, 2023|Categories: Birds, Redheads, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On a cold morning two days ago, I had two Redhead drakes in my viewfinder at my local pond. the light was lovely and so were the ducks.

Male Indigo Bunting at Sequoyah NWR

By |2023-07-03T08:49:20-06:00June 20th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Indigo Buntings, Oklahoma, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm thrilled with the photos I took of a male Indigo Bunting at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma yesterday morning near the Arkansas River.

American White Pelicans – Study Of Light And Shadows

By |2023-05-15T03:01:02-06:00May 15th, 2023|Categories: American White Pelicans, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last month there were plenty of American White Pelicans at my local pond. Because they were there I had the opportunity to photograph them in light and shadows.

World Migratory Bird Day 2023 – Focus On Water

By |2023-05-13T04:22:09-06:00May 13th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Common Loons, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

World Migratory Bird Day is observed on the second Saturday of May every year to promote the significance of preserving migratory birds and their habitats.

Male American Goldfinch In His Finest Plumage

By |2023-05-11T05:01:44-06:00May 11th, 2023|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The heavy snowpack is still making it impossible for me to get into the mountains to photograph birds like this male American Goldfinch in breeding plumage.

Spring Caspian Tern Photos Plus A Bonus Osprey Image

By |2023-05-04T04:42:52-06:00May 4th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Caspian Terns, Ospreys, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

At the end of last month, I had the pleasure of taking Caspian Tern photos as these terns were flying and fishing at my local pond.

Springtime Grebe And Avocet Portraits

By |2023-05-03T03:26:22-06:00May 3rd, 2023|Categories: American Avocets, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Grebes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I am sharing two springtime portraits that I took last week at Bear River MBR. The first is a Western Grebe, the second, an American Avocet.

Drake Ruddy Duck And His Sky Blue Bill

By |2023-04-28T03:43:31-06:00April 28th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Ruddy Ducks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning, I had a real treat photographing a drake Ruddy Duck close to home. He was in his most dapper breeding plumage, including his sky blue bill.

Migrating Common Loon Photos

By |2023-04-22T03:06:54-06:00April 22nd, 2023|Categories: Birds, Common Loons, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I went through more of the Common Loon photos that I have taken since the beginning of this month. I wanted to share more images of these beautiful birds.

Crazy About Common Loons

By |2023-09-08T02:41:25-06:00April 15th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Common Loons, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I didn't go out looking for Common Loons. But I found two and they were fighting, calling, preening and getting up close and personal with me.

More Urban Common Loon Photos

By |2023-04-12T03:27:26-06:00April 12th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Common Loons, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had two mornings to photograph a Common Loon at a local pond. These photos are from the second morning and they show more action from the striking loon.

Snow Weary And Needing A Bird Fix

By |2023-03-31T04:26:28-06:00March 31st, 2023|Categories: American Avocets, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Marsh Wrens, Red-winged Blackbirds, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

More fresh snow on the ground this morning. I am snow weary. What I need is a bird, nature, gone exploring in the wild fix with no real or clear return time.

Urban Drake American Wigeon In Snow

By |2023-03-11T03:40:39-07:00March 10th, 2023|Categories: American Wigeons, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The sun came out for a bit yesterday so I went down to my local urban ponds. I was tickled to find and photograph a drake American Wigeon resting in the snow.

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