grasslands

Spring Flowering Gray’s Biscuitroot

By |2022-04-06T05:12:54-06:00April 6th, 2022|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Gray’s Biscuitroot, Utah, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The first wildflowers I photographed this spring were some Gray's Biscuitroot that I found blooming on the north end of Antelope Island last week.

Say’s Phoebe – A Bird I Listen For In March

By |2021-03-09T06:40:34-07:00March 9th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Say's Phoebes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The calls of a Say's Phoebe are among the sounds I listen for in March and they are the first members of the tyrant flycatcher family I see each year in northern Utah.

Autumn American Bison Bull And The Great Salt Lake

By |2024-02-08T16:36:57-07:00November 24th, 2020|Categories: American Bison, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I see American Bison at Antelope Island State Park I am always very aware of how close we came to losing them entirely and that fact makes me appreciate them even more.

West Desert Ferruginous Hawks – Light And Dark Morphs

By |2021-09-22T15:48:56-06:00October 12th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The past couple of weeks on some of my journeys to the West Desert of Utah I have been able to have a few long distance views of Ferruginous Hawks and that has me excited.

Vesper Sparrows In Spring

By |2023-03-07T07:44:53-07:00April 28th, 2020|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Utah, Vesper Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Earlier this month I spotted my first of year Vesper Sparrow way up north in Box Elder County and since then I have been looking for them closer to home in the Wasatch Mountains.

Long-billed Curlews Have Returned For Their Breeding Season

By |2021-03-14T15:39:25-06:00March 29th, 2020|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Long-billed Curlews, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago I heard and saw my first of the season Long-billed Curlews while looking for birds to photograph in northern Utah and I could barely contain my excitement.

Ferruginous Hawks in Utah

By |2021-09-23T13:20:27-06:00December 26th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Ferruginous Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Knowing what kind of habitat Ferruginous Hawks prefer during all four seasons here in northern Utah can increase the chances of finding them year round.

I Swear I heard A Willet Calling Two Days Ago

By |2021-04-25T05:24:41-06:00April 3rd, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Utah, Willets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While looking for Sage Thrashers to photograph on Antelope Island two days ago I swear I heard a Willet call. It was just one distant call but my ears perked up right away.

Why Did The Curlew Cross The Road?

By |2021-01-29T11:00:44-07:00April 2nd, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Long-billed Curlews, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

The road is nothing more than a sandy track that runs through a grassland area where in past years I have seen Long-billed Curlews displaying, fighting, courting and mating and I hoped to see that yesterday.

Utah’s Long-billed Curlews Have Arrived And Their Calls Are Being Heard

By |2022-08-16T05:33:37-06:00March 26th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Long-billed Curlews, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday when I saw, heard and photographed these Long-billed Curlews while on Antelope Island I was reminded of all the times I have taken photos of these large shorebirds here in Utah, Montana and in Florida and how I have enjoyed having an intimate view of their lives both through my lens and with my eyes.

Long-billed Curlews – Shorebirds of the Great Basin

By |2022-08-16T05:35:02-06:00March 22nd, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Long-billed Curlews, Pinellas County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was one year ago today that I saw and heard my first Long-billed Curlews of the year and this morning as I sit here knowing there are cloudy skies outside I am wondering if the curlews have returned to northern Utah today as well.

Antelope Island Mourning Dove Close Up

By |2024-03-07T05:32:24-07:00April 1st, 2017|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Mourning Doves, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm keeping my daily post simple today, as simple as a Mourning Dove close up I photographed on Antelope Island last spring taken while it moved through the dew laden grasses.

Listening for Long-billed Curlews

By |2020-03-29T10:53:56-06:00March 2nd, 2017|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Long-billed Curlews, Pinellas County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The first of March always makes me think of and listen for Long-billed Curlews, our largest shorebird of North America.

The State of North American Birds and its Not Good News

By |2021-01-28T15:47:24-07:00July 1st, 2016|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Greater Sage-Grouse, Mountain Plovers, Pinellas County, Reddish Egrets, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

These four birds, an American Oystercatcher, a Greater Sage-Grouse, a Reddish Egret and a Mountain Plover are all facing the risk of extinction without serious conservation measures to reduce declines in populations and habitat destruction.

Franklin’s Gull and Laughing Gull Comparison

By |2021-05-30T06:14:18-06:00May 2nd, 2016|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Brine Flies, Davis County, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Franklin's Gulls, Laughing Gulls, Pinellas County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I know this isn't a complete Franklin's Gull and Laughing Gull comparison but I'm not a scientist, just a bird photographer and bird lover.

Western Willets on Antelope Island

By |2021-04-25T08:25:30-06:00June 6th, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Utah, Willets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There are two subspecies of Willets in North America and during the breeding season in Utah the birds we see are the Western subspecies.

Marbled Godwit Surprise on Antelope Island

By |2021-07-17T08:55:55-06:00April 24th, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Marbled Godwits, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was surprised to see this Marbled Godwit on the island but over the years I have learned to expect the unexpected whenever I am out photographing birds!

Our Willets have returned

By |2021-04-25T08:45:01-06:00April 9th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge, Egmont Key State Park, Florida, Pinellas County, Utah, Willets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday for the first time this season I saw and heard Willets on Antelope Island State Park.

Long-billed Curlews are back in Utah!

By |2022-08-16T03:54:06-06:00March 23rd, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Long-billed Curlews, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I saw my first of the year Long-billed Curlews two days ago on Antelope Island State Park flying overhead. They weren't close enough to photograph but I know that soon I will have them in my viewfinder again.

Female Mountain Bluebirds in Montana

By |2024-03-28T17:21:54-06:00June 15th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Mountain Bluebirds, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There were Mountain Bluebirds everywhere I looked on my recent trip to Montana where flashes of their brilliant blue plumage were a delight to my eyes.

Willets – In Utah and Florida

By |2021-09-07T05:36:28-06:00May 3rd, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Utah, Willets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Willets have returned to Utah, on the causeway to Antelope Island hundreds of them can be seen in the shallow water. They seem to spend some time there fattening up after migration before they get down to the serious business of mating and rearing their young.

Coyote in the grasses of Antelope Island

By |2023-11-16T05:40:41-07:00October 25th, 2011|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Coyotes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last month I spotted this Coyote in the golden light of dawn while it hunted in the grasses on Antelope Island State Park. With light so sweet, how could I resist?

Friday Photos – Coyote in a Prairie Grassland

By |2021-03-13T04:20:44-07:00September 2nd, 2011|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Coyotes, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Coyotes and wolves help to cull out the sick and weak animals in herds of deer, antelope and elk which in turn can help to keep those herds in better health

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