Great Salt Lake

Two Phalarope Species At Bear River MBR

By |2023-10-31T03:17:47-06:00August 30th, 2022|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Red-necked Phalaropes, Utah, Wilson's Phalaropes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago after leaving the auto tour route at Bear River MBR I was able to photograph two phalarope species in a wetlands that were feeding side by side.

American White Pelican In Low Light

By |2022-04-10T05:22:43-06:00April 10th, 2022|Categories: American White Pelicans, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I am enjoying seeing the birds that have returned to breed in Utah including this American White Pelican I photographed in low light two days ago at a local pond.

Looking For My First Of Year Sage Thrasher

By |2022-03-13T05:24:25-06:00March 13th, 2022|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Box Elder County, Sage Thrashers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

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Autumn Coyote In My Viewfinder

By |2021-12-02T07:14:22-07:00December 2nd, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Coyotes, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I spotted a Coyote in poor light at Farmington Bay WMA that reminded me of a recent photo I took of a Coyote there in late November.

Remembering Higher Water In The Great Salt Lake

By |2021-11-29T05:36:40-07:00November 29th, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Conservation, Davis County, Green-winged Teals, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I came across this photo of a Green-winged Teal with Northern Shovelers in the surf of the Great Salt Lake that I took in December of 2011 yesterday. It was a punch in the gut.

Loggerhead Shrike On A Wild Rose In Front of The Dying Great Salt Lake

By |2021-11-16T06:10:13-07:00November 16th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Loggerhead Shrikes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Had I taken these Loggerhead Shrike photos four to five years ago the background wouldn't have been dry lake bed. It would have shown water. Precious, life-giving water.

Franklin’s Gull Feasting On Brine Flies Plus News About The Great Salt Lake

By |2021-08-22T06:05:28-06:00July 25th, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Franklin's Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While Franklin's Gulls are in northern Utah for their breeding season brine flies are an important food source for the adults and their young and are a part of their breeding success here in the Great Basin.

Twelve Years In Utah

By |2021-07-10T07:30:34-06:00July 10th, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Red-necked Phalaropes, Utah, Wilson's Phalaropes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Twelve years ago this morning I woke in Grand Island, Nebraska. I was a little more than 800 miles from my destination of Salt Lake City.

Golden Eagle Flying Over A Hill On Antelope Island

By |2023-11-12T09:36:18-07:00February 9th, 2021|Categories: American Bison, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Golden Eagles, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It has been a couple of years since I have found a Golden Eagle on Antelope Island so when I spotted an adult on a grassy hill yesterday I was excited.

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.

Flocks of Phalaropes In Flight – But Which Species?

By |2023-10-13T06:39:40-06:00July 26th, 2020|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Red-necked Phalaropes, Utah, Wilson's Phalaropes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It is the season of phalarope migration here in the Great Basin hub of the Pacific Flyway and one of the best places to view these shorebirds is along the causeway to Antelope Island State Park.

Searching For Rough-legged Hawks

By |2021-03-03T07:23:36-07:00October 28th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It is currently the time of the year when I start looking for Rough-legged Hawks in northern Utah, the temps have dipped below freezing, there has been frost on the ground and now we've had our first snow.

Cooling Winter Views Of The Great Salt Lake

By |2021-02-27T03:43:45-07:00August 25th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, California Gulls, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I live in such a beautiful state and even though birds are my primary focus as subjects the natural world that surrounds me is endlessly fascinating, stunning and I hope I never lose the sense of wonder I feel when I see it.

Imagine Utah Without California Gulls

By |2023-12-17T02:41:36-07:00August 11th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, California Gulls, Conservation, Davis County, Environment, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Ah, Mia, it is just a bird. No, it isn't just a bird. Because California Gulls aren't the only birds at risk of disappearing from the skies, shorelines and waters of Utah.

Singing Male Horned Lark And The Great Salt Lake

By |2022-10-02T08:16:20-06:00March 24th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Great Salt Lake, Horned Larks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was thrilled to photograph this singing male Horned Lark last week because he was high up on a boulder with the Great Salt Lake below and behind him since I don't have many images of this species with the lake in the background.

Common Raven Close Ups On The Shoreline of the Great Salt Lake

By |2023-10-25T06:49:16-06:00March 16th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Common Ravens, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

At first the Common Raven was near the side of the road but it moved down the rocks and got closer to the lake and where it poked around in the rocks.

My First Of Year Sandhill Cranes!

By |2022-07-14T06:21:35-06:00March 12th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Sandhill Cranes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

I was very excited to spot my first of year Sandhill Cranes yesterday near the causeway to Antelope Island where a pair of the cranes were foraging on the flats of the Great Salt Lake.

Eye Level With A Rough-legged Hawk Carrying Prey

By |2024-01-24T05:41:01-07:00January 13th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Being at eye level with this Rough-legged Hawk carrying prey along the causeway to Antelope Island is an experience I won't soon forget.

Incredible Phalarope Migration Happening Now at the Great Salt Lake

By |2021-07-06T17:20:02-06:00July 19th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Red-necked Phalaropes, Utah, Wilson's Phalaropes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Red-necked and Wilson's Phalaropes have started their fall migration and one of the places where they gather in large numbers is the Great Salt Lake where they show up in the tens of thousands to feed and rest before continuing their journey.

Great Salt Lake Brine Flies – Important Food Source For California Gulls

By |2022-11-08T16:00:33-07:00July 14th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Brine Flies, California Gulls, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Brine flies that live in the Great Salt Lake are an important food source for California Gulls and watching the gulls feed on the flies is fascinating as they use several techniques to catch them.

Snowy Egrets Have Migrated Back To Northern Utah

By |2021-05-21T03:54:01-06:00April 14th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Snowy Egrets, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I lived in Florida I saw Snowy Egrets year round and that kind of spoiled me but here in Utah they leave for the winter and come back to the marshes and wetlands surrounding the Great Salt Lake for their breeding season.

Looking For The First Of The Year Sage Thrashers To Arrive

By |2021-03-07T10:19:07-07:00March 9th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Sage Thrashers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I can barely wait to see my first Sage Thrasher of the year warming up on a rock in front of the Great Salt Lake, scurrying along on the ground, perched on top of sage or rabbitbrush singing or displaying.

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.

Coyote Walking in the Shallow Water of the Great Salt Lake Before Daybreak

By |2021-03-03T12:19:08-07:00January 16th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Coyotes, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

In October I spotted a Coyote walking in the shallow water of the Great Salt Lake from the causeway to Antelope Island in pre-dawn light where the water was reflecting the pink clouds of daybreak.

Birds and Beasts in a November 2012 Snow Storm on Antelope Island

By |2017-11-10T07:37:18-07:00November 10th, 2017|Categories: American Bison, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Coyotes, Davis County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The birds and beasts on Antelope can survive the harsh winters here but as each years passes I wonder how they will be able to adapt to our changing climate. I can't help but be concerned.

Red-necked Phalaropes – Migration and the Great Salt Lake

By |2021-07-06T17:16:33-06:00October 12th, 2017|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Red-necked Phalaropes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last month I was able to photograph flocks of Red-necked Phalaropes on the Great Salt Lake when they were migrating through the area.

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