Since moving to Utah in the summer of 2009 I have wanted to get some images of an American Bison standing with the Great Salt Lake in the background. I had gotten them grazing on the hillsides, rolling around in a wallow, with calves, near the rocks and laying down but I hadn’t gotten the images I wanted with the lake clearly visible in the background.

European Starling hitching a ride on an American Bison European Starling hitching a ride on an American Bison –  Nikon d200, f8, 1/1000, ISO 400, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 170mm, natural light

As a bird and nature photographer there are always images that I dream of getting, sometimes it is of a certain species or a specific setting. Some of those images I have been fortunate enough to create, others; not yet.

Patience does pay off because two days ago I was able to get a series of images of this bison with the Great Salt Lake clearly in view plus I had the added bonuses of having the snow topped Wasatch Mountain Range in the distance and a European Starling hitching a ride.

So, on to my next “dream” shot, I wonder when it will happen.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my American Bison photos plus facts and information about this species.

* It isn’t uncommon to see Brown-headed Cowbirds or European Starlings perched on the backs of bison.