Mated pair of Red-tailed Hawks perched close to each other – Nikon D500, f9, 1/1000, ISO 800, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 21.4x TC, natural light, not baited
The Covid-19 pandemic has made bird photography here in northern Utah and around the globe more difficult. Some places have strict lock downs where leaving your home could get you arrested. Some you can leave your home for essentials like going to the grocery store, the pharmacy, gas stations and for exercise as long as social distancing is practiced.
Here in northern Utah at this time I am only going to the grocery store when needed, the gas station and for now I am getting out into the field to photograph birds because it isn’t hard to practice social distancing here. We have plenty of open space.
The locations I go to when I am photographing birds aren’t parks where I would have to get out and walk on a boardwalk, they are locations where I use a vehicle as a mobile blind. About the only time I get out of the vehicle is to answer the call of nature and frankly during this time I’d rather pee on the side of a road or behind a bush than use a public facility. I carry my hand sanitizer along for both. I also carry it for using after pumping gas and use it even if my hands were covered while pumping gas.
Earthquake Map March 23, 2020 – Click image to enlarge
In the Salt Lake Valley the recent earthquake and the aftershocks have also made me think carefully about where I might go to look for birds to photograph in addition to social distancing because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Yesterday I seriously considered heading out into the West Desert to look for birds and perhaps go as far as Simpson Springs because it looked like it might be sunny out there as opposed to the clouds I woke up to.
Then I carefully considered where I would have to drive on I-80 because I would have to drive very close to where the earthquake activity has been occurring. I know there is a temporary bridge on I-80 in that general area that I would have to drive over plus I’d have to drive under several overpasses there to get back home, both the bridge and those overpasses could be damaged with a strong aftershock. Those strong aftershocks are still happening, we had a 3.9 last evening that looks like it may have been just about a mile from the interstate.
So on top of social distancing I have been thinking hard about how a larger aftershock might affect my ability to get back home after a day in the field.
If I-80 were to close because of damage to the bridges or overpasses just to the west of where this map says Saltair and after where SR201 merges with I-80 I would have to drive all the way around the Oquirrh Mountain Range to get back home. There is NO alternate route for I-80 in that area.
Rousing Red-tailed Hawk on a wooden post – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 21.4x TC, natural light, not baited
I’m being safe, I am making informed decisions when it comes to getting out into the field. I’m practicing social distancing and will forego getting hugs from my friends when I see them out in the field even though I know that those hugs would feel wonderful in this time of worry, fear and uncertainty because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
In the event that our governor does force us into a total lock down I have enough images that I haven’t shared here on my blog that I could post everyday for a year and still not run out of photos. If it comes to that it might be fun to go back through older images and tell their real stories here. You see, I’ve been hoarding bird photos all along.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Red-tailed Hawk photos plus fact and information about this species.
Interesting to see the pair of Red-tailed Hawks. The one on the left seems larger, perhaps it is the female, Stay safe!
I hear ya. Also glad if I can’t get out birding that I have feeders in the backyard and I can still watch them. There is something mesmerizing about how many times the suet and bird feeders get emptied.
I love your daily photographs and as I also have thousands of photos on my computer I’m trying to do something similar during these interesting times and posting a daily picture (nature) for the people that can’t get out in it.
Like your photos, I feel like I’m right there with you seeing the hawk fly. I so appreciate what you do
Glad you’re OK, Mia. Good call on avoiding the EQ area. I tried to practice social distancing at the supermarket yesterday, but people were coming up through the aisles. I figure that as long as no one coughed or sneezed I should be fine. 😉 California has gotten pretty strict, so I’m laying low for now. Sending virtual hugs your way.
I hope that you can continue to do what you (and we) love.
We are inching closer to a lockdown here (at least in part because some people totally ignore social distancing).
Stay well, stay happy and stay safe. From the virus and the aftershocks.
Wish for you a tremor-free day, safety and wellness. We are not on lock-down but that is one of my fears as there are a number of people in the parks and river valley not keeping distance from others, plus we will have a slew of travellers returning from Spring break and other countries. I go out in the neighbourhood to take photos and all I see are Magpies. Nothing against them but I would prefer some variety, maybe I will walk further and get into the valley. I am not so keen on public transit.
You have many, many photos in the online archives that hardly anybody has seen. Stay safe, stay home. Adopt a theme for photo groupings and share with us the wonderful variety of pictures in your archives. We will get though this. When we look back it will seem like a bad dream. You will be glad you took all the precautions imaginable. Despite the present difficulties, LIFE IS GOOD!
The redtails are beautiful.
Haley and Nate’s apartment is up diagonally about 1/4 inch to the left in the grey color from the wording Stone Bridge Golf Course.
Yesterday I had several acquaintances post that all hiking trails, Antelope Island and BRMBR were busier than the the regular roads.
April, I am going to avoid places like Antelope Island and Bear River MBR and head to less known areas.
A friend of mine was out the other day self distancing and watching a woodpecker in a tree when all of a sudden she heard a male voice behind her. A man had walked to within three feet of her shoulder! She now has to worry if she has been exposed. You’d have to be living under a rock to not know people are keeping your distance. That man is lucky he didn’t get bear spray in his face. Which makes me think I should be carrying bear spray to keep stupid people away.
I keep on birding, alone in my car, preferring isolated dirt roads also. Seeing the same basic 25 species but it is so good to get out. I can’t not go birding! Looking forward to spring migration but not at the favorite usual spots! Keep on birding and keep on being sensible and safer!
I am still going out birding but to places where I seldom see another soul. Lots of hand washing, lots of sanitizer. My photos have been piling up so I am deleting, sorting & saving. Bored? No! But I would be definitely be chomping at the bit if there was a total lockdown. Scary times. Lucky birds don’t have to social-distance. I don’t blame you for staying away from bridges & overpasses with the aftershocks of the earthquake. Stay well.
Keep it up …. staying informed, being safe, and hoarding bird photos instead of toilet paper and anti-bacterial soap! The image of the rousing Red-tailed Hawk does make me want to get out, but the birding spots that are relatively close are conducive to social distancing.
If it is not one thing… Glad to know you CAN get out for now. Here on the Texas coast we are also going out to places where we are unlikely to see other birder/photographers. Spring Migration is just starting but those migrant traps can get very crowded. For now, we are out in the marsh and mudflats. Stay safe and I hope you can still drive around. All this cheap gas and they want us to stay home. Which I totally understand but as you said, social distance in the great outdoors is very easy.
I hear you, Linda. I gassed up both cars yesterday — very cheaply — and feel all dressed up with nowhere to go.