There are days I spend as much time looking at the scenery as I do photographing birds because I think we live on an amazingly beautiful planet.

Sunlight on a snowy Wasatch Mountain peak, Salt Lake County, UtahSunlight on a snowy Wasatch Mountain peak – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2500, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

When I lived in Florida there were times I’d pretend that the clouds floating over the Gulf of Mexico were mountains because after spending several years living in Colorado I missed seeing mountain peaks topped with snow, especially on hot, humid days. Sometimes the thought of those mountains would help to cool me down.

And now because I live along the western front of the Wasatch Mountain Range I see mountain peaks everyday. They are beautiful during all four seasons but I have to admit that I love seeing them covered with snow during the winter the most.

This photo was taken almost three years ago as I sat photographing birds at my local pond. When the sun lit up the mountain peak after a cloud passed over it the peak seemed to glow and with me being me I had to take a few photos of it.

There isn’t much snow on the mountain tops yet this winter. I’m still enjoying the view.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Utah landscape photos.

To keep this kind of bird related here is an interesting fact: According to Native American linguistics specialist, William Bright, the mountains were named for a Shoshoni leader who was named with the Shoshoni term wasattsi, meaning “blue heron.” Wikipedia

And yes, I have seen and photographed many Great Blue Herons in the Wasatch Mountains. 🙂