Dusting of snow on Utah’s West Desert mountains – Samsung cell phone photo
I saw snow on Utah’s West Desert mountains for the first time since late spring so I thought I’d share a few views of what I saw while out there yesterday morning. It was a visual delight to see a dusting of snow on the peaks, trees, ground, and shrubs. The sky was a clear, bright blue with a few thin clouds scattered here and there. In fact the sky was so clear that I almost forgot how smoky it had been for months and months due our western wildfires.
Snowy scene in Utah’s West Desert mountains – Samsung cell phone photo
I sent this image to one of my oldest and dearest friends yesterday and his reply was “God this picture is beautiful!” and I thought so too so now this image is my cell phone wall paper and lock screen. I change those out about once a month using landscape photos I have taken in Utah to remind me of the beauty I see when I can’t get out into the field.
West Desert mountains after an autumn snow fall – Samsung cell phone photo
And I do see the stunning beauty of my adopted state of Utah whenever I go out into the field. I try not to take the views I see for granted even though when I am in the field my primary goal is to find birds in my viewfinder.
There weren’t many birds around yesterday but I did find an American Robin perched on a juniper. I found and heard several Townsend’s Solitaires and photographed one. I spotted long distance hawks, quite a few White-crowned Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos plus a late migrating flycatcher whose identity I have yet to determine. I also heard but never saw what sounded like a flock of Clark’s Nutcrackers.
Douglas Fir cone with snow and ice – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
What I didn’t hear and had expected to tickle my ear drums was the calls of Red-breasted Nuthatches that I thought would be feeding on the seeds of the Douglas Firs. In the field I was a bit alarmed that I didn’t hear them. Once I got back home and looked at the photos I had taken of the Douglas Fir cones I realized that the fir cones there have not opened enough yet for the nuthatches to tug the seeds out.
All is good, the cones will open soon and I should hear the nuthatches in the area. That is if the gates don’t close before then.
Life is good.
Mia
P.S., I saw a low of 29°F yesterday morning, the lowest temp I have seen so far this fall.
Click here to see more of my photos of Utah’s West Desert. Click here to see more of my flower, shrub and tree photos.
Gorgeous pics. Hope you get tons more of the white stuff this year. Thanks Mia.
Beautiful shots of the mountains with the first snow. I remember the first time I saw the mountains of Colorado with snow. September, 1985. Changed my world. Skiied in Colorado for many years.
My favorite shot is the pine cone. I’m a little obsessed with them. I did go exploring your other sites. Flowers. And found more fir trees. Hopefully you will have a great Winter with a lot of snow.
Although I am allergic to snow, I must admit these photographs are awe-inspiring!
Oh my. We live in a beautiful world.
Oh, that sky. ❤️ The last shot would make the perfect holiday greeting card too.
It’s a start! Keep it up!
So beautiful. I love the cone with snow. I was shocked yesterday was clear in the am, last I looked it was going to be overcast. I guess I missed the memo, I would have gone out. Oh well I got things done around home.
Gorgeous photos. The sky is so blue! It would be nice if snow continues in the mountains, more water run-off come spring.
What lovely scenes. I am not a fan of freezing temperatures and snow in the lowlands where I have to shovel it but in the mountains where it stores water for the spring and looks so gorgeous while doing it, then I am a great fan. Great cone shot too; very artistic. Happy shooting as the cones open