Swans, Ducks and Geese

A few winter birds at Farmington Bay and flapping wings

By |January 19th, 2015|Categories: Birds, Common Mergansers, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Blue Herons, Northern Harriers, Pied-billed Grebes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Maybe when the weather clears tomorrow I'll be able to get back out Farmington Bay to photograph more birds.

Bison, Kestrels and Pintails

By |January 3rd, 2015|Categories: American Bison, American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Pintails, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent the yesterday morning photographing with two great friends at Antelope Island State Park and Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area and had a wonderful time.

Bird Images From New Years Day

By |January 2nd, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Shovelers, Utah, White-crowned Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was chilly but bright yesterday morning and there were bluebird skies overhead and Antelope Island State Park beckoned and I of course heeded that call.

Greater Scaup drake at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |November 18th, 2014|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Greater Scaups, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This Greater Scaup drake is making the transition into his breeding plumage an was in among American Coots, a resting female scaup, Pied-Billed Grebes and a single Canvasback.

Looking ahead to winter

By |September 27th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Common Ravens, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Lesser Scaups, Utah, White-crowned Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

We catch up and share stories of birds we saw in the warmer months and reveal the journeys we have been on.

Centennial Valley Cinnamon Teal

By |September 23rd, 2014|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Cinnamon Teals, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Things were "just ducky" earlier this month in the Centennial Valley of Montana and this Cinnamon Teal seemed to be enjoying the warm late afternoon light.

Trumpeter Swans – From Near Extinction to Restoration

By |September 21st, 2014|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Trumpeter Swans|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Small populations of Trumpeter Swans were found in mountain valleys in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming and those birds are the reason we have Trumpeter Swans today.

Red-breasted Merganser at rest on the Gulf shore

By |April 24th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Red-breasted Mergansers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've mentioned in another post that "Some Days are Magic" and I felt that magic the morning I created this image of a Red-breasted Merganser.

Feeding Habits of Red-breasted Mergansers

By |March 1st, 2014|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Red-breasted Mergansers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

According to Birds of North America there are four foraging methods used by Red-breasted Mergansers which are Cooperative Herding, Individual Search, Shallow Diving and Deep Diving.

The Advantages of Photographing Birds Close to Home

By |February 18th, 2014|Categories: American Coots, American White Pelicans, Birds, Pied-billed Grebes, Red-breasted Mergansers, Ring-necked Ducks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Many beginning photographers dream of taking images in far off places of exotic birds and there is nothing wrong with that. But we shouldn’t overlook the advantages of photographing birds close to home.

Red-breasted Merganser on the Gulf of Mexico

By |January 30th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Red-breasted Mergansers|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

Sometimes I find an image appealing because of the memories it wakes up and not so much from the technical or compositional aspects, this Red-breasted Merganser image is one that isn't perfect but it does awaken memories and stirs my senses.

First winter male Common Merganser

By |January 27th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Common Mergansers, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Pied-billed Grebes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I spotted a lone Common Merganser at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area nearly hidden in some phragmites and when we came around the corner the bird seemed to have disappeared but after a bit it came out from its hiding spot and gave us quite a show.

First winter Common Goldeneye male

By |December 15th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Common Goldeneyes are diving sea ducks that over winter in the Salt Lake Valley where I see and photograph them at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge, along the causeway to Antelope Island State Park and at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area.

Photos that make me laugh – Ruddy Duck female

By |December 6th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Ruddy Ducks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Some times when I open a photo I took I can't help but laugh for various reasons, in this case when I opened the file the pose of this Ruddy Duck female just "quacked" me up.

Bird Sampler for April 28 through May 4, 2013

By |May 4th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Burrowing Owls, Canada Geese, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Killdeer, Swallows, Utah, Western Grebes, Western Meadowlarks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I wanted to share a sampler of bird images that I have taken over the past week in Davis and Box Elder Counties.

Weird Canada Geese behavior and a Red-tailed Hawk building a nest

By |March 16th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Canada Geese, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The weird Canada Geese behavior on the top of the cliff led me to finding a Red-tailed Hawks nest though and I am tickled about that.

Snow Geese on the shore of the Great Salt Lake

By |March 4th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Great Salt Lake, Snow Geese, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm hoping to go on a "Goose Chase" this morning, the sky is supposed to be clear so there should be good light and I would be delighted to see some snow, Snow Geese that is!

High Key winter Geese, Swans and a Black-billed Magpie

By |February 16th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Canada Geese, Davis County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Some people might not find high key photos to their tastes but I find that I enjoy them because of their simplicity and how the high key background allows my eyes to focus clearly on my subject's form and beauty.

Some of the Birds I Love at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge

By |February 6th, 2013|Categories: American Avocets, American Barn Owls, American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Black-necked Stilts, Box Elder County, Duck hybrids, Eastern Kingbirds, Forster's Terns, Marsh Wrens, Snowy Egrets, Swainson's Hawks, Tundra Swans, Utah, Western Grebes, Western Kingbirds, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of my favorite locations to photograph birds in northern Utah is Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I've selected some of the birds there that delight and entertain me while I observe and photograph them.

Different Plumage Phases Of Red-breasted Merganser Drakes

By |February 4th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Red-breasted Mergansers, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Awhile back someone told me that Mergansers don't change their plumage seasonally, which is of course incorrect as all three species of mergansers that live in North America do.

The ID of the female duck is…

By |January 10th, 2013|Categories: Bird ID, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Green-winged Teals, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The answer to the ID quiz is a female Green-winged Teal! Out of 49 people taking the quiz there were 6 votes for Mallard, 8 votes for Blue-winged Teal, 9 votes for Gadwall and 26 votes for Green-winged Teal.

Female Duck ID Quiz

By |January 8th, 2013|Categories: Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Swans, Ducks and Geese, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed this female duck yesterday morning at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area in northern Utah, she was on ice that was covered by frost flowers and was moving towards a group of males that were in open water.

Images of Christmas Past – Happy Holidays

By |December 25th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Australia, Bald Eagles, Birds, Burnie, Common Mergansers, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Northern Harriers, Roseate Spoonbills, Tasmania|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I took a stroll down memory lane, actually I looked for images I have taken either on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day in my files but in a way that is taking a stroll down memory lane.

Three years ago today when it was actually Winter

By |December 6th, 2012|Categories: American Coots, Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Mallards, Pied-billed Grebes, Ring-billed Gulls, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Three years ago today though the ground was covered in drifts of snow, the temps were below freezing, there was ice on the ponds & lakes and there was a sharp briskness to the air that can only be found in winter.

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