Five O’clock Great-tailed Grackle Cacophony
Since the freezing temperatures arrived in my neighborhood I have been listening to a five o'clock Great-tailed Grackle cacophony nightly.
Since the freezing temperatures arrived in my neighborhood I have been listening to a five o'clock Great-tailed Grackle cacophony nightly.
Last week I photographed this male Red-winged Blackbird on the top of a cattail from the side of the road. I was only able to get a few images before this blackbird flew away.
The light was beautiful yesterday morning at Farmington Bay WMA and I was able to photograph a few species if birds including this juvenile Northern Harrier flying over the marsh.
This past summer I found a Red-tailed Hawk nest right next to a road in Montana that had three chicks in it that I felt I could photograph without stressing the hawks.
I wanted to post an image of a juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird today because despite their bad reputations as brood parasites they are native birds that I think are worth pointing my lens at.
The heat of summer has turned the green grasses brown on Antelope Island State Park so I thought I'd share some of the "brown birds" I photographed there yesterday.
Female Yellow-headed Blackbirds are often overlooked by casual viewers and bird photographers because they aren't as flashy as the males.
Earlier this week while photographing Western Kingbirds I also had opportunities to photograph a first year male Bullock's Oriole on Antelope Island State Park.
I have already seen Sage Thrasher chicks on Antelope Island State Park and I suspect it won't be long before I see juvenile Western Meadowlarks learning how to fly and feed on their own.
Brewer's Blackbirds are a target species of the “Bye bye Blackbird” USDA Wildlife Services Program, a program that uses DRC-1339, an avicide.
To my delight the mechanical sounding calls of male Yellow-headed Blackbirds buzzed over the marshes of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge yesterday morning.
This Western Meadowlark was busy yesterday poking its sharp bill through the emerging grasses to find prey in the warming soil.
It was chilly yesterday on Antelope Island but the Western Meadowlarks were singing from perches on rocks and on top of sagebrush.
Yesterday there was a springtime chorus being sung almost every where on Antelope Island and the flute-like melody of the Western Meadowlarks resonated the loudest.
Yesterday the sun was shining on Antelope Island unlike the stormy day before and there were birds and animals to photograph much to my delight.
It was lovely to see the sunshine yesterday and to have the Western Meadowlark and Belted Kingfisher in my viewfinder.
The last bird I photographed was this male Belted Kingfisher and I was surprised that it stuck around as long as it did.
This Western meadowlark image was taken January 2nd on Antelope Island after a snow fall and it made me think of how hard life can be for these birds.
Two days ago this Western Meadowlark kept me from being skunked at Farmington Bay WMA because there weren't many other birds to photograph up close.
I think the 10 Lords A-leaping are hanging up their their shoes after this Western Meadowlark out leaped them!
I have been seeing plenty of blackbirds lately at Farmington Bay WMA and a few days ago I photographed this preening Brewer's Blackbird on a fence post.
This male Red-winged Blackbird was photographed yesterday at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area.
I was ready when I thought this Western Meadowlark was going to take flight but instead the meadowlark took a flying leap towards the ground.
The smaller a bird is the harder it is to get flight shots of them and track them with a long lens so I was very happy to get this Western Meadowlark on the wing.
A simple post this morning of a Brewer's Blackbird male displaying that I photographed on a bright day in May out on Antelope Island State Park.
Yesterday was a bit like a wonderful open air concert on Antelope Island with the calls of Curlews, Willets, Chukars, Red-winged Blackbirds and Western Meadowlarks floating through the air.
Yesterday morning's sunny weather felt lovely compared to Sunday which was gray, windy, rainy and snowy and maybe this male Red-winged Blackbird was feeling the difference in weather too.
The Red-winged Blackbirds at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge have courting and nest building on their minds now that spring is upon us.
Five days ago while on Antelope Island I photographed this Western Meadowlark as it sang on the stump of a dead Sagebrush.
The snow has melted in the Salt Lake Valley where temps have been unseasonably warm thanks to the "Pineapple Express" and although winter hasn't left it has begun to feel like spring which means it won't be long before spring has sprung up all over Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge!