Birds

Birds that I find in the field, photograph and share the stories behind the images.

Nesting Tree Swallows in the High Uintas

By |June 3rd, 2018|Categories: Birds, Summit County, Tree Swallows, Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

While I photographed nesting House Wrens in the High Uintas the last day of May I also photographed nesting Tree Swallows in the same Aspen tree in a cavity a bit lower on the trunk.

Photographing Nesting House Wrens in the High Uintas

By |June 2nd, 2018|Categories: House Wrens, Nesting Birds, Summit County, Uinta Mountains, Uinta National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago I spent time photographing nesting House Wrens in the high Uintas near Mirror Lake Highway, of interest to me is that two years ago I photographed Red-naped Sapsuckers using this same nesting cavity.

Green-tailed Towhee Perched On A Blooming Utah Serviceberry

By |May 31st, 2018|Categories: Birds, Green-tailed Towhees, Morgan County, Shrubs, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent some time up in the canyons of the Wasatch Mountains yesterday photographing the birds I found including this handsome Green-tailed Towhee perched on a blooming Utah Serviceberry.

Focusing On American Goldfinches Feeding On Dandelion Seeds

By |May 26th, 2018|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Morgan County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The day I photographed the Green-tailed Towhee singing up in the mountain canyon I also had an opportunity to take a nice series of photos of what appeared to be a mated pair of American Goldfinches.

Green-tailed Towhee Singing In A Mountain Canyon

By |May 25th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Green-tailed Towhees, Summit County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had fun yesterday morning photographing a male Green-tailed Towhee singing in a mountain canyon, this was a bird I heard before I spotted him perched on a flowering branch.

Male Great-tailed Grackle in Low Light Plus Battery Issues

By |May 24th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great-tailed Grackles, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Even though the light yesterday morning wasn't optimal for bird photography I took my Mom to the Farmington Bay WMA area to show her around there, we only made it as far as Glover Pond though.

Mating Killdeer at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |May 23rd, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Killdeer, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week when I took my Mom to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge we were fortunate to see and photograph Killdeer mating while on the auto tour route.

White-faced Ibis in Breeding and Nonbreeding Plumage

By |May 19th, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, White-faced Ibises|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

In just a few weeks the White-faced Ibis that are in breeding plumage right now will begin to molt into their nonbreeding plumage and I thought this might be a good time to show some of the differences.

Male Yellow Warblers in the Wasatch Mountains – Sunshine On The Wing

By |May 18th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Summit County, Utah, Yellow Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning was spent up in the mountain canyons again photographing the birds I found at the higher elevations, the birds I saw the most of were Yellow Warblers, birds who look like sunshine on the wing.

Yellow Warbler Perched and Foraging in a Mystery Flowering, Thorny Tree

By |May 16th, 2018|Categories: Birds, East Canyon, Morgan County, Utah, Yellow Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I had the opportunity to photograph a Yellow Warbler foraging in a flowering tree I jumped at the chance. Right after I took this photo the warbler snatched a tiny insect from the flowers but I couldn't make out what it was.

Immature Black-crowned Night Heron In Flight

By |May 15th, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I spotted this immature Black-crowned Night Heron on the wing at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in April I hoped it would fly in closer than it did, still I liked the photos I took of it with a clear blue sky in the background.

Adult Western Kingbird Perched on Rusty Barbed Wire in Northern Utah

By |May 14th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Kingbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week I photographed this adult Western Kingbird perched on rusty barbed wire up in northern Utah with spring greenery behind it and I liked the greens, yellows, grays and whites in the photo.

Photographing Female Yellow Warblers Feeding Their Fledglings

By |May 12th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Morgan County, Utah, Yellow Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was delighted to be able to photograph the female Yellow Warbler as she fed her young and to watch the fledgling as it fluttered its wings and gulped down the food the female brought it.

Male American Goldfinch in Breeding Plumage – Small in the Frame

By |May 11th, 2018|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Imagine a bird whose bright yellow feathers rival the rays of the sun then add a black forehead, ebony eyes, black and white wings and you have a male American Goldfinch in breeding plumage. Feathered sunshine.

Rufous Morph Red-tailed Hawk – Finally Some Photos in Good Light

By |May 9th, 2018|Categories: Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have been trying to photograph this rufous morph Red-tailed Hawk in good light since the first time I spotted her on the 24th of March in northern Utah, yesterday I finally accomplished that goal.

Red-breasted Nuthatches and Their Nesting Cavities

By |May 7th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Right now Red-breasted Nuthatches should be looking for or excavating nesting cavities here in northern Utah which means I should take a trip up to the back roads in the mountains soon and see if I can locate some closer to home than Idaho or Montana.

Male Northern Harrier Diving After Falling Prey – Paying Attention Beyond the Viewfinder

By |May 5th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Harriers, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was able to take these photos of the male Northern Harrier diving after his falling prey because I looked beyond my viewfinder and quickly locked onto the action happening overhead.

Barn Swallow Nesting Season Is Happening Now In Northern Utah

By |May 4th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Barn Swallows, Birds, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Barn Swallows are like tiny, feathered brick masons. One pellet by itself is nothing but combined pellets form the nests these birds use to raise their young in.

I’m Looking Forward to Photographing Green-tailed Towhees

By |May 3rd, 2018|Categories: Birds, Green-tailed Towhees, Morgan County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Green-tailed Towhees are migratory so I don't see them year round in Utah like I do their close relatives the Spotted Towhees. Green-tailed Towhees spend their winters in the southern most parts of the U.S. and in Mexico and I miss seeing a hearing them while they are away.

Foraging American Avocets in Breeding Plumage

By |April 30th, 2018|Categories: American Avocets, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Eight days ago it was sunny and bright and I was out having fun photographing a pair of foraging American Avocets in breeding plumage at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in northern Utah.

Photographing Yellow-rumped Warblers in Cluttered and Clean Habitats

By |April 29th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Salt Lake County, Utah, Yellow-rumped Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When it comes to small birds like Yellow-rumped Warblers I prefer photographing them in clean habitats over cluttered habitats because the small birds stand out better when the background isn't so messy.

Surprise Cooper’s Hawk in the Wasatch Mountains

By |April 28th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Cooper’s Hawks, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There are days when one bird can "make" the day great for me as a bird photographer, yesterday that bird was a Cooper's Hawk in a Wasatch Mountain canyon east of Salt Lake City.

Turkey Vultures aka Turkey Buzzards

By |April 27th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I grew up calling Turkey Vultures by the name "Turkey Buzzards" and every once in a blue moon I still unintentionally slip and call them by their nickname instead of their proper common name.

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