Birds

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

Loggerhead Shrike Allofeeding Courtship Behavior Plus a Close Up

By |April 25th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Loggerhead Shrikes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Loggerhead Shrike did fly in and brought prey to feed the presumed female, during the mating season the males will allofeed the females as part of their courtship behavior. I've never been able to photograph allofeeding behavior before so I was tickled pink.

White-faced Ibis – Birds Of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |April 24th, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, White-faced Ibises|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

White-faced Ibis are abundant at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge during their breeding season and they can be easily seen from the 12 mile, self-guided auto tour route feeding in the water impoundments or flying in loose flocks overhead.

American White Pelican in Definitive Alternate Plumage aka Breeding Plumage

By |April 23rd, 2018|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday was my first opportunity this year to be able to take quality images of American White Pelicans in Definitive Alternate Plumage or as it is better known, breeding plumage.

Adult White-crowned Sparrow Perched On A Budding Tree

By |April 21st, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, White-crowned Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Three days ago after I photographed the female American Kestrel eating her prey on a lichen-covered rock I was able to take a few photographs of a single adult White-crowned Sparrow that was perched on a budding tree.

Our Western Kingbirds Have Returned To Northern Utah

By |April 20th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Utah, Western Kingbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I did see a Western Kingbird two days ago but the only photos I have of that bird were taken on a barbed wire fence and I have more of those type of images than I know what to do with and nothing about those images were appealing, unique or all that interesting.

More Frustrations With Photographing Golden Eagles

By |April 16th, 2018|Categories: Box Elder County, Golden Eagles, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I get absolutely tired of the frustrations I have had trying to photograph Golden Eagles, it seems that something or someone always messes with my chances of getting the images I want of them.

Snowy Egrets Have Migrated Back To Northern Utah

By |April 14th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Snowy Egrets, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I lived in Florida I saw Snowy Egrets year round and that kind of spoiled me but here in Utah they leave for the winter and come back to the marshes and wetlands surrounding the Great Salt Lake for their breeding season.

Reporting Wing Tagged American White Pelicans – Helping Birds by Helping the PELI Project

By |April 13th, 2018|Categories: American White Pelicans, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I know that I will be reporting any wing tagged American White Pelicans I see while they are here in northern Utah and I hope that others will too and help out the Peli Project!

Horned Lark With Redstem Filaree – Birds & Wildflowers

By |April 12th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Horned Larks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I had the opportunity to photograph a male Horned Lark on Antelope Island State Park that included Redstem Filaree in the photos and I was delighted, that pop of bright color sure says "spring" to me.

Adult Turkey Vulture in flight close up – Almost Too close

By |April 11th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When the third Turkey Vulture lifted off I expected it to go north like the other two vultures had but instead it flew south and very close to where I was at the side of the road in a vehicle being used as a mobile blind, almost too close.

Long-billed Curlew Foraging on Antelope Island

By |April 7th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Long-billed Curlews, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Four days ago I was able to take my first photographs of Long-billed Curlews this year on Antelope Island State Park and although I was disappointed in the quality of most of the images I took I enjoyed seeing these large sandpipers again.

Photographing Shorebirds at Eye Level

By |April 6th, 2018|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Black-bellied Plovers, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Greater Yellowlegs, Long-billed Curlews, Marbled Godwits, Pinellas County, Piping Plovers, Ruddy Turnstones|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Taking photographs of shorebirds at eye level was very fulfilling for me and the images that resulted from my down & dirty technique have always made me feel an intimate connection to the birds.

Photos Of Owls In Flight

By |April 3rd, 2018|Categories: American Barn Owls, Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Burrowing Owls, Centennial Valley, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spend a lot of time in the field looking for, observing and photographing owls and obtaining photos of them in flight can often be frustrating when I have the opportunity but very fulfilling when I accomplish my goal.

Wild Turkey Tom Strutting and Displaying Plus Memories Turkeys Arouse In Me

By |March 31st, 2018|Categories: Birds, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert, Wild Turkeys|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Breeding season has begun for Wild Turkeys so when I spotted a flock of them yesterday in the Stansbury Mountains in Tooele County I was hoping to photograph a tom turkey strutting.

Spring Dark-eyed Junco Small In The Frame

By |March 30th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Dark-eyed Juncos, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was only able to photograph one of the Dark-eyed Juncos I saw yesterday because it was the only one that stayed still long enough for me to raise my lens, focus and fire my shutter button, the rest were way too skittish.

Springtime Yellow-headed Blackbird Male

By |March 29th, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yellow-head Blackbirds made their presence known at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge two days ago by displaying and because of their odd mechanical calls that sound like a rusty metal gate opening and closing.

Nest Building Marsh Wren Plus A Surprise Ferruginous Hawk And FOY Swainson’s Hawk

By |March 28th, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Ferruginous Hawks, Marsh Wrens, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was a wonderful morning spotting both the Ferruginous and Swainson's Hawks, seeing quite a few other first of season birds and spending time photographing the Marsh Wren while he was busy constructing his nest.

Tundra Swans Of Bear River MBR On The Wing

By |March 26th, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Seeing a few flocks of Tundra Swans in flight two days in northern Utah was a reminder that these big, white swans have already begun their migration to their breeding grounds on the tundra of northern Canada and Alaska.

Red-tailed Hawk Perched on a Sagebrush Covered Hillside

By |March 24th, 2018|Categories: Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

It is the time of year when Red-tailed Hawks begin to nest, by now most of them here in northern Utah have already selected a mate so they find a nesting location and start to collect nesting materials as the days grow longer and warmer.

Photographing a Male Northern Flicker Excavating a Nesting Cavity

By |March 23rd, 2018|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Nesting Birds, Northern Flickers, Targhee National Forest, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I dug into my archives and picked these Northern Flicker photos from May of 2015 to share today because I saw a Northern Flicker yesterday and thought of how they will soon start excavating their nesting cavities to rear their young in.

Long-billed Curlews – Shorebirds of the Great Basin

By |March 22nd, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Long-billed Curlews, Pinellas County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was one year ago today that I saw and heard my first Long-billed Curlews of the year and this morning as I sit here knowing there are cloudy skies outside I am wondering if the curlews have returned to northern Utah today as well.

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