Alectoris chukar
Chukars are gray-brown chicken-like birds with short necks, red legs and bills with bold chestnut and black stripes on their flanks.
I came across this photo of an adult Chukar standing in top of fresh snow the other day and felt a pang of sadness.
Eight years ago today I was out in the field photographing a Chukar and snow on Antelope Island State Park.
I was tickled to photograph this Chukar six years ago because it showed off its subtle colors and patterns so nicely against a canvas of white snow.
I always feel fortunate when I am able to photograph Chukars in the snow on the island because it helps to make them more visible than they are during other seasons of the year
Yesterday morning I was able to spend time photographing a pair of Chukars on Antelope Island State Park in a grassy area that has begun to turn green.
The first bird I photographed yesterday morning was a wet Chukar on top of a lichen covered boulder about the time the sun rose above the clouds and mountains to the east.
I photographed Long-billed Curlews, Willets and Chukars along with a few other birds and a Pronghorn buck. It was a beautiful spring day.
Antelope Island Chukars don't just attract out of town visitors to the island, they still call in locals like myself to see, hear and photograph them.
Both of these Chukars above the Great Salt Lake were photographed on the east side of Antelope Island State Park this month.
Before my recent trip to Capitol Reef National Park and photographing grouse in Wayne County I photographed this Chukar on Antelope Island State Park.
While photographing Black-billed Magpies last week I noticed a pair of Chukars up close and decided to take portraits of the closest bird.
The Chukars are singing from the rocks in the morning and if I am lucky I might be able to photograph them fighting over the hens again like I did three years ago.
Yesterday was a nice day to be out photographing on Antelope Island State Park, the sun was shining, the wind was minimal and there were a few birds to be found.
Except for one fleeting glance of a Chukar at the end of November I have not seen Chukars on Antelope Island for several months.
I've been missing Chukars on Antelope Island for the past few months.
It was delightful to have light and a six-pack (plus) of birds out on Antelope Island yesterday to test my new Nikon D7100.
Western Kingbird After several days of not being able to photograph birds because of bad weather I was pleasantly surprised to have a medley of birds to photograph on Antelope Island Monday.
After seeing few Chukars on Antelope Island State Park over the winter it is a delight to see them perching on rocks, preening, calling and warming up in the first rays of sunlight on the island again.
As Spring Approaches it is a Great Time to be a Bird Photographer in Utah!
The last time I went to Antelope Island State Park I noticed that the Chukars were more visible than they have been for awhile and I also noticed a tiny wildflower called Redstem Filaree starting to green up.
The weather forecast for today isn't as bright as it was on the day last January when I photographed this Chukar walking across a field of fresh snow instead the forecast for today is rather dreary.
I photographed this Chukar in a field of white undisturbed snow last January, as I recall it was bitter cold that morning but the bright sun seemed to warm the Chukar as much as it warmed my hands.
Fluffy little chicks are adorable, they make people "ohh" and "aww" and those that hit the ground running not long after hatching are especially appealing to some folks. But they need respect and they need space so we don't endanger them.
These are but a few of the birds I photographed this week in various Utah locations and all of them made great subjects!
Even this Chukar seemed to be shrugging off the winter doldrums. Or maybe it was airing out its arm pits.
Two days ago I spotted this Chukar on Antelope Island State Park on the edge of the road near the marina, the Chukar was at road level but just beyond the rock there is a slope that drops about 25 to 30 feet.
Just some funny images of birds for a Monday. These photos just beg for humorous captions.
Some times there is one bird that makes (or perhaps saves) a day, yesterday it was this Chukar for me. I can say I didn't get skunked!
Yes, more Chukars in the snow! I spotted this Chukar on top of a mound of snow that the plow had pushed to the side of the road on Antelope Island State Park.
You might wonder why I have used this title but since the 25th of January changes have been made to Google Image Search that have infuriated webmasters, photographers, artists and many more.