Great Blue Heron stalking prey in morning light
As common as Great Blue Herons are throughout North America I am always happy to photograph these prehistoric looking birds.
Long-tailed Weasel in its winter coat and morning fog
Today I spotted a Long-tailed Weasel in its winter coat but the light wasn't great and the whole area was socked in by fog.
Barn Owl on the Wing
Barn Owls are gorgeous with their dark as ebony eyes, beautiful plumage and graceful flight so I find it difficult to suppress my delight when I see them on the wing.
Sometimes I Wonder About the Birds I Photograph
In February of 2011 there was a first year Bald Eagle at Farmington Bay WMA that seemed totally unafraid and unconcerned about the people near it.
Happy Thanksgiving
This year has been zipping by so quickly and it is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is already here and I really have so much to be grateful for.
Golden Reflections and a Pied-billed Grebe
The golden reflections with just a hint of blue compliment the golden tones of the plumage of the Pied-billed Grebe.
Birds on Wires – European Starling
I know a lot of people don't like European Starlings because they are in introduced species that cause lots of problems for native birds.
Red-tailed Hawk juvenile in flight in low light
I could not resist photographing the young Red-tailed Hawk though as it lifted off and flew in front of me after prey even though conditions were not ideal.
How House Finches moved East
House Finches are fairly common birds throughout the U.S. Mexico and into Central America but they didn't used to be common in the eastern U.S.
Great Blue Heron hunkered down against winter’s brutal cold
Last December I photographed this Great Blue Heron as it hunkered down against the brutal cold at the edge of the water in a marsh.
Ring-billed Gull Age Progression
In February of 2011 I wrote about the age progression of Bald Eagles along with images to illustrate the ages, today I am doing the same but with Ring-billed Gulls.
Time to look for Northern Shrikes
I write about the raptors I expect to see during the winter in Utah but there are also song birds I keep an eye out for too like this immature Northern Shrike.
Juvenile Northern Harrier in flight
Northern Harriers are year round residents in Utah and I am encouraged by the numbers of them I have seen lately at Farmington Bay WMA.
Veterans Day 2014
Words will never fully be enough when I think about the sacrifices our Veterans have made for our country.
White-crowned Sparrow Juvenile on a wild rose
It was nice to get out yesterday morning and photograph a few birds including this juvenile White-crowned Sparrow perched on a wild rose.
Snow Birds – Dark-eyed Juncos
When I lived in Virginia I could almost predict when the first snow would fall because the juncos showed at my feeders up a day or two before the first winter storm.
Downy Woodpecker In The Willows At Farmington Bay
I was delighted to spot this male Downy Woodpecker in the willows the last time I went out to Farmington Bay Bird Refuge.
Pair of Greater Yellowlegs in flight
Shorebirds are still migrating through the Salt Lake Valley and Farmington Bay WMA and there have been quite a few Greater Yellowlegs in the area.
Preening Brewer’s Blackbird
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.
Red-tailed Hawk lifting off
Lately it has been wonderful to see and photograph more birds including raptors. I think the long dry spell that started the end of July might be over finally.
Pied-billed Grebe Shaking it Off
I'm seeing more and more Pied-billed Grebes and that excites me because these little guys might be small but they are tough. They kind of remind me of myself.
There is Gold in Utah – American Goldfinches!
Even though the American Goldfinches are in their non-breeding plumage now I still think of them as gold.
Juvenile Dark Morph Harlan’s Hawk
Harlan's Hawks are a subspecies of Red-tailed Hawks that breed in Alaska and northern Canada and spend their winters in the northern Great Plains.
Autumn colors and a resting Clark’s Grebe
Autumn colors have begun to appear and they are delightful when reflected on the water with a nearly black and white subject like this resting Clark's Grebe.
Red-winged Blackbird and a Midge
This male Red-winged Blackbird was photographed yesterday at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area.
Young Raccoon On A Duckweed Mat
This young Raccoon looks as grumpy as I feel this morning.
Northern Harriers And “Ground Hunting”
Whatever the reason for this behavior I know that I enjoy photographing Northern Harriers while they are ground hunting in a winter wonderland.
Looking ahead to winter
We catch up and share stories of birds we saw in the warmer months and reveal the journeys we have been on.
Calling Juvenile Black-necked Stilt
Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management area is a great place to see Black-necked Stilts during the breeding season and to see their young later on.
Fighting Red-tailed Hawk juveniles
I wonder if these two juvenile Red-tailed Hawks will hang around for the winter, I sure hope so.