Simple Long-billed Curlew Post
This is just a simple Long-billed Curlew post with images I took not long before I discovered the Mountain Plovers on April 10th on Antelope Island State Park.
Yellow-headed Blackbirds Are Back In Numbers
Yellow-headed Blackbirds are filling the marshy areas of Utah with their odd mechanical calls once again as the males court the females for their annual spring fling.
Shades of Blue – Wildflowers, Birds, Sky and Sea
Last week I was Thinking Pink so this week I thought I would focus on the shades of blues found in wildflowers, birds, the sky and seas.
Spring time Bison bull on Antelope Island State Park
The American Bison on Antelope Island are starting to show signs of shedding their winter coats and for awhile they will look a bit ratty.
Great Horned Owls and Horned Larks – Birds with Tufts
Great Horned Owls and Horned Larks are species of birds that have tufts that I photograph regularly here in Utah.
A Few Bird Images From This Past Week
Even though I only got out to photograph birds three times this week each of the days I did get out were very memorable!
Male American Kestrel in low light
Male American Kestrel in low light
More Mountain Plover Images
I wanted to share a few more of the Mountain Plover images I took which are a lifer bird for me as well as being rare in Utah.
Mountain Plovers – A Dream Come True
What I saw through my lens was a Mountain Plover, a bird I have long dreamed of seeing. A rarity here in Utah.
Perched Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallows have a wide range in North America but because of their drab colors they are often overlooked by bird photographers, they are the "plain brown bird" of the swallow family.
A Lark, Or Two, Or Four
The only native true lark that lives and breeds in North America is the Horned Lark.
Today on On the Wing Photography
Who knew that one day my photos would be in a book published by National Geographic? I am truly honored.
Male Long-billed Curlew lifting off
I photographed this male Long-billed Curlew last week as he was starting to lift off.
Springtime Pronghorns on Antelope Island
These Pronghorn images were taken a few years ago during the spring and I thought I would share them this morning partly because the yellow flowers in these images; Gray's Biscuitroot, have just started to bloom this year.
Female Horned Lark and the moon setting over the Stansbury Mountains
I photograph tons of male Horned Larks but don't have that many images of female Horned Larks, I was happy to find this beautiful female dancing and singing on a boulder in early morning light yesterday in Tooele County, Utah.
Adult Red-tailed Hawk on a ridge
Tooele County beckoned yesterday and I am glad it did because of coming across this adult Red-tailed Hawk.
Funny Monday Birds
Just some funny images of birds for a Monday. These photos just beg for humorous captions.
Seen and Heard – First of year Long-billed Curlew
When we stopped at one of the parking lots that overlooked Bridger Bay I heard a call that made me jump in my seat and before I could say "Long-billed Curlew!!" I could see the bird flying towards the grasses.
Swainson’s Hawks will arrive any day now
As soon as this cold front passes I will be out looking for the birds of spring including these majestic Swainson's Hawks.
Loggerhead Shrikes – They are MIA
I'm used to seeing Loggerhead Shrikes all year round here in northern Utah but they have been MIA for quite some time.
Photograph but don’t touch – Wildlife Ethics
I do hope that non-photographers and the general public know that behavior like this is an exception and that ethical photographers would not have gone up and petted the Sandhill Cranes.
Burrowing Owls draw me in
Last week I spotted my first Burrowing Owl of the year, it was a distance away and I didn't take any images of it but I had to do a wiggle dance in my seat because I was excited seeing one again.
Early Spring Chukar
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!
Horned Lark in early spring
I photographed this male Horned Lark just two days ago and I'm tickled that I can see new growth of grasses in the frame.
Weird Canada Geese behavior and a Red-tailed Hawk building a nest
The weird Canada Geese behavior on the top of the cliff led me to finding a Red-tailed Hawks nest though and I am tickled about that.
Four Year Old Bald Eagle Eating A Fish
It was the day after Christmas in 2009 when I watched this four year old Bald Eagle lift off from this pole to catch this fish in the water impoundment nearby and to my surprise it flew right back to the same pole to devour it.
Sounds of Spring – Western Meadowlark
Normally we have Western Meadowlarks year round here in the Salt Lake Valley but because this past winter was harsh it seemed that they moved south for a bit. They are back now and singing their songs of spring.
Side lit American Kestrel
I came across this American Kestrel image yesterday while moving images to a new external hard drive and realized I hadn't edited any of the photos in the series yet, so I did.
The Brine Fly Buffet begins on the Great Salt Lake
Yesterday while near the marina on Antelope Island State Park I spotted my first of the year Brine Flies warming up on some of the rocks in the water.
Soon Willets will be arriving in Utah
March is a month when I begin to anticipate the arrival of Willets, I have been listening carefully for them and hoping to catch sight of them along the causeway to Antelope Island any day now.