Utah

Photographing Young Spotted Sandpiper Chicks

By |July 31st, 2019|Categories: Birds, Nesting Birds, Spotted Sandpipers, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was able to get back out into the field yesterday and I had a marvelous time photographing young Spotted Sandpiper chicks and learning more about their behaviors near a creek in the Wasatch Mountains.

Male Broad-tailed Hummingbird Sipping Nectar From A Lanceleaf Figwort

By |July 30th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Just a short post today with a photo of a male Broad-tailed Hummingbird getting nectar from an unknown wildflower, or at least it is unknown to me.

Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly Resting On Black Twinberry Honeysuckle

By |July 29th, 2019|Categories: Great Spangled Fritillary Butterflies, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildflowers, Wildlife|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm confident in my North American bird ID abilities but when it comes to Fritillary butterfly species ID in the Wasatch Mountains I feel stymied a lot of the time.

Juvenile Song Sparrow Perched In A Thicket

By |July 28th, 2019|Categories: Morgan County, Song Sparrows, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

The light wasn't great when I took this image of a juvenile Song Sparrow perched in a thicket last year but these little ones don't seem to spend a lot of time in the open right after they fledge so I was happy with the photo.

Celebrate The Spiders Of Antelope Island – Spider Fest On August 3, 2019

By |July 27th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Mule Deer, Utah, Western Spotted Orbweaver|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Mark your calendars because there is a yearly Spider Festival on Antelope Island State Park and this year the festival is being held next Saturday on August 3, 2019.

Tiny Spotted Sandpiper Chicks Learning About Their World

By |July 24th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Spotted Sandpipers, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was excited and enchanted by seeing and photographing at least two Spotted Sandpiper chicks yesterday morning near a creek up in the Wasatch Mountains.

I Finally Photographed The Crown Of An Orange-crowned Warbler

By |July 22nd, 2019|Categories: Birds, Morgan County, Orange-crowned Warblers, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I could wish that the Orange-crowned Warbler didn't look as messy as it does but I am just so glad to have taken even one image where the orange crown is visible that I would toot a horn if I owned one.

Female And Male Black-necked Stilts

By |July 21st, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-necked Stilts, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

These two Black-necked Stilt photos were taken 9 days ago at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and I thought they could easily show the difference between the female and male of this species.

Wasatch Mountain Uinta Ground Squirrels In Sagebrush

By |July 20th, 2019|Categories: Summit County, Uinta Ground Squirrels, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As I photographed a pair of Uinta Ground Squirrels in a sagebrush high up in the Wasatch Mountains yesterday I realized that before long these squirrels will be gone from my view.

Focusing On An Adult Black-crowned Night Heron

By |July 19th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was glad to focus on the Black-crowned Night Herons I saw that morning because of late I have seen fewer of them than I have on past years which has meant fewer opportunities to photograph them. 

Molting Black-capped Chickadee

By |July 18th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Black-capped Chickadees, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This Black-capped Chickadee's plumage isn't in prime condition but I feel like my work as a bird photographer includes taking images of them looking great and not so great because it is all part of the cycle of their lives.

Male Belted Kingfisher Surveying His Mountain Canyon Home

By |July 16th, 2019|Categories: Belted Kingfishers, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Back in early June I had the opportunity to photograph a male Belted Kingfisher up close high in the Wasatch Mountains but due to circumstances beyond my control I missed those shots.

Messy Looking Orange-crowned Warbler Foraging In Willows

By |July 15th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Orange-crowned Warblers, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been looking for Orange-crowned Warblers in the Wasatch Mountains to get better images of them this year and so far my best chance has been with this messy looking one I saw and photographed yesterday.

American Avocet and Black-necked Stilt Chicks at Bear River MBR

By |July 13th, 2019|Categories: American Avocets, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-necked Stilts, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent part of my morning yesterday photographing American Avocet and Black-necked Stilt chicks from the auto tour route at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and it was a blast watching these young shorebirds.

Photographing An Adult Willow Flycatcher On Various Branches

By |July 10th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Willow Flycatchers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It seems that I have spent a lot of time photographing Willow Flycatchers this year and I am happy that I have because I enjoying taking photos of these flycatchers.

Adult Double-crested Cormorant Showing The Electric Blue Lining Of Its Mouth

By |July 7th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Double-crested Cormorants, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

During the breeding season even the inside of the mouths of Double-crested Cormorants show changes, the lining inside their mouths turns into a deep, electric or cobalt blue.

Least Chipmunk Chowing Down On Flower Blossoms

By |July 6th, 2019|Categories: Least Chipmunks, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I don't get to see Least Chipmunks year round here in northern Utah so I try to photograph them each time  see them because they are such charming subjects. This one sure charmed me.

Goofy Looking Upside Down Displaying Male Brown-headed Cowbird

By |July 5th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This photo of a displaying male Brown-headed Cowbird in a goofy upside down pose is not a good photo technically but I absolutely love the behavior it shows.

Angry Birds – Featuring A Western Grebe

By |July 3rd, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Grebes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I know that is probably anthropomorphizing but I do allow myself to giggle about birds I think look "angry" and if any of them do this Western Grebe certainly does. 

Go to Top