Remembering Smokeless Days
The photo I shared today isn't of anything special. It is a West Desert mountain range view. That smokeless blue sky though? I'd give so much to see that again here today.
Poppies, Birds, Trees, Butterflies And A Smoky Haze
The first time I raised my lens yesterday morning it was for blooming Prickly Poppies that were along the shoulder of the bumpy gravel road.
Blooming Lewis’s Flax
I wanted to follow my post about a blue bird with blue wildflowers so here are some photos I took last week of Lewis’s Flax which are also known as Wild Blue Flax.
Lark Sparrow In Golden Morning Light
Two days ago I photographed this adult Lark Sparrow that I found perched on an old fence post in golden light in the West Desert of Tooele County.
Chipping Sparrow With Food For Its Chicks
I was photographing a Lark Sparrow when I spotted this Chipping Sparrow with food in its bill fly in and land on a juniper bough.
Recent Birds I’ve Found In The West Desert
Last week I made two trips out to the West Desert and today I am sharing a medley of recent birds that I found while I was out there.
West Desert Rock Wren Photos
I have been able to take more Rock Wren photos in the West Desert the last two times I have wandered out there.
Male Western Tanager Close Up Image
Two days ago I had the opportunity to photograph a male Western Tanager up close in the foothills of some of the sky island mountains in the West Desert of Utah.
Female Black-chinned Hummingbird And A Knothole
Yesterday while out in the sky island mountains of the West Desert I spotted a female Black-chinned Hummingbird repeatedly checking out a knothole in a tree.
Violet-green Swallow Photos
Yesterday I was able to take the Violet-green Swallow photos that I have been dreaming of since I first moved to Utah in 2009.
Subadult Peregrine Falcon
Last week before I found the Rock Wren I wrote about I also found a subadult Peregrine Falcon perched on a wooden post in the West Desert.
Trees, Shrubs, Wildflowers And A Butterfly
On a recent trip to the West Desert sky island mountains in Tooele County I found my lens pointed at trees, shrubs, wildflowers and a butterfly.
Nesting Lark Sparrow Photos
One of the first birds I heard singing three days ago in the West Desert of Tooele County was a Lark Sparrow perched on top of a sagebrush.
Spring Female Cassin’s Finch
When this female Cassin's Finch landed next to a creek two days ago in the West Desert I was happy to take her photo.
Singing Rock Wren In The West Desert
Yesterday when I spotted a Rock Wren singing from the top of a juniper in Utah's West Desert I hoped to take a few decent photos of it before it flew away.
Dreaming Of Mountain Bluebirds
I woke up this morning dreaming of Mountain Bluebirds so I thought I would share two images of them from previous springs.
Pronghorn Buck And West Desert Sky Island Mountains
I found and photographed this Pronghorn buck in Utah's West Desert after photographing birds at Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge in April of 2019.
Spring Wild Turkey Tom Displays
The last time I was up in the Wasatch Mountains I found a Wild Turkey tom displaying next to some old farm equipment for the nearby hens.
West Desert Mountains
Some days start off the wrong way and when they do I look for things that soothe me. Views of mountains calm me down so today I am sharing a simple view of some West Desert mountains.
West Desert Male Rough-legged Hawk
Yesterday morning was clear, bright, chilly, and I spent ten minutes photographing an adult male Rough-legged Hawk that I found in the West Desert.
Male Rough-legged Hawk Photos
Earlier this week I photographed a light morph, adult male Rough-legged Hawk in the West Desert of Utah with three different backgrounds.
Ferruginous And Rough-legged Hawk Lift Off Photos
Yesterday morning I was able to take Ferruginous and Rough-legged Hawk lift off photos where both of the raptors still had their feet on their perches.
Male, Female, and Immature Horned Lark Photos
After photographing this male Horned Lark on Antelope Island three days ago I decided to share a photo of him plus female and immature larks in a single post.
A Cook’s Memorial? Odd Things I Find While Looking For Birds
As best as I can figure out what is in this photo is a cook's memorial that I found 7 years ago today out on a range in Utah's West Desert.
First Winter Ferruginous Hawk In The West Desert
Two years and one day ago I only photographed two birds on a trip out into the West Desert and this light morph Ferruginous Hawk made the trip well worth the journey out into the cold.
Photographing An Immature Ferruginous Hawk Hunting For Breakfast
Yesterday morning not long after sunrise I spent some time photographing a light morph, immature Ferruginous Hawk hunting for its breakfast.
Looking Back On Photographing A Rare Leucistic Red-tailed Hawk
Even though it is now four years later I still look for this striking leucistic Red-tailed Hawk in Tooele County and hope to find and photograph it again one day.
The Winds Of Change Affect My Access To Some Mountain Canyons
I always feel a sense of sadness when I can't get to those mountain canyons and the birds that live there all year long when they close those gates for the winter.
An Immature Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk In The West Desert
The highlight of my morning yesterday was when I spotted an immature light morph Ferruginous Hawk perched on a cedar post in the West Desert.
Male Cassin’s Finch Eating a Mountain Mahogany Seed
This male Cassin's Finch did pop out into the open with a mahogany seed in his bill and even though he was in the shade I took a few photos of him.