West Desert Ferruginous Hawks – Light And Dark Morphs
The past couple of weeks on some of my journeys to the West Desert of Utah I have been able to have a few long distance views of Ferruginous Hawks and that has me excited.
Adult White-crowned Sparrow Perched On A Stump
This is a really simple photo with three features, the White-crowned Sparrow, the stump, and a very dark background.
Kinglets And Turkeys Plus One Scrub-Jay
The Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Wild Turkeys and the Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay made the very bumpy and extremely dusty ride into the mountain canyons well worth taking.
Male Mountain Bluebird Glowing In Early Morning Light
This male Mountain Bluebird seemed to glow in the early morning light which was in sharp contrast with the shadows on the mountains in the background.
Photographing Red-breasted Nuthatches Isn’t Easy
Red-breasted Nuthatches aren't easy to photograph because they are tiny, they move quickly and their flight patterns are fairly unpredictable. Finding the right habitat, their habitat, can make it fun.
Mule Deer Does Crossing A Gravel Road In The West Desert
Last week I found a small herd of does and fawns on a gravel road that leads to the foothills and mountain canyons of the Stansbury Mountains that hung around long enough to be photographed.
Young White-crowned Sparrow Portrait – Peeking Out Of Junipers
I didn't get the photos I wanted of the sparrows perched on the rabbitbrush but I like this portrait of the young White-crowned Sparrow in front of it just as well.
Desert Cottontail Portraits
Last month when I spotted a Desert Cottontail in the mountains of the West Desert I knew I wanted to take photos of the rabbit especially since it was so close that I could take portraits of it.
Surprise Immature Osprey In The West Desert Of Utah
I don't know how many times I have said "expect the unexpected" since I began photographing birds while talking to fellow photographers.
Autumn Wild Turkey Close Up Photos
There were a few times when the Wild Turkeys stood upright and looked right at me as I photographed them and I took full advantage of the opportunity to take portraits of the large birds.
Rock Squirrel Close Up In A Fragrant Sumac Shrub
The Rock Squirrel was grasping a sumac branch and the shrub was so close to me I wasn't even sure I was going to be able to focus on it.
Adult Red-tailed Hawk With A Snake In The West Desert
I noticed immediately that the Red-tailed Hawk was on prey because I saw it tearing into something despite the grasses that were partially obstructing my view.
Least Chipmunk With a Fly On Its Head – Things That Make Me Laugh
There are times I see funny things while I am out photographing that tickle me so much that I have to laugh out loud and yesterday that was this Least Chipmunk with a fly on its head.
Warbling Vireo And Fall Colors In The Stansbury Mountains
When this Warbling Vireo popped into my view I knew if I wanted to photograph it I had to hurry because these small vireos move fast.
Mountain Chickadee And Changing Seasons
When this Mountain Chickadee came into view it was hanging from a juniper bough with two Douglas Fir seeds in its bill it appeared to be looking around for a place to cache its food.
Hawk In The West Desert Perched In A Dead Juniper
I don't usually share photos where the main subject is facing away from me but I liked the alert pose of this raptor as it perched in the dead but distant juniper tree.
My First Desert Tarantula Sighting In Utah
I was so excited that I was shaking because the creature I had found was a Desert Tarantula which was my first sighting of one in Utah.
Female Broad-Tailed Hummingbird Feeding, Hovering And Resting
A few days ago I photographed my first of the season Broad-tailed Hummingbird and I was elated that the bird was a female.
One Bad Mama Mountain Bluebird And Her Swiss Army Knife
Imagine my surprise when through my viewfinder I could see that the female Mountain Bluebird had landed on a Swiss Army knife that was stuck into the bark of one of the trees.
Wax Currants, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds And Their Favorite Perches
In just a matter of days Wax Currants will start to bloom in some of the lower elevations of the mountains that aren't far from where I live and that has me excited.
Red-breasted Nuthatch And Juniper Titmouse Photos
These are the stories behind how I took these Red-breasted Nuthatch and Juniper Titmouse photos while relaxing and enjoying a lovely day in the West Desert.
Photographing Blooming Glacier Lilies
I enjoyed my journey to photograph the Glacier Lilies yesterday, it was quiet, peaceful and very relaxing. No news, no negativity, and not thinking about what a mess our world is in helped me to de-stress.
Finding Wild Turkey Hens Roosting In Aspens
I got out into the field for a little while yesterday morning and because of the observation skills I have developed over many years I was able to find two Wild Turkey hens roosting in Aspen trees.
West Desert Wild Turkey Tom Strutting And Displaying
I took hundreds of photos of the tom Wild Turkey fanning his tail, walking on the dirt road, strutting and displaying for the hens I could not see. And for those moments all seemed right in the world.
West Desert Male Horned Lark Singing On A Snow-topped Fence Post
I photographed this adult male Horned Lark singing on a snow-topped fence post three days ago after a spring snow fell overnight in the West Desert.
Smoke Phase Wild Turkey Hen Photos
Someone at sometime had tossed a soda can into the junipers and the Wild Turkey hen walked right in front of it during the few seconds she was out in the open.
Smoke Phase Wild Turkey Hen Plus A Displaying Tom
If I hadn't have been paying attention yesterday I might have missed out on spotting a flock of turkeys in some junipers and photographing a smoke phase Wild Turkey hen.
Perched Broad-tailed Hummingbird Male
It won't be long before I hear the buzzing wings, chips and chitters of Broad-tailed Hummingbirds in the mountains of northern Utah and I am very much looking forward to their return.
Some Days In The Field Are Mostly For Learning
Yesterday morning I didn't press my DSLR's shutter button a single time while I was out in the field so I came home without a single photo of a bird or animal but I did come home with something else. Knowledge.
Ferruginous Hawks in Utah
Knowing what kind of habitat Ferruginous Hawks prefer during all four seasons here in northern Utah can increase the chances of finding them year round.