Tooele and Juab Counties
Located in the northwestern Utah, the 7.7 million-acre West Desert is uniquely different from any other part of the state. Much of this area is a part of the Great Basin region, a place of isolated sky island mountain ranges separated by desert playas and wide-sweeping sagebrush flats.
Even though I have taken Juniper Titmouse images, this titmouse species is still a bit of a nemesis bird for me. I just don't see them as much as I would like.
Lately, I've been wondering what the new name for the Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay species, that I photograph here in Utah, will be when it is changed in 2024.
Four years ago today, I found this gorgeous dark morph Ferruginous Hawk perched on a juniper fence post in the West Desert. I spotted it from about a mile away.
In 2024, the common name for Townsend's Solitaire will change, along with many other bird names. My recommendation would be to rename it the Juniper Solitaire.
A West Desert weather station wasn't the prettiest perch, but that is where I found this handsome Red-tailed Hawk last week when I went looking for birds.
When I drove out to the West Desert for some peace and solitude three days ago, I was thrilled to spot this Flatbud Prickly Poppy still in bloom.
While out in the West Desert two days ago, I photographed this adult Black-footed Drone Fly, a member of the hoverfly family, on a rabbitbrush.
Yesterday morning, I spent time photographing a male Horned Lark perched on a barbed wire fence in the West Desert, with Stansbury Island in the background.
I've been meaning to share this Tarantula-hawk Wasp photo that I took in the West Desert of Utah for about a year, and today is as good a day as any.
Prickly Poppies are one of my favorite summer wildflowers. I find these poppies in desert habitats, most often in the foothills of sky island mountain ranges.
Three years ago by this date I was already taking Wild Turkey photos in the canyons of the sky island mountains of the West Desert of Utah.
Almost three years ago, I photographed this Rock Squirrel perched in top of a juniper in the foothills of some sky island mountains in the West Desert of Utah.
This could also be titled "Why I prefer to bird photography over people photography" and I will explain why this morning.
This morning I am sharing a Western Bluebird memory from seven years ago. That day I found small flock of these colorful bluebirds in the West Desert.
This morning I'm sharing two photos of the same Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay perched in the West Desert on the same juniper with two different backgrounds.
I was overjoyed to see an immature light morph Ferruginous Hawk in my viewfinder four years ago in December while I was out in Utah's West Desert.
Nearly three years have passed since I found, pointed out, and photographed this stunning dark morph Ferruginous Hawk in the West Desert of Utah.
My favorite of the hawks I photographed in the West Desert yesterday was this adult Red-tailed Hawk on a fence post waiting for the morning light.
Last month while I wandered in the West Desert I found an immature Red-tailed Hawk perched on a wooden fence post in the foothills of some sky island mountains.
Earlier this week I did some West Desert wandering and while I was there I took some butterfly photos that clumps of blooming rabbitbrush had attracted.
The first Saturday of September is International Vulture Awareness Day which is a day to bring awareness to these birds that face a range of threats.
While I was out exploring in the West Desert three days ago I spotted this young Western Kingbird perched on a barbed wire fence close to the road.
Two days ago while out exploring the West Desert of Utah I was thrilled to come across a large Great Basin Gopher Snake warming itself on a dusty dirt road.
This morning I am keeping this fading Flatbud Prickly Poppy post short and sweet for two simple reasons.
Earlier this week I spent a few moments focused on a scruffy young Yellow-rumped Warbler perched above a creek in the sky island mountains of the West Desert.
This morning I am sharing two Black-throated Gray Warbler images that I took yesterday while exploring the canyons of sky island mountains in the West Desert.
Yesterday morning I spent time photographing a female Western Tanager perched on a juniper in a canyon out in the sky island mountains of the West Desert of Utah.
I haven't shared any of my recent Lark Sparrow photos this spring so I thought I would remedy that by sharing some that I took out in the West Desert nine days ago.
Last week I stopped to take photos of a Western Chokecherry because I could see that there were flower buds on it and I want to follow this chokecherry this year.
Yesterday I mentioned that a Pine Siskin chased away the Chipping Sparrow that I shared photos of. This is that Pine Siskin perched on another sage.