Yellow-bellied Marmot On A Cliff
On April Fool's Day of 2022, I was up in far northern Utah where I spotted this adult male Yellow-bellied Marmot warming up in the morning sun on a cliff.
On April Fool's Day of 2022, I was up in far northern Utah where I spotted this adult male Yellow-bellied Marmot warming up in the morning sun on a cliff.
Three years ago today, I spotted a Marsh Wren in the marsh of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and stopped to take photos of the wren singing out in the open.
Today, I am sharing two Cedar Waxwing photos that I took last April during a spring snowstorm. I found this waxwing in a tree next to the Jordan River Trail.
This drake Northern Shoveler swam past me on my last trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I couldn't resist taking photos of him. Why would I want to?
While going through photos from around this time last year, this adult Double-crested Cormorant photo, taken during a spring snowstorm, stood out to me.
The last time I drove up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, I was delighted to have this drake Gadwall in my viewfinder on the last leg of the auto tour loop.
Over the weekend, I read on Facebook that Tree Swallows have migrated back into Northern Utah for their breeding season. I am so excited about that news!
On my most recent trip to Bear River MBR, I stopped my Jeep on the west side of the auto tour loop to take a few images of a pair of Clark's Grebes.
Earlier this week I stopped to take a video of a singing male Yellow-headed Blackbird on the auto tour loop of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I'm glad I did.
One of the birds I photographed on the last day of winter at Bear River MBR was an American Coot. I happen to like seeing their big, funky-looking feet.
When I was at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge on the last day of winter, I decided to take a video of some of the Tundra Swans I found on the auto tour loop.
The first bird I photographed yesterday morning at Bear River MBR was this Killdeer in soft morning light. Truthfully, I am glad my first bird was a Killdeer.
When I took this photo of a male Great-tailed Grackle, I wondered what the grackle was looking at so intently. The grackle even seemed disturbed by what it could see.
I got out for about 30 minutes yesterday because the weather forecast was wrong, again. When I found my first-of-year Rock Squirrel, the sun was shining bright.
It is time for me to keep my eyes on the sky because Osprey migration is underway. Online, in the past week, I've seen them being reported in Montana and Idaho.
This pair of Canada Geese looked to me like they were having a "honking match" when I photographed them in 2018 at a local pond during the winter.
This is the first American Robin that I have photographed in local crabapple trees all winter long. Usually, by March, the crabapples are eaten and long gone.
I found and photographed this female Merlin at my local pond last month, and she seemed to be the perfect bird for me to share on International Women's Day.
While I was sitting at my desk yesterday afternoon, when the sun was shining a bit, I heard one of the sounds of spring: Mourning Dove calls outside my window.
If I could, I would wish that everyone, at least once in their lifetime, could visit a Greater Sage-Grouse lek while these fascinating birds are displaying.
One week ago, my ears were delighted to hear this male Red-winged Blackbird singing and calling on the marsh at Farmington Bay WMA. His display was mesmerizing.
This isn't my typical idea of a Common Raven photo because the raven's face can't be seen. But I like this photo of the raven about to land on the frozen marsh.
On my last trip to Farmington Bay WMA, I was delighted to have a resting flock of American Avocets in my viewfinder. Seeing these shorebirds delights me.
When I took this photo of two drake Common Goldeneyes at Bear River MBR almost two years ago, I was laughing as I hit my shutter button. I couldn't help myself.
I haven't seen as many sparrows this winter as I typically do, so I was tickled to take a few White-crowned Sparrow portraits at Farmington Bay WMA on Friday.
While I was at Farmington Bay WMA two days ago, I heard and saw my first Sandhill Crane of the year. The calling crane was in flight, way off in the distance.
I was serenaded by this Song Sparrow yesterday on the rut-filled road at Farmington Bay WMA. It might seem odd, but this bird reminded me of my youngest son.
I hope this comparison helps anyone who might be struggling with Trumpeter Swan and Tundra Swan identification in the field or when they are looking at their own photos.
It was my first full spring in Utah, nearly 14 years ago, when my keen eyes were used to find my first Black-billed Magpie nest on Antelope Island State Park.
On my last trip up to Bear River MBR, I stopped to take a video on the auto tour loop, and a Great Blue Heron surprised me by flying into view over the river.