birds of prey

Photos Of Owls In Flight

By |April 3rd, 2018|Categories: American Barn Owls, Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Burrowing Owls, Centennial Valley, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spend a lot of time in the field looking for, observing and photographing owls and obtaining photos of them in flight can often be frustrating when I have the opportunity but very fulfilling when I accomplish my goal.

Nest Building Marsh Wren Plus A Surprise Ferruginous Hawk And FOY Swainson’s Hawk

By |March 28th, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Ferruginous Hawks, Marsh Wrens, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was a wonderful morning spotting both the Ferruginous and Swainson's Hawks, seeing quite a few other first of season birds and spending time photographing the Marsh Wren while he was busy constructing his nest.

Red-tailed Hawk Perched on a Sagebrush Covered Hillside

By |March 24th, 2018|Categories: Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

It is the time of year when Red-tailed Hawks begin to nest, by now most of them here in northern Utah have already selected a mate so they find a nesting location and start to collect nesting materials as the days grow longer and warmer.

Hovering Northern Harrier Plus My Lifer Harris’s Sparrow

By |March 20th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Harris's Sparrow, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In some shrubs next to Glover Pond I saw two sparrows and the one that quickly drew my eye was a lovely first winter Harris's Sparrow, jackpot, a lifer!

Looking For Burrowing And Short-eared Owls

By |March 16th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Box Elder County, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Owls, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm getting ansty for spring migration and for the birds that it will bring including Burrowing and Short-eared Owls which I always look forward to photographing here in northern Utah.

Man Arrested for Illegal Mass Killing of Raptors in California

By |March 15th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah, Utah County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I seriously don't know why some people do the things they do and there are times that I read articles and find myself simultaneously exceedingly sad and tremendously angry when those articles have to do with the malicious, illegal killing of birds and wildlife.

Turkey Vulture Perched On An Orange Post – Why is that Fence Post Orange?

By |March 4th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I photographed this adult Turkey Vulture in northern Utah last year it wasn't alone, there were several other vultures roosting near it that morning on fence posts and a locked gate and I took a lot of images of all of them.

Swainson’s Hawks Heading Our Way

By |February 28th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

These two Swainson's Hawk photos were taken in May of last year up in northern Utah from inside a vehicle being used as a mobile blind and both were photographed from the side of a road where they had become accustomed to traffic going by so they weren't skittish at all.

Photographing Short-eared Owl Fledglings in Northern Utah

By |February 25th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Both of the fledgling Short-eared Owls I took photos of that morning appeared very relaxed while I photographed them, they looked around, preened, yawned, stretched and even rested with their eyes closed.

Great Horned Owl at Nest Box – Human Made Nests Are Helping Birds

By |February 13th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Great Horned Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Human made nest boxes, nest baskets, birdhouses, nest shelves and nest platforms can and do help many species of birds in all types of habitats.

Rough-legged Hawk Lift Off At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |February 8th, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Rough-legged Hawk's wings were fully extended above its body while its feet were still firmly planted on the ground and with one downward swoop of its long wings it was airborne right after this was photo was created.

Immature Red-tailed Hawk Lift Off and Flight at Farmington Bay

By |January 30th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One good bird can make my day... Yesterday that bird was an immature Red-tailed Hawk at Farmington Bay WMA that lifted off from a metal post and flew over the marsh.

Male American Kestrel On A Sign Post With His Prey

By |January 3rd, 2018|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've found American Kestrels to be "stickier" in cold weather and it wasn't much above 20°F when I photographed him as he consumed the vole bit by bit.

Immature Light Morph Rough-legged Hawk in Flight & Landing

By |December 23rd, 2017|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Eight days ago I spent time photographing an immature, light morph Rough-legged Hawk at Farmington Bay WMA in northern Utah.

Immature Rough-legged Hawk – Lift Off, Landing & Lunch

By |December 16th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I was able to photograph an immature Rough-legged Hawk lifting off, landing and lunching at Farmington Bay WMA in northern Utah.

Female and Male American Kestrel Comparison

By |December 10th, 2017|Categories: American Kestrels, Bird ID, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've seen people struggle with seeing the differences between male and female American Kestrels and I hope this simple comparison will help.

Wondering How the Lone Surviving Red-tailed Hawk Juvenile Is Doing

By |November 25th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been thinking a lot about the lone surviving Red-tailed Hawk from the nest that blew down because of strong winds earlier in June.

Side By Side Prairie and Peregrine Falcon Comparison

By |November 18th, 2017|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There are other differences in plumage between Prairie and Peregrine Falcons that show in my photos but by using just their heads it is possible to make a quick ID in the field.

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