breeding plumage

Western Sandpiper on the Go

By |May 23rd, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Western Sandpipers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It dawned on me this morning that I haven not posted an image of a Western Sandpiper here yet so I pulled this one out of my archives that I photographed at Fort De Soto as the small shorebird ran in front of me on the shoreline.

Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) in Breeding Plumage

By |May 14th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Tricolored Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Some images remind me of the wonderful day I had when I created a certain image, this photo of a Tricolored Heron in breeding plumage photographed at the north beach of Fort De Soto, Florida is one of those files.

Too many Eared Grebes to Count

By |May 9th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Brine Flies, Eared Grebes, Great Salt Lake, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

During spring and fall migration there can be so many Eared Grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) on the Great Salt Lake that they are impossible to count.

Short-billed Dowitcher

By |April 17th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Short-billed Dowitchers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Short-billed Dowitchers feed on insects, crustaceans and aquatic mollusks. Quite often when I lived in Florida I would see them feeding on Coquinas which are small bivalves or tiny Fiddler Crabs.

Springtime California Gull Portrait

By |April 12th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, California Gulls, Davis County, Portraits, Utah, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday while I was out photographing Long-billed Curlews this California Gull (Larus californicus) flew in so close that all I could do was take portraits of the bird.

Adult Brown Pelican In Flight

By |April 9th, 2012|Categories: Brown Pelicans, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) were common year round along the Gulf coast when I lived in Florida. I would see them floating in the water, resting on sandbars and beaches, diving for prey and in flight.

Forster’s Terns

By |April 8th, 2012|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Florida, Forster's Terns, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I moved from Florida to Utah I felt it was fortunate that some of the nonbreeding birds I used to see in Florida during the winter I now get to see in breeding plumage on their nesting grounds.

Franklin’s Gulls ~ Feeding Frenzy

By |March 5th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Franklin's Gulls, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last year while I was camping and photographing at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge I saw a feeding frenzy that involved Franklin's and California Gulls in the flooded grasses and Sagebrush flats near the Lower Lake.

Low Light Bird Images

By |November 24th, 2011|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Low light, Roseate Spoonbills, Sanderlings|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Because I live far from my family and have no children at home my yearly Thanksgiving tradition includes spending a part of my day out photographing birds, mostly early morning outings.

Black Skimmer adult in flight

By |October 12th, 2011|Categories: Black Skimmers, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

I could always tell when a flock of Black Skimmers were flying in to Fort De Soto's north beach when I was photographing there because I could usually hear their soft, nasal barking yips or yeps before I saw them.

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Sanderlings – Tiny Dynamos

By |October 5th, 2011|Categories: Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Honeymoon Island State Park, Sanderlings|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Sanderlings can be a challenge to photograph because they move erratically at a very fast pace but creating images of them at their level is well worth the trouble of getting dirty and being exhausted by trying to follow the movements of these tiny dynamos.

California Gulls – The 1848 Heroes of Utah’s Pioneers

By |April 26th, 2011|Categories: Birds, California Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Huge flocks of California Gulls allegedly descended onto the grasshoppers in the valley and made tasty meals of the insects thus preventing the total loss of the crops as the story is told.

Laughing Gulls

By |December 17th, 2010|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Laughing Gulls, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Laughing Gulls are quite common on the east and Gulf coastlines of the US, during breeding season they are usually found near saltwater but in nonbreeding season they are known to wander widely.

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