Photographing a Bathing American Coot – TC On or TC Off?
I opted to leave my teleconverter on while photographing this bathing American Coot
California Gull In My Face
It isn't all that often I get to photograph a gull lift off from the water and fly head on directly towards me like this California Gull in winter plumage did a few days ago.
Common Goldeneyes in Northern Utah
The number of birds in a specific location can increase and decrease substantially from one day to the next and that happened with Common Goldeneyes at my local pond in northern Utah when their numbers increased considerably.
I Stopped To Answer The Call Of Nature And Found A Great Horned Owl
I stopped to answer the call of nature and found a Great Horned Owl and to my delight it was a very cooperative owl at that.
American Tree Sparrows Galore
I'm seeing more American Tree Sparrows than I've seen since I moved to Utah in 2009 and I hope that means they had a very successful breeding season in 2017.
Wondering How the Lone Surviving Red-tailed Hawk Juvenile Is Doing
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.
Bear River MBR Clouds, Marshes, Sunshine and an Immature Western Grebe
Yesterday morning found me at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, a wild and wonderful place that I am very thankful for because of the birds there, the spectacular scenery and the refuge I find within its boundaries.
Winter Redhead Drakes in Northern Utah
Redhead drakes are more colorful than the hens and I always enjoy having them in my viewfinder because of their cinnamon colored heads, their bright orange eyes and their tri-colored bills.
Northern Utah Mule Deer
These two Mule Deer were photographed in different settings, different lighting situations but about the same time of the morning and I find them both appealing.
Ruby-crowned Kinglets in Northern Utah
Ruby-crowned Kinglets are tiny little songbirds weighing in at a mere 0.23 ounces but what they lack in size they make up for in high-powered energy, they just don't sit still.
International Vulture Awareness Day 2017
Vultures are fascinating birds and they are great for the environments around the globe that they are found in, we need to do more to help them today and every day.
Juvenile American White Pelican at Bear River MBR
When the young American White Pelicans are old enough to leave the island they fly to areas like Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge to learn how to catch fish on their own before they migrate in the fall.
Fleeting Moments With An Immature Black-chinned Hummingbird
Two days ago I had a few fleeting moments with an immature Black-chinned Hummingbird that flew in and landed close to me and I relished every second with it.
Great Blue Herons and the Great Salt Lake
It does seem odd though to see Great Blue Herons hanging around the Great Salt Lake after the chicks have fledged like this immature heron I photographed yesterday near the causeway.
Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk Giving Me the Eye
This juvenile Red-tailed Hawk may have looked like it was giving me the eye when I photographed it but it was actually looking for one of its parents to bring it some food.
Canada Geese and How Their Calls Signal a Change of Seasons For Me
There are lots of Canada Geese near where I live in part because of the grassy golf course that is not too far away and because of the Jordan River and several small ponds that are just down the hill.
Gray & Windy Day Great Blue Heron Portrait
This Great Blue Heron wandered past me one December morning at Fort De Soto County Park's north beach on a gray, windy day and because it was close I simply had to take a photo of the large wading bird.
Up close with a Tree Swallow at Red Rock Lakes NWR
While stopped at a gate at Red Rock lakes NWR a Tree Swallow flew in and landed on a fence post so close that I wasn't sure I was going to be able to focus on it but I had to try.
One Serious Looking Red-tailed Hawk Juvenile and a Survivor Too
I was pleased and relieved to see the surviving Red-tailed Hawk juvenile perched on a corral close to the edge of the road and looking well fed and healthy.
Buck Pronghorn Close Up On Antelope Island – Worth the Gnat Bites?
My best photos of the day were of a buck Pronghorn that was very close to the dirt road I was on, he was so close I had trouble keeping all of his head in the frame.
Female Red-naped Sapsucker With a Bill Full of Ants
Maybe next year I'll have better opportunities with these Red-naped Sapsuckers and maybe they will chose to place their new nesting cavity in a location that is easier to photograph.
East Canyon Least Chipmunks – Chippies Delight Me
Yesterday while up in the Wasatch Mountains I was delighted to be able to photograph two Least Chipmunks I found in East Canyon of Morgan County, Utah.
Green-tailed Towhee Singing in the Wasatch Mountains
One good bird can make the the day when photographing birds in the field, yesterday that bird was a male Green-tailed Towhee I spotted perched on a shrub in a canyon in the Wasatch Mountains.
Male Yellow-headed Blackbird Portraits
I was surprised yesterday to be able to take portraits of male Yellow-headed Blackbirds because they normally fly away from me instead of flying towards me.
Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron Close Up Experience
Yesterday morning I drove up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge to see what birds I could find to photograph and I am glad I did because I had a wonderful juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron close up experience.
Turkey Vultures – Feathered Gatekeepers
Normally I prefer natural perches for my subjects but I rather enjoyed photographing these Turkey Vultures and thinking of them as feathered gatekeepers.
Swainson’s Hawks Along the Road
There are so many Swainson's Hawks in northern Utah right now, I see them perched, on their nests, hovering over fields and soaring on the thermals after the sun warms up the air.
Peachy Daylily – Before my Bird Photography Obsession Took Hold
Last month I was looking through some of my earliest image archives and came across a photo of a peachy-colored Daylily that I had taken while exploring with my friend Patty at the Florida Botanical Gardens
Light Morph Swainson’s Hawk with Different Backgrounds and Distances
I always try to pay attention to what is going on in the background of my photos because by changing distance or angles the same bird, like this Swainson's Hawk, can look very different in my images.
Photographing Swainson’s Hawks in Northern Utah
Yesterday morning in northern Utah I saw about a dozen Swainson's Hawks in about 2.25 miles, some were perched, some were in flight and all of them were wonderful to photograph.