Winter Common Mergansers
Yesterday and the day before I was able to observe and photograph winter Common Mergansers at my local pond on both sunny afternoons.
Photographing Winter Birds
I spent a couple of hours yesterday photographing winter birds at Farmington Bay WMA and closer to home in the morning and afternoon.
Drake Common Goldeneye With Pigment Issues On His Bill
When I got back home and uploaded the images I took of the drake Common Goldeneye I could see that his bill had pigment issues and that it wasn't a white feather stuck on his bill.
Females And First Winter Male Hooded Mergansers
All three of the Hooded Mergansers were close to me because there was a shelf of ice that prevented them from swimming out into the middle of the pond.
Landing Drake Common Goldeneye
I'm anxious to start photographing the ducks I see close to home during the winter here in the Salt Lake Valley and from what I understand a few Common Goldeneyes have shown up.
Hen And Drake American Wigeons Close To Home
Among the duck species I look for during the winter are American Wigeons which are medium sized dabbling ducks.
Drake Green-winged Teal At Bear River MBR
Yesterday morning I was able to take close up photos of a drake Green-winged Teal paddling away from me at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.
Winter Has Arrived Along With Many Opportunities To Photograph Birds
When the weather turns colder, the clouds gather, and the snow falls I still have plenty of birds to photograph here in northern Utah.
Drake Gadwalls Are Elegant Dabbling Ducks
I don't have nearly enough Gadwall photos in my portfolios and I honestly don't know why that is the case since they are year round residents here in northern Utah.
Common Merganser With A First Winter Common Goldeneye Drake
I found it interesting to see a first winter drake Common Goldeneye swimming with a first winter Common Merganser and decided to photograph them.
Photographing Winter Redheads in Northern Utah
Yesterday I watched and photographed the Redhead drakes exhibiting Kinked-neck and Head-throw displays but once again they were too far away to get the high quality images I am seeking.
Photographing Drake Common Goldeneyes In A Territorial Dispute
Yesterday afternoon I was thrilled to be able to photograph two adult drake Common Goldeneyes in a territorial dispute on a pond as they moved across my field of view.
Low Light Drake Mallard Portrait
Because of the low light and snowy conditions on the first day of the year I did not take many photos of the birds that I saw but I did get a few mallard images that I liked.
Hooded Merganser Drake – A One Day Opportunity
In December I had eight minutes and twenty-four seconds to photograph this Hooded Merganser drake and every time I have gone to the local pond after that I have looked for him to be there again.
Drake Common Goldeneye In Flight During The “Golden Hour”
I'm grateful when I can photograph a drake Common Goldeneye in flight during the "Golden Hour" or any other bird I see through my viewfinder.
Drake Hooded Merganser Photos
Yesterday started off dreary but later in the afternoon I was able to get out in the field and I had a blast taking photos of a spiffy drake Hooded Merganser for a little while.
Common Mergansers – What’s In A Name?
Sometimes I wonder how birds get their names, especially the birds with "Common" in their names such as Common Mergansers.
Why Do These Drake Common Goldeneyes Look Different?
Both of these drake Common Goldeneyes were photographed on January 7, 2018, but they don't look quite the same.
I’m Looking Forward To Photographing Winter Ducks
When I was at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge a few days ago I saw lots of ducks in the marshes and on the water and I realized that I am looking forward to photographing winter ducks again.
Photographing Hen And Drake Cinnamon Teals At Bear River MBR
Later in the morning and on the other side of the auto tour route I was able to take images of a hen Cinnamon Teal surrounded by lush, green spring growth while her mate kept an eye on her from a distance.
Drake Common Goldeneye Flapping His Wings On The Jordan River
During the winter I'm able to see some of the ducks that I don't see during the breeding season here in northern Utah on the Jordan River including Common Goldeneyes.
Wintertime Drake Gadwall Close Up
I'm glad this Gadwall drake came in close so I could take a few photos of him before I turned my attention back to the pair of Hooded Mergansers.
Diving Common Goldeneye Drake Photos
Primarily I focused on a drake Common Goldeneye that was busy foraging for food and that kept diving under the surface of the water close enough to take frame filling images of him.
Angry Looking Redhead Drake
This Redhead isn't "angry" at all but it does look angry to my eyes and this morning I'm feeling about as angry as this duck looks. I'll explain but first I have to give a bit more information about how my mornings start.
Ruddy Duck Drake In Nonbreeding Plumage
Even though this drake Ruddy Duck is small in the frame I liked this image because of the silky blue water, the small wake behind the duck, the direct eye contact and how some of the blue of this drake's bill is visible.
Drake American Wigeon Close Ups in Afternoon Light
American Wigeons are here in this area of northern Utah year round but I seem to have my best opportunities with them during the winter. I'm delighted that this drake came in so close.
Hen and Drake Hooded Mergansers With and Without Prey
The birds I photographed the most yesterday were a pair of Hooded Mergansers that were actively foraging for prey most of the time I had them in my viewfinder.
Photographing A Common Goldeneye Drake While Breaking Some Rules
By sharing these photos today my intention is to show that there are times when photographic rules can be broken because the appeal of images or the lack of appeal is all about the individual tastes of the photographer taking the photos and those of the people that view them.
First Winter Drake Common Goldeneye Landing On A Pond
I got lucky when a first winter drake Common Goldeneye flew towards me while coming in for a landing on the pond in sweet late afternoon light.
First Winter Common Goldeneye Drake Mid-dive In Northern Utah
I like this image because I was able to capture the eye of this diving first winter drake Common Goldeneye just as it is about to go below the surface of the pond but I also like what is going on with the water in this frame too.