Male Short-eared Owls On the Prowl in Idaho, Montana and Utah
Short-eared Owls are nomadic so the places where I saw and photographed these male Short-eared Owls last year may or may not have owls this breeding season.
American Bison Tears
In this American Bison's tears I saw my own tears and deep concerns for what is happening to our environment now and the potential threats that future generations will have to face if we don't take action today.
Pair of Red-tailed Hawks Mating – A Wild 34 Seconds
What I didn't expect yesterday was that I would be able to photograph the Red-tailed Hawks mating on the lichen-covered outcropping but that is what happened
Photographing Chukars on Antelope Island
Yesterday morning I was able to spend time photographing a pair of Chukars on Antelope Island State Park in a grassy area that has begun to turn green.
Sandhill Cranes Plus Views of Flooded Marshes at Bear River MBR
I saw and photographed a mated pair of Sandhill Cranes yesterday morning in the marsh from the auto tour loop and watched them search for food.
Male Horned Lark Territorial Behaviors – Tit-for-tat Chases
The most interesting activities I saw yesterday were territorial behaviors and chases between two male Horned Larks in an open area of the park.
Listening for Long-billed Curlews
The first of March always makes me think of and listen for Long-billed Curlews, our largest shorebird of North America.
Nomadic Short-eared Owls
Short-eared Owls are nomadic because they follow their main prey which is voles and if the vole population is low the Short-eared Owl density will also be low.
Portraits of Bison Bulls Drinking From An Iced Over Puddle
These portraits of bison bulls drinking from an iced over puddle were taken with my Nikon D500, my 500mm VR lens with a teleconverter attached from inside a vehicle.
Fluffed up Male Brewer’s Blackbird at Farmington Bay
This Brewer's Blackbird male was with several other males on some weathered wooden pallets next to the road when he shook and fluffed up his feathers.
Male American Kestrel Resting and Preening – One Good Bird Can Make the Day
I have mentioned before how one good bird can make a day and yesterday that bird was a male American Kestrel resting and preening at Farmington Bay WMA.
Pair of Mallards Mating in February
Mallards form pairs in the fall and courtship can seen during the winter and seeing them mating in February isn't all that unusual.
Photographing Common Mergansers at Farmington Bay
I spent time photographing a few Rough-legged Hawks but my personal choice for birds of the day were the Common Mergansers I observed and photographed.
Drake Gadwall Flapping His Wings on a Winter Day
Several of the Gadwalls were tipping their heads under the water to feed when this drake started to flap his wings before settling back down on the water.
American Kestrel With Prey On A Snowy Winter Day
The American Kestrel was perched on an arching wild rose branch with prey in his bill when I photographed him with snow covered ice and the Wasatch Mountains in the background
Possible Name Change for Ring-necked Duck to Ring-billed Duck
In 2017 one of the proposals submitted to the AOS is to rename Ring-necked Ducks to Ring-billed Ducks and I personally am all for the name change!
Pale-chested American Kestrel – Variability in the Underparts of Male American Kestrels
The male American Kestrel caught my eye immediately because he has such a pale chest that the spots on his chest stood out like tiny black jewels set in a field of snow white.
My Visit with Galileo the Short-eared Owl at HawkWatch International
Galileo will be an education bird at HawkWatch International and he will help show people, young and old, in class rooms and community centers the importance of having owls and other raptors in our environment.
Common Goldeneyes Have Started Their Courtship Displays
I'm seeing plenty of goldeneyes around right now and I have also begun to see the male Common Goldeneyes performing their courtship displays.
Male Common Goldeneye in Breeding Plumage on the Jordan River
I photographed this male Common Goldeneye in breeding plumage on the Jordan River in Salt Lake County, Utah in low light on a cold morning.
Redhead Drakes
This Redhead drake photographed at the refuge in his breeding plumage sure stood out well from the water that was reflecting the spring growth of rushes and phragmites.
Continuing Male Belted Kingfisher and Snow-covered Farmington Bay
Yesterday I had the opportunity to photograph the continuing male Belted Kingfisher with the snow-covered marsh in the background, a few times he even had prey.
Courting Black Skimmers on North Beach, Fort De Soto
On a hazy, windy day in May of 2008 I was able to sand crawl on my belly close enough to some Black Skimmers to watch and photograph them courting.
Fun Photographing a Male Belted Kingfisher at Farmington Bay
I had fun photographing a male Belted Kingfisher at Farmington Bay as he caught prey and ate it on a post near a little creek.
American Kestrel Landing With A Grasshopper
I was able take one image of the American Kestrel landing with a grasshopper in his bill that was sharp and that I liked.
Male Belted Kingfisher at Farmington Bay WMA
I wasn't expecting to see a handsome male Belted Kingfisher at Farmington Bay WMA yesterday but that is exactly what happened and I was able to get some nice photos of him too.
Red-winged Blackbird Perched In Rabbitbrush Fluff
Several of the Red-winged Blackbirds were feeding on the fluffy rabbitbrush seeds next to a parking area including this male.
Wild Turkeys in Utah
Maybe next time I up in the canyons I will get lucky and spot some of the Wild Turkeys that make their home in the Stansbury Mountains.
Photographing Short-eared Owls – From Chicks to Adults
This year was exceptional for photographing Short-eared Owls in Utah, Idaho and Montana and being able to see them in all the stages of their growth.
Male Brewer’s Blackbird on an Autumn Day
Brewer's Blackbirds are year round residents in northern Utah and in the autumn they form large flocks that move through open field looking for seeds and fallen grain.