Yellow-headed Blackbirds – Friday Photos
Yellow-headed Blackbirds have begun to show up in large numbers in my area of the country. I'm seeing them perched on cattails, phragmites and in flight.
Mountain Bluebird Male
How blue can blue be? I think Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoide) males are a wonderful example of just how blue a bird can be.
Brewer’s Blackbirds
Brewer's Blackbirds may not be the most well known of the Blackbird family; I am fairly certain that the Red-winged Blackbirds have that claim to fame, but they are beautiful and interesting subjects to photograph.
Birds and Bison
Certain species of birds ride on the backs of Bison and feed on the insects they find in the Bison's fur; European Starlings are among those birds.
Red-winged Blackbirds
Red-winged Blackbirds are birds that I associate with spring, the males begin calling perched on top of reeds, cattails, grasses and shrubs and flash their brightly colored coverts to attract a mate.
Horned Lark eating sunflower seeds
Yesterday I was delighted to be able to photograph this male Horned Lark perched high on dried sunflower seed heads as it ate.
Northern Harrier
This Northern Harrier displayed interesting behavior, it didn't appear to be hunting but it would dive into the vegetation where it would make a sound that reminded me of parrots chattering.
Friday Photos ~ Horned Lark and Western Meadowlark
Horned Larks and Western Meadowlarks are birds that I enjoy photographing all year long in Utah and yesterday they gave me some wonderful opportunities.
Preening American Kestrel ~ Friday Photos
American Kestrels hold a special interest for me, they are North America's smallest falcon but what they lack in size they make up for in attitude. These falcons can be fiesty.
Harlequin Ducks Dead – Just because it is legal that doesn’t make it right!
To those hunters who recognized and respected the rarity of those beautiful and very uncommon birds, you have my respect and I am personally very grateful that you preferred to give these ducks a pass even though you knew that hunting them was legal.
Double Delight and an Observation – Great Horned Owls
I'm excited that two Great Horned Owls are using the same roosting location on Antelope Island.
Prolonged male Horned Lark preening session
Yesterday I came across this very cooperative male Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris). This male bird preened for a full seven minutes and I took 256 images of it.
Friday Photos – Short-eared Owl in Glacier County, Montana
I am always looking for the unexpected birds to show up in locations where I might not expect them them to be and this Short-eared Owl was a bit of a nice surprise.
American Kestrel Male
The American Kestrel is our smallest falcon in North America but what they lack in size I feel they make up for in attitude.
Montana Short-eared Owls
I will soon be on the road back to Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in southern Montana, another one of my favorite locations on this planet.
Pronghorn buck with misshapen horns
I am just happy to have seen the Pronghorn buck with misshapen horns again and for coming home with better photos of it for my files.
Horned Larks
Yesterday was awesome for Horned Larks (Eremophila alpestris) in Tooele County, Utah.
If only…
Taking the time to review my "bad images" strengthens me as a photographer.
Ring-necked Pheasant
Male Ring-necked Pheasants are very colorful and sport red face wattles, iridescent ear tufts, the white neck ring and bronze colored chest and back with barring. I remember my grandfather using the pheasant feathers for the flies that he tied.
Lazuli Bunting males
Male Lazuli Buntings resemble bluebirds but they are smaller and the blues are a different hue than the Mountain, Eastern and Western Bluebirds.
Northern Harrier – Gray Ghost
I will have more opportunities with northern harriers in better light this winter and while I wouldn't consider this image perfect, I am happy with the results I obtained while photographing this "Gray Ghost".
Anhinga Portraits
Anhingas have always fascinated me. These are portraits of both the male and female.
Shorebirds of Fort DeSoto – Ruddy Turnstones
One of the easier medium-sized shorebirds to identify on Fort De Soto's beaches and tidal mudflats are the Ruddy Turnstones. The only other turnstone that frequents North America is the Black Turnstone and it occurs on the Pacific coast.
Colorful Capitol Reef National Park
The geological features of Capitol Reef National Park are amazing. About 75 miles of the 100 mile long monocline known as the Waterpocket Fold are within the park's boundaries extending from Lake Powell north to the Thousand Lake Plateau.
Pronghorns
Pronghorns are North America's fastest mammal, they can attain speeds of more than 40 miles per hour, with spurts to 70 mph and can out run almost all of their predators.