marsh

Goofy Looking Upside Down Displaying Male Brown-headed Cowbird

By |July 5th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This photo of a displaying male Brown-headed Cowbird in a goofy upside down pose is not a good photo technically but I absolutely love the behavior it shows.

Angry Birds – Featuring A Western Grebe

By |July 3rd, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Grebes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I know that is probably anthropomorphizing but I do allow myself to giggle about birds I think look "angry" and if any of them do this Western Grebe certainly does. 

American Avocet Chicks Have Hatched At Bear River MBR

By |June 26th, 2019|Categories: American Avocets, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Three days ago I was tickled to finally see some American Avocet chicks on the marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, I've been waiting to see these little puff balls this year!

White-faced Ibis With A Red Invertebrate Of Some Kind

By |June 25th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, White-faced Ibises|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It seems I also photographed an odd, little hitchhiker on the lore and bill of the White-faced Ibis when I took these photos.

Killdeer Nesting In Last Year’s Ashes

By |June 24th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Killdeer, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Both the female and male Killdeer incubate so there is no way for me to tell what the gender of this Killdeer is but it stayed on the scrape while I photographed it and didn't move.

Highlights Of My Bird Photography Trip Yesterday to Bear River MBR

By |June 3rd, 2019|Categories: American Avocets, American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Box Elder County, Double-crested Cormorants, Long-tailed Weasels, Snowy Plovers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When a bird photography trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge starts with me spotting not just one but two Snowy Plovers out on the flats I just know the day is off to a great start and that is what happened yesterday morning.

Five Male Yellow-headed Blackbird Images From The Marsh At Bear River MBR

By |May 29th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I wanted to share a five image series of a male Yellow-headed Blackbird that I photographed in the marshes of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge this morning that I took the second week of May.

Male Ring-necked Pheasant And Midges At Bear River MBR

By |May 13th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Ring-necked Pheasants, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I don't know if the Ring-necked Pheasants eat the midges but I know that many of the other birds at the refuge do so I like to think of midges as bird food on the wing.

White-faced Ibis Perched On Cattails

By |May 3rd, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, White-faced Ibises|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

I haven't seen or photographed White-faced Ibis perched in the nearly ten years that I have lived here so I was thrilled to have my first opportunity to do so yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Solitary Great Blue Heron Looking Over The Marsh At Bear River MBR

By |April 27th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

It really is a simple Great Blue Heron photo with the marsh, a stationary wading bird, vibrant spring growth and water at the top of the frame but it is also a very calming image for me because for a few seconds time stood as still as the heron.

Two Merlins Were My Best Finds Of The Day At Bear River MBR

By |April 24th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Merlins, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There isn't a single day in the field where I take my eyesight and my keen spotting abilities for granted and yesterday those attributes netted me not one but two Merlins while I was at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

White-faced Ibis With A Wet Head At Bear River MBR

By |April 22nd, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, White-faced Ibises|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This White-faced Ibis had been feeding in the shallow water and had gotten its head soaking wet right before I photographed it and the ibis was in the process of getting ready to shake the water from its head feathers.

American White Pelican Foraging By Itself

By |April 16th, 2019|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my visit to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge last week I didn't see large numbers of American White Pelicans but at this time of the year that is understandable because many of them are probably nesting on Gunnison Island right now.

Spring Western Grebes At Bear River MBR – Time For Their Courtship Displays

By |April 15th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Grebes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

These elegant black and white Western Grebes are beautiful while they feed, preen, rest and stretch but they are even more striking when they dance across the water while performing their courtship ceremony.

Spring Gathering Of Tree Swallows At Bear River MBR

By |April 9th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tree Swallows, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Tree Swallows were the most numerous of the swallows I saw and at the far northwest part of the auto tour route I found bunches of them resting in a stand of phragmites so I decided to get out, set up my tripod and photograph them from across the water.

Hoping For More Photos Of Eared Grebes This Season

By |April 6th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Eared Grebes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have plenty of photos of Clark's, Western and Pied-billed Grebes but few of Eared Grebes and I am hoping that this breeding season I will be able to have more of these small grebes in my viewfinder.

Spring Killdeer At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |March 31st, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Killdeer, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent my morning yesterday driving on the very muddy auto tour route at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and the birds that I photographed the most were Killdeer, it seemed like I saw them everywhere.

Marsh Wren Nesting Season Has Begun At Bear River MBR

By |March 23rd, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Marsh Wrens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Marsh Wren nesting season has begun here in northern Utah and in my opinion one of the best places to see, listen to and photograph them is from the auto tour route at Bear River MBR.

Early Franklin’s Gull at Bear River MBR on March 6, 2018

By |March 6th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Davis County, Franklin's Gulls, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I had the Sandhill Crane and the Ring-billed Gulls in my view finder I heard a call and it only took a second for my brain to figure out that I was hearing a Franklin's Gull which surprised me because it was at the refuge much earlier than I have ever seen one there before.

Photographing Tundra Swans And Northern Pintails In Low Light

By |March 5th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Pintails, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Our Tundra Swans won't be at the refuge much longer and will soon be winging their way to their breeding grounds in the Arctic and I realize that my opportunities to photograph them before they leave are dwindling.

Preening Western Grebe At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |March 4th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Grebes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Migrating Western Grebes are already being reported at Utah Lake, Bountiful Pond and Farmington Bay WMA and before too long they will be found at other locations here in northern Utah.

Winter Barn Owls In Flight During Daylight Are Hungry

By |February 23rd, 2019|Categories: American Barn Owls, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I always feel fortunate when I am able to photograph winter Barn Owls in flight during daylight hours but that means that these gorgeous owls are struggling to stay alive and that is a concern for me.

Rough-legged Hawk Expelling A Pellet Close Up Photos

By |February 20th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've never been this close to a Rough-legged Hawk expelling a pellet before and it is likely that I will never be this fortunate again. This Rough-legged Hawk was my best bird for the day and I'm glad I stopped and waited for him to expel the pellet before moving on down the auto tour route.

Birds On The Wing At Farmington Bay

By |February 18th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Shovelers, Ring-necked Pheasants, Utah, White-faced Ibises|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Even though my primary focus was on photographing Bald Eagles I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to take photos of the other birds I saw on the wing at Farmington Bay that morning.

Farmington Bay Bald Eagles Close Up And Far Away

By |February 17th, 2019|Categories: Bald Eagles, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'd gotten the long distance images of the Bald Eagles at Farmington Bay that I wanted to take plus close up images of this adult eagle as it flew past me. It was a great morning to be at Farmington Bay.

Barn Owl, Immature Bald Eagle, California And Ring-billed Gulls

By |February 9th, 2019|Categories: American Barn Owls, Bald Eagles, Birds, California Gulls, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Ring-billed Gulls, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

So, even though I didn't get great photos yesterday I was glad to get out and photograph a Barn Owl, Bald Eagle and these California and Ring-billed Gulls.

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