West Desert Horned Lark on Sagebrush
Spring is a time when the Horned Larks here in Utah perch on top of rocks, posts, mounds of dirt, junipers and sagebrush to sing their songs.
My First of Year Swainson’s Hawk and April Snow on Antelope Island
My best find of the day was my first of the year Swainson's Hawk about two thirds of the way down the island perched in some trees near a freshwater spring.
Ospreys of Honeymoon Island State Park
Honeymoon Island State Park in Pinellas County, Florida is a great place to see and photograph nesting Ospreys, not just one or two nests either, there are often quite a few.
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.
Song Sparrow In Box Elder County, Utah – Bird Sounds of Spring
I was trying to photograph some Red-tailed Hawks when I heard a song close to me and realized it was a Song Sparrow before I even located the bird and put my lens on it.
Foggy Morning Red-tailed Hawks & Turkey Vulture
It wasn't "partly sunny" as predicted but I enjoyed myself while photographing the Turkey Vulture and Red-tailed Hawks on a foggy morning even though it tested my skills and techniques.
Cooperative First of Year Turkey Vulture
I was pleased to see and photograph my first of the year Turkey Vulture perched on a fence post next to a road yesterday in northern Utah.
Western Meadowlarks Are Very Active Right Now – They Know Spring Has Arrived
Western Meadowlarks are very active right now on the island, searching for insects, scurrying through the grasses and singing their hearts out from their favorite perches.
Female Belted Kingfisher Looking For And Catching Prey
I took several hundred images of a female Belted Kingfisher looking for and catching prey while it was bright and sunny yesterday afternoon.
Cooper’s Hawk Takes Flight in Northern Utah
The Cooper's Hawk took flight without much warning at all and for a second I lost it while tracking the hawk but regained focus as it flew south past me.
Perched Golden Eagle in Northern Utah
Two days ago this Golden Eagle was perched on a rocky outcrop but because of a blind spot I didn't see it quite soon enough but at least I was able to get a few decent images of it.
My Burrowing Owl Fascination – It Never Ends
I'm drawn to and fascinated by these western desert Burrowing Owls because they are beautiful, interesting and animated subjects. And they are pretty darn cute!
Listening for Marsh Wren Songs – Sounds of Early Spring
I will be listening for the male Marsh Wrens songs at the pond nearby and the marshes at Farmington Bay WMA and Bear River MBR and waiting to see them pop up on top of the cattails, phrags and rushes.
Peregrine Falcon Stretching Sessions
I spent forty-one minutes observing and photographing this Peregrine Falcon yesterday while it rested, preened and stretched right next to the Great Salt Lake.
Rough-legged Hawk, Lichens and Snow
When I photographed this Rough-legged Hawk on a snow and lichen covered rock the light was decent and brought out the colors of the hawk and the orange lichen covering the rocky outcropping it was perched on.
Mountain Bluebird – Blue on Blue
This photo of a male Mountain Bluebird in Wayne County, Utah made me smile when I thought about the location where it was created because it is so wild and beautiful up there.
Peregrine Falcon in the Snow – My Best Find of the Day
My best find of the day was a Peregrine Falcon in the snow perched on a colorful boulder with a snowy background.
Rough-legged Hawk on a Designated Parking Sign
Many of the birds here in the Salt Lake Valley find a place to roost in the evening and overnight frost begins to accumulate on their feathers like it did on this Rough-legged Hawk on a parking sign.
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.
Prairie Falcon with Prey in Box Elder County, Utah (Graphic)
The Prairie Falcon I photographed had prey and that may be why it was less skittish. I have no idea what the prey is but it is larger than a vole and had fur not feathers.
Photographing a Red-tailed Hawk at Farmington Bay
Almost three years ago today I spent time photographing a Red-tailed Hawk at Farmington Bay that was hunting in a snowy field while using a nest box as a perch to watch for prey.
Funny Rough-legged Hawk – Preserving, Nurturing and Expressing a Sense of Humor
I think this Rough-legged Hawk has read one too many hysterical Tweets lately. I know I have.
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.
Juvenile Red-tailed Hawks – Photographing Raptors Near Interstates
There are natural perches along the access roads right next to the interstate and if I am lucky I can find raptors perched there on occasion too.
Short Tale of a Song Sparrow Without a Tail
On the last day of 2015 I photographed this Song Sparrow without a tail on Antelope Island State Park during the early morning while frost still clung to branch the sparrow was perched on.
Looking For Peregrine Falcons On The Shore Of The Great Salt Lake
This time of the year I start looking for Peregrine Falcons to show up near the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake because of the high numbers of ducks that are usually there.
White-crowned Sparrow and Rose hips
A few days ago I photographed this adult White-crowned Sparrow perched on a wild rose bush that is absolutely covered in red rose hips at Farmington Bay WMA.
Autumn Marsh Wren at Farmington Bay
I was delighted by several tiny Marsh Wrens foraging in some cattails close enough to photograph with autumn colors in the background.
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.