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.
Calling American Coot Adult Portrait
This adult American Coot may look like it is screaming but in reality it is simply calling out because another bird got close to it next to the shoreline of a small pond.
Female Mountain Bluebird With Prey
As I went through the images I took four years ago this photo of a female Mountain Bluebird perched on an old fence post with prey for her young in her bill stood out to me.
Focusing On Belted Kingfishers High In The Wasatch Mountains
I spent yesterday morning high up in the Wasatch Mountains where part of the time I focused on photographing the Belted Kingfishers that I found in two counties.
Winter Great Blue Heron On Ice
This may have been my last chance this winter to photograph a Great Blue Heron on ice so I am glad I took photos of it as it landed and cautiously walked around on the ice.
Ring-billed Gull Landing On Crystal Blue Water
While looking through my photos from two years ago today I came across images of this Ring-billed Gull coming in for a landing and thought the gull looked perfect against the blue of the water.
Puzzling Absence Of Double-crested Cormorants This Winter At My Local Ponds
Every winter since I moved to northern Utah in 2009 I have found a few Double-crested Cormorants overwintering at my local ponds but this winter has been very different.
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.
Bathing Adult Pied-billed Grebe Splashing Water
The Pied-billed Grebe dunked its head then slapped its wings against the water vigorously which caused the icy water to fly in all directions.
Winter European Starling
I thought I was going to go home without any frame filling bird photos until this European Starling flew in and landed next to the water.
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.
Canada Goose With White Plumage On Its Head
The Canada Goose was unusual because it had spotted, white plumage on its head and I was able to take photos of both left and right profile views of its head.
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.
Winter Ring-billed Gull In A Whiteout
The light was low, big flakes of snow were falling and the ice was covered in fluffy snow so that allowed me to take photos of a few birds that looked like they were posed on a blank, white canvas.
December Snow Goose
Usually by this time in December I've seen at least one Snow Goose to photograph but so far this year I haven't found one yet.
California Gull With Eyes That Look Like Snowflake Obsidian
It has been three years and one day since I took photos of a California Gull that had eyes that looked like snowflake obsidian.
Winter American Coot Close Up
When the American Coots come close to me I am also able to take portraits of them that show their red eyes and their ivory colored bills with their reddish-brown frontal shields.
Focusing On Winter Redheads
Why were the mallards sticking close to this Redhead? That was because she was diving down into the pond and bringing up aquatic vegetation to feed on and the mallards were stealing bits of it from her.
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.
Killdeer Coping With A Snow Storm
Birds that we might think are too delicate to survive the freezing temps, howling winds and driving snow can and do surprise us with their strength and tenacity.
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.
Mallard Feather Floating On A Pond
This was my favorite image of the morning. Just a fluffy mallard feather and the silky reflections on the pond.
Ice Skating American Coot
I especially enjoy watching American Coots in winter when they try to use their large greenish feet to walk on ice because that can be rather comical and I love to laugh.
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.
Possible Western Painted Turtle On A Log (See correction)
Even when I don't have any birds to view or photograph I am always looking for other subjects and yesterday my "other" subject was a turtle sunning itself on a log at one of my local ponds.
Male Brewer’s Blackbird Close Up
Yesterday morning I was able to take close up images of a male Brewer's Blackbird in the kind of light that showed all of its beautiful iridescent colors with the silky blue water of a pond in the background.
Muskrat Eating Filamentous Algae At Farmington Bay WMA
Yesterday I photographed a muskrat I found eating green filamentous algae at Farmington Bay WMA which I thought was interesting because I had never seen one eating algae before.
Snowy Egrets Foraging, Fighting, Landing And Lifting Off
These nine Snowy Egret photos are just a fraction of the images I took of a small flock of these snowy, white birds with golden slippers yesterday morning on the marshes of Farmington Bay WMA.
Photographing Immature Forster’s Terns On The Hunt And Catching Prey
I had fun testing my skills by photographing several immature Forster's Terns that were hunting for and catching prey at Farmington Bay WMA two days ago.