American Robin – My First Bird Of The Year 2023
My first bird of 2023 was an American Robin, actually it was a flock of about 50 of them flying over my head as I got ready to shovel snow.
My first bird of 2023 was an American Robin, actually it was a flock of about 50 of them flying over my head as I got ready to shovel snow.
My Winter Solstice was cloudy and gray. I wandered down to my local pond to take in my first day of winter views of the Wasatch Mountains plus a few birds.
About two years ago, I photographed this immature Red-tailed Hawk resting above a safety zone sign at Farmington Bay WMA on a cold morning.
At Farmington Bay WMA yesterday I saw and photographed two kinds of meadowhawk dragonflies including this Band-winged Meadowhawk resting on a boulder.
Two days ago, I was searching for birds at Farmington Bay WMA when I noticed a dragonfly landing nearby and took a couple pictures of it.
This morning I wanted to share a few of my recent butterfly images taken in the marsh at Bear River MBR and high up in the Wasatch Mountains.
Earlier this week my last subject of the morning was a female Eight-spotted Skimmer dragonfly that landed in front of me next to a creek in the mountains.
On the 26th of June I had a darner dragonfly land on a honeysuckle in front of me, that dragonfly was a California Darner.
I love photographing dragonflies so when this darner dragonfly landed in front of me near a creek in the Wasatch Mountains I was delighted.
Yesterday morning I had a blast photographing a male Black-chinned Hummingbird high in the Wasatch Mountains even though the light was horrible.
I took this Canada Goose portrait last week at my local pond before the weather decided to turn to crap and go from spring to winter and back to spring.
I had a fun time at my local pond yesterday because it is Great-tailed Grackle breeding season and photographing these grackles kept me on my toes.
Earlier this week I took a few adult Bald Eagle on ice photos at Bear River MBR from the west side of the twelve mile auto tour loop at the refuge.
Among the birds I found was a desert dwelling Red-tailed Hawk adult who was busy refurbishing a nest on a cliff face.
Earlier this month I watched as this adult Bald Eagle flew in and landed on an ice shelf to take a rest on the wetlands of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.
My best find yesterday morning was a resting adult Great Horned Owl that I spotted in a thicket next to a field while traveling 40 to 45 miles per hour.
Late last month I mentioned that I hadn't yet gotten the Tundra Swan photos that I wanted to take. Yesterday at Bear River MBR I was delighted to remedy that situation.
While I was at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge two days ago I was able to take quite a few Great Blue Heron images of four individual herons in the marsh.
On my last trip to Farmington Bay WMA earlier this month I found a small flock of overwintering White-faced Ibis that were too far away to photograph.
On my last trip to Farmington Bay WMA ten days ago one of my birdy subjects was an adult Great Blue Heron in a light fog out on the playa in morning light.
While taking a short break yesterday morning I went down to my local pond for a few minutes and took a few California Gull photos while I was there.
One year ago tomorrow I was at Bear River MBR where I took these winter Ring-billed Gull images from the west side of the auto tour loop at the refuge.
I haven't been outside to measure the snow but I'd estimate that 6 to 8 inches have fallen already just by looking out my living room window.
When I spotted this adult female Northern Harrier resting on a tumbleweed yesterday morning it took a few moments for me to point her out.
I went to Farmington Bay WMA yesterday morning where one of the birds I photographed was this resting Western Grebe with reflections of fall colors.
While rifling through my archives I came across some of my Semipalmated Plover photos that I took on the north beach at Fort De Soto County Park in 2008.
I almost missed finding this adult dark morph Red-tailed Hawk last Sunday because when I first spotted the hawk he was behind a tree in dark shadows but I recognized the shape and form of the raptor.
Yesterday morning I was able to spend time taking Willow Flycatcher photos high in the mountains with clear skies overhead as I watched the flycatchers hunting for prey.
In late summer I see Nashville and MacGillivray’s Warblers in the same locations and habitats foraging for the same food, aphids.
I spent yesterday morning traveling Mirror Lake Highway in the Uinta Mountains and came home with a few photos of Uinta Chipmunks.