World Wildlife Day 2024
Every March 3, the world comes together to honor World Wildlife Day, a global occasion that pays tribute to the astounding array of life inhabiting our planet.
Dawn Light On A Male Greater Sage-Grouse
If I could, I would wish that everyone, at least once in their lifetime, could visit a Greater Sage-Grouse lek while these fascinating birds are displaying.
Vesper Sparrow Looking Up At The Sky
Friday morning I found this Vesper Sparrow perched on an old fence post next to a dusty road with another sparrow singing from the top of a sage about 100 feet away.
Mountain Bluebird On The Aquarius Plateau
I thought this male Mountain Bluebird photographed on the Aquarius Plateau in Wayne County, Utah positively glowed in the early morning light.
Finding Greater Sage-Grouse Away From Their Leks
Finding Greater Sage-Grouse away from their leks isn't easy. It takes sharp eyes, keen observation skills, plus knowing what to look for.
Say’s Phoebe – A Bird I Listen For In March
The calls of a Say's Phoebe are among the sounds I listen for in March and they are the first members of the tyrant flycatcher family I see each year in northern Utah.
Four Years Ago Today I Found A Rare Upland Sandpiper
Four years ago today stopping for a Golden Eagle perched on a power pole in Box Elder County would net me a rare Upland Sandpiper sighting because of the sandpiper's chattering call.
Ferruginous Hawks in Utah
Knowing what kind of habitat Ferruginous Hawks prefer during all four seasons here in northern Utah can increase the chances of finding them year round.
Dawn’s Golden Light On A Greater Sage-Grouse Lek
It was 21 degrees and even though my hands became numb because of the biting cold I kept taking image after image of these Greater Sage-Grouse performing their ancient mating ritual, I started well before dawn and didn't stop until the last grouse left the lek.
Common Raven In Flight Over A Sagebrush Steppe In Utah’s Dixie National Forest
I had a Common Raven that was close enough to get a few images of it in flight and it excited me.
Before Dawn Breaks The Courtship Displays Begin On Greater Sage-Grouse Leks
Each year across the western states Greater Sage-Grouse begin to fly into leks on the sagebrush steppe during late winter and early spring to perform their fascinating courtship displays well before the first sign of dawn.
Greater Sage-Grouse on a Lek – Our Public Lands – Our Legacy
One might ask what do Greater Sage-Grouse have to do with our public lands and the answer would be that more than half of all remaining habit for these large upland game birds is on our public lands in the Western U.S..
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.
Without Science You Would Not See This Short-eared Owl Photo
Without science you would not see this Short-eared Owl chick photo. You are here viewing it through a device using an internet connection to connect to a page housed on a server.
One Frigid Morning On A Greater Sage-Grouse Lek
It was 21°F one frigid morning on a Greater Sage-Grouse Lek and before dawn broke the grouse began to display on the high country sagebrush steppe in Wayne County, Utah.
Sun-kissed Silver Sagebrush
Sometime very soon I will need to smell the sagebrush, hold it in my hands and breathe.
The State of North American Birds and its Not Good News
These four birds, an American Oystercatcher, a Greater Sage-Grouse, a Reddish Egret and a Mountain Plover are all facing the risk of extinction without serious conservation measures to reduce declines in populations and habitat destruction.
Low light Ferruginous Hawk in Flight with Nesting Material
I was able to create several images of this Ferruginous Hawk in flight with nesting materials over a field of sage and lupines despite the low light.
Spring Black-tailed Jackrabbits
I adore the Black-tailed Jackrabbits I see on Antelope Island State Park for their huge caramel colored eyes, long ears and their soft looking fur.
Greater Sage-Grouse, White-tailed Prairie Dogs and the Sagebrush Steppe
A short trip to look for Greater Sage-Grouse, White-tailed Prairie Dogs and the other birds and animals that call the sagebrush steppe their home.
Mule Deer Yearling On The Foothills Of The Stansbury Mountains
There were a number of yearlings in the herd including this Mule Deer yearling that was on a slight ridge who appeared to be looking right at me.
Pair of Greater Sage-Grouse on a June morning
It hasn't been a very birdy trip so far but I did photograph a pair of Greater Sage-Grouse yesterday morning that were close enough to take images of.
Greater Sage-Grouse Lek and News on Protections for the Grouse
Two months ago today I was photographing on a Greater Sage-Grouse lek in 21°F weather in Wayne County, Utah.
White-tailed Prairie Dog in golden evening light
The White-tailed Prairie Dogs I saw and photographed last week in Wayne County, Utah seemed more active in the evening than mornings.
Mesmerizing Mating Displays at a Greater Sage-Grouse Lek
I will share more Greater Sage-Grouse images from this lek soon but as usual I came home from this trip exhausted and it will take me a few days to get through all the images I took.
Greater Sage-Grouse and White-tailed Prairie Dogs
Greater Sage-Grouse and White-tailed Prairie Dogs
Sage Thrashers and the Rapidly Disappearing Sea of Sage
Can the disappearance of Sagebrush Seas be stopped? Yes, it could be but we need lawmakers that believe in science and act on it.
Centennial Valley Bathing Vesper Sparrows
A Vesper Sparrow caught my eye last week as it fluttered and fluffed on an old barb wire fence near the road and I just had to photograph it.
Sage Thrashers and Sagebrush
Sage Thrashers are considered sagebrush obligates meaning that they require sagebrush for some part of their life cycle and for the Sage Thrashers in Utah that means they need it during the breeding cycle.