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Great Blue Herons Aren’t Really Blue – So What’s Up With Their Name?

By |November 10th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The name "Great Blue Heron" has always seemed off to me because these large herons are much more gray than they are blue.

Adult Female Northern Harrier On The Wing Over Farmington Bay WMA

By |November 3rd, 2020|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It has been too long since I have had a Northern Harrier in my viewfinder although I'm now excited because I know that fall and winter are great seasons for me to find and photograph them.

Immature Great Blue Heron – With And Without The Hand Of Man

By |October 22nd, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Is one of these immature Great Blue Heron images more visually appealing than the other? That depends on the personal tastes of the person viewing them.

Tundra Swans Are Showing Up In Northern Utah

By |October 21st, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I can barely wait to hear and see my first of season Tundra Swans and to see them on the wing over the marshes that surround the Great Salt Lake.

Hawk In The West Desert Perched In A Dead Juniper

By |September 12th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I don't usually share photos where the main subject is facing away from me but I liked the alert pose of this raptor as it perched in the dead but distant juniper tree.

I’m Just Mad About Sparrows

By |September 8th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Brewer's Sparrows, Lincoln's Sparrows, Savannah Sparrows, Utah, Vesper Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had a great time photographing all of the sparrow species I saw two days ago and I could have stayed with them all morning long. I might do just that later this week.

Adult And Immature Cedar Waxwings High In The Wasatch Mountains

By |August 27th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Cedar Waxwings, East Canyon, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On August 10th I drove into the mountains for a quiet, relaxing morning and came away with quite a few bird photos I have yet to process.

Finally, Nashville Warbler Photos I Am Happy With

By |August 26th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Morgan County, Nashville Warblers, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was "over the moon" excited when I spotted an adult male Nashville Warbler out in the open at the top of a willow yesterday while up in the Wasatch Mountains.

In Every Sunset There Is A Promise And A Gift From Nature

By |August 23rd, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Throughout my life I have liked to think that every sunset has a promise and a gift from Nature in it. The promise that the sun will rise again in the morning.

American Robin Fledglings Exploring Their Mountain Home

By |July 12th, 2020|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Three days ago I saw lots of young birds in the Wasatch Mountains east of where I live in Salt Lake City and among them were several American Robin fledglings.

Great Egret In Front Of Stormy Skies

By |July 8th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Egrets, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of the birds I found that summer morning was a Great Egret perched on a stump that the waves of the Gulf had deposited on the shore of the beach.

Two Greater Sage-Grouse Foraging On The Aquarius Plateau

By |June 2nd, 2020|Categories: Birds, Dixie National Forest, Greater Sage-Grouse, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I found these two foraging Greater Sage-Grouse high up on the Aquarius Plateau in Wayne County, Utah five years ago today.

Red-breasted Nuthatch And Juniper Titmouse Photos

By |April 22nd, 2020|Categories: Birds, Juniper Titmouses, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

These are the stories behind how I took these Red-breasted Nuthatch and Juniper Titmouse photos while relaxing and enjoying a lovely day in the West Desert.

Swainson’s Hawk Chicks, Sub-adult And Adults

By |March 31st, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Idaho, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

These are the life stages of the Swainson's Hawks I see, observe and photograph here in Utah, Idaho and Montana.

Adult Killdeer Portrait Plus A View Of Bear River MBR In March

By |March 30th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Killdeer, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had my best opportunities to take close up photos of Killdeer that I have ever had and I took full advantage of each chance I had with them.

Adult And Immature Loggerhead Shrikes

By |March 10th, 2020|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Loggerhead Shrikes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

If I can find a protective head net that actually works I might just venture back out onto the island after the no-see-ums come out because I miss photographing nesting Loggerhead Shrikes.

Great Blue Herons Seeking Shelter From Winter’s Wind

By |February 10th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Great Blue Herons were hunkered down in the rushes with the warmth of the sunlight on them but they still looked cold.

Winter American Robin Foraging In A Crabapple Tree

By |February 5th, 2020|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I was able to focus on this American Robin as it foraged in the branches of a crabapple tree and took a nice, long series of images of the handsome red-breasted thrush.

Happy Birthday Little Brother!

By |January 12th, 2020|Categories: American Barn Owls, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I wanted to take the time to wish my brother a Happy Birthday here on my blog and it seemed fitting to use this photo of a Barn Owl hunting in daylight that I took seven years ago today.

Adult Male Rough-legged Hawk Perched On A Russian Olive

By |January 11th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I could wish that there weren't any branches in front of the hawk but honestly it just felt good to not have something happen to ruin my opportunity to photograph this Rough-legged Hawk.

Focusing On American Herring Gulls – Winter Visitors To Northern Utah

By |January 9th, 2020|Categories: American Herring Gulls, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I know some people don't get excited about gulls but I do and I was thrilled two days ago at Bear River MBR when I spotted and photographed my first Herring Gulls of this winter season.

Male American Kestrels At Bear River MBR

By |January 7th, 2020|Categories: American Kestrels, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While this male American Kestrel struggled to maintain his grip on the thin branches of the Tamarisk I struggled to keep him in my viewfinder.

Female American Kestrel On A Crabapple Tree Near The Jordan River

By |December 17th, 2019|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was delighted when I spotted this female American Kestrel perched high on a crabapple tree next to a road near the Jordan River and pleased that she stuck around for a few photos.

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