Nature’s Gifts
75,326 coyotes in 2013 were "denied" their portion of Nature's gifts when they were senselessly exterminated by USDA’s Wildlife Services
Northern Harriers And “Ground Hunting”
Whatever the reason for this behavior I know that I enjoy photographing Northern Harriers while they are ground hunting in a winter wonderland.
Looking ahead to winter
We catch up and share stories of birds we saw in the warmer months and reveal the journeys we have been on.
Female American Kestrel On A Frosty Winter Morn
American Kestrels are year round residents in Utah and when the cold sets in they are less skittish and will allow closer approaches.
Little Blue Heron in a Florida Lagoon
I missed the Little Blue Heron in Utah but I have fond memories of the day I photographed this one as the sun began to set over the Gulf of Mexico.
American Kestrel Lift Off
American Kestrels are a challenge to photograph when they are in flight or lifting off because they move so quickly and in low light it can be even harder.
American Kestrel Male On Frosty Rabbitbrush
I know a lot of people are suffering because of the heat of summer so I though I would post an image of a male American Kestrel perched on a frosty Rabbitbrush.
One serious looking Red-tailed Hawk
I love the stare of raptors because they always appear so serious, intense and they have a no-nonsense look to their eyes like this Red-tailed Hawk has.
Something’s Fishy – Osprey with a Flounder
A simple but fishy post today of an Osprey that flew over my head at Fort De Soto County Park taken 5 years ago in Florida.
Peek-a-boo Kestrel
I have always liked this American Kestrel image because of the pose and how the female kestrel appears to be peeking at me while she preened.
Banking American Kestrel female
The term "Banking" in my title doesn't mean this female American Kestrel is heading to the closest ATM or to a local branch of Wells Fargo because this little beauty doesn't care one cent about money!
Female American Kestrel With Prey
American Kestrels are fascinating falcons, they are tiny, colorful and at times quite pugnacious.
Great Horned Owl and fledgling strongly backlit by the setting sun
What can I say about this image of an adult Great Horned Owl feeding its young that is strongly back lit by the setting sun on Honeymoon Island State Park in Florida?
Antelope Island – Where the Buffalo still roam
Antelope Island State Park in northern Utah is a place where the "Buffalo" still roam unfettered by fences in a wild and majestic location.
Taking a Gander at mating Canada Geese
Officially it isn't spring yet but the Canada Geese here in the Salt Lake Valley don't seem to be paying much attention to our human calendars at all and have begun their mating season.
White Gyrfalcon – Yet another escaped falconry bird!
In the four and a half years I have been in Utah I have seen and photographed four escaped falconry birds, one in 2009, two in 2012 and yesterday I photographed another one, an escaped White Gyrfalcon.
Redhead drake portrait
The sun came out for a few hours yesterday afternoon so I went to a pond near where I live and photographed some of the ducks including this very confiding Redhead drake.
Pronghorn buck in winter
It has been quite some time since I have photographed Pronghorn on Antelope Island State Park because it seems that the Pronghorn have kept mostly to the west and south sides of the island this winter.
Lone Coyote on the shore of the Great Salt Lake
There are times when one subject will make my day in the field worthwhile, yesterday it was a lone Coyote hunting for voles on the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake.
An Osprey in flight with a huge Flounder
This Osprey flying in from the Gulf over the north beach of Fort De Soto came as a surprise to us so I had little time to prepare and get my setting right due to how fast the Osprey was flying.
Horned Lark and a broken heart
I have dreamed about getting a shot like this since I first started photographing Horned Larks, I wanted a shot of a Horned Lark at the precise moment it began to lift off with the wings lifted.
Female Short-eared Owl on a snowy day
One year ago today the sky was cloudy, the fog was thick and the snow was blowing in northern Utah. I couldn't see the tops of the mountains or across the Great Salt Lake but I did spot this Short-eared Owl perched on a snow-covered bush on the causeway my way to Antelope Island.
First winter male Common Merganser
Yesterday morning I spotted a lone Common Merganser at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area nearly hidden in some phragmites and when we came around the corner the bird seemed to have disappeared but after a bit it came out from its hiding spot and gave us quite a show.
White-crowned Sparrow perched on a frosty shrub
I like the setting contained in this image with a frost covered branches of a shrub with reddish bark that the White-crowned Sparrow perched on close to the entrance to Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area.
Snow Birds – Rough-legged Hawks
But for me the "Snow Birds" I have grown to love here in Utah are Rough-legged Hawks who only visit in the winter and spend the rest of their lives breeding in high subarctic and Arctic regions.
Red-tailed Hawk On A Winter Day
One of the birds I photographed yesterday was this handsome Red-tailed Hawk that I spotted in a tree at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area.
Resting Northern Harrier
Farmington Bay Waterfowl Area used to be my "go to" place for photographing Northern Harriers but this winter they are hard to find.
Male American Kestrel resting near the shore of the Great Salt Lake
I was going to do a post about a Bald Eagle this morning but at the last minute had a change of mind and decided to work up this male American Kestrel that I photographed resting near the shore of the Great Salt Lake.
Chukar on a bright winter day
The weather forecast for today isn't as bright as it was on the day last January when I photographed this Chukar walking across a field of fresh snow instead the forecast for today is rather dreary.
Red-tailed Hawk juvenile in low light conditions
In the winter I shoot a lot in fog, smog and low light conditions here in northern Utah but if you follow my blog you probably already know that and have heard me mention it a time or two (or four or a hundred).