Male Belted Kingfisher in Winter at Farmington Bay WMA
Belted Kingfishers are year round residents in northern Utah but my best opportunities to photograph them at Farmington Bay WMA are during the winter.
Up close with a Tree Swallow at Red Rock Lakes NWR
While stopped at a gate at Red Rock lakes NWR a Tree Swallow flew in and landed on a fence post so close that I wasn't sure I was going to be able to focus on it but I had to try.
Cassin’s Finch With His Head Tilted
I didn't have the good fortune to photograph another Cassin's Finch on my trip so I am glad I took the time to take photos of this one looking around his home in the Centennial Valley of Montana.
Photographing Green-tailed Towhees Can Be Frustrating – All Birds Can Be
I was ready when this Green-tailed Towhee perched on a lichen topped fence post yesterday long enough for me to fire off 30 frames before he flew down to the ground.
Two Months of Photographing a Cooperative Northern Harrier
There was a very cooperative first spring male Northern Harrier in a location where I photographed Short-eared Owls last year in northern Utah and for two months I could reliably see and photograph it frequently.
Chipping Sparrow, Mourning Dove and Changing Views
I couldn't resist photographing this tiny Chipping Sparrow singing while perched on a "cedar" fence post with the sky and dark juniper behind it.
Photographing Swainson’s Hawks in Northern Utah
Yesterday morning in northern Utah I saw about a dozen Swainson's Hawks in about 2.25 miles, some were perched, some were in flight and all of them were wonderful to photograph.
My Burrowing Owl Fascination – It Never Ends
I'm drawn to and fascinated by these western desert Burrowing Owls because they are beautiful, interesting and animated subjects. And they are pretty darn cute!
Male Brewer’s Blackbird on an Autumn Day
Brewer's Blackbirds are year round residents in northern Utah and in the autumn they form large flocks that move through open field looking for seeds and fallen grain.
Centennial Valley Prairie Falcon and a Short-eared Owl Barbed Wire Casualty
I spent some time in the Centennial Valley of Montana yesterday and the best bird of the morning was this adult Prairie Falcon photographed on a cattle chute with a white cloud in the background.
Perched Sub-adult Swainson’s Hawk in Low Light
I've been meaning to post images of this sub-adult Swainson's Hawk in low light for about a year now and I am finally getting around to it.
Roadside Short-eared Owl Female
I haven't been seeing the Short-eared Owls lately and that is most likely because their young are now on their own and they don't need to hunt as much because now they only need to feed themselves.
An Exceptionally Obliging Turkey Vulture in Box Elder County
I found an exceptionally obliging Turkey Vulture in Box Elder County warming up in the morning sun.
First Spring Northern Harrier in Box Elder County
I was able to take quite a few images of a very cooperative first spring Northern Harrier that was perched on an old post next to the road in Box Elder County.
Northern Utah Short-eared Owls
Yesterday it was the northern Utah Short-eared Owls that made me so very glad that I am a bird photographer and that for a little while I am part of their world.
Adult Western Kingbird Close Up
This adult Western Kingbird close up was photographed two years ago on Antelope Island State Park as it perched on a sign post close to a nest site.
Turkey Vultures are Nature’s Clean Up Crew
Turkey Vultures are Nature's clean up crew. They consume road kill and other dead animals and and in doing so they clean up the messy stuff.
Sunrise, a Bald Eagle and Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
I photographed this adult Bald Eagle at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge early on New Year's Day when the light of dawn was still golden.
Turkey Vulture in Box Elder County – Nature’s Picker Uppers
When I photographed this Turkey Vulture in Box Elder County last summer it flew from the post it had been perched on and landed a bit further away where it quickly began cleaning its bill
Five O’clock Great-tailed Grackle Cacophony
Since the freezing temperatures arrived in my neighborhood I have been listening to a five o'clock Great-tailed Grackle cacophony nightly.
High Key Northern Flicker Image
My favorite image from photographing yesterday at Farmington Bay WMA is this high key Northern Flicker image taken near Glover's Pond.
Juvenile Northern Harrier perched on a post
I photographed this juvenile Northern Harrier as it perched on a post near Goose Egg Island at Farmington Bay.
Female American Kestrel at Farmington Bay
Male American Kestrels usually grab the show with their bright colors and bold patterns but I think the females are equally as stunning.
Northern Flicker on a fence post in the Centennial Valley
Early on the second morning when I was in Montana last week I was able to photograph this male Northern Flicker on the side and top of a weathered fence post.
Mourning Dove in the Stansbury Mountains and a few bonus Short-Eared Owls
When I spotted this Mourning Dove perched on an old fence post in the morning light I couldn't resist photographing it.
Short-eared Owl photobombed by a butterfly
My only wish for this image is that the butterfly had been as sharply in focus as the Short-eared Owl was but with bird photography you never know what might show up in the frame.
Swainson’s Hawk juvenile in low light
I wonder if this juvenile Swainson's made the long migration to South America and if I will see it again in the Centennial Valley of Montana this spring.
Western Meadowlark and Kingfisher catching some sunshine
It was lovely to see the sunshine yesterday and to have the Western Meadowlark and Belted Kingfisher in my viewfinder.
Female Kestrel With Prey On A Snowy Day
I've been seeing plenty of American Kestrels lately but none have been close enough to get nice images of so I pulled this one out of my archives from 2010.
Prairie Merlin
I saw a fleeting glimpse of a bird a few days ago that I suspect was a Merlin that migrated to winter here in Utah and it inspired me to post a few Merlin images today.