Rainbow and Wilson’s Phalaropes
As 2011 comes to a close and 2012 is just hours away , I wanted to do one more blog post for the year.
Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow ~ Friday Photos
White-crowned Sparrows can be seen foraging in the grasses, rabbitbrush and sagebrush that grow along the edge of the road.
Peregrine Falcon with prey ~ Low light
Where is the light when you want it? Yesterday it was hiding behind the clouds and lake fog when I spotted this Peregrine Falcon at a close distance, on prey and sticky.
More Prairie Falcon Fun ~ This time with prey
Last week while out photographing I spotted a Prairie Falcon in the midst of a tussle with two Common Ravens in mid air. At times it seemed that the falcon was chasing the ravens and then the tables would turn and it appeared that the ravens were diving at the falcon.
Hunting Great Egret
This Great Egret hunting photo was taken early in the morning as the sun had just begin to touch the grasses, the bird and the water.
The Bald Eagles are Returning to the Valley
During the summer months I don't often see Bald Eagles unless I go up into the high country or travel north of Utah to Idaho, Wyoming or Montana but in the Salt Lake Valley many Bald Eagles come in to spend the winter.
Ring-billed Gulls
I am not sure why but it seems that many bird photographers avoid taking images of gulls, most of the time when I've asked them why they don't take more photos of gulls I hear "I just don't like gulls".
Coyotes, Birds, Cruddy Weather and Camaraderie
Today I had the pleasure of photographing with not just one but two wonderful friends and fellow photographers. To be sure they are much more "fellow" than I am but I don't hold that against them.
Friday Photos ~ Prairie Falcon
Many of my regular readers probably know that I have been having a great time the past month photographing Rough-legged Hawks and Prairie Falcons so I selected an image of a Prairie Falcon to post for my Friday Photos today.
High Key Fun
It seems that people either love high key images or they hate them. Personally; I believe that when a high key image is done well that they can be very appealing and have a place for them in my portfolio.
Harlequin Ducks Dead – Just because it is legal that doesn’t make it right!
To those hunters who recognized and respected the rarity of those beautiful and very uncommon birds, you have my respect and I am personally very grateful that you preferred to give these ducks a pass even though you knew that hunting them was legal.
Friday Photos – Yes, another Rough-legged Hawk
I can relate to the hawk in a way, just like it doesn't always get the prey it is intent on, I don't always get the shots I want.
Piping Plover and Semipalmated Plover – Sunday Shorebirds
When I am out in the field I take a large amount of photos and there are times I don't get around to processing them until much later, these are two such images taken at Fort DeSoto, Florida in 2008.
Double Delight and an Observation – Great Horned Owls
I'm excited that two Great Horned Owls are using the same roosting location on Antelope Island.
Rough-legged Hawk Preening
Last week though I had the opportunity to photograph a very cooperative Rough-legged Hawk preening.
Juvenile Burrowing Owls – Friday Photos
I adore Burrowing Owls, especially the juveniles because they can be funny, serious looking, comical and at times they act like clowns.
Low Light Bird Images
Because I live far from my family and have no children at home my yearly Thanksgiving tradition includes spending a part of my day out photographing birds, mostly early morning outings.
More Rough-legged Hawks
I have been very pleased to add so many images of Rough-legged Hawks to my portfolio in just the past week and hopefully these Roughies will stick around until late February of next year so there will be many more opportunities.
My Monthly Post at BirdingIsFun.com
My monthly post titled "So ya think ya want to be a Bird Photographer?" at BirdingIsFun.com has been published.
Female Loggerhead Turtle – Friday Photos
At first I was so stunned that I wasn't taking any images of the Loggerhead Turtle, I just stood there admiring this temporarily earthbound sea creature. She was so beautiful to me.
Prairie Falcon – Eureka Again!
Wow, two nemesis birds photographed in a week, this Prairie Falcon was amazing. I'll be grinning (and dancing) about this for quite awhile!
Rough-legged Hawks
Eureka! The Rough-legged Hawks are back from their high subarctic and Arctic breeding grounds and they seem to be showing up in larger numbers than I have seen them since I moved to Utah.
Great Horned Owl – Tiger of the Sky
My favorite name for Great Horned Owls is "The Tiger of the Sky" and it is very descriptive of this large, fierce owl.
Reddish Egrets
While I lived in Florida I took thousands (and thousands) of images of Reddish Egrets and I am very glad that I did because they are rarities in Utah, where I now live.
Ferruginous Hawk – A Regal Raptor
Ferruginous Hawks are the largest hawks found in North America, the "regalis" in the latin name means "kingly" or "regal" and I have to agree with those descriptions.
Red-tailed Hawk with Long-billed syndrome
Red-tailed Hawk with Long-billed syndrome, a perfect example of the sickle-bill form (the worst) all the way over in Utah and the first I am aware of for that state.
Little Blue Heron Hunting In A Lagoon
Little Blue Herons were a wading bird that I saw often in Florida. The day I photographed this Little Blue Heron I was sitting quietly in the shallow water of a lagoon when this bird flew in and began to hunt.
Common Raven – Friday Photos
Ravens hold a special place in my heart because they are smart (actually brilliant for birds), collectors of things shiny and/or odd, they let you know about their presence with hoarse croaking sounds and they are very amusing to observe and photograph.
Bird Photography – You have to be prepared
I have learned that you have to be prepared to be a bird photographer and additionally that you need to be fast because birds are free moving creatures. There are times that you simply don't or won't have time to change your camera's settings.
Antelope Island Pronghorn Buck Portrait
I used to dream about getting images like this one of Pronghorns when all I had was a simple Point & Shoot camera and I could never get close enough to the pronghorns to achieve my dreams. Now I can.