Black-billed Magpie with wings fully spread in flight, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, UtahBlack-billed Magpie in flight – Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/1250, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR at 380mm, natural light, not baited

In all my visits to Antelope Island State Park I don’t think there has been a single time when I haven’t seen or heard Black-billed Magpies. There are times I don’t see the other year round residents of the island including the Bison and Pronghorn but I can always count on seeing magpies.

Black-billed Magpies have rather noisy calls and some people find that annoying but I don’t mind their calls at all. They are elegant looking birds with their strongly marked black and white plumage, their long tails and the flashes of iridescence in certain light. In this image I was able to capture that iridescence in almost all of the magpie’s dark plumage as it flew away from it’s nest with mud on it’s bill.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Black-billed Magpie photos plus facts and information about this species.