Photographing Shorebirds at Eye Level
Taking photographs of shorebirds at eye level was very fulfilling for me and the images that resulted from my down & dirty technique have always made me feel an intimate connection to the birds.
Long-billed Curlews – Shorebirds of the Great Basin
It was one year ago today that I saw and heard my first Long-billed Curlews of the year and this morning as I sit here knowing there are cloudy skies outside I am wondering if the curlews have returned to northern Utah today as well.
When the S___ Hits the Fan, Go To a Happy Place
The sun hadn't yet come up when I spotted this Great Egret in the tidal lagoon with the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in the background and it looked like the water was on fire.
Spread-eagle Red-winged Blackbird at Fort De Soto County Park
In Florida I most often photographed Red-winged Blackbirds at north beach of Fort De Soto County Park where I could reliably find them in the sand dunes, sea oats, spartina and mangroves all year long.
Pair of Reddish Egrets Fighting Over Food
I had been photographing just one Reddish Egret dancing in the waves as it caught fish after fish and fought with the Ring-billed and Laughing Gulls over its prey when a second Reddish Egret flew in.
Black-bellied Plover Bathing In A Tidal Lagoon On The Gulf Coast
After taking the quick bath in the tidal lagoon the Black-bellied Plover flew off towards the shoreline of the lagoon to shake and fluff its feathers until they were dry.
Dancing Wilson’s Plover – Or At Least It Looks That Way
On a May morning in 2008 while photographing this Wilson's Plover it began to scratch itself with its foot and when I took this photo it looked like the plover was dancing.
Great Blue Heron With an Eye on the Sky
My entire focus was on the calm Great Blue Heron in front of me and I felt as relaxed as the heron appeared to be that morning.
Great Egret – Snowy Egret Size and Appearance Comparison
There are some other differences between Great and Snowy Egrets in appearance of course but I think the comparisons I have written about are the most helpful for me in the field for identification and may be for other people too.
Foraging Semipalmated Plover in Florida
Among my favorite plovers to photograph when I lived in Florida were Semipalmated Plovers, I only saw them during their nonbreeding season where they spent time along the Gulf coast.
Short-billed Dowitcher Foraging in Sargassum on the Wrack Line
This Short-billed Dowitcher slowly made its way through the Sargassum on the wrack line as I laid in the damp sand photographing it and the other shorebirds that were searching the seaweed for food.
Yellow-crowned Night Heron In Low Light
The first bird I photographed that day was a Yellow-crowned Night Heron wandering in the sea fog near the dunes and shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico.
December for Utah and Florida Great Blue Herons – What a Difference
The lives of these Great Blue Herons sure are different when you compare December in Utah to December in Florida.
Great Egret Landing In A Lagoon With Prey
I don't often see wading birds in flight with large prey in their bills so in April of 2009 I was excited to see a Great Egret landing in a lagoon with a large fish in its bill.
For The Love Of All That’s Birdy, There Is No Such Thing As A Seagull
One of the things that make my feathers ruffle though is when I see people post a bird photo and call it a "seagull" because there is no such thing as a seagull.
Wood Stork Foraging in a Gulf Coast Lagoon
As the Wood Stork foraged for it breakfast it kept an eye on me as I sat low and very still in the lagoon.
Sanderling Racing the Waves at Fort De Soto
I wanted to share this photo of a Sanderling racing the waves at Fort De Soto County Park in Florida because I photographed it on a warm, sunny day.
Immature Reddish Egret & Adult in Flight with Nesting Material
Immature or adult, dark or white morph, Reddish Egrets are spectacular and fascinating wading birds to see, observe and photograph.
Differences in Photographing Greater Yellowlegs in Florida and Utah
There are big differences in the ways I photograph Greater Yellowlegs here in Utah than there were when I photographed them in Florida.
Sleeping Juvenile Sanderling On The Beach At Fort De Soto
When I look at this photo of the juvenile Sanderling I see a bird that was so relaxed that it fell asleep while I photographed it because it was comfortable with my presence and I felt honored that it was.
Gray & Windy Day Great Blue Heron Portrait
This Great Blue Heron wandered past me one December morning at Fort De Soto County Park's north beach on a gray, windy day and because it was close I simply had to take a photo of the large wading bird.
No Willet Split Plus Other Nerdy Bird News
Just because Willets weren't split this year doesn't mean they won't be split in the future, who knows what changes will be made a year from now.
Snowy Egret Wading in Dark Water
I knew when I photographed this Snowy Egret in a shallow lagoon at Fort De Soto County Park that the dark reflections of the mangroves and mangrove roots on the water would produce a high contrast image.
Gulf Shore Black Skimmer Skimming
Black Skimmers forage by skimming their bills in the waves just off shore and snap up fish when their sensitive bills locate them.
Female Red-winged Blackbirds – Frequency in Misidentification
Female Red-winged Blackbirds seem to be the birds that are most often misidentified probably because they look so different from the males. Red-winged Blackbirds are sexually dimorphic .
Preening Great Blue Heron in the Gulf of Mexico
This photo of a preening Great Blue Heron on an old stump in the water of the Gulf of Mexico is far from perfect but I still like it for the behavior that it shows.
Snowy Plover at the North Beach of Fort De Soto
When I was at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge on the 12th of April I spotted a Snowy Plover way out on the flats and that thrilled me because it was only my second sighting since my move to Utah back in 2009.
Ruddy Turnstone Chicks Grow Up Fast
What is really fascinating to me is that within two days of fledging Ruddy Turnstone chicks embark on their first migration to their wintering grounds.
Breeding and Nonbreeding Forster’s Terns
The differences in breeding and nonbreeding plumage of Forster's Terns is enough that some bird watching and bird photography novices might even think that they are two different species of terns.
Royal Terns Courting in Florida
The "Circling" courtship behavior of Royal Terns was one that I found interesting because as the male circled the female she moved too and kept her sides facing him.