Male Northern Harrier in flight – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 800, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
Northern Harriers fascinate me partly because they are sexually dimorphic; meaning that the males and females look different even though they are the same species, and also because of their owl-like facial discs.
The male bird above is in his second year and hasn’t fully gotten his adult plumage which is why there are some browns where grays usually are in adults.
Female Northern Harrier in flight - Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
This female has brown plumage and her eyes are a straw color instead of the bright, lemony yellow that adult males have.
Harriers are agile fliers and can turn very rapidly when they are after prey. Right now it is nesting season for the Northern Harriers in Utah, I will be watching them to see if I can photograph any with nesting materials.
Great Horned Owls and Horned Larks are species of birds that have ear tufts that I photograph regularly here in Utah. The female Horned Larks “horns” are not usually visible. This female was photographed near the Stansbury Mountains in Tooele County, Utah.
Male Horned Lark
The “horns” of male Horned Larks are though and because the “horns” are a dark color they stand out more. This male was photographed near the Stansbury Mountains in Tooele County, Utah on a different day than the female above.
Female Great Horned Owl
The ear tufts of male and female Great Horned Owls are clearly visible and the size of the owls is how to determine gender. This female is larger than male Great Horned Owls. She was photographed on Antelope Island State Park in Davis County, Utah as she rested in a Tamarisk.
Male Great Horned Owl
This male was photographed on Antelope Island State Park in Davis County, Utah resting in the same Tamarisk on a different day than the female was photographed. The Tamarisk are an invasive species and have since been chopped down, I think it is a shame that the Tamarisks were not girdled which would have killed them but still left the dead Tamarisk for Owls and other birds of prey to use as perches.
It’s spring, isn’t it? How come there is snow on the ground this morning??? Springtime in Utah is fickle I tell you!
Black-billed Magpie – Nikon D300, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
Most of the time Black-billed Magpies look like they are just black and white but if the bird’s pose and the light is just right there can be a wonderful flash of iridescent blue, green, teal, gold and even hints of purple.
Yesterday this Black-billed Magpie turned in flight while I was photographing it which allowed me a great dorsal view that showed the iridescent colors well. I do wish the out of focus bush hadn’t been in the frame or that it had been sharply in focus but I couldn’t resist sharing the image because of the beautiful colors.
*Sorry for the double post this morning, I thought the other post on Capitol Reef National Park had already been published a long time ago, but it had been marked “private”. Oh well, it IS a great place.
Adult Snow Goose in the Great Salt Lake
Spring is arriving and there have been reports of Snow Geese in the area. I edited some Snow Geese images I took in November of last year to post today.
I love the way it looks as if this goose is grinning.
Juvenile Snow Goose on the shore of the Great Salt Lake
The immature Snow Goose hung close to the adult. These two geese were seen along the causeway to Antelope Island for a few days last fall.
Adult Snow Goose walking the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake
They walked the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake. The early morning light seemed to make this adult glow.
Young Snow Goose walking the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake
The juvenile Snow Goose was starting to get the pure white feathers of adult plumage on its back. I wonder if by this spring it looks just like the adults.
I’m hoping to go on a “Goose Chase” this morning, the sky is supposed to be clear so there should be good light and I would be delighted to see some snow, Snow Geese that is! I’ve had about enough of the other snow for now.
Ring-necked Pheasant hen – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1600, ISO 500, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, not baited
Just a simple high key image of a hen Ring-necked Pheasant this morning that was taken in January at Farmington Bay WMA in Davis County, Utah. The heavy layer of snow had made it difficult for the pheasants to forage and due to that they were out in the open more than normal.
Because of the amount of snow we have had here this winter in the Salt Lake Valley I have been able to take lots of high key images of birds and animals but I am looking forward to seeing some green now!
Male Northern Harrier in flight – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 800, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
Female Northern Harrier in flight - Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
