Nesting Birds

Fishing Line Is A Dangerous Nesting Material

By |2023-04-21T04:22:20-05:00April 19th, 2023|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Fishing Line Dangers, Nesting Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

All across the country it is nesting season for many North American birds. For some nesting birds it is also a very dangerous time because of fishing line.

It’s Nesting Season For Marsh Wrens In Utah

By |2023-09-19T15:15:06-05:00March 26th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Marsh Wrens, Nesting Birds, Utah, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

By using a vehicle as a mobile blind I was able to photograph the wrens as they sang, searched for nesting materials, defended their breeding territories and built their nests from a distance.

Photographing Young Spotted Sandpiper Chicks

By |2021-05-07T15:22:00-05:00July 31st, 2019|Categories: Birds, Nesting Birds, Spotted Sandpipers, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was able to get back out into the field yesterday and I had a marvelous time photographing young Spotted Sandpiper chicks and learning more about their behaviors near a creek in the Wasatch Mountains.

Photographing Nesting House Wrens in the High Uintas

By |2024-02-26T06:57:11-06:00June 2nd, 2018|Categories: House Wrens, Nesting Birds, Summit County, Uinta Mountains, Uinta National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago I spent time photographing nesting House Wrens in the high Uintas near Mirror Lake Highway, of interest to me is that two years ago I photographed Red-naped Sapsuckers using this same nesting cavity.

Photographing a Male Northern Flicker Excavating a Nesting Cavity

By |2024-03-07T15:00:33-06:00March 23rd, 2018|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Nesting Birds, Northern Flickers, Targhee National Forest, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I dug into my archives and picked these Northern Flicker photos from May of 2015 to share today because I saw a Northern Flicker yesterday and thought of how they will soon start excavating their nesting cavities to rear their young in.

What Not To Do When Finding a Baby Bird – Caged Lark Sparrow

By |2021-05-22T15:27:06-05:00October 31st, 2017|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Lark Sparrows, Nesting Birds, Utah, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , |

I wasn't sure I wanted to write this post about an imprisoned Lark Sparrow I heard about on a Facebook group that is about identifying birds but after mulling it over I decided I'd tell the story.

Approaching Chicks Too Close – When Something Should be Said or Done

By |2024-03-05T06:35:36-06:00June 20th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Glacier County, Great Horned Owls, Montana, Nesting Birds, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

I know that what this person did was not right and the 8 moderators of that group should have said something but in 15 days they haven't said a word about them being too close to the owl chick.

Red-tailed Hawk Chicks – The Wind Blew Their Nest Away

By |2021-06-14T04:55:58-05:00June 15th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Nesting Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I saw the Red-tailed Hawk chicks near where the nest had been though and I spent less than two minutes with them and took a few images before leaving them alone.

Male Short-eared Owl in Search of Prey for Chicks

By |2021-04-04T13:13:25-05:00May 15th, 2017|Categories: Box Elder County, Nesting Birds, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There have been a few Short-eared Owls that I keep seeing in the same locations over a period of about a month and yesterday I believe that I saw and photographed a male Short-eared Owl hunting for prey for his chicks.

Spring Means Nesting Birds and Chicks – Please Give Them Space

By |2021-09-23T16:13:44-05:00March 24th, 2017|Categories: American Coots, American Oystercatchers, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Ferruginous Hawks, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Madison County, Montana, Nesting Birds, Pinellas County, Utah, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Why? Because the image is never as important as the well being and safety of my subject, especially when it comes to nests and chicks.

Breeding Season for Killdeer at Bear River MBR

By |2024-03-18T19:29:23-05:00April 24th, 2016|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Killdeer, Nesting Birds, Utah, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It is breeding season for Killdeer at Bear River MBR and for all of Utah.

Gutsy Brewer’s Blackbird at a Red-tailed Hawk Nest

By |2022-06-18T07:28:23-05:00October 12th, 2015|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Montana, Nesting Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

This past summer I found a Red-tailed Hawk nest right next to a road in Montana that had three chicks in it that I felt I could photograph without stressing the hawks.

The Burrowing Owls are arriving – Caution, Extreme Cuteness Ahead!

By |2021-12-20T09:00:58-06:00March 3rd, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Nesting Birds, Utah, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Burrowing Owls are arriving - Caution, Extreme Cuteness Ahead! Burrowing Owls are enchanting, entertaining and so cute they are irresistible. Everyone seems to love them.

Young Burrowing Owls

By |2021-09-06T04:01:40-05:00April 2nd, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Nesting Birds, Utah, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

The past few years I have missed seeing and photographing young Burrowing Owls on Antelope Island State Park for numerous reasons.

Ethics for Nests and Chicks

By |2018-03-09T07:19:29-06:00March 9th, 2014|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Harassment, Nesting Birds, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

I feel that as a bird photographer I need to care for my subjects every time I am in the field and that is amplified when there are young, defenseless chicks.

Please… give nests and chicks respect

By |2020-03-12T16:04:08-05:00May 30th, 2013|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Chukars, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Nesting Birds, Utah, Western Meadowlarks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Fluffy little chicks are adorable, they make people "ohh" and "aww" and those that hit the ground running not long after hatching are especially appealing to some folks. But they need respect and they need space so we don't endanger them.

Wilson’s Plover with chicks

By |2021-02-02T14:38:28-06:00March 3rd, 2013|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Nesting Birds, Pinellas County, Wilson's Plovers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I enjoyed my brief, long distance opportunity to photograph and observe these Wilson's Plovers and chicks, it was a small window into their life.

Great Horned Owl fledgling in a Montana granary window

By |2024-03-05T05:26:14-06:00February 2nd, 2013|Categories: Glacier County, Great Horned Owls, Montana, Nesting Birds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Currently throughout the breeding range of Great Horned Owls the owls have either begun to nest or have nested already. Great Horned Owls have a large range and are found in the U.S., Canada and Central America.

Three and a half months with a young American Oystercatcher

By |2021-04-08T03:53:31-05:00July 4th, 2012|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Nesting Birds, Pinellas County, Wildlife Ethics & Etiquette|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In 2008 I had the great pleasure of observing and photographing a family of American Oystercatchers from the day after the chicks hatched until three and a half months later.

Burrowing Owls – Loved to Death?

By |2021-11-27T17:05:17-06:00March 14th, 2011|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Harassment, Nesting Birds, Utah, Wildlife Ethics & Etiquette|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

What made me sick was that there were three of those people tromping around the owl's burrow. I mean RIGHT up on it. They had no need to be that close but they were.

Nesting Black-billed Magpies

By |2021-09-07T14:05:44-05:00November 22nd, 2010|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Davis County, Nesting Birds, Utah, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

If I had not been paying attention to the first magpie's activity and behavior I would have missed the opportunity to photograph these birds and their nesting habits over the next several weeks.

Nesting American Oystercatchers

By |2023-03-03T13:10:23-06:00August 14th, 2010|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Nesting Birds, Pinellas County, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Nesting American Oystercatchers create simple scrapes on coastal beaches, dunes and salt marshes to lay their eggs in. They usually lay between 2-3 eggs around April to May.

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