Fall Colors In The Wasatch Mountains Plus A Male Dusky Grouse
This morning is cloudy and gray but seven years ago today it was bright, the air was crisp and the fall colors of the Front Range of the Wasatch Mountains were in their full glory.
Chipping Sparrows, Wild Turkeys and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds
The gems of my photographic journey yesterday morning were Broad-tailed Hummingbirds that were hanging around a Wax Currant bush next to the dirt road where the sounds of their wings alerted me to their presence.
Male Ring-necked Pheasant And Midges At Bear River MBR
I don't know if the Ring-necked Pheasants eat the midges but I know that many of the other birds at the refuge do so I like to think of midges as bird food on the wing.
Dawn’s Golden Light On A Greater Sage-Grouse Lek
It was 21 degrees and even though my hands became numb because of the biting cold I kept taking image after image of these Greater Sage-Grouse performing their ancient mating ritual, I started well before dawn and didn't stop until the last grouse left the lek.
Chukar in Snow Photographed Six Years Ago Today
I was tickled to photograph this Chukar six years ago because it showed off its subtle colors and patterns so nicely against a canvas of white snow.
November California Quail In Northern Utah
I think that both male and female California Quail are striking birds with their head plumes, facial feather patterns, earth toned plumage and scaled underparts so whenever I see them I want to photograph them.
Photographing Wild Turkeys In The Mountains
I'm always glad to see and photograph Wild Turkeys and most of the time I see them more than I can photograph them because they are often too far away but some days it does work out that I can have them in my viewfinder and click the shutter release.
More California Quail In My Viewfinder
Yesterday I photographed a small covey of California Quail, this the second time this month that I have seen and photographed these small upland game birds that have wiggly, little head plumes.
Let’s Talk Turkey About Wild Turkeys In A West Desert Canyon
I photographed a small flock of Wild Turkeys yesterday in the West Desert of Utah, specifically in a canyon of the Stansbury Mountains. I just never know when turkeys will show up and I am glad they did yesterday because I didn't photograph many other birds.
Wild Turkey Tom Strutting and Displaying Plus Memories Turkeys Arouse In Me
Breeding season has begun for Wild Turkeys so when I spotted a flock of them yesterday in the Stansbury Mountains in Tooele County I was hoping to photograph a tom turkey strutting.
Before Dawn Breaks The Courtship Displays Begin On Greater Sage-Grouse Leks
Each year across the western states Greater Sage-Grouse begin to fly into leks on the sagebrush steppe during late winter and early spring to perform their fascinating courtship displays well before the first sign of dawn.
Greater Sage-Grouse on a Lek – Our Public Lands – Our Legacy
One might ask what do Greater Sage-Grouse have to do with our public lands and the answer would be that more than half of all remaining habit for these large upland game birds is on our public lands in the Western U.S..
Calling Chukar in Snow on Antelope Island
I always feel fortunate when I am able to photograph Chukars in the snow on the island because it helps to make them more visible than they are during other seasons of the year
Urban Birds – California Quail at a Local Park
It isn't uncommon to see California Quail crossing sidewalks, roads and trails in the city and this photo reminded me of how well this species has adapted to living in urban areas.
Winter Views of California Quail in Northern Utah
I was able to photograph several California Quail in snow yesterday in Davis County, Utah and I was also able to listen to at least one male calling.
Wild Turkeys in Northern Utah
It was a fine Autumn morning for photographing Wild Turkeys in northern Utah yesterday because the skies were mostly clear and the turkeys were a bit more cooperative than usual.
Photographing Chukars on Antelope Island
Yesterday morning I was able to spend time photographing a pair of Chukars on Antelope Island State Park in a grassy area that has begun to turn green.
Dreaming of Greater Sage-Grouse, Sandhill Cranes and White-tailed Prairie Dogs
I'm dreaming of seeing Greater Sage-Grouse, Sandhill Cranes and White-tailed Prairie Dogs as spring warms up the sagebrush steppe.
Gray Partridges in Snow and Low Light – Frustrations in Bird Photography
The surprise birds of the day were Gray Partridges in an area where I hadn't seen them before and they were feeding close to the edge of the road.
Wild Turkeys in Utah
Maybe next time I up in the canyons I will get lucky and spot some of the Wild Turkeys that make their home in the Stansbury Mountains.
Golden Eagle, Turkey Vultures Plus a Covey of Gray Partridges
I spent time in northern Utah yesterday and I was able to photograph a juvenile Golden Eagle, Turkey Vultures plus a covey of Gray Partridges.
Celebrating Seven Years in Utah – Photographing Birds, Wildlife and Scenery
My journey in life has taken me to many places and I'm glad that it brought me to Utah where I am enjoying photographing birds, wildlife and scenery. Seven years ago today.
The State of North American Birds and its Not Good News
These four birds, an American Oystercatcher, a Greater Sage-Grouse, a Reddish Egret and a Mountain Plover are all facing the risk of extinction without serious conservation measures to reduce declines in populations and habitat destruction.
Wet Chukar On Top Of A Lichen Covered Boulder
The first bird I photographed yesterday morning was a wet Chukar on top of a lichen covered boulder about the time the sun rose above the clouds and mountains to the east.
Chukars Above the Great Salt Lake
Both of these Chukars above the Great Salt Lake were photographed on the east side of Antelope Island State Park this month.
Male Ring-necked Pheasant Portraits
All of these male Ring-necked Pheasant portraits were taken yesterday morning at Farmington Bay WMA in the snow at 5°F.
Saving the Greater Sage-Grouse One Lek at a Time
The recent decision to not list Greater Sage-Grouse under the Endangered Species Act is seen by some as a "good thing" and by others a "bad thing". So, perhaps we can be more productive if we start saving the Greater Sage-Grouse one lek at a time.
Greater Sage-Grouse in Wayne County, Utah
Since the snow has started to fall in the high country of Utah I have started thinking about Greater Sage-Grouse again.
Wild Turkeys in the Stansbury Mountains
Yesterday while up in one of the canyons of the Stansbury Mountains some movement caught my eye and when I looked closely I could see a small flock of Wild Turkeys in the junipers.
The First Day of Autumn and the Heat is On in Utah
After a long, hot summer I always look forward to the first day of autumn because it usually means cooler temperatures along with the scenery becoming more colorful as the leaves begin to turn.