Monthly Archives: December 2021

The Tail End of 2021 – My Year End Report

By |2021-12-31T06:12:07-06:00December 31st, 2021|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As the tail end of 2021 comes to a close it seemed fitting that the last photo I took yesterday was the tail end of a Common Goldeneye on what might have been my last trip into the field this year.

Male Rough-legged Hawk – The First Bird I Photographed in 2021

By |2021-12-30T06:19:54-06:00December 30th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The first bird I photographed in 2021 was this adult male Rough-legged Hawk perched above the wetlands at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Black-tailed Jackrabbit On A Snowy Day

By |2021-12-29T06:19:53-06:00December 29th, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Black-tailed Jackrabbits, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While looking back through some old winter photos I came across this Black-tailed Jackrabbit I photographed on a snowy day on Antelope Island.

Stretching Male American Kestrel In A Russian Olive

By |2021-12-28T07:30:40-06:00December 28th, 2021|Categories: American Kestrels, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On the 3rd of December I spotted a small, colorful shape from a distance in a Russian Olive tree and knew immediately that I had found a male American Kestrel.

Christmas Day Birds 2021

By |2021-12-26T05:18:25-06:00December 26th, 2021|Categories: American Coots, Birds, California Gulls, Common Goldeneyes, Great Blue Herons, Great-tailed Grackles, Mallards, Rough-legged Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I did get out to find and photograph birds on Christmas Day at Farmington Bay WMA and then later in the morning I found more closer to home.

Christmas Day Bird Photos Through the Years

By |2021-12-25T06:26:22-06:00December 25th, 2021|Categories: Bald Eagles, Birds, Common Mergansers, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Blue Herons, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

These are all birds I have photographed on Christmas Day through the years and all of them were photographed at Farmington Bay WMA.

Happy Holidays 2021 And A Story From Christmas Past

By |2023-09-28T06:28:48-05:00December 24th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, California Gulls, Herring Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

This Christmas Eve morning is so very different from the one I had in 1998. I was sitting at my computer that morning much the same as I am now but I lived in Virginia then and I was going through some rough times.

Great Egret, Mallards and Hooded and Common Mergansers On The Bear River

By |2021-12-23T05:56:39-06:00December 23rd, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Mergansers, Great Egrets, Hooded Mergansers, Mallards, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Great Egret landed where I had views of Hooded and Common Mergansers and three Mallards resting on the ice on the Bear River.

Great Blue Heron Photos Taken on The Winter Solstice

By |2021-12-22T05:20:56-06:00December 22nd, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

To my delight I was able to take Great Blue Heron photos yesterday on the Winter Solstice that I found on the banks of the Bear River at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

ABA Bird Of The Year 2022 – The Burrowing Owl!

By |2022-04-26T09:24:42-05:00December 20th, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Box Elder County, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was announced yesterday that the Burrowing Owl is the 2022 ABA Bird of the Year! Burrowing Owls are small, long-legged, sandy-colored, charismatic owls with bright yellow eyes.

Immature Red-tailed Hawk Perched In Tree with Many Branches

By |2021-12-19T04:37:33-06:00December 19th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was a truly gloomy day when I spotted this immature Red-tailed Hawk perched in a tree with many branches at Farmington Bay last December.

Barn Owl Covered In Hoar Frost

By |2021-12-18T06:27:46-06:00December 18th, 2021|Categories: Barn Owls, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This Barn Owl covered in hoar frost was taken during my first full winter living in Utah and it was also the subject of my first blog post here on my site.

Male Rough-legged Hawk On A National Wildlife Refuge Sign

By |2021-12-17T05:29:36-06:00December 17th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Nine days ago this Rough-legged Hawk resting on a National Wildlife sign in low light was the first hawk I spotted and photographed.

Loggerhead Shrike At Bear River MBR

By |2021-12-16T06:08:26-06:00December 16th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Loggerhead Shrikes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my last trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I found this Loggerhead Shrike perched on a twig near the end of the auto tour loop.

Overnight Snow Storm In Northern Utah

By |2021-12-15T10:31:05-06:00December 15th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Egrets, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I haven't been outside to measure the snow but I'd estimate that 6 to 8 inches have fallen already just by looking out my living room window.

Female Hooded Merganser Lifting Off From The Bear River

By |2021-12-10T05:31:06-06:00December 10th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Hooded Mergansers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spotted a single female Hooded Merganser on the Bear River two days ago and photographed her as she ran on top of the water to lift off.

Late Clark’s Grebe Plus A Rough-legged Hawk On A One Way Sign

By |2021-12-09T05:30:25-06:00December 9th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Clark's Grebes, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I found and pointed out a few birds at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge including a very late Clark's Grebe I spotted from the auto tour route.

Merlin On A Large Wooden Post At Bear River MBR

By |2021-12-07T05:48:47-06:00December 7th, 2021|Categories: Bald Eagles, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Merlins, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week I spotted a Merlin perched on a large wooden post way out in the marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in northern Utah.

Adult Rough-legged Hawk Calling Plus Photos Of A Younger Roughie

By |2021-12-06T05:11:44-06:00December 6th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I heard a male Rough-legged Hawk calling which is highly unusual away from their breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra and taiga of the far north.

American Pipits In My Viewfinder

By |2021-12-05T04:54:33-06:00December 5th, 2021|Categories: American Pipits, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been seeing and hearing American Pipits since the end of September but this was the first time this fall I was able to get close to them.

Hatch Year Male Red-winged Blackbird

By |2021-12-03T05:38:44-06:00December 3rd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-winged Blackbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago I spent just a few moments focused on a hatch year male Red-winged Blackbird perched in an Russian Olive tree near Glover Pond here in northern Utah.

Autumn Coyote In My Viewfinder

By |2021-12-02T07:14:22-06:00December 2nd, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Coyotes, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I spotted a Coyote in poor light at Farmington Bay WMA that reminded me of a recent photo I took of a Coyote there in late November.

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