I photographed this Christmas Day American Kestrel in 2020 at Farmington Bay WMA. That Christmas Day was bright and sunny, today isn’t going to be at all. It is very cloudy here and in locations near any open water there is heavy fog. I will be staying close to home this Christmas Day and I might not take any bird photos.

Christmas Day American Kestrel, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, UtahChristmas Day American Kestrel – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

I adore American Kestrels and I was especially thrilled to have this handsome male in my viewfinder two years ago. He was a very cooperative bird.

I feel that I should mention that the background was the sky and that the slightly odd color was caused by Utah’s infamous winter inversion. Note: That means the pollutants were trapped in the valley and we were all breathing that crap in, including the birds.

Hazy Wasatch Mountain Range on Christmas Eve afternoon, Salt Lake County, UtahHazy Wasatch Mountain Range on Christmas Eve afternoon – Nikon D500, f10, 1/1000, ISO 640, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 70-300mm VR at 140mm, natural light

Yesterday afternoon the sun broke through the gray clouds that have plagued the Salt Lake Valley for days on end. I headed down the hill to take a walk and stretch my legs because I have been feeling cooped up due to the bad weather. As I walked around my neighborhood pond I had wonderful views of the hazy Wasatch Mountains Range and the clouds that hung over the peaks. I couldn’t resist taking a few Christmas Eve photos of the mountains lit up by the slowly setting sun. It might be the last sunshine I see until the New Year if the long range forecast is accurate.

It felt wonderful to stretch my legs and get a little bit of exercise in yesterday.

Life is good.

Merry Christmas!

Mia

Click here to see more of my American Kestrel photos plus facts and information about this species. Click here to see more of my Utah landscape photos.