Hawks, Eagles, Ospreys and Vultures

Turkey Vultures aka Turkey Buzzards

By |April 27th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I grew up calling Turkey Vultures by the name "Turkey Buzzards" and every once in a blue moon I still unintentionally slip and call them by their nickname instead of their proper common name.

More Frustrations With Photographing Golden Eagles

By |April 16th, 2018|Categories: Box Elder County, Golden Eagles, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I get absolutely tired of the frustrations I have had trying to photograph Golden Eagles, it seems that something or someone always messes with my chances of getting the images I want of them.

Adult Turkey Vulture In Flight Close Up – Almost Too Close

By |April 11th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When the third Turkey Vulture lifted off I expected it to go north like the other two vultures had but instead it flew south and very close to where I was at the side of the road in a vehicle being used as a mobile blind, almost too close.

Nest Building Marsh Wren Plus A Surprise Ferruginous Hawk And FOY Swainson’s Hawk

By |March 28th, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Ferruginous Hawks, Marsh Wrens, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was a wonderful morning spotting both the Ferruginous and Swainson's Hawks, seeing quite a few other first of season birds and spending time photographing the Marsh Wren while he was busy constructing his nest.

Red-tailed Hawk Perched On A Sagebrush Covered Hillside

By |March 24th, 2018|Categories: Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

It is the time of year when Red-tailed Hawks begin to nest, by now most of them here in northern Utah have already selected a mate so they find a nesting location and start to collect nesting materials as the days grow longer and warmer.

Hovering Northern Harrier Plus My Lifer Harris’s Sparrow

By |March 20th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Harris's Sparrow, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In some shrubs next to Glover Pond I saw two sparrows and the one that quickly drew my eye was a lovely first winter Harris's Sparrow, jackpot, a lifer!

Man Arrested for Illegal Mass Killing of Raptors in California

By |March 15th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah, Utah County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I seriously don't know why some people do the things they do and there are times that I read articles and find myself simultaneously exceedingly sad and tremendously angry when those articles have to do with the malicious, illegal killing of birds and wildlife.

Turkey Vulture Perched On An Orange Post – Why is that Fence Post Orange?

By |March 4th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I photographed this adult Turkey Vulture in northern Utah last year it wasn't alone, there were several other vultures roosting near it that morning on fence posts and a locked gate and I took a lot of images of all of them.

Swainson’s Hawks Heading Our Way

By |February 28th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

These two Swainson's Hawk photos were taken in May of last year up in northern Utah from inside a vehicle being used as a mobile blind and both were photographed from the side of a road where they had become accustomed to traffic going by so they weren't skittish at all.

Rough-legged Hawk Lift Off At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |February 8th, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Rough-legged Hawk's wings were fully extended above its body while its feet were still firmly planted on the ground and with one downward swoop of its long wings it was airborne right after this was photo was created.

Immature Red-tailed Hawk Lift Off and Flight at Farmington Bay

By |January 30th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One good bird can make my day... Yesterday that bird was an immature Red-tailed Hawk at Farmington Bay WMA that lifted off from a metal post and flew over the marsh.

My Year of Bird Photography in 2017

By |December 31st, 2017|Categories: American Tree Sparrows, American White Pelicans, Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Green-tailed Towhees, Idaho, Prairie Falcons, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Red-tailed Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Short-eared Owls, Swainson's Hawks, Utah, Yellow-rumped Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I love what I do, I love my subjects and it doesn't matter if I find them close to home or further away. I am blessed. 2017 has been wonderful and I am excited for what 2018 may bring.

Immature Light Morph Rough-legged Hawk in Flight & Landing

By |December 23rd, 2017|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Eight days ago I spent time photographing an immature, light morph Rough-legged Hawk at Farmington Bay WMA in northern Utah.

Immature Rough-legged Hawk – Lift Off, Landing & Lunch

By |December 16th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I was able to photograph an immature Rough-legged Hawk lifting off, landing and lunching at Farmington Bay WMA in northern Utah.

Wondering How the Lone Surviving Red-tailed Hawk Juvenile Is Doing

By |November 25th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been thinking a lot about the lone surviving Red-tailed Hawk from the nest that blew down because of strong winds earlier in June.

Birds and Beasts in a November 2012 Snow Storm on Antelope Island

By |November 10th, 2017|Categories: American Bison, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Coyotes, Davis County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The birds and beasts on Antelope can survive the harsh winters here but as each years passes I wonder how they will be able to adapt to our changing climate. I can't help but be concerned.

Feathered Tarsi – Ferruginous & Rough-legged Hawks Have Feathered Legs

By |November 7th, 2017|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Ferruginous Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Swainson's Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

North America has two hawk (buteos) species that have feathered tarsi, or legs, those two species are Ferruginous Hawks and Rough-legged Hawks.

Immature Red-tailed Hawk Looking At The Rising Sun – Plus a New Personal Challenge

By |November 3rd, 2017|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed this immature Red-tailed Hawk while in a canyon going up into the Stansbury Mountains as the bird looked into the rising sun.

Welcome to the Carrion Cafe – Turkey Vulture & Landscape Composite

By |October 26th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago I saw a sign I hadn't seen before and it had me laughing out loud, the sign simply said "Carrion Cafe" in an area that earlier in the year may have had a Turkey Vulture hanging around or soaring overhead.

Ferruginous Hawk, Harvest Moon and the Rising Sun

By |October 7th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Truthfully I had better luck with the moon and mountains than I did birds yesterday except for one handsome Ferruginous Hawk perched along the road near farm lands.

Go to Top