Swans, Ducks and Geese

Winter Has Arrived Along With Many Opportunities To Photograph Birds

By |2024-01-17T09:16:10-06:00November 9th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Hooded Mergansers, Ring-billed Gulls, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When the weather turns colder, the clouds gather, and the snow falls I still have plenty of birds to photograph here in northern Utah.

Drake Gadwalls Are Elegant Dabbling Ducks

By |2024-03-26T05:26:12-05:00October 30th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Gadwalls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I don't have nearly enough Gadwall photos in my portfolios and I honestly don't know why that is the case since they are year round residents here in northern Utah.

Tundra Swans Are Showing Up In Northern Utah

By |2024-03-20T10:30:01-05:00October 21st, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I can barely wait to hear and see my first of season Tundra Swans and to see them on the wing over the marshes that surround the Great Salt Lake.

Adult Canada Goose Resting On Ice At Bear River MBR

By |2024-02-13T04:49:33-06:00February 17th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Canada Geese, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I shared a photo of a Bald Eagle resting on the icy marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and this morning I am sharing a Canada Goose doing exactly the same thing.

Common Merganser With A First Winter Common Goldeneye Drake

By |2024-03-13T06:33:04-05:00January 26th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Common Mergansers, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I found it interesting to see a first winter drake Common Goldeneye swimming with a first winter Common Merganser and decided to photograph them.

Canada Goose On The Wing And The Snowy Wasatch Mountains

By |2024-02-13T11:57:15-06:00January 23rd, 2020|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've grown to love and appreciate the mountain views I have here in Utah. When I can take photographs that combine my passion for birds with mountains in them I am one very happy woman.

Photographing Winter Redheads in Northern Utah

By |2023-12-17T11:58:27-06:00January 16th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Redheads, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I watched and photographed the Redhead drakes exhibiting Kinked-neck and Head-throw displays but once again they were too far away to get the high quality images I am seeking.

Photographing Drake Common Goldeneyes In A Territorial Dispute

By |2022-02-01T05:35:33-06:00January 14th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday afternoon I was thrilled to be able to photograph two adult drake Common Goldeneyes in a territorial dispute on a pond as they moved across my field of view.

Canada Goose With White Plumage On Its Head

By |2024-02-13T14:51:04-06:00January 10th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Canada Goose was unusual because it had spotted, white plumage on its head and I was able to take photos of both left and right profile views of its head.

Hooded Merganser Drake – A One Day Opportunity

By |2024-01-17T09:06:49-06:00January 5th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Hooded Mergansers, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In December I had eight minutes and twenty-four seconds to photograph this Hooded Merganser drake and every time I have gone to the local pond after that I have looked for him to be there again.

Drake Common Goldeneye In Flight During The “Golden Hour”

By |2022-02-01T05:37:37-06:00December 12th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm grateful when I can photograph a drake Common Goldeneye in flight during the "Golden Hour" or any other bird I see through my viewfinder.

Focusing On Winter Redheads

By |2023-12-17T11:22:25-06:00December 11th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Redheads, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Why were the mallards sticking close to this Redhead? That was because she was diving down into the pond and bringing up aquatic vegetation to feed on and the mallards were stealing bits of it from her. 

Drake Hooded Merganser Photos

By |2024-01-17T09:00:37-06:00December 10th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Hooded Mergansers, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday started off dreary but later in the afternoon I was able to get out in the field and I had a blast taking photos of a spiffy drake Hooded Merganser for a little while.

Resting Ruddy Duck In A Fog

By |2021-11-24T09:08:57-06:00November 17th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Ruddy Ducks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm really glad I looked at these ducks in the fog and decided to take photos of them even though I was looking towards the sun instead of away from it like I typically do when photographing birds.

Northern Shoveler, The Rising Sun And Fog

By |2024-03-28T06:13:53-05:00November 16th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Three days ago there was a little bit of fog at Farmington Bay WMA while the sun was coming up over the Wasatch Mountains which set up the conditions I needed to take this Northern Shoveler photo.

The Trumpeter Swan I Couldn’t Rescue

By |2024-02-19T13:04:43-06:00November 13th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Trumpeter Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As I look at this Trumpeter Swan photo and see my Jeep reflected in its eyes I feel a sense of loss. I know that I won't forget the swan that I couldn't rescue.

I’m Looking Forward To Photographing Winter Ducks

By |2021-12-23T05:13:46-06:00November 12th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Mallards, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I was at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge a few days ago I saw lots of ducks in the marshes and on the water and I realized that I am looking forward to photographing winter ducks again.

Some Of The Birds Seen At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge During The Month of May

By |2024-04-19T04:44:31-05:00May 19th, 2019|Categories: American Avocets, American Bitterns, American Coots, American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Blue-winged Teals, Box Elder County, Brown-headed Cowbirds, California Gulls, Cinnamon Teals, Clark's Grebes, Cliff Swallows, Forster's Terns, Killdeer, Long-billed Dowitchers, Marsh Wrens, Northern Shovelers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Ruddy Ducks, Savannah Sparrows, Tree Swallows, Utah, Western Grebes, White-faced Ibises, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

May is a time of renewal at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and as the marsh begins to green up the migrant birds return and along with the year round residents their songs and calls can be heard over the wetlands.

Photographing Hen And Drake Cinnamon Teals At Bear River MBR

By |2021-05-03T04:18:25-05:00April 25th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Cinnamon Teals, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Later in the morning and on the other side of the auto tour route I was able to take images of a hen Cinnamon Teal surrounded by lush, green spring growth while her mate kept an eye on her from a distance.

Photographing Tundra Swans And Northern Pintails In Low Light

By |2024-03-20T10:15:23-05:00March 5th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Pintails, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Our Tundra Swans won't be at the refuge much longer and will soon be winging their way to their breeding grounds in the Arctic and I realize that my opportunities to photograph them before they leave are dwindling.

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