Jays, Crows and Allies

Coyote and Black-billed Magpies Scavenging to Survive

By |2023-12-29T07:48:09-06:00December 29th, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Coyotes, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One year ago today I found, pointed out and photographed a Coyote and Black-billed Magpies scavenging a deer carcass to survive on Antelope Island State Park.

Partially Leucistic Black-billed Magpie

By |2023-01-03T02:38:35-06:00March 20th, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Leucistic, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week I photographed some Black-billed Magpies on Antelope Island State Park and one of them was partially leucistic

Clark’s Nutcracker in the High Uintas

By |2021-10-02T10:29:15-05:00February 6th, 2015|Categories: Birds, Clark's Nutcrackers, High Uintas, Summit County, Uinta National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

So, a quick post this morning of a Clark's Nutcracker that I photographed in July of 2008 on my first trip to Utah to photograph birds prior to moving here in 2009.

Raising my glass to 2015!

By |2024-03-03T07:06:51-06:00January 1st, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Beaverhead County, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Davis County, House Wrens, Idaho, Montana, Moose, Swainson's Hawks, Targhee National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Raising the glass attached to my camera that is! I'm excited about the photographic opportunities that will present themselves in 2015.

Bison, Starlings, Magpies, Coyotes and a Mule Deer carcass

By |2024-02-08T15:44:36-06:00December 30th, 2014|Categories: American Bison, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Coyotes, Davis County, European Starlings, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday was another interesting day on Antelope Island seeing snow-covered Bison, snowy weather, birds and spotting Coyotes at a Mule Deer carcass.

Wildlife in a blizzard two years ago today

By |2024-03-05T08:03:05-06:00November 10th, 2014|Categories: American Bison, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Common Ravens, Great Horned Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today there are great big clouds with small patches of blue sky but two years ago it was very different, we were having a blizzard.

Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay perched on an oak

By |2023-01-11T17:52:17-06:00October 23rd, 2014|Categories: Birds, Cascade Springs, Utah, Washington County, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last month I was able to photograph this Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay on my way up to Cascade Springs in Wasatch County, Utah as it perched on an oak near the road.

Looking ahead to winter

By |2023-10-25T09:22:27-05:00September 27th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Common Ravens, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Lesser Scaups, Utah, White-crowned Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

We catch up and share stories of birds we saw in the warmer months and reveal the journeys we have been on.

Immature Black-billed Magpie

By |2021-11-10T04:22:04-06:00August 2nd, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Right now on Antelope Island State Park teenaged birds are molting into their adult plumage including young Black-billed Magpies.

Help Stop the Utah Crow Hunt – Part II – UPDATE: The Utah Wildlife Board foolishly approved a Crow Hunt for Utah

By |2020-01-02T06:31:27-06:00July 11th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Fish Crows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

This is a follow up on my post from yesterday titled "Help Stop the Utah Crow Hunt" and deals with the codes of the Division of Wildlife Resources and Wildlife Board.

Help Stop the Utah Crow Hunt – UPDATE: The Utah Wildlife Board foolishly approved a Crow Hunt for Utah

By |2023-11-04T12:36:37-05:00July 10th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Common Ravens, Fish Crows, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

If the proposed crow hunt isn't stopped Common Ravens; fully protected under the MBTA, will almost certainly be killed this coming September because of mistaken identity.

Black-billed Magpie in flight over Antelope Island State Park

By |2024-03-20T12:55:31-05:00April 14th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

In all my visits to Antelope Island State Park I don't think there has been a single time when I haven't seen or heard Black-billed Magpies.

Iridescent colors of a Black-billed Magpie

By |2024-03-18T17:26:41-05:00March 6th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday this Black-billed Magpie turned in flight while I was photographing it which allowed me a great dorsal view that showed the iridescent colors well.

Nesting time for Black-billed Magpies

By |2024-01-18T14:29:14-06:00March 5th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There was a sharp, cold wind blowing from the north yesterday and before I was finished photographing these Black-billed Magpies my hands had gone numb.

High Key winter Geese, Swans and a Black-billed Magpie

By |2024-03-20T04:25:51-05:00February 16th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Canada Geese, Davis County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Some people might not find high key photos to their tastes but I find that I enjoy them because of their simplicity and how the high key background allows my eyes to focus clearly on my subject's form and beauty.

Bird images from warmer days and all at 300mm or less

By |2016-12-07T12:12:16-06:00January 26th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Fish Crows, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Ghost Crabs, Laughing Gulls, Pinellas County, Short-billed Dowitchers, Willets, Yellow-crowned Night Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Gray skies, freezing temps and the inversions are beginning to get to me so I thought I would share some bird images from warmer days on Fort De Soto County Park's north beach in sunny Florida.

Common Raven in the snow – An exposure problem

By |2023-10-25T11:46:25-05:00December 29th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Common Ravens, Exposure Compensation, Light angles, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Photographing dark birds such as this Common Raven is a challenge and knowing how to expose properly as well as getting the right angle of light is critical in producing a quality image.

Black-billed Magpie stretching

By |2024-01-18T14:26:45-06:00December 10th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

There was a bit of sun yesterday between snow falls and we headed out to Antelope Island hoping there would be light and birds. There was light and a few birds, this Black-billed Magpie was one of them.

At the Edge of a Storm

By |2023-10-25T10:06:45-05:00November 21st, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Common Ravens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I mentioned that there had been low light, falling snow and that the weather conditions before photographing the Loggerhead Shrike and Prairie Falcon weren't great.

The Osprey VS the Black-billed Magpie

By |2024-03-14T17:39:40-05:00September 19th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Ospreys, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

In May of this year I camped at Antelope Flat in the Flaming Gorge National recreation Area and near the boat ramp there was an Osprey nest.

Fish Crows – Why I Can’t Dislike Them

By |2024-02-22T07:15:56-06:00August 13th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge, Egmont Key State Park, Fish Crows, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Gopher Tortoises, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was going to do a simple post about this image of a Fish Crow with a young Gopher Tortoise in its bill that was taken on Egmont Key State Park (also Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge), an island located just to the west of Fort De Soto, Florida.

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