Birds

Birds that I find in the field, photograph and share the stories behind the images.

Tundra Swans And Precious Memories

By |2024-02-07T04:46:41-06:00February 7th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Tundra Swans and memories are on my mind this morning. Six years ago, I sat in my Jeep watching hundreds of Tundra Swans at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Ten Greater White-fronted Goose Photos

By |2024-02-09T03:42:01-06:00February 4th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Greater White-fronted Geese, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was out running errands yesterday when I found a Greater White-fronted Goose. I drove home to grab my gear so I could photograph this 'specklebelly' goose.

Great Blue Heron And Reflection On The Bear River

By |2024-02-03T05:49:51-06:00February 3rd, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today, I'm sharing a simple Great Blue Heron photo I took late last month at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I liked the heron's reflection on the Bear River.

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Bald Eagle On A Leaning Post Plus Trees With The Earth Shadow And Belt Of Venus

By |2024-01-31T11:14:06-06:00January 31st, 2024|Categories: Bald Eagles, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I was up at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge yesterday, I photographed a Bald Eagle on a leaning post, plus trees with the Earth Shadow and Belt of Venus.

Western Meadowlarks At Farmington Bay WMA

By |2024-01-30T04:25:56-06:00January 30th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah, Western Meadowlarks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Much like the Great Blue Herons I shared yesterday, the Western Meadowlarks I found at Farmington Bay WMA two days ago were also behaving as if it were spring.

Great Blue Herons At The Farmington Bay WMA Rookery

By |2024-01-29T05:24:02-06:00January 29th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Conservation, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning, I was surprised to find Great Blue Herons already at the nests of the rookery at Farmington Bay WMA. There were more than twenty herons.

Pied-billed Grebe – From A Distance And Up Close

By |2024-01-28T05:08:16-06:00January 28th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Pied-billed Grebes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I was out enjoying some sunshine yesterday morning, I photographed an adult Pied-billed Grebe from a distance and up close at one of my local ponds.

I’m Still Looking For This Leucistic American Coot

By |2024-01-26T13:36:50-06:00January 26th, 2024|Categories: American Coots, Birds, Rarities, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I remember feeling very thrilled when I found this leucistic American Coot on January 2, 2023. I'd been hoping to find a leucistic coot for quite a long time.

Ring-billed Gull Flying In Heavy Fog

By |2024-01-25T05:21:25-06:00January 25th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Ring-billed Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Once upon a time, in a marsh not so far away, I photographed a Ring-billed Gull flying in heavy fog. It was the densest fog I have ever photographed in.

Rough-legged Hawk On A No Swimming Sign

By |2024-01-24T06:48:09-06:00January 24th, 2024|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While looking for a photo to share this morning I found this immature Rough-legged Hawk on a No Swimming Sign with the snowy Wasatch Mountains in the background.

American Crow Nictitating Membrane Images

By |2024-01-22T05:22:03-06:00January 22nd, 2024|Categories: American Crows, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning, I'm sharing three portraits of an American Crow, two of which include the very pale, nearly icy-blue nictitating membrane that these crows have.

Ring-necked Duck And An Odd Lesser Scaup

By |2024-01-27T12:13:16-06:00January 20th, 2024|Categories: Bird ID, Birds, Lesser Scaups, Ring-necked Ducks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Seven days ago I found a Ring-necked Duck and an odd Lesser Scaup drake at my local pond. The scaup puzzled me and I wondered if he might be a hybrid.

Drake Ruddy Duck In Early Breeding Plumage

By |2024-01-20T03:52:38-06:00January 19th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Ruddy Ducks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been paying a lot of attention to a drake Ruddy Duck at my local pond because he has gone into breeding plumage earlier than is normal for this species.

Fun With A Goofy Immature Ring-billed Gull

By |2024-01-16T04:52:20-06:00January 16th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Ring-billed Gulls, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm always ready for fun, and this goofy, immature Ring-billed Gull provided a bit of fun for me yesterday afternoon at one of my snowy local ponds.

Common Mergansers And Remote Controlled Harassment

By |2024-01-15T05:09:41-06:00January 15th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Common Mergansers, Harassment, Miscellaneous, Salt Lake County, Utah, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed these Common Mergansers at my local pond three years ago today. I will explain why I only had a few minutes with the mergansers at my local pond.

Male Mallard Resting In Snow – Connections

By |2024-01-14T04:26:34-06:00January 14th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Mallards, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I visited my local ponds yesterday even though the sky was gray, and snow was falling. While I was there, I photographed this male Mallard resting in the snow.

California Gull – A Misnamed Gull Species

By |2024-01-13T11:41:19-06:00January 13th, 2024|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, California Gulls, Davis County, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As I photographed a winter California Gull at my local pond two days ago, I thought about how these gulls are a misnamed species for the umpteenth time.

I Am Missing This Cooperative Rough-legged Hawk

By |2024-01-09T05:58:30-06:00January 9th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Once upon a time, and not so long ago, I could count on seeing this light-morph Rough-legged Hawk at a specific area of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge tour route.

White-faced Ibis Do Overwinter At Bear River MBR

By |2024-01-08T05:11:05-06:00January 8th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, White-faced Ibises|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On New Year's Day, I photographed two small flocks of White-faced Ibis at Bear River MBR. It isn't unusual at all for this ibis species to overwinter at the refuge.

Northern Harrier – My First Raptor of 2024

By |2024-01-07T04:17:38-06:00January 7th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The first raptor I photographed in 2024 was this young male Northern Harrier that I found near the refuge auto tour loop at Bear River MBR on New Year's Day.

Herring Gull In Flight Close Up

By |2024-01-06T04:55:52-06:00January 6th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Golden Eagles, Herring Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Three years ago today, I drove the auto tour loop at Bear River MBR alone. One of the birds I photographed that winter morning was this close-up adult Herring Gull in flight.

Winter Great Blue Heron On Thin Bear River Ice – Utah Is On Thin Ice Too

By |2024-01-05T04:58:20-06:00January 5th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed this Great Blue Heron almost two years ago, walking gingerly on the thinning ice of the Bear River. I was on my way to the auto tour loop at the refuge when I spotted this heron.

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