Comparing Adult Ring-billed and California Gulls
For most of the year Ring-billed and California Gulls are some of the most common gulls here in northern Utah and for some people it might be challenging to tell them apart.
Pair of immature Great Blue Herons in a nest in Florida
The Great Blue Herons here in Utah are dealing with ice, snow and bitter cold temperatures now but the Great Blue Herons in Florida they have started courting and building their nests.
Courting Black Skimmers on North Beach, Fort De Soto
On a hazy, windy day in May of 2008 I was able to sand crawl on my belly close enough to some Black Skimmers to watch and photograph them courting.
It is Tricolored Heron Not Tri-colored Heron
I must admit I get a little bonkers though when I see images of birds where the name posted for the species in the photo is incorrect, for instance, it is Tricolored Heron not Tri-colored Heron.
Juvenile Roseate Spoonbill on Florida’s West Coast
I photographed this juvenile Roseate Spoonbill in May of 2008 from inside a lagoon at Fort De Soto's north while the immature spoonbill and a few adults preened and rested on the shoreline.
2000 Posts about Birds, Wildlife and Nature at On The Wing Photography
Today I am celebrating having published 2000 posts on birds, wildlife and nature at On The Wing Photography and sharing the stories behind the images along with the journeys I take to find my subjects.
Laughing Gull Sliding Across the Water
Of the images I took that day on the beach, and there were tons of them, this image of a Laughing Gull sliding across the water as it chased a fish in the shallow waves was one of my favorites.
Sea Oat Silhouette with Flaming Clouds at Sunrise
When I lived in Florida one of my great joys was to be at Fort De Soto County Park's north beach before the sun rose over the horizon and to be there even before the first bit of color touched the clouds.
Close Up Herring Gull in Flight with a Sea Urchin
I was able to lock on to the Herring Gull in flight with a sea urchin in its bill when it was close enough to me to fill the frame, it was almost too close at that point.
Great Egret With The Catch Of The Day That Didn’t Get Eaten
The Great Egret struggled to swallow the large fish and even though it readjusted the fish in its bill several times it never swallowed the fish before it dropped it into the lagoon and flew off.
Willet and Me – Until After Election Day
I'll be out photographing birds like this Willet foraging in the Gulf of Mexico, other wildlife and the beauty of nature.
Juvenile Brown Pelican Portrait on the Shore of the Gulf
It was wonderful to be close to the juvenile Brown Pelican and to be able to take portraits of it plus I also enjoyed being able to see all the fine details of its plumage, the texture of its bill and look into its dark eyes.
Elegant Forster’s Tern in flight with a touch of added canvas
I've always loved this image of a Forster's Tern in flight because the pose is wonderful and the tern looks elegant against the gray of a distant storm cloud.
Red-breasted Merganser floating on the Gulf of Mexico
I photographed this Red-breasted Merganser floating on the Gulf of Mexico on an April morning from the shoreline at Fort De Soto, Florida in April of 2008.
Wood Stork in Flight over Fort De Soto
When I lived in Florida there were times that I would see Wood Storks at Fort De Soto and once in a while I would get lucky and find them in flight.
International Vulture Awareness Day 2016
Vultures and condors are scavengers and help to clean up the environment by consuming carrion, road kill and gut piles left from the kills of human and non-human hunters.
Gulf Shore Yellow-crowned Night Heron
I did see and photograph this adult Yellow-crowned Night Heron standing on a grassy sand dune overlooking the Gulf of Mexico in beautiful, soft light.
Reddish Egret Hunting in the Gulf of Mexico
I photographed this white morph Reddish Egret hunting in the Gulf of Mexico in June of 2008 and truly enjoyed observing its hunting behavior through my lens.
Great Egret portrait
While walking the boardwalk at the small rookery I was able to get close to this Great Egret that was resting under the canopy of a large tree and took this portrait of it.
Black-bellied Plover on a Foggy Morning
One a fall day at Fort De Soto I was able to photograph this Black-bellied Plover on a foggy morning up close on the beach.
Sleeping Willet at Fort De Soto
This sleeping Willet image remains one of my favorite images because it was so comfortable in my presence that it fell asleep.
Juvenile Royal Terns on the Gulf Coast
When I lived in Florida I was able to see and photograph juvenile Royal Terns on the Gulf Coast were they could be seen along the shoreline and they were usually begging the adults for food.
The State of North American Birds and its Not Good News
These four birds, an American Oystercatcher, a Greater Sage-Grouse, a Reddish Egret and a Mountain Plover are all facing the risk of extinction without serious conservation measures to reduce declines in populations and habitat destruction.
Great Blue Heron Flight over North Beach
This Great Blue Heron was in flight over the north beach of Fort De Soto with dark Australian Pines in the background on a foggy morning.
Dreaming of Oystercatchers
Last night I spent some time dreaming of oystercatchers. I could hear them in my dream and see them scurrying along the waves.
Storm Clouds over the Gulf of Mexico
One August morning in 2008 when I was at Fort De Soto to photograph birds I couldn't resist taking a few images of storm clouds hanging over the Gulf of Mexico.
Gulf Shore Great Egret with a Loose Head Feather
This might be the only image I have in my portfolio that shows a Great Egret with a loose head feather waving above its head at a jaunty angle.
Franklin’s Gull and Laughing Gull Comparison
I know this isn't a complete Franklin's Gull and Laughing Gull comparison but I'm not a scientist, just a bird photographer and bird lover.
Trio of Greater Yellowlegs
When I photographed this trio of Great Yellowlegs in Florida I didn't have to worry about how far away they were, in fact at times they moved too close to me
Black Skimmer Skimming the Gulf
My own technique for photographing this Black Skimmer skimming the Gulf and other skimmers that day was to sit down in the water right where the waves crested and moved on shore.