Birds of Antelope Island – A Mix of Feathered Friends
Yesterday I photographed a mixture of the birds of Antelope Island State Park and had great fun while doing it.
Western Grebe and chick
Here in Utah I am constantly watching the sky for billowing clouds of the smoke of a new fire. We need rain, we need a good soaking.
Farmington Utah’s Voles – Just My Opinion
Recently KSL.com; a Utah news station, had an article about a vole (a small rodent) infestation In Farmington, specifically in the neighborhood of Foxboro Community. While I sympathize with the residents about the damage being done to their yards I am disturbed by the advice many of the people commenting have left on the story.
What Utah Birds Do When The Heat Is On…
I don't know if the birds think the water of the Great Salt Lake looks refreshing but when the heat is on like today, I sure do!
Whoa, that is a lot of Wilson’s Phalaropes!
There were hundreds of thousands of Wilson's Phalaropes near the shoreline of the causeway, whirling around in the water and along the marshy areas not far from the park entrance.
Summer Heat and Winter Cold
I decided to post an image that said... cold, snow and winter. Just looking at it seems to cool me down.
Perched Eastern Kingbird
I always look forward to seeing and photographing Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus) during the warmer months of the year. I was fortunate to see a few yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in northern Utah.
An American Avocet
Currently I am considering pursuing legal action against a commercial web site in Layton, Utah that has stolen 4 of my copyrighted images and used them on their site. The process of making a legal claim is daunting to me, however; I feel that I have to stand up and fight for what is legally mine AND protected by law.
Creatures Great and Small – Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
There are many mammals to see at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana, I haven't seen them all yet but I hope to one day. On this last trip I saw Moose, Elk, Skunks, Ground Squirrels, Chipmunks, Foxes, White-tailed and Mule Deer, Yellow-bellied Marmots, and Pronghorns.
The Morning Mist at Red Rock Lakes NWR
I don't have much time to post today but I wanted to share a few photos taken this week of the mists at the Lower Lake of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana. Red Rock Lakes NWR is an incredibly wild and beautiful location that has stolen a piece of my heart.
Foraging Marbled Godwit
I love how peaceful this image is with the Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) paying absolutely no attention to me as I sat very still in the warm waters of a tidal lagoon photographing it.
Plain Brown Bird?? Pfflllt…
I've heard people call Willets "Plain Brown Birds". I reckon they may have never seen one looking like this Willet.
Odd Black Skimmer Behavior
The Black Skimmer had a Mangrove seed pod in its bill and it was twirling the seed pod with its bill, at times the seed pod even went over the top of the bill but unfortunately I didn't get any images of that.
Hitching A Ride – Grebe Chicks
Grebe chicks are showing up all over at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge (aka Bear River National Wildlife Refuge) in northern Utah and they are just adorable to see and photograph.
White Morph Reddish Egret in Stormy Light
In my two previous posts of a Snowy Egret and a Great Egret I mentioned how the early morning light and a nearby storm gave those images a feeling of drama. These white morph Reddish Egret images were taken that same morning not long after I created the Great Egret photos.
Great Egret On A Stormy Morning
Yesterday I posted a Snowy Egret hunting in early morning light and mentioned that early morning or late afternoon light can add drama to an image, in today's post I will explain a bit more about the dramatic light in the Snowy Egret image and these images of a Great Egret (Ardea alba).
Snowy Egret Hunting In Early Morning Light
Light plays a huge part in my photography, I try to be at my location just before the sun comes up or goes down to take advantage of the beautiful light that occurs at those times of the day.
Mule Deer Portraits
While out on Antelope Island State Park the other day I spotted a Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) that was almost hidden by tall grasses and stopped to get some images.
Birds of Bear River MBR – American White Pelicans
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is an excellent location for finding and photographing American White Pelicans who have wing spans of over nine feet.
Spring Ducklings
I believe these to be Mallards but if I am wrong I don't mind being corrected, I do have trouble with female duck ID at times and I appreciate all the help I can get with them.
Birds of Bear River MBR – Snowy Egrets
Recently I spent two days in a row photographing birds at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge (aka Bear River National Wildlife Refuge) and found plenty of birds to aim my lens at.
Travel Postcards – Burr Trail, Utah
Burr Trail winds its way through some of Utah's most stunning scenery, from the small town of Boulder to Bullfrog near Lake Powell. Along the way the scenery makes me feel tiny but I also feel very much in touch with the earth and the geology of the area.
Juvenile Common Raven
This bird is easily identifiable as a juvenile Common Raven because of the short tail, the pink on the gape and the violet-blue eyes.
American Herring Gulls
Two Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) at different stages of life, one an adult in breeding plumage, the other an immature gull in flight.
Female Ospreys Have Flare!
Okay. At least this female Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is landing with flared wings and tail!
Black-bellied Plover – Up Close
One of the shorebird species I am able to see in Utah during migration that I photographed often while I lived in Florida are the lovely Black-bellied Plovers (Pluvialis squatarola).
Whakaari / White Island, New Zealand
In January of 2008 I was onboard a cruise ship for a tour of New Zealand that included time spent viewing Whakaari / White Island which is an active andesite stratovolcano that rises 1,053 feet above the Bay of Plenty.
Western Kingbird – A Consolation Prize
There are times when I go out to photograph a specific species but come home with images of birds I didn't expect to see.
Red Fleet State Park, Utah
I recently visited Red Fleet State Park in north-eastern Utah near Vernal and came away with a few landscape images that I liked.
White-winged Doves
White-winged Doves (Zenaida asiatica) are one of the larger gray-colored dove species in North America and they are more at home in semi-arid and desert areas than Mourning Doves.