Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

Goofy Looking Upside Down Displaying Male Brown-headed Cowbird

By |2024-04-19T03:16:14-05:00July 5th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This photo of a displaying male Brown-headed Cowbird in a goofy upside down pose is not a good photo technically but I absolutely love the behavior it shows.

Angry Birds – Featuring A Western Grebe

By |2021-08-19T16:02:57-05:00July 3rd, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Grebes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I know that is probably anthropomorphizing but I do allow myself to giggle about birds I think look "angry" and if any of them do this Western Grebe certainly does. 

American Avocet Chicks Have Hatched At Bear River MBR

By |2021-04-29T04:16:03-05:00June 26th, 2019|Categories: American Avocets, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Three days ago I was tickled to finally see some American Avocet chicks on the marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, I've been waiting to see these little puff balls this year!

White-faced Ibis With A Red Invertebrate Of Some Kind

By |2021-10-21T04:45:56-05:00June 25th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, White-faced Ibises|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It seems I also photographed an odd, little hitchhiker on the lore and bill of the White-faced Ibis when I took these photos.

Killdeer Nesting In Last Year’s Ashes

By |2024-03-18T18:55:55-05:00June 24th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Killdeer, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Both the female and male Killdeer incubate so there is no way for me to tell what the gender of this Killdeer is but it stayed on the scrape while I photographed it and didn't move.

Highlights Of My Bird Photography Trip Yesterday to Bear River MBR

By |2024-03-27T07:07:20-05:00June 3rd, 2019|Categories: American Avocets, American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Box Elder County, Double-crested Cormorants, Long-tailed Weasels, Snowy Plovers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When a bird photography trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge starts with me spotting not just one but two Snowy Plovers out on the flats I just know the day is off to a great start and that is what happened yesterday morning.

Five Male Yellow-headed Blackbird Images From The Marsh At Bear River MBR

By |2024-03-22T05:06:15-05:00May 29th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I wanted to share a five image series of a male Yellow-headed Blackbird that I photographed in the marshes of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge this morning that I took the second week of May.

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.

Female Yellow-headed Blackbird Foraging On The Ground At Bear River MBR

By |2024-03-22T06:24:35-05:00May 16th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

The fore and background of this image may be messy or cluttered looking but I love the way this photo shows the female Yellow-headed Blackbird in the habitat I find them in at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Male Ring-necked Pheasant And Midges At Bear River MBR

By |2021-04-08T04:53:16-05:00May 13th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Ring-necked Pheasants, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I don't know if the Ring-necked Pheasants eat the midges but I know that many of the other birds at the refuge do so I like to think of midges as bird food on the wing.

White-faced Ibis Perched On Cattails

By |2021-09-13T03:38:05-05:00May 3rd, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, White-faced Ibises|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

I haven't seen or photographed White-faced Ibis perched in the nearly ten years that I have lived here so I was thrilled to have my first opportunity to do so yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Solitary Great Blue Heron Looking Over The Marsh At Bear River MBR

By |2021-04-17T17:21:46-05:00April 27th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

It really is a simple Great Blue Heron photo with the marsh, a stationary wading bird, vibrant spring growth and water at the top of the frame but it is also a very calming image for me because for a few seconds time stood as still as the heron.

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.

Two Merlins Were My Best Finds Of The Day At Bear River MBR

By |2024-02-15T03:42:42-06:00April 24th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Merlins, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There isn't a single day in the field where I take my eyesight and my keen spotting abilities for granted and yesterday those attributes netted me not one but two Merlins while I was at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

White-faced Ibis With A Wet Head At Bear River MBR

By |2021-09-13T03:39:28-05:00April 22nd, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, White-faced Ibises|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This White-faced Ibis had been feeding in the shallow water and had gotten its head soaking wet right before I photographed it and the ibis was in the process of getting ready to shake the water from its head feathers.

American White Pelican Foraging By Itself

By |2021-04-09T18:40:57-05:00April 16th, 2019|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my visit to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge last week I didn't see large numbers of American White Pelicans but at this time of the year that is understandable because many of them are probably nesting on Gunnison Island right now.

Spring Western Grebes At Bear River MBR – Time For Their Courtship Displays

By |2021-04-13T04:54:06-05:00April 15th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Grebes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

These elegant black and white Western Grebes are beautiful while they feed, preen, rest and stretch but they are even more striking when they dance across the water while performing their courtship ceremony.

Spring Gathering Of Tree Swallows At Bear River MBR

By |2024-03-25T07:24:34-05:00April 9th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tree Swallows, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Tree Swallows were the most numerous of the swallows I saw and at the far northwest part of the auto tour route I found bunches of them resting in a stand of phragmites so I decided to get out, set up my tripod and photograph them from across the water.

Hoping For More Photos Of Eared Grebes This Season

By |2021-05-04T05:07:52-05:00April 6th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Eared Grebes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have plenty of photos of Clark's, Western and Pied-billed Grebes but few of Eared Grebes and I am hoping that this breeding season I will be able to have more of these small grebes in my viewfinder.

Spring Killdeer At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |2024-03-19T03:39:48-05:00March 31st, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Killdeer, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent my morning yesterday driving on the very muddy auto tour route at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and the birds that I photographed the most were Killdeer, it seemed like I saw them everywhere.

Marsh Wren Nesting Season Has Begun At Bear River MBR

By |2023-09-19T14:48:18-05:00March 23rd, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Marsh Wrens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Marsh Wren nesting season has begun here in northern Utah and in my opinion one of the best places to see, listen to and photograph them is from the auto tour route at Bear River MBR.

Early Franklin’s Gull at Bear River MBR on March 6, 2018

By |2021-06-19T04:31:46-05:00March 6th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Davis County, Franklin's Gulls, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I had the Sandhill Crane and the Ring-billed Gulls in my view finder I heard a call and it only took a second for my brain to figure out that I was hearing a Franklin's Gull which surprised me because it was at the refuge much earlier than I have ever seen one there before.

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.

Preening Western Grebe At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |2021-04-14T04:28:02-05:00March 4th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Grebes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Migrating Western Grebes are already being reported at Utah Lake, Bountiful Pond and Farmington Bay WMA and before too long they will be found at other locations here in northern Utah.

Rough-legged Hawk Expelling A Pellet Close Up Photos

By |2021-11-06T07:42:49-05:00February 20th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've never been this close to a Rough-legged Hawk expelling a pellet before and it is likely that I will never be this fortunate again. This Rough-legged Hawk was my best bird for the day and I'm glad I stopped and waited for him to expel the pellet before moving on down the auto tour route.

Focusing On The Tundra Swans And Wetlands Of Bear River MBR

By |2024-03-20T10:10:12-05:00February 3rd, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One year ago today I spent the morning focusing on and photographing the Tundra Swans and wetlands of Bear River MBR and I have to say that those birds and the marshes bring me such joy that I feel like I have to share them over and over.

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