Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

Adult Male Rough-legged Hawk Portraits

By |2022-01-12T06:24:21-06:00January 12th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

For eleven minutes yesterday morning this Rough-legged Hawk was my main point of focus as I took hundreds of photos of him at Bear River MBR.

Horned Grebe In The Marsh At Bear River MBR

By |2022-01-10T03:43:43-06:00January 10th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Horned Grebes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I have the opportunity to photograph a Horned Grebe in the marsh at Bear River MBR I am going to jump at the chance and take as many photos as I can.

Riverbank Red-tailed Hawk Dining Al Fresco

By |2024-01-08T03:21:56-06:00January 9th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I photographed an immature Red-tailed Hawk dining al fresco on the bank of the Bear River on my way back to I-15 to head home.

Winter Great Blue Heron Photos From Bear River MBR

By |2022-01-07T05:58:37-06:00January 7th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge can be a great location to take winter Great Blue Heron photos out on the frozen marshes and wetlands during January.

Winter View Of Bear River MBR And The Snowy Promontory Mountains

By |2022-01-06T06:31:31-06:00January 6th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I took this winter view of Bear River MBR four days ago a winter storm was approaching from the northwest and the clouds were moving in.

Winter Ring-billed Gull Images From Bear River MBR

By |2022-01-05T06:14:09-06:00January 5th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Ring-billed Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One year ago tomorrow I was at Bear River MBR where I took these winter Ring-billed Gull images from the west side of the auto tour loop at the refuge.

Bald Eagle Photos On A Leaning Wooden Post Thru The Years

By |2023-12-04T05:38:19-06:00January 4th, 2022|Categories: Bald Eagles, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

If you go to Bear River MBR during the winter chances are that you have or will see a Bald Eagle perched on this large wooden post at one time or another.

One Very Cooperative Male Rough-legged Hawk

By |2022-01-06T03:56:07-06:00January 3rd, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

For the second year in a row the first bird I photographed in the New Year was a Rough-legged Hawk and both were photographed at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Male Rough-legged Hawk – The First Bird I Photographed in 2021

By |2021-12-30T06:19:54-06:00December 30th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The first bird I photographed in 2021 was this adult male Rough-legged Hawk perched above the wetlands at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Stretching Male American Kestrel In A Russian Olive

By |2021-12-28T07:30:40-06:00December 28th, 2021|Categories: American Kestrels, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On the 3rd of December I spotted a small, colorful shape from a distance in a Russian Olive tree and knew immediately that I had found a male American Kestrel.

Happy Holidays 2021 And A Story From Christmas Past

By |2023-09-28T06:28:48-05:00December 24th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, California Gulls, Herring Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

This Christmas Eve morning is so very different from the one I had in 1998. I was sitting at my computer that morning much the same as I am now but I lived in Virginia then and I was going through some rough times.

Great Egret, Mallards and Hooded and Common Mergansers On The Bear River

By |2021-12-23T05:56:39-06:00December 23rd, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Mergansers, Great Egrets, Hooded Mergansers, Mallards, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Great Egret landed where I had views of Hooded and Common Mergansers and three Mallards resting on the ice on the Bear River.

Great Blue Heron Photos Taken on The Winter Solstice

By |2021-12-22T05:20:56-06:00December 22nd, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

To my delight I was able to take Great Blue Heron photos yesterday on the Winter Solstice that I found on the banks of the Bear River at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Male Rough-legged Hawk On A National Wildlife Refuge Sign

By |2021-12-17T05:29:36-06:00December 17th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Nine days ago this Rough-legged Hawk resting on a National Wildlife sign in low light was the first hawk I spotted and photographed.

Loggerhead Shrike At Bear River MBR

By |2021-12-16T06:08:26-06:00December 16th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Loggerhead Shrikes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my last trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I found this Loggerhead Shrike perched on a twig near the end of the auto tour loop.

Female Hooded Merganser Lifting Off From The Bear River

By |2021-12-10T05:31:06-06:00December 10th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Hooded Mergansers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spotted a single female Hooded Merganser on the Bear River two days ago and photographed her as she ran on top of the water to lift off.

Late Clark’s Grebe Plus A Rough-legged Hawk On A One Way Sign

By |2021-12-09T05:30:25-06:00December 9th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Clark's Grebes, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I found and pointed out a few birds at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge including a very late Clark's Grebe I spotted from the auto tour route.

Merlin On A Large Wooden Post At Bear River MBR

By |2021-12-07T05:48:47-06:00December 7th, 2021|Categories: Bald Eagles, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Merlins, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week I spotted a Merlin perched on a large wooden post way out in the marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in northern Utah.

Adult Rough-legged Hawk Calling Plus Photos Of A Younger Roughie

By |2021-12-06T05:11:44-06:00December 6th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I heard a male Rough-legged Hawk calling which is highly unusual away from their breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra and taiga of the far north.

American Pipits In My Viewfinder

By |2021-12-05T04:54:33-06:00December 5th, 2021|Categories: American Pipits, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been seeing and hearing American Pipits since the end of September but this was the first time this fall I was able to get close to them.

Help With Drake Scaup Identification

By |2021-11-28T06:26:25-06:00November 28th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Greater Scaups, Lesser Scaups, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Every fall and winter when Lesser and Greater Scaups are seen in northern Utah I hear questions about scaup identification.

Ruddy Ducks In Flight

By |2021-11-24T06:00:41-06:00November 24th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Ruddy Ducks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A few days ago I saw someone say that they rarely saw photos of Ruddy Ducks in flight and I remembered I had a series of them flying past taken 11 years ago.

Well Crap – Another Cloudy Day

By |2021-10-27T05:21:43-05:00October 27th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I selected this hatch year Great Blue Heron photo to share today because it showed the young bird taking a crap on the flats of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

It Is Time To Look And Listen For Tundra Swans In Northern Utah

By |2021-10-23T05:47:36-05:00October 23rd, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I noticed in my Facebook memories that I saw and heard my first of season Tundra Swans at Bear River MBR on this date in 2015 and that made me happy.

Phragmites Fix Or Fail At Bear River MBR?

By |2023-11-10T09:51:12-06:00October 5th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Conservation, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Phragmites fix or fail? I think my photos through the years provide the answer.

Two Mule Deer Bucks In The Marsh At Bear River MBR

By |2021-09-30T05:32:50-05:00September 30th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Mule Deer, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Monday morning I saw a group of three Mule Deer bucks slowly moving through tall vegetation in the marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Clouded Sulphur Butterfly And Rabbitbrush

By |2021-09-29T06:40:33-05:00September 29th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Clouded Sulphur Butterflies, Shrubs, Utah, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I got lucky at one rabbitbrush when I found a Clouded Sulphur butterfly nectaring on what I believe is a Rubber Rabbitbrush.

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