Box Elder County

Adult White-crowned Sparrow On A Fence With Rabbitbrush In The Background

By |November 24th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, New World Sparrows & Allies, Utah, White-crowned Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was thinking back on brighter days this morning and decided to share this photo of an adult White-crowned Sparrow perched on a fence with the bright yellow blooms of rabbitbrush in the background.

Autumn American Goldfinch and Rose Hips

By |November 23rd, 2018|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Box Elder County, Finches and Allies, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Earlier this week I left home well before the sun came up, sat on my rear end for over five hours, traveled over 230 miles and the only decent image I took was of this American Goldfinch perched on a wild rose surrounded by scarlet rose hips.

Autumn Audubon’s Yellow-rumped Warbler

By |November 13th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Wood-Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I seem to have missed out on seeing lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers this year during their fall migration, I saw a few back in late September and early October but haven't seen any for some time.

Immature White-crowned Sparrows Up In Box Elder County

By |October 24th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, White-crowned Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been collecting images of immature White-crowned Sparrows that I have taken over the past month or so up in Box Elder County because of all the different settings I have photographed them in.

Cooperative Northern Mockingbird in Autumn

By |October 21st, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Mockingbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Some days one good bird is all I get and if I hadn't spotted this cooperative Mockingbird on a Fragrant Sumac in northern Utah yesterday I would have been mostly skunked.

Rough-legged Hawks Have Returned & Expect Big Changes At Bear River MBR

By |October 17th, 2018|Categories: American Pipits, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My big excitement yesterday morning was seeing my first, second and third of the year Rough-legged Hawks at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and the next thing was seeing all the changes that have happened at the refuge since my last visit.

Autumn Turkey Vulture Portraits – Why I Held My Breath While Taking These Photos

By |October 8th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

These autumn Turkey Vulture portraits are among the most difficult images I have ever taken because I was holding my breath and retching while I took them due to the awful odor of a road-killed skunk below the bird.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet Photographed in Golden Light

By |October 3rd, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

The same morning that I photographed the Sage Thrasher with the berry in mid air I was also able to take a series of images of a Ruby-crowned Kinglet in the sweet golden light just after dawn.

Sage Thrasher With Fragrant Sumac Berry In Mid Air In Dawn’s Golden Light

By |October 2nd, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Sage Thrashers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Sage Thrasher seemed like it was bathed in golden light when suddenly I saw that it had a sumac berry which it tossed it into the air and proceeded to swallow it whole.

Female or Immature Dark-eyed Junco – Oreganus Group

By |September 26th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Dark-eyed Juncos, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Three days ago I was able to photograph a female or immature Dark-eyed Junco of the Oreganus Group when it flew in and landed not too far away from me and I have to admit that seeing it excited me because I enjoy these birds so much.

Sage Thrashers, Northern Mockingbird, White-crowned Sparrow and Wild Rose Hips

By |September 22nd, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Mockingbirds, Sage Thrashers, Utah, White-crowned Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The birds I photographed on the wild rose bushes were adult and immature Sage Thrashers, an adult White-crowned Sparrow and one beautiful Northern Mockingbird.

Rocky Mountain Bee Plant Plus a Bee in Flight

By |September 5th, 2018|Categories: Box Elder County, Honey Bees, Utah, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On Sunday I was up in Box Elder County looking for birds but I also felt I had to stop and take some images of Rocky Mountain Bee Plants that were blooming along side the road.

Female or Immature Wilson’s Warbler Foraging in Box Elder County

By |September 3rd, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Wilson's Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

This female or immature Wilson's Warbler isn't a photographic lifer for me but it is the first time I have gotten a decent image of one, most of the time I've gotten blurry images of them of just a small part of the bird.

A Glimpse Into What Could Happen to Bear River MBR With Less Water Flowing Into It

By |August 23rd, 2018|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Long-billed Dowitchers, Tundra Swans, Utah, Video, Wilson's Phalaropes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Water levels have been dropped in some units at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge for dike maintenance and this made me think of what might happen in the future due to climate change and if more dams are built on the Bear River and how the reduction of water reaching the refuge might be a huge issue

Immature Yellow Warbler Foraging in a Cocklebur at Bear River MBR

By |August 21st, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Yellow Warblers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

This spring and summer I have photographed Yellow Warblers primarily in mountainous riparian habitat so when I spotted one foraging in a Rough Cocklebur two days ago in the marshes at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I was happy to take photos of it.

Greater Yellowlegs Landing & Lifting Off At Bear River MBR

By |August 20th, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Greater Yellowlegs, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Because of the avocet's determination to chase off this Greater Yellowlegs I was able to photograph it lifting off from the water with water still dripping from its feet and with the shorebird's head framed by its wings.

Stormy Sky With A Great Blue Heron In Flight Over Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |August 4th, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Two years ago when I photographed this stormy sky with a Great Blue Heron in flight I also photographed loads of other birds from the auto tour route including wading and shorebirds, geese, ducks, ibis, terns, gulls, rails, pelicans and coots.

Juvenile Western Kingbirds in Box Elder County, Utah

By |July 25th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Kingbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Juvenile Western Kingbirds may look sweet like this one does perched on a fence but they can be rather pushy when it comes to demanding food from their parents and they are also quite noisy too while they are begging.

Crappy Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron in Flight Photo

By |July 21st, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've taken my share of crappy photos during the time I have been focused on photographing birds but this photo of a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron crapping in flight may be the crappiest of them all.

Male Flame Skimmer Dragonfly – Libellula saturata

By |July 20th, 2018|Categories: Box Elder County, Dragonflies, Flame Skimmers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I caught a flash of orange that drew my eye and watched as this male Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) dragonfly landed on a branch not far from where I had parked my Jeep.

Sibling Red-tailed Hawk Juveniles Perched & On The Wing

By |July 17th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Back in March of this year I started watching and photographing a pair of Red-tailed Hawks in the process of building their nest on the face of a high cliff, these two juveniles are the results of the hard work of that pair of hawks.

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