Black-necked Stilt at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
In yesterday's post I mentioned that I have seen my first of the year American Avocets and not long after they arrive Black-necked Stilts will also be making their appearance too.
An Adult American Avocet In Its Breeding Plumage
Three days ago I saw my first of the season American Avocets flying over the causeway to Antelope Island State Park and I let out a gleeful "whoop"!
Long billed Birds and Preening
Preening in birds is essential for keeping their feathers clean, arranged correctly and for some birds it is a way to distribute oils from the uropygial gland which helps to keep the feathers clean and healthy.
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge After Spring Has Sprung
The snow has melted in the Salt Lake Valley where temps have been unseasonably warm thanks to the "Pineapple Express" and although winter hasn't left it has begun to feel like spring which means it won't be long before spring has sprung up all over Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge!
Caution: Spring Birds Ahead
It won't be long before the American White Pelicans are back at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge which is where I photographed the pelican in the image above last spring.
1000 posts at On The Wing Photography and still going strong
Today I reached the 1000 posts mark for my blog here at On The Wing Photography. In those 1000 posts I've covered a lot of birds, animals and locations.
Gray Flycatcher at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
Gray Flycatchers are generally found in sagebrush and arid busy habitats so it was a real treat to see this one in the marshy habitat of the refuge.
Someday… I’ll Get My Dream Golden Eagle Photos
I have had so many opportunities with Golden Eagles and each time something goes wrong.
Western Grebe With A Chick Riding Piggyback
Cute Alert! Whenever I see Western Grebe chicks riding piggyback on their parents I can't help thinking that there is a definite cute factor going on right in front of me.
Meeting The New Generation Of Western Grebes
I'm having a blast meeting and photographing the new generation of Western Grebes at the refuge.
Turkey Vultures Might Not Be Pretty But They Are Awesome At What They Do
A bald red head, dark plumage and a white tipped bill isn't something that most people think of as handsome, regal or even good looking but Turkey Vultures are awesome at what they do.
The Juvenile Swainson’s Hawk That Saved My Day
Yesterday was frustrating for me near Snowville, Utah because there were raptors all around but not many of them were close enough to photograph and the ones that were close were either vey skittish or wouldn't fly off of the power poles even after long periods of time.
The Summer of Swainson’s Is Nearing An End
It won't be long before Swainson's Hawks start to migrate to South America and some may already have started their journey south.
Frustrations in Bird Photography – Dark Morph Ferruginous Hawk
The dark morph Ferruginous Hawk above had just lifted off from a power pole when I photographed it with a partly cloudy sky in the background.
Western Kingbird Juvenile
I don't often have the opportunity to photograph juvenile Western Kingbirds but last week I did at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Box Elder County.
Nine Foot Wingspans – American White Pelicans
Yesterday while on the auto tour route of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge the birds that I saw in the highest numbers were American White Pelicans.
Great Blue Heron Portraits from Florida and Utah
In Florida I found it easy to get close up images of Great Blue Herons because quite often they are used to the presence of humans but here in Utah that isn't the case and Great Blue Herons are sort of skittish.
Western Grebe at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
The other day when I photographed the Black-crowned Night Heron at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge I also photographed some Clark's and Western Grebes, I found these two images of this Western Grebe interesting and wanted to post them.
Black-crowned Night Heron at Bear River MBR
I spotted this Black-crowned Night Heron that was almost hidden by the vegetation but as soon as we stopped it darted towards some open water in foraging mode.
Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron Stalking Prey
Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron Stalking prey at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in northern Utah
Big, Beautiful American White Pelicans
Yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge there were two American White Pelicans that were close enough to photograph as they floated on the Bear River, it was a cloudless morning so the river was a gorgeous blue which always sets off the whites of these big, beautiful birds.
Bird Sampler for April 28 through May 4, 2013
I wanted to share a sampler of bird images that I have taken over the past week in Davis and Box Elder Counties.
Midges Of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge And Beyond
Midges are an important food source for the birds that live and breed in the marshes and wetlands of Utah and they have recently begun to hatch.
Yellow-headed Blackbirds Are Back In Numbers
Yellow-headed Blackbirds are filling the marshy areas of Utah with their odd mechanical calls once again as the males court the females for their annual spring fling.
Swainson’s Hawks will arrive any day now
As soon as this cold front passes I will be out looking for the birds of spring including these majestic Swainson's Hawks.
Photograph But Don’t Touch – Wildlife Ethics
I do hope that non-photographers and the general public know that behavior like this is an exception and that ethical photographers would not have gone up and petted the Sandhill Cranes.
Weird Canada Geese Behavior And A Red-tailed Hawk Building A Nest
The weird Canada Geese behavior on the top of the cliff led me to finding a Red-tailed Hawks nest though and I am tickled about that.
Sounds of Spring – Western Meadowlark
Normally we have Western Meadowlarks year round here in the Salt Lake Valley but because this past winter was harsh it seemed that they moved south for a bit. They are back now and singing their songs of spring.
Songs of Spring – Red-winged Blackbirds
Fairly soon I'll be seeing many more of the male Red-winged Blackbirds perching at the top of rushes and cattails singing springtime serenades for the females and flashing their brilliantly colored epaulets
Horned Larks in Box Elder County
I spotted a flock of Horned Larks in Box Elder County, some were foraging on the road and a few were perched on mounds of snow that someone had plowed. It seemed like the ones on the snow were just enjoying the sunshine.