Box Elder County

Light Morph Male Rough-legged Hawk Winter Site Fidelity

By |2022-02-05T05:47:55-06:00February 5th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have been photographing a light morph male Rough-legged Hawk on or near a One Way sign at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge frequently this winter.

Wild Turkey Hen Perched In A Netleaf Hackberry Tree

By |2022-02-04T06:24:48-06:00February 4th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Wild Turkeys|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last month while up in Box Elder County looking for birds I spotted this Wild Turkey hen perched in a Netleaf Hackberry tree not long before noon.

Rough-legged Hawk In Soft Morning Light

By |2022-02-03T05:48:54-06:00February 3rd, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last month while enjoying one of the most relaxing trips I have had to Bear River MBR in a long time I came across this Rough-legged Hawk in soft morning light.

Groundhog Day 2022 – What It Means To Me In Utah

By |2022-02-02T05:38:53-06:00February 2nd, 2022|Categories: Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Groundhog Day is simply another day where I grow even more concerned about life giving water here in Utah. I'm not superstitious. I rely on facts.

First Winter Common Merganser On The Bear River

By |2022-01-31T13:32:40-06:00January 31st, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Mergansers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my last two trips up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I've stopped long enough to photograph a first winter Common Merganser on the Bear River.

Adult Male Rough-legged Hawk In Early Morning Light

By |2022-01-30T05:22:42-06:00January 30th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Of all the photos I took yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge the one I liked the most is of this Rough-legged Hawk in early morning light.

Tundra Swans On Ice And Open Water

By |2024-02-07T05:28:44-06:00January 29th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I haven't yet gotten the photos of Tundra Swans this year that I would like to take but that won't stop me from sharing some that I have taken this winter.

Adult Male Prairie Merlin At Bear River MBR

By |2024-02-15T03:52:05-06:00January 28th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Merlins, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of the birds I photographed yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge was an adult male Prairie Merlin that I spotted on a fence post close to the road.

Squirrel Appreciation Day 2022

By |2022-01-21T06:24:38-06:00January 21st, 2022|Categories: Box Elder County, Least Chipmunks, Morgan County, Summit County, Uinta Ground Squirrels, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

January 21st is Squirrel Appreciation Day around the globe. There are many reasons to appreciate these furry, four legged, cute creatures. 

Four Winter Ring-billed Gull Images

By |2022-01-17T05:48:06-06:00January 17th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Ring-billed Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week I was just as excited to take Ring-billed Gull images as I was to take photos of a delightful Horned Grebe on the marsh at Bear River MBR.

Yellow-bellied Marmot Out And About In January

By |2022-01-16T05:10:02-06:00January 16th, 2022|Categories: Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I found and pointed out dozens of birds yesterday but the biggest surprise to me was spotting a Yellow-bellied Marmot out and about in the middle of January.

Bear River MBR Common Raven Photos

By |2022-01-15T05:23:15-06:00January 15th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Ravens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Earlier this week as I drove slowly around the auto tour route at Bear River MBR I was able to take a short series of Common Raven photos as they played on the ice.

More Horned Grebe Photos From Bear River MBR

By |2022-01-14T06:29:24-06:00January 14th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Horned Grebes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I was at Bear River MBR on Tuesday I found and photographed the Horned Grebe that I have been seeing at the refuge since the second day of the New Year.

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.

Welcome 2022 – Time To Put The New Year Into Focus

By |2022-01-01T06:53:40-06:00January 1st, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Burrowing Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As I sit here this morning wrapped in a blanket to ward off the morning chill I welcome 2022 and realize that it is time to put the New Year into focus.

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.

ABA Bird Of The Year 2022 – The Burrowing Owl!

By |2022-04-26T09:24:42-05:00December 20th, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Box Elder County, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was announced yesterday that the Burrowing Owl is the 2022 ABA Bird of the Year! Burrowing Owls are small, long-legged, sandy-colored, charismatic owls with bright yellow eyes.

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.

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