Head Angles In Bird Photography – Less Than Perfect Head Angles Can Be Compelling
I believe that even without what some may consider "the perfect head angle" that we can create interesting and compelling avian images.
Slew of Old Coots
"Crazy Old Coot" is a term that many of us know and associate with a foolish person, especially an old man.
As Spring Approaches
As Spring Approaches it is a Great Time to be a Bird Photographer in Utah!
Taking a Gander at mating Canada Geese
Officially it isn't spring yet but the Canada Geese here in the Salt Lake Valley don't seem to be paying much attention to our human calendars at all and have begun their mating season.
Comparing American White Pelicans to Brown Pelicans
The recent arrival of American White Pelicans to the Salt Lake Valley started me thinking about the differences between Brown Pelicans and American White Pelicans.
White Gyrfalcon – Yet Another Escaped Falconry Bird!
In the four and a half years I have been in Utah I have found, pointed out, and photographed four escaped falconry birds, one in 2009, and two in 2012.
The Advantages of Photographing Birds Close to Home
Many beginning photographers dream of taking images in far off places of exotic birds and there is nothing wrong with that. But we shouldn’t overlook the advantages of photographing birds close to home.
Redhead drake portrait
The sun came out for a few hours yesterday afternoon so I went to a pond near where I live and photographed some of the ducks including this very confiding Redhead drake.
D.O.T.S. – Dreaming Of The Sun
Yesterday I mentioned that I had D.W.B. (Dreary Weather Blues) and after a nice email from a friend last night who reminded me that it is only 7 weeks until the spring equinox I now have the D.O.T.S, better known as Dreaming Of The Sun.
D.W.B.
I wanted to post a funny bird image today because I have the D.W.B. so I selected this American Coot that was scratching in a pond near where I live in Salt Lake County, Utah.
An American White Pelican “Horn”
The horn is a growth on the bill of American White Pelicans that occurs during the breeding season and I am fortunate to live in a location where these big, white pelicans breed.
American White Pelican Lifting Off
This American White Pelican was taking off from a pond near where I live in Salt Lake County and I happened to click the shutter when its wings were extended upwards and when its feet had just slapped the water
What the Duck?
This domestic duck image has always made me laugh so I thought I would share it and ask you all to add your funny captions.
American Coot On A Cold Winter Day
American Coots aren't thought of as "gorgeous" birds but I do find them appealing and a challenge to expose properly because of the high contrast between the very dark feathers and the whiteness of the ivory colored bill.
Different Plumage Phases Of Red-breasted Merganser Drakes
Awhile back someone told me that Mergansers don't change their plumage seasonally, which is of course incorrect as all three species of mergansers that live in North America do.
Three Years Ago Today When It Was Actually Winter
Three years ago today though the ground was covered in drifts of snow, the temps were below freezing, there was ice on the ponds & lakes and there was a sharp briskness to the air that can only be found in winter.
Ring-necked Duck Drake
I photographed this drake Ring-necked Duck in breeding plumage a few years ago on a pond not far from where I live.
Winter’s First Snow
As I write this the first snow of winter is falling outside my living room window. For the past week I have seen the snow on the mountain tops and I had been looking forward to seeing the snow covering the Salt Lake Valley.
Rare Sight to See – Walking And Standing Pied-billed Grebes
It was an unusual experience to see these Pied-billed Grebes standing upright and walking on the edge of this pond, some might even consider it rare.
American Coots on Thin Ice
The temps are dropping here in the Salt Lake Valley, two days ago it was below freezing when we went out shooting. Winter brings challenges and birds we don't see during the summer so I am excited about that.
Female Black-chinned Hummingbird
Yesterday I saw a female Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) checking out the feeder near my front window.
Playing with Light – Teasels
Large groups of Teasels; an introduced "weed", caught my eye in the early morning light
Whoops – American Coot On Thin Ice
Some images are simply too funny not to share. Even with those huge feet this American Coot (Fulica americana) couldn't stay in top of the ice at a pond near where I live in Salt Lake County, Utah.
American White Pelican In Flight
Not far from where I live there is a small pond where I photographed this American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) just after it had lifted off from the water two springs ago.
Signs of Spring ~ American Avocets and Double-crested Cormorants
I was right on the ID and saw not just one but two of American Avocets in flying along the causeway. Wow, more "spring birds"!
American Coots – Birds To Rail About
American Coots are the most widely distributed members of the Rail family in North America and are very abundant in habitats with open water.
High Key Fun
It seems that people either love high key images or they hate them. Personally; I believe that when a high key image is done well that they can be very appealing and have a place for them in my portfolio.
Friday Photos – Pied-billed Grebes
I'm looking forward to the crisp cool air after all the summer heat but most of all I am looking forward to the birds I have missed seeing during the hottest part of the year
Clark’s Grebes
This spring and summer I've a little been disappointed by how few Clark's Grebe images I have been able to take.
It has only been 4 days? Really?
For days it has been raining (sometimes hailing), cloudy and a miserable gray here in the Salt Lake Valley though it seems like two weeks to this bird photographer.