Willet and Redstem Filaree
Two days ago I was able to photograph a Willet on Antelope Island calling from some rocks and foraging in the grasses and blooming Redstem Filaree.
Two days ago I was able to photograph a Willet on Antelope Island calling from some rocks and foraging in the grasses and blooming Redstem Filaree.
Great Blue Herons are wading birds that I photographed quite often at Fort De Soto County Park's north beach while I lived in Florida.
Clark's Grebes and their young are fascinating subjects to watch and photograph.
Yesterday for the first time this season I saw and heard Willets on Antelope Island State Park.
The water impoundments at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge are alive with the sounds of calling Western Grebes once again.
The term "Banking" in my title doesn't mean this female American Kestrel is heading to the closest ATM or to a local branch of Wells Fargo because this little beauty doesn't care one cent about money!
Soon Caspian Terns will be back in Utah flying over rivers, ponds, lakes, and other freshwater impoundments searching for prey.
Over the past week I have seen California Gulls in breeding plumage flying to Egg Island in the Great Salt Lake with nesting material in their bills while on the north end of Antelope Island State Park.
Seven days shy of a year ago I found two rare Mountain Plovers in the White Rock Bay area of Antelope Island State Park and lately I have been hoping to see them again.
Yesterday morning's sunny weather felt lovely compared to Sunday which was gray, windy, rainy and snowy and maybe this male Red-winged Blackbird was feeling the difference in weather too.
I am keeping it simple this morning with a lone Sandhill Crane in flight over Wayne County that I photographed about two weeks ago while in southern Utah.
American Kestrels are fascinating falcons, they are tiny, colorful and at times quite pugnacious.
The tide was rushing out of the tidal lagoon very quickly when I photographed this Roseate Spoonbill at the "Magic Hour" and the light on the Spoonbill and the Spartina behind it enchanted me.
On my last visit to Antelope Island State Park five days ago I noticed that some of the wildflowers have started to bloom including Gray's Biscuitroot and Redstem Filaree.
Three days ago a first of the year sighting from the UBIRD group got me all excited because it means that the Ospreys have returned to Utah!
Yesterday I was able to see and photograph a pair of Red-tailed Hawks courting and copulating in Tooele County, Utah.
The Red-winged Blackbirds at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge have courting and nest building on their minds now that spring is upon us.
Five days ago while on Antelope Island I photographed this Western Meadowlark as it sang on the stump of a dead Sagebrush.
Photographing this California Gull on the wing was a highlight of my morning the day I took this photo. I love to photograph gulls.
These Great Blue Heron photos were taken of the same bird, photographed at same location on the same day just one minute apart.
There is a quality that feels very tranquil about this Tricolored Heron image for me. It may be the still, silky texture of the water or the soft pastel color of the water created by the early morning light.
One of the biggest surprises for me on my recent trip to southern Utah was coming across a "bouquet" of 500 or more Black Rosy-Finches that were foraging along the side of Utah State Highway 24.
I am back from wandering, camping and photographing in several counties in southern Utah where I was delighted to find some Sandhill Cranes to photograph in Wayne County, Utah.
What can I say about this image of an adult Great Horned Owl feeding its young that is strongly back lit by the setting sun on Honeymoon Island State Park in Florida?
I'd forgotten all about this Loggerhead Shrike image that I had taken in July of 2011 and came across it the other day, I had meant to post it some time ago but as you all know life gets kind of busy at times.
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.
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"!
After seeing few Chukars on Antelope Island State Park over the winter it is a delight to see them perching on rocks, preening, calling and warming up in the first rays of sunlight on the island again.
Antelope Island State Park in northern Utah is a place where the "Buffalo" still roam unfettered by fences in a wild and majestic location.
Laughing Gulls are commonly seen at Fort De Soto County Park but novices to birding and bird watching might think they are three different kinds of gulls depending on their age and plumage.