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Swainson’s Hawk in flight over Beaverhead County, Montana

By |July 27th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Montana, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed the adult Swainson's Hawk above after it had lifted off from a power pole in Beaverhead County and loved that I had thin clouds in the background which is far more pleasing to my eye than plain blue sky.

Yellow Warbler – Small in the Frame

By |July 25th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Northern Yellow Warblers, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Wildlife Ethics & Etiquette|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Yellow Warbler in my image was singing along a creek lined with willows and although the bird is small in the frame I find this image appealing because of the simple lines, the bird's pose and the wonderful eye contact the bird gave me as it briefly looked towards me.

Green-tailed Towhee high up on Bountiful Canyon

By |July 24th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Green-tailed Towhees, Sky Line Drive, Bountiful Canyon, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week while heading up the Skyline Drive of Bountiful Canyon this Green-tailed Towhee was singing on top of a shrub and I was surprised when it hung around for about 2 minutes

Mule Deer Doe Blur

By |July 23rd, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Mule Deer, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I spotted this Mule Deer doe standing in the golden light on the Antelope Island causeway I thought I would take a few static images of her but as soon as I stopped the doe began to run so I fired off a burst of shots as I panned her movement and knew they would be blurred

If Only I Could Fly Like This Red-tailed Hawk!

By |July 21st, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red-tailed Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I readily admit that sometimes I daydream about being able to fly like a bird and quite often the bird I wish I were is a Red-tailed Hawk.

Great Blue Heron Portraits from Florida and Utah

By |July 18th, 2013|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Pinellas County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

Turkey Vulture And Changing Backgrounds

By |July 16th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week while photographing in a canyon in the Stansbury Mountains in Tooele County, Utah I spotted this Turkey Vulture roosting in a dead tree in morning light.

The Amazing Legacy of the Bluebird Man

By |July 13th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Capitol Reef National Park, Centennial Valley, Conservation, Downy Woodpeckers, Montana, Mountain Bluebirds, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Tree Swallows, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I want to thank Neil Paprocki for sharing information about Al Larson and the upcoming film The Bluebird Man, I have learned a lot from the web site and through my interview with Neil and I am all for learning more about the wonderful natural world around me.

Western Grebe at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |July 12th, 2013|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Grebes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

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

By |July 11th, 2013|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

Ghosts of the Prairie – Mountain Plovers

By |July 8th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Mountain Plovers, Rarities, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On April 10th I spotted two Mountain Plovers on Antelope Island State Park after reporting it to the UBIRD birding list many birders and bird photographers sped to the island to see these birds which are a rarity in this area.

Horned Lark, Moth Mullein and Antelope Island

By |July 7th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Horned Larks, Utah, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There are seasonal cycles on Antelope Island State park, winter turns to spring, spring to summer, summer to fall and fall to winter but there are also yearly cycles for the wildflowers that bloom on the island too.

Five Years Ago Today At Fort De Soto

By |July 6th, 2013|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Egrets, Pinellas County, Reddish Egrets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Five years ago today I headed to the north beach of Fort De Soto County Park despite knowing that there were looming storms off of the coast hanging just off shore over the Gulf of Mexico and I am glad that I did because the light that day on the beach was exquisite.

Calling Adult Loggerhead Shrike

By |July 5th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Loggerhead Shrikes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago I posted a portrait of a juvenile Loggerhead Shrike that I had photographed on Antelope Island State Park, today I am posting an image of an adult Loggerhead Shrike taken a day after I photographed the young shrike.

Sage Thrashers Aplenty

By |July 1st, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Sage Thrashers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There are Sage Thrashers aplenty on Antelope Island State Park right now and they have been thrashing, dashing and singing their little hearts out the last three trips I have made out to the island.

Laughing Gulls in breeding and nonbreeding plumage

By |June 29th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Laughing Gulls|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Both of these Laughing Gull images were taken at Fort De Soto County Park's north beach in Florida, the image above shows a Laughing gull in nonbreeding plumage that was taken in September of 2008.

Adult American Oystercatcher Among Sea Purslane

By |June 27th, 2013|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

I like to include habitat in my images when I am able to do so, especially when the habitat doesn't obstruct the view of my subject or when the habitat helps to define a sense of place.

Tricolored Heron in Breeding Plumage

By |June 23rd, 2013|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Tricolored Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was digging through my image files yesterday and came across a series of Tricolored Heron images that I had never edited from a May morning in 2009 when I was photographing birds at Fort De Soto's north beach.

European Starling eating Brine flies on the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake

By |June 21st, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Brine Flies, Davis County, European Starlings, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week I was photographing shorebirds and a Chukar eating Brine flies on the shore of the Great Salt Lake when this European Starling flew in and started to eat them too.

Male Northern Flicker in its nesting cavity

By |June 20th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Madison County, Montana, Northern Flickers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was photographing some Pine Siskins along a road in Madison County, Montana when this male Red-shafted Northern Flicker stuck his head out of his nesting cavity in an aspen and surprised me.

Western Burrowing Owls Are Declining Throughout Their Range

By |June 19th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Western Burrowing Owls populations are declining, human population explosion and subsequent urban development plus habitat degradation has reduced Burrowing Owl populations by 60% and that number is still rising.

Wired Western Wood-Pewee

By |June 18th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Western Wood-Pewees|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I saw several Tyrant Flycatchers on my last trip to Montana, Eastern and Western Kingbirds and a couple of Western Wood-Pewees that were hawking from fence posts and barbed wire along a gravel road.

Adult Red-tailed Hawk In A Montana Sky

By |June 17th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-tailed Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There are issues with this image which I will cover shortly but I really liked the pose of this Red-tailed Hawk, the spread of the wings, the flared tail and the great eye contact I was able to capture as the Red-tail looked down towards me as it flew in a bright blue Montana sky.

Mountain Bluebird Tribute to Fathers

By |June 16th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Fremont County, Idaho, Montana, Mountain Bluebirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday my post focused on female Mountain Bluebirds and today I am presenting males in honor of Father's Day. I was blessed to have two fathers, one who died when I was very young and later in my second Dad came into my life.

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