Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

Today Is Utah’s Swan Day For 2024

By |2024-03-09T04:05:56-07:00March 9th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today is March 9th, and it is Utah's Swan Day 2024! The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge auto tour loop is a terrific place to see these lovely white swans.

Fun Drake Mallard At Bear River MBR

By |2024-01-13T03:19:59-07:00January 4th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Mallards, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On New Year's Day morning, I had fun photographing a drake Mallard from the auto tour loop of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge as he lifted off from the marsh.

An Incredible Shelf Cloud Over Bear River MBR

By |2023-10-24T05:51:47-06:00October 24th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Miscellaneous, Utah, Weather Phenomena|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today, I am sharing a few images of an incredible shelf cloud over Bear River MBR that I was thrilled to see and photograph yesterday morning.

Ring-billed Gull Feeding Frenzy Excitement

By |2022-11-16T03:16:36-07:00November 16th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Ring-billed Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I was at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge two days ago I witnessed several Ring-billed Gull feeding frenzies out on the marshes of the refuge.

Winter California And Herring Gull Comparison In Utah

By |2023-03-27T03:47:22-06:00November 8th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, California Gulls, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Herring Gulls, Pinellas County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Since I frequently get asked which is which I thought this would be a good time to do a winter California and Herring Gull comparison and ID feature post.

Fall Views At Bear River MBR

By |2022-11-06T05:56:11-07:00November 6th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Scenics, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yes, I go to Bear River MBR to find and photograph birds, but I also go there to unwind and find comfort in the marsh and the magnificent surroundings.

Greater Yellowlegs And Pickleweed Photos

By |2022-09-04T03:49:03-06:00September 4th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Greater Yellowlegs, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my last trip up to Bear River MBR I had a Greater Yellowlegs land close to me in pickleweeds while I was parked on the north side of the auto tour route.

Young Killdeer At Bear River MBR

By |2022-08-16T03:37:53-06:00August 16th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Killdeer, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I drove up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge where the second bird that I photographed was a young Killdeer in the early light of dawn.

Fifteen Tundra Swan Photos For Swan Day 2022

By |2022-03-11T05:07:35-07:00March 11th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This past Monday while I was enjoying the peace and solitude of the auto tour route at Bear River MBR I took hundreds of Tundra Swan photos from inside my Jeep.

Drake Northern Pintail Lift Off Images

By |2022-11-06T09:39:12-07:00March 8th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Pintails, Utah, Video|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I drove up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge yesterday morning and came home with some drake Northern Pintail lift off images that I am pleased with.

Trumpeter Swan Photos From Bear River MBR

By |2024-02-19T12:57:46-07:00February 21st, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Bird ID, Birds, Box Elder County, Trumpeter Swans, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I was at Bear River MBR two days ago I was excited to be able to take a nice series of Trumpeter Swan photos on the west side of the auto tour loop.

I Am Going To Miss This Rough-legged Hawk

By |2022-02-13T04:48:23-07:00February 13th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week I photographed this male Rough-legged Hawk on Monday and Thursday while at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Four Immature Red-tailed Hawk Portraits

By |2022-02-12T05:16:20-07:00February 12th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago I was able to take a nice series of immature Red-tailed Hawk portraits on my most recent trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Yawning Immature Rough-legged Hawk

By |2022-02-10T05:20:55-07:00February 10th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This is the same immature light morph Rough-legged Hawk that I shared portraits of two days ago that were taken at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Light Morph Male Rough-legged Hawk Winter Site Fidelity

By |2022-02-05T05:47:55-07:00February 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.

Riverbank Red-tailed Hawk Dining Al Fresco

By |2024-01-08T03:21:56-07:00January 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.

One Very Cooperative Male Rough-legged Hawk

By |2022-01-06T03:56:07-07:00January 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.

Great Blue Heron Photos Taken on The Winter Solstice

By |2021-12-22T05:20:56-07:00December 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.

Adult Rough-legged Hawk Calling Plus Photos Of A Younger Roughie

By |2021-12-06T05:11:44-07:00December 6th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I heard a male Rough-legged Hawk calling which is highly unusual away from their breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra and taiga of the far north.

American Pipits In My Viewfinder

By |2021-12-05T04:54:33-07:00December 5th, 2021|Categories: American Pipits, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been seeing and hearing American Pipits since the end of September but this was the first time this fall I was able to get close to them.

Nesting Western Grebe Plus Good News On The Parleys Canyon Fire

By |2021-08-18T06:58:41-06:00August 18th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Grebes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One year ago today I found a nesting Western Grebe with two eggs at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and I realized yesterday that I had never shared photos of it.

Perched Eastern Kingbird

By |2021-06-15T09:49:24-06:00June 21st, 2012|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Eastern Kingbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I always look forward to seeing and photographing Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus) during the warmer months of the year. I was fortunate to see a few yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in northern Utah.

Birds of Bear River MBR – American White Pelicans

By |2023-12-20T09:07:25-07:00June 7th, 2012|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is an excellent location for finding and photographing American White Pelicans who have wing spans of over nine feet.

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