bird photography

Wings Over People: My Love for Bird Photography

By |2023-09-09T07:56:01-06:00March 2nd, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Ring-billed Gulls, Rough-legged Hawks, Salt Lake County, San Juan County, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , |

This could also be titled "Why I prefer to bird photography over people photography" and I will explain why this morning.

Photographing Birds During Social Distancing Plus Earthquake Aftershocks

By |2022-08-16T04:23:44-06:00March 23rd, 2020|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In the event that our governor does force us into a total lock down I have enough images that I haven't shared here on my blog that I could post everyday for a year and still not run out of photos.

Perched Broad-tailed Hummingbird Male

By |2021-03-18T06:52:47-06:00March 18th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It won't be long before I hear the buzzing wings, chips and chitters of Broad-tailed Hummingbirds in the mountains of northern Utah and I am very much looking forward to their return.

Celebrating Twenty-five Hundred Posts at On The Wing Photography

By |2021-04-04T12:38:28-06:00April 9th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Today I am celebrating my 2500th post here at On The Wing Photography! I've been sharing my photography and the stories behind the images since 2010 here on my site and what a ride it has been.

My Year of Bird Photography in 2017

By |2020-12-29T16:50:22-07:00December 31st, 2017|Categories: American Tree Sparrows, American White Pelicans, Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Green-tailed Towhees, Idaho, Prairie Falcons, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Red-tailed Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Short-eared Owls, Swainson's Hawks, Utah, Yellow-rumped Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I love what I do, I love my subjects and it doesn't matter if I find them close to home or further away. I am blessed. 2017 has been wonderful and I am excited for what 2018 may bring.

Light Morph Swainson’s Hawk with Different Backgrounds and Distances

By |2021-03-31T14:33:05-06:00May 2nd, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I always try to pay attention to what is going on in the background of my photos because by changing distance or angles the same bird, like this Swainson's Hawk, can look very different in my images.

Pair of Red-tailed Hawks Mating – A Wild 34 Seconds

By |2021-05-26T04:14:29-06:00March 30th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

What I didn't expect yesterday was that I would be able to photograph the Red-tailed Hawks mating on the lichen-covered outcropping but that is what happened

Fishing American White Pelican at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |2021-04-09T05:01:32-06:00September 20th, 2015|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

This American White Pelican image was taken in July near the auto tour loop at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and I like how it shows the pelican fishing for food.

Trumpeter Swan Cygnets On Elk Lake

By |2024-02-19T14:42:50-07:00September 12th, 2015|Categories: Beaverhead County, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Birds, Montana, Trumpeter Swans|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I am totally enamored by Trumpeter Swans, they are not only graceful and beautiful but the adults seem like such caring parents and keep an ever watchful eye on their young.

Black-necked Stilt And My Concerns About The Future Of The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |2016-12-07T12:07:28-07:00August 10th, 2015|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-necked Stilts, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

If the Bear River is dammed upstream I have to wonder if we will see history repeating itself but made even worse by climate change, reduced snow pack and rising temperatures and how that will impact the refuge.

Western Kingbirds – Juveniles Begging To Be Fed

By |2021-05-31T13:08:26-06:00July 30th, 2015|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Kingbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

So even though I didn't come home with many Burrowing Owls images yesterday these Western Kingbird images more than made up for it!

A Wet and Bedraggled Swainson’s Hawk

By |2021-03-31T15:49:07-06:00June 11th, 2015|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was rainy yesterday evening in southwestern Montana and eastern Idaho but that didn't stop me from getting this image of a wet and bedraggled Swainson's Hawk in the Centennial Valley.

Willow Flycatcher on Antelope Island

By |2021-05-25T04:18:58-06:00June 5th, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Utah, Willow Flycatchers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Early last week while photographing Western Kingbirds I also had the opportunity to photograph a Willow Flycatcher that was hanging around the same area on Antelope Island State Park.

Western Kingbirds On The Wing

By |2021-05-31T13:14:54-06:00June 1st, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Utah, Western Kingbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had fun photographing Western Kingbirds again yesterday on Antelope Island State Park and hours later I was still hearing their calls in my mind.

First year male Bullock’s Oriole

By |2021-04-26T11:21:08-06:00May 28th, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Bullock's Orioles, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Earlier this week while photographing Western Kingbirds I also had opportunities to photograph a first year male Bullock's Oriole on Antelope Island State Park.

Western Kingbirds in All Kinds of Light

By |2021-05-31T13:21:09-06:00May 26th, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Utah, Western Kingbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

By the third or fourth visit to the area where the Western Kingbirds were located the sun was shining and the light was great. I felt like singing along with the kingbird to celebrate the clearing sky.

Barred Owl at Lettuce Lake Park and a Precautionary Tale

By |2023-07-27T03:38:51-06:00May 20th, 2015|Categories: Barred Owls, Birds, Florida, Hillsborough County, Lettuce Lake Regional Park|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

We could have spent more time with this Barred Owl and it may have eventually moved to a better location for us to get photos but because of one person ticking off the owl we didn't get that chance.

Preening Cliff Swallow and a short video of the flock

By |2023-08-31T05:43:19-06:00May 12th, 2015|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Cliff Swallows, Utah, Video|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

The Cliff Swallows at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge are busy catching bugs and building nests but they do take time out to preen and fluff like this one did yesterday.

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