birding

Bouquet of Black Rosy-Finches at Capitol Reef National Park

By |2016-12-07T12:10:01-07:00March 18th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Black Rosy-Finches, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

Long-billed Curlews are winging their way to Utah

By |2022-08-16T05:27:01-06:00March 5th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Long-billed Curlews|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Long-billed Curlews have begun to leave or have left their wintering grounds and should be winging their way to Utah and arriving here any day now.

Dreaming of the Sun II

By |2016-12-07T12:10:09-07:00February 12th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

I thought posting an adult Burrowing Owl in flight taken during the summer of 2011 on Antelope Island might help to brighten my spirits as I dream of the sun again.

A Ring-billed Gull – Light on Dark

By |2016-12-07T12:10:15-07:00January 16th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Ring-billed Gulls|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

The day I photographed this Ring-billed Gull at Fort De Soto's north beach there were baitfish in the hundreds of thousands running just off shore and pelicans, egrets, terns and gulls were all in a feeding frenzy.

Calliope Hummingbird and Rocky Mountain Bee Plant

By |2017-06-29T08:37:52-06:00October 23rd, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Calliope Hummingbirds, Utah, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Just a quick post this morning of a tiny Calliope Hummingbird feeding on Rocky Mountain Bee Plant that I photographed at the end of August.

Black-bellied Plover in beach habitat

By |2016-12-07T12:10:46-07:00September 15th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Black-bellied Plovers, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This Black-bellied Plover was standing on a dunelet that wasn't much higher than the sand around it that had sparse short grasses which I found appealing.

Today on On the Wing Photography

By |2022-04-23T04:48:03-06:00April 3rd, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Loggerhead Shrikes, Snowy Egrets, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Who knew that one day my photos would be in a book published by National Geographic? I am truly honored.

Gull and Tern Quiz

By |2021-08-27T12:35:15-06:00January 26th, 2013|Categories: Bird ID, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Gulls|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I came across this image this morning while working up my post Bird images from warmer days and all at 300mm or less and thought it might make a great image for a Bird ID Quiz.

Barn Owl image choices

By |2021-08-30T17:16:07-06:00January 16th, 2013|Categories: Barn Owls, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed this perched Barn Owl yesterday at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area in northern Utah near a hill that was covered in snow which gave this image a high key effect.

The ID of the female duck is…

By |2024-01-13T02:32:17-07:00January 10th, 2013|Categories: Bird ID, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Green-winged Teals, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The answer to the ID quiz is a female Green-winged Teal! Out of 49 people taking the quiz there were 6 votes for Mallard, 8 votes for Blue-winged Teal, 9 votes for Gadwall and 26 votes for Green-winged Teal.

Female Duck ID Quiz

By |2016-12-07T12:12:22-07:00January 8th, 2013|Categories: Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Swans, Ducks and Geese, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed this female duck yesterday morning at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area in northern Utah, she was on ice that was covered by frost flowers and was moving towards a group of males that were in open water.

Tricolored Heron striking at prey

By |2016-12-07T12:12:23-07:00January 3rd, 2013|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Tricolored Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I am intrigued by how these herons evolved to have long necks that give them the ability to make lightning fast strikes at their prey some distance from their bodies.

Tricolored Heron shaking it up on tip toes

By |2016-12-07T12:12:28-07:00December 28th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Tricolored Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Great Blue Heron I photographed on Christmas Day seems to have focused my attention on wading birds, yesterday it was Reddish Egrets and this morning I present a Tricolored Heron shaking its feather while on tip toes

Images of Christmas Past – Happy Holidays

By |2024-03-13T09:45:23-06:00December 25th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Australia, Bald Eagles, Birds, Burnie, Common Mergansers, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Northern Harriers, Roseate Spoonbills, Tasmania|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I took a stroll down memory lane, actually I looked for images I have taken either on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day in my files but in a way that is taking a stroll down memory lane.

Roseate Spoonbill in evening light

By |2016-12-07T12:12:30-07:00December 22nd, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Roseate Spoonbills|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Evening can have marvelous light too though as shown in the Roseate Spoonbill image above that I photographed in Florida as it hunted for prey in a tidal lagoon.

Red Knot in early morning light

By |2016-12-07T12:12:32-07:00December 17th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Pinellas County, Red Knots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A simple image of a Red Knot taken in Florida in early morning light. Morning has been; and is, my favorite time of day to photograph birds and other wildlife because the rising sun can add drama and a warm glow to whatever subject I am photographing.

Hatch year Red-tailed Hawk

By |2016-12-07T12:12:34-07:00December 12th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I recall that when I first started photographing the juvenile Red-tailed Hawks in this area back in August that they missed their prey more times than they would capture it and now they seem to have gone the other way, they are catching the prey more than they are missing it.

Wilson’s Plover in habitat

By |2016-12-07T12:12:34-07:00December 11th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Wilson's Plovers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This Wilson's Plover and its mate were being run ragged chasing after the two chicks they had fledged, this adult stopped in front of me where I had laid down in the sugary white sand and rested a few moments in the dried Sea Purslane stalks.

Low angle Long-billed Curlew

By |2022-08-16T04:05:00-06:00December 3rd, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Long-billed Curlews, Low angle|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Since winter has thus far decided to stay in more northern latitudes and higher elevations I decided to post an image of a Long-billed Curlew taken in southern, sub-tropical climes a few years ago.

Tricolored Heron – Up close

By |2023-10-06T13:05:05-06:00November 26th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Tricolored Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I photographed this hunting Tricolored Heron I was laying flat on my belly in the shallows where the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico gently lapped the shore.

At the Edge of a Storm

By |2023-10-25T10:06:45-06:00November 21st, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Common Ravens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I mentioned that there had been low light, falling snow and that the weather conditions before photographing the Loggerhead Shrike and Prairie Falcon weren't great.

The Ant Slaying Snowy Plover

By |2016-12-07T12:12:42-07:00November 18th, 2012|Categories: Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Snowy Plovers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While photographing this Snowy Plover in June of 2008 I was able to observe the tiny shorebird snatch an ant from the sugar sand of the north beach of Fort De Soto.

Swainson’s Hawk in the Centennial Valley of Montana

By |2021-03-31T17:40:14-06:00November 17th, 2012|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This adult Swainson's had two juveniles nearby that were perched on the conifer tree that their natal nest was in and the sun was getting close to setting. Sometimes I wish I could "speak" raptor so I could know what they are saying.

Etiquette – Birders, Bird Photographers and the General Public

By |2021-02-14T07:00:55-07:00November 9th, 2012|Categories: Etiquette, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Roseate Spoonbills|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

I think it is always important to try to remember that not everyone knows that there is such a thing as Birding or Bird Photography Etiquette. It could be a good time to bring the subject up; politely of course.

Birds and Mammals from the past week

By |2021-02-14T11:53:34-07:00November 7th, 2012|Categories: American Bison, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Coyotes, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Horned Owls, Horned Larks, Pronghorn, Utah, White-crowned Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Just a few images from this past week.

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