ABA Bird Of The Year 2022 – The Burrowing Owl!
It was announced yesterday that the Burrowing Owl is the 2022 ABA Bird of the Year! Burrowing Owls are small, long-legged, sandy-colored, charismatic owls with bright yellow eyes.
Adult Rough-legged Hawk Calling Plus Photos Of A Younger Roughie
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
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.
Immature Light Morph Red-tailed Hawk Plus A Dark Morph Adult
When I spotted the light colored breast of this immature light morph Red-tailed Hawk from a distance it seemed to glow in the morning light.
Late Summer Turkey Vulture And Common Sunflowers
Yesterday I found an adult Turkey Vulture perched on a metal pipe with a field of sunflowers below and it behind it. I liked the pop of yellow in my photos of this bird.
Four Long-tailed Weasel Photos
I have shared photos of this Long-tailed Weasel before but I liked these four images that I hadn't edited and wanted to share them today.
Nesting Western Grebe Plus Good News On The Parleys Canyon Fire
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.
It Is Red-tailed Hawk Nesting Season
Red-tailed Hawk nesting season has started in northern Utah and I found a few pairs yesterday morning that have already gotten busy with nest building.
Rufous Red-tailed Hawk Female Memories
This morning I wanted to share a few photos of a stunning rufous Red-tailed Hawk female that I photographed over a period of a couple of years.
Cozy Red-tailed Hawks And Finches Galore
Yesterday morning the first birds I spotted and photographed was a pair of adult Red-tailed Hawks side by side on a rocky ledge in early morning light.
Adult Sage Thrasher Regurgitating A Sumac Seed
Eleven days ago I photographed an adult Sage Thrasher regurgitating the seed of a sumac berry that was so close I could barely fit the thrasher in the frame.
Say’s Phoebes And Sagebrush
Over time I have come to associate Say's Phoebes with sagebrush because I don't think I have ever seen or photographed one of these phoebes where there wasn't sage nearby here in northern Utah.
The Grebes Are Back At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge!
Western and Clark's Grebes will soon number in the thousands at Bear River NWR along the auto tour route and on the Bear River itself.
Greater Scaup drake at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
This Greater Scaup drake is making the transition into his breeding plumage an was in among American Coots, a resting female scaup, Pied-Billed Grebes and a single Canvasback.
American Avocets at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is one of my favorite places to visit during the summer to observe and photograph nesting birds and take in the beauty of the refuge.
Clark’s Grebes And Their Young
Clark's Grebes and their young are fascinating subjects to watch and photograph.
Long-billed Curlews are back in Utah!
I saw my first of the year Long-billed Curlews two days ago on Antelope Island State Park flying overhead. They weren't close enough to photograph but I know that soon I will have them in my viewfinder again.
An Adult American Avocet in its breeding plumage
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"!
Caution: Spring Birds Ahead
It won't be long before the American White Pelicans are back at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge which is where I photographed the pelican in the image above last spring.
Open our National Parks, Wildlife Refuges and Monuments Now
Yesterday on the local news I saw that Governor Herbert offered to fund the reopening of Utah's five National Parks which are Zion, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Arches and Capitol Reef.
Small in the Frame – Bald Eagle
Yesterday Ron, Brian Gatlin and I went to Bear River National Wildlife Refuge and the Golden Spike National Historic Site area in bad light, falling snow and lake fog looking for birds to photograph and we came up pretty much empty-handed but we did find this adult Bald Eagle perched on some snow-covered rocks going towards the Golden Spike National Historic Site Visitor Center as the snow fell.
American Avocets at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
American Avocets are birds that I look forward to seeing in spring. I have already seen some from a distance this year.
Give Me Winter or Give Me Spring!
Enough already, if there isn't going to be a winter then bring on the spring!
Friday Photos ~ Feathers and Fur
For today's Friday Photos I am mixing it up a bit and posting images of Pronghorns, a Black-crowned Night Heron, a Long-tailed Weasel and an American Kestrel. Please enjoy!
Cliff Swallow Juveniles
Cliff Swallows catch and eat flying insects of many species the wing so I adore them because they eat mosquitoes, an insect that I personally despise!
Spring fever…
Spring seduces me. Refreshes me. It whispers to me softly to come outside and savor nature and wildlife.
Cinnamon x Blue-winged Teal Hybrid Duck
It wasn't until I pulled the image up on my monitor that I saw that this duck was a hybrid, which turned out to be Cinnamon x Blue-winged Teal hybrid.